How to Operate the Slide on a 1911 Colt

The Colt 1911 (named for the year it was adopted) is a semi-automatic .45 caliber handgun. It was designed for the U.S. Army by John Moses Browning as a replacement for the .38 caliber revolvers that were in service at the time. The Colt 1911 became the official sidearm of American military forces on March 29, 1911. It was designed to be easily disassembled in the field. The main parts of the Colt 1911 include the magazine, the grip assembly, the slide and the barrel. Most of the parts that are removed during the field-stripping process are inside the slide assembly.

Instructions

  1. Regular Slide Operation

    • 1

      Insert a loaded magazine into the magazine well, which is located in the base of the handle.

    • 2

      Grip the rear of the slide with your thumb and forefinger and pull back on it.

    • 3

      Release the slide, which will move a bullet into the chamber. Do not continue to hold the slide while it is moving forward. This is known as "riding the slide" and can result in misfeeding the round.

    • 4

      Eject the magazine and set it aside.

    • 5

      Pull the slide back to eject the round from the chamber. Make sure that the chamber is empty before releasing the slide.

    Field stripping

    • 6

      Eject the magazine and pull the slide back to make sure that the Colt isn't loaded. Release the slide once you've confirmed that the gun is empty.

    • 7

      Pull the trigger to return the hammer to the forward position.

    • 8

      Push in the plug at the front of the Colt and rotate the barrel bushing clockwise a one-quarter turn. This will free the plug and the recoil spring for removal. The plug is located directly under the barrel. The barrel bushing is the metal ring surrounding the front of the barrel.

    • 9

      Remove the plug and the recoil spring. Be careful when doing this as the recoil spring is under tension.

    • 10

      Rotate the barrel bushing in a counterclockwise direction until you can pull it free from the slide.

    • 11

      Pull the slide to the rear until the end of the slide release lever is lined up with the first notch on the slide and press the slide release pin located on the right side of the grip assembly. This will push the slide release lever outward.

    • 12

      Remove the slide release lever. You will now be able to separate the slide from the grip assembly.

    • 13

      Remove the recoil spring guide rod from the slide and set it aside.

    • 14

      Push the barrel through the front opening of the slide.