The M1911 Complete Owner’s Guide – Table of Contents

The M1911 pistol is a single-action, recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. The pistol’s formal U.S. military designation as of 1940 was Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911 for the original model adopted in March 1911, and Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911A1 for the improved M1911A1 model which entered service in 1926. Designed by John Browning, the M1911 is the best-known of his designs to use the short recoil principle in its basic design. The pistol was widely copied, and this operating system rose to become the preeminent type of the 20th century and of nearly all modern centerfire pistols. It is popular with civilian shooters in competitive events such as the International Defensive Pistol Association and International Practical Shooting Confederation.

Table of Contents
by Walt Kuleck

FORWARD…………………………………………………………………………………………………. xi

INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1

The Purpose of This Book……………………………………………………………………… 1

The Framework of This Book…………………………………………………………………. 1

But, There’s More!……………………………………………………………………………….. 2

We Were Not Alone……………………………………………………………………………… 2

A Most Special Thanks………………………………………………………………………….. 3

In Closing…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

Please Help Support……………………………………………………………………………………. 3

HISTORY…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

Background…………………………………………………………………………………………. 5

Automatic Pistols Emerge……………………………………………………………………… 7

Stopping Power…………………………………………………………………………….. 8

Development of the M1911………………………………………………………………….. 11

Family Tree…………………………………………………………………………………… 11

The Crucible…………………………………………………………………………………. 15

The Safety Lock (Thumb Safety) and “Condition One”……………………….. 16

Why Did the Colt Model of 1911 Win?…………………………………………….. 21

The Model of 1911 in Service………………………………………………………………… 21

World War One…………………………………………………………………………….. 21

The Antebellum Years……………………………………………………………………. 23

Sidebar………………………………………………………………………………………… 24

World War Two…………………………………………………………………………….. 25

The Wilderness……………………………………………………………………………… 25

The M1911 in Civvies……………………………………………………………………………. 27

The Doldrums……………………………………………………………………………….. 27

The Major…………………………………………………………………………………….. 29

The Renaissance……………………………………………………………………………. 33

Incubation……………………………………………………………………………………. 35

But, What of Colt?…………………………………………………………………………. 37

A partial listening of commercial 1911 manufacturers past and present: 38

Today and Tomorrow…………………………………………………………………………… 41

STANDARD NOMENCLATURE……………………………………………………………………….. 45

Rationale…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 45

Parts List………………………………………………………………………………………. 45

“Non-Standard” Nomenclature………………………………………………………. 49

PRICIPLES OF OPERATION……………………………………………………………………………. 51

Background…………………………………………………………………………………………. 51

Operating Cycle…………………………………………………………………………………… 53

SELECTING…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 73

Purpose………………………………………………………………………………………………. 77

Purpose: Open Carry……………………………………………………………………… 77

Purpose: Conceal Carry………………………………………………………………….. 83

Summary for Concealed Carry………………………………………………………… 89

Purpose” “Practical” Competition…………………………………………………… 89

Summary for “Practical” Competition – where one does

not choose to use one’s “carry” equipment……………………………………… 91

Bullseye Competition…………………………………………………………………….. 93

Summary for Bullseye Competition…………………………………………………. 93

Levels of Enhancement………………………………………………………………….. 95

Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 97

DISSASSEMBLY AND PISTOL EVALUATION……………………………………………………… 99

Rationale…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 99

Exterior Examination……………………………………………………………………… 99

Disassembly: Field Stripping…………………………………………………………… 101

Detail Stripping: Frame………………………………………………………………….. 109

Detail Stripping: Slide…………………………………………………………………….. 125

ASSEMBLY AND COMPENENT EVALUATION…………………………………………………… 127

Rationale…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 127

Assembly…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 127

Slide Components…………………………………………………………………………. 127

Assembling the Slide……………………………………………………………………… 133

Assembling the Frame……………………………………………………………………. 135

Assembling the Pistol…………………………………………………………………….. 149

CLEANING AND LUBRICATION……………………………………………………………………… 161

Rationale…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 161

Tools and Supplies…………………………………………………………………………. 161

Storage……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 166

Recommended Tools……………………………………………………………………………. 166

Basic Tools……………………………………………………………………………………. 167

Intermediate Tools………………………………………………………………………… 169

Advanced Tools…………………………………………………………………………….. 171

Recommended Spares………………………………………………………………………….. 171

Rationale……………………………………………………………………………………… 171

Slide Components:………………………………………………………………………… 173

Frame Components:………………………………………………………………………. 173

Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 175

TROUBLESHOOTING……………………………………………………………………………………. 177

Rationale…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 177

Malfunction Taxonomy………………………………………………………………………… 178

Failure to Feed……………………………………………………………………………… 178

Failure to Chamber………………………………………………………………………… 180

Failure to Lock………………………………………………………………………………. 181

Failure to Fire……………………………………………………………………………….. 181

Failure to Unlock…………………………………………………………………………… 182

Failure to Extract…………………………………………………………………………… 182

Failure to Eject……………………………………………………………………………… 183

Failure to Cock………………………………………………………………………………. 183

Failure to Lock Back……………………………………………………………………….. 183

Premature Lock Back……………………………………………………………………… 183

Miscellaneous Failures, “not elsewhere classified”……………………………. 184

Troubleshooting Summary……………………………………………………………………. 184

Quick Reference Troubleshooting Guide………………………………………………… 185

MAGAZINES……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 189

Rationale…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 189

Magazine Taxonomy…………………………………………………………………………….. 191

Tube…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 191

Feed Lips………………………………………………………………………………………. 197

Follower……………………………………………………………………………………….. 203

Spring………………………………………………………………………………………….. 203

Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 203

Magazine Maintenance………………………………………………………………………… 205

Magazine Prooving………………………………………………………………………………. 207

UPGRADES…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 209

Rationale…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 209

The Big Question………………………………………………………………………………….. 209

User-Appropriate Upgrades………………………………………………………………….. 211

Class 1 Upgrades…………………………………………………………………………… 213

Class 2 Upgrades…………………………………………………………………………… 223

Class 3 Upgrades…………………………………………………………………………… 235

Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 239

HOLSTERS………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 241

The Most Important Part of Any Holster…………………………………………………. 241

A Proper Belt……………………………………………………………………………………….. 241

Purpose of a holster…………………………………………………………………………….. 243

Protect the pistol…………………………………………………………………………… 243

Protect the wearer………………………………………………………………………… 243

Protect the vicinity………………………………………………………………………… 245

Anatomy of the holster………………………………………………………………………… 245

Inside the Waistband (IWB) Holsters……………………………………………….. 247

Outside the Waistband (OWB) Holsters…………………………………………… 251

Selecting Your Holster – Holster Configuration………………………………………… 251

Exploring Holsters………………………………………………………………………………… 253

Selecting Your Holster: Holster material…………………………………………………. 255

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………….. 259

AMMUNITION……………………………………………………………………………………………. 261

The Point of it All…………………………………………………………………………………. 261

Bullets………………………………………………………………………………………………… 261

Choices, choices…………………………………………………………………………………… 263

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………….. 265

SHOOTING…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 267

Not a Musician…………………………………………………………………………………….. 267

The Best Way to Win a Gun Fight…………………………………………………………… 267

SAFETY!………………………………………………………………………………………………. 267

The Basics…………………………………………………………………………………………… 269

Rational……………………………………………………………………………………….. 269

The Absolute Basics……………………………………………………………………….. 269

Grasping the Pistol………………………………………………………………………… 269

Holding the Pistol………………………………………………………………………….. 269

Stance………………………………………………………………………………………….. 271

Aiming…………………………………………………………………………………………. 271

Trigger control and follow-through…………………………………………………. 273

Training Thoughts…………………………………………………………………………. 273

APPENDIX A: COLT MODEL NUMBERS…………………………………………………………… 277

APPENDIX B: ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 289

“Worth the Time and Money” Shooting Schools…………………………………………….. 289

I’ve attended:………………………………………………………………………………………. 289

ASAA – Chuck Taylor……………………………………………………………………… 289

DTI with John Farnam……………………………………………………………………. 289

LFI I, II and III (Massad Ayoob)………………………………………………………… 289

Ken Hackathorn…………………………………………………………………………….. 289

Larry Mudgett………………………………………………………………………………. 289

Suarez International………………………………………………………………………. 290

Thunder Ranch……………………………………………………………………………… 290

I’ve not attended these but get high recommendations for………………………. 290

Blackwater Training Center…………………………………………………………….. 290

Gunsite………………………………………………………………………………………… 290

Larry Vickers…………………………………………………………………………………. 290

You can purchase The M1911 Owner’s Guide by itself or in the The M1911 Owner’s and Assembly Bundle