Can't get the barrel bushing over the spring plug on my 1911

[Triathloncoach]

My mechanical ineptitude scores again. So I have my 1911 at the range after I stripped it down and put it back together. Put a round in the chamber, pull the trigger - the hammer drops - no bang. So I dunno, I swap out magazines, put one in the chamber, pull the trigger - no bang. Again.

I bring the gun home, take it apart, lose the recoil spring cap in an absolute freak of physics. Order a new one from Brownells- one size fits all.

Now I can't get the barrel bushing over the cap. It locks on fine without the cap, so the cap must be pushing the barrel so the bushing won't lock in.

What am I doing wrong - this time? Is it the spring on the rod? I'm not putting the barrel in correctly? This should be so simple it's beyond my comprehension to comprehend my inability to comprehend.

Pictures to illustrate. Including my 2 home protection dogs at work barking at the neighbors.

 

[geezer]

Is that an officers model? Spring cap for a GI? One size does NOT fit all....Barrel bushing is not in all the way in these pics...It(the notch) should also be on the other side of the sprig cap at this point in the assembly process...


Put the barrel bushing in ALL the way, rotate it clockwise until it stops. Put the springcap in and depress it, while rotating the barrel bushing counterclockwise until the spring cap lines up with the notch on the barrel bushing...release pressure on springcap.

 

[chopper duke]

Did you make sure the bushing was in first?

 

[Triathloncoach]

Put the barrel bushing in ALL the way, rotate it clockwise until it stops. Put the springcap in and depress it, while rotating the barrel bushing counterclockwise until the spring cap lines up with the notch on the barrel bushing...release pressure on springcap.

Thank you!!! Geeezer and Chopper Duke.

There you go. I didn't rotate it all the way around, and then bring it back after depressing the plug. I need to become better familiar with my guns.

Yeah - I have a GWL - yeah, I carry mace instead. I'm an idiot with a short temper fuse.

 

[geezer]

Now, tell me about that failure to fire problem...

 

[STONEWALL]

Yeah - I have a GWL - yeah, I carry mace instead. I'm an idiot with a short temper fuse.

Good to know.

 

[Triathloncoach]

Now, tell me about that failure to fire problem...

I don't know. I believe I may have had the recoil spring bent. ? I haven't had a chance to fire the gun since. But the hammer now drops with an audible click, I have snap caps. It appears to be functioning fine. Although it appeared fine when it previously failed to go bang. Although the hammer may not have struck as sharply as it seems to now.

To the range I go! One of these days.

 

[Triathloncoach]

Good to know.

Know thy limitations. Thine? I guess I just don't know.

 

[WC1911guy]

Know thy limitations. Thine? I guess I just don't know.

You can test fire your pistol by cocking it and putting a pencil down the barrel with the eraser facing the firing pin. Pull the trigger and if all is good the pencil will fly out if the barrel and go about 3 feet away.

 

[gamadmex4502]

The 1911 is not the friendliest of pistols to disassemble and reassemble. It is quite different from the take-down lever designs that are so prevalent these days. But once you get the hang of it, you'll be fine. I also had the spring cap go shooting across the room the first couple of times I disassembled mine.

Happy shooting.