Quick 1911 Question

[robheath]

I went and shot this weekend.  The slide release lever walked out on my Para 7.45 single stack.  Bad slide release lever, Bad plunger or spring, Damaged slide???

[Solus]

I went and shot this weekend.  The slide release lever walked out on my Para 7.45 single stack.  Bad slide release lever, Bad plunger or spring, Damaged slide???

My guess is the lever.   On my Gov. Model, there is a small lip on top of the lever just behind the lip on the grooved thumb surface.  That lip rides inside the slide and retains the lever.  The lever is removed by holding slide so the small notch, the one behind the slide hold open notch, allows to the lip to pass through the notch.

The plunger might provide enough pressure to keep the the lever in place during operation when the notch passes the lip, but if it is walking out gradually, it my guess would be the lip is worn or missing.

[Ichiban]

You weren't doing something silly, were you?   

[Timothy]

My guess is the same as Solus.  

Your lever may broken.  I have a spare if you need one.  Send me a PM with your address and I'll drop it in the mail this week sometime.  You can get a Wilson Combat bulletproof for about 60 bucks but mine will get you back on the range for free...or you can call Para and they'll maybe ship you one for free as well!

Let me know..

[robheath]

My guess is the same as Solus.  

Your lever may broken.  I have a spare if you need one.  Send me a PM with your address and I'll drop it in the mail this week sometime.  You can get a Wilson Combat bulletproof for about 60 bucks but mine will get you back on the range for free...or you can call Para and they'll maybe ship you one for free as well!

Let me know..

Thanks for the offer but I have a few spares.  Sometime this pm I'll have time to look at it.  The reason I thoght maybe the plunger or spring is because it would hang up in the take down notch in the slide.  OH and no I wasn't doing anything silly.  Thanks guys. I'll post what I find.  If it's the plunger, it may just need a good cleaning.  Don't think I've ever pulled it out and payed it that much attn.

[Sponsor]

[Timothy]

Thanks for the offer but I have a few spares.  Sometime this pm I'll have time to look at it.  The reason I thoght maybe the plunger or spring is because it would hang up in the take down notch in the slide.  OH and no I wasn't doing anything silly.  Thanks guys. I'll post what I find.  If it's the plunger, it may just need a good cleaning.  Don't think I've ever pulled it out and payed it that much attn.

Yes, I was going to suggest you do a full take down and clean everything.  The plunger, spring and housing don't get much attention in a field strip.  Look forward to the report!

[robheath]

OK fellas. I took the plunger and spring out and it was a bit gritty.  Called a friend of mine who does refinishing and other custom work in New Orleans and its gonna get a sonic bath.  I also went ahead and changed the slide stop lever with a Wilson extended that I had taken out for IWB carry ( just a little less bind with the origional ).  I'll take the dremel to it this weekend.  The wilson has a lil more beef to it at the spot that goes thru the takedown notch in the slide.  I compaired the plunger spring to my Springfield gov. and they are the same but I will order a new one anyway.  This Para has been my carry gun for 7 years now and has alwaye been my favorite.  I have an origional Colt issued, a Springfield, and two Paras.  I may have to swap to the Springfield for a while until some proofing at the range is done.  Daily carry is just so bad on the finish that I've refinished the Para twice in that 7 years.  Anyway thats as long winded as I get.  I'll get it to the range soon and update this thread.

[Tyler Durden]

Where the rounded end of the plunger engages the slide stop, there needs to be a dimple made, then using a small cone shaped stone chucked into the dremel, feather that dimple into a tear drop shape that allows the slide stop to move upward even when the plunger is pressing against it.

[robheath]

Where the rounded end of the plunger engages the slide stop, there needs to be a dimple made, then using a small cone shaped stone chucked into the dremel, feather that dimple into a tear drop shape that allows the slide stop to move upward even when the plunger is pressing against it.

Thats a good hint because I checked to see if there was a dimple like whats on the thumb safety.  Their wasn't one, on the origional or the Wilson.  I'll do that!

[PegLeg45]

My guess is the lever.   On my Gov. Model, there is a small lip on top of the lever just behind the lip on the grooved thumb surface.  That lip rides inside the slide and retains the lever.  The lever is removed by holding slide so the small notch, the one behind the slide hold open notch, allows to the lip to pass through the notch.

The plunger might provide enough pressure to keep the the lever in place during operation when the notch passes the lip, but if it is walking out gradually, it my guess would be the lip is worn or missing.

+1
I'm thinking the top of the stop is worn enough to let it slip under.

Mic (or use calipers if you have them) the thickness (from top to bottom) on the part that is retained by the slide. Check it against another you have and see if there is a difference.

Remember that the slide has to be retracted to a certain spot so the stop can go through the notch and be retained by the slide.....regardless of the spring and plunger.
I'm pushing on one right now and it won't move.

Remember, once the slide stop is in its proper place, you can't (or shouldn't be able to) push it to the left...unless it is lined up with the take-down notch on the slide. If the stop comes out in any other position, it is worn on the top edge and should be replaced.

Put the old one in properly and with the slide in battery, it should not move to the left when pressed. Theoretically, it shouldn't move when firing because it would have to jump through the notch......but I have seen it happen and lock up a slide in action.

I am definitely interested in the cause/solution in this one.

**As a side note, the Colt I have in my hand does not have a dimple on the factory slide stop either.