How To Clean a 1911 Pistol

Kyle with TrueShot here to talk to you about how to field strip and clean a 1911 pistol.

One of the most common questions new shooters have when cleaning a firearm is, “how often should I clean my gun.” Great question, doing a quick google search will yield over 1.5 million search results, that is to say, that everyone and their mother has an opinion but we suggest cleaning your gun every other time you go shooting (around 500 rounds for us). You’ve made an investment in a nice gun, so remember, if you love it, lube it, cleaning your guns helps reduce fouling, cycling problems and the like.

In this video we are doing the demo with a Ruger SR1911, if you have a different brand of 1911, not to worry, the parts and process are the same for all 1911’s.

The first thing you want to make sure is that the magazine is empty and removed and make sure the chamber is empty and the firearm is unloaded. Do this EVERYTIME you clean a gun, never assume a gun is unloaded just because you put it down.

45 ACP Ammo: PMC/S&B

First, let’s start with a list of items you will want.

1. Something to protect the surface you are working on. Personally, I like old beach towels with color because I can see the parts as a lay them down.
2. A good cleaning kit, here we have our KleenBore kits, that we sell for $25. This includes a bristle brush, a toothbrush will work as a substitute. Bore brush and gun oil and solvent. KleenBore comes with a CLP which acts as a cleaner lubricant and preservative. You also want to use cotton patches, I’ve also found old t-shirts to be great for cleaning. But definitely stay away from products like paper towels as they rip easily and leave bits of paper that can harm or decrease performance of your 1911.
3. First things first, make sure the hammer is cocked to the rear. To disassemble the firearm, press down on the recoil spring plug and turn barrel link clockwise. This will release the recoil spring but you will not be able to remove it from the gun just yet. Remember, most of the internals of a gun are under spring tension so be careful and make sure you wear eye protection.
4. Next line up the slide stop with the rear notch in the slide. With your right index finger, press on the back side of the rear notch slide, with your left hand you can wiggle the slide and remove it.
5. Now you can slowly remove the slide, you can now separate the spring, remove the barrel bushing and finally, barrel from the frame of the 1911. Remember – the barrel of a 1911 slides out the front of the slide which is different from polymer pistols. If you are having a tough time getting the barrel to come out of the front of the slide, make sure you have removed the barrel bushing first.
6. Now that we have successfully field stripped the 1911, its cleaning time. There is no magic order in which to do this but we recommend having a system so that way you stay organized and don’t lose parts of forget to clean something. We are trying to scrub all the carbon buildup and debris that has accumulated on this gun.
7. Starting with the frame, put some cleaner on your cotton rag or wipes and wipe down all surfaces and rails until the carbon buildup is gone, be careful not to pull the trigger when the gun is disassembled, as its just harder on the equipment.
8. Next, use a brass bore brush to clean in inside of the bore, start with a little cleaner on your brush and run it through the inside of the barrel several times. And wipe off the outside of the barrel as well. Make sure to wipe dry all parts of the gun as you clean them.
9. We are going to do the same with the recoil spring and guide rod.
10. Now that you have cleaned the parts of your 1911, its time for reassembly and lubrication. Anywhere you see wear on parts is where you want to lubricate, in this case, lubricate the rails of the gun, lubricate the outside of the barrel and barrel link and place in the slide, next, re-insert the recoil spring and guide rod,
11. Now you can put the slide back onto the frame, we like to do this upside down as it’s it keeps all the parts in place.
12. Next, put the slide stop back in by aligning the stop with the rear notch. Be careful to have everything lined up here as if you miss the hole, you’ve got metal on metal and can scratch the frame.
13. Put the barrel bushing in by linking up the notch on the side with the inside of the slide and turn to the side so you can get the recoil spring back into place and rotate the barrel bushing to secure it.
14. The next thing you will want to do is put a little oil on your cotton patch or rag and wipe down the frame of the gun, this preserves the gun against rust and corrosion. Now, you don’t want the gun dripping wet, just a nice sheen.
15. Lastly, we like to rack the slide several times to reveal any excess oil and wipe it off.
16. And that’s it, you’ve successfully cleaned your 1911.

Please remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Twitter. If you have any questions, pick up the phone and call us at 925.212.9229, or if email is more your thing, email us at sales@trueshotgunclub.com. Thanks for joining us on this video teaching you how to clean your 1911, I’m Kyle, reminding you; to keep shooting.

Need bulk ammo? At True Shot Gun Club, we have a wide variety of handgun ammo and rifle ammo available to purchase.