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Against My Better Judgement.......


zhunter

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I got my SVI Single Stack Magwewll back from STI yesterday, and I was GOING to take it to Derek at Millennium custom on Monday after tomorrow's match, but Nooooo!!! Merlin gets me on the phone and says, "Dude, I'll talk ya thru it, I think ya can do it man.!!!!"

So, with great trepidation, I succumbed to peer pressure and, with the phone tucked under my ear and against my left shoulder, this is important, I proceeded to take the mainspring housing pin out which WAS holding the S&A magwell in place.

PLEASE NOTE, I have never before done ANY work on my gun except break-down and cleaning. I have changed extractors on my own, installing an Aftec.

Now, back to the story.

So, I slide the S&A out, and things are looking good. Merlin is explaining what is happening, and everything is going well. He explains that I need to take the mainspring out of the S&A and put it into the SVI Mainspring housing. ( Note, the SVI system has the Mainspring housing and the Magwell as two separate parts due to patents ) I get the mainspring out of the S&A and into the SVI. But this is where things got tricky.

The sear spring came out and I could not get it back in. I am a bit fuzzy here, but in the end, I had to take the ambi-saftey off, of course after removing the right side grip :unsure: , now I am VERY concerned as I have no idea about all of these parts on my table.

Side Note: Benny is laughing at me in the background while eating his What-a-burger. I let a few choice words fly for effect.

Back to story....

OK, so I get the thumb-safety off, then take out the Grip Safety and get the sear spring back in place. I get the grip safety, and the thumb safety back on. I "fit" the SVI Magwell, with proper use of the "persuader of course ;) , seeing it needs a bit taken off, I get a rat-tail file out and trim a little off the front where it is contacting the front of the frame too much.

At this point, I tell Merlin I have to call him back from my cell phone, so I can use my handsfree earpiece to have better use of the only two hands I have.

I then repeatedly try to line up the hammer strut on the mainspring housing channel, ( unsure of proper terminology here, sorry ) and using the only two hands God provided me with, come to realize that I could NEVER be a gunsmith, and they MUST have a third arm and hand, cuz you can't do this stuff without three hands, NO F'ing way!!!!

Anyway, the planets and stars finally lined themselves up and I got it together, albeit with some more help from the persuader of course. Now, feeling good about myself! But NO!!! I realize, I forgot to put the right side grip back on, so, off everything comes again. Put the right side grip back on, and then get it back together, AGAIN!!!! So, at this point, Merlin, the F'ing instigator of my first ever gunsmithing adventure, asks if everything is in working order. I reply yes. Then I go and get a mag, and check the fit. There have been rumors of needing to trip the basepads of the Wilson Magazines. Low and behold, all 7 of them fit like a charm, no trimming needed.

And with that, Merlin got off the phone. So there I am admiring my work, and playing with it sitting at my desk, I set it down and notice a "top-like-thing" amongst my allen wrenches. UH OH, it is NEVER a good thing to have extra pieces!!! My emotions went from :unsure: to :( to MAD AS HELL :angry: when I realized what had happened.

This little "top-like-thing" was some type of thingy-ma-bob that fits in the bottom of the Mainspring. And, upon further inspection, once I take the mainspring housing back out, YES, I am one VERY unhappy camper at this point, so, NOW I have to take the whole thing apart again, to put this thingy-ma-bob back in.

:insert cursing like sailor mode:

I once again, YES, TWICE IN ONE DAY, got all the planets and stars lined up, and got it all back together.

Total time, about 40 minutes. Was it worth it, YES, I learned a great deal about the workings of my gun. Would I do it again, yes, right after I get that third arm in an operation!!!! :D

Thanks for all of your help Merlin ;) And Benny, I am glad I was the entertainment portion of your lunch!! :D

I NOW have a fully functioning Single Stack again!!! :wub:

Edited by zhunter
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Z,

I hate to say it, but it shouldn't have taken longer to do the job as read your story of it! :D Why did you take out the thumb and grip safeties? I must have missed something, I thought it was a mainspring housing and mag well assembly. <_<

Ask Merlin that question!!!

Something when wrong with the sear spring and I had to take it apart. I have NO F'ing idea :D

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Z

Send it to me and I will test it out for the rest of the year and if it is ok, I will send it back, with the knowledge that you now have a pistol that will work ...if i have any glitches, it might be several months more of trying to sort out the problem...expecting it in the mail. B)

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Z

Send it to me and I will test it out for the rest of the year and if it is ok, I will send it back, with the knowledge that you now have a pistol that will work ...if i have any glitches, it might be several months more of trying to sort out the problem...expecting it in the mail. B)

Yeah, I'll send it right away. Go wait by the mailbox, it should be there any day!!! ;)

I think I can now get a better, more consistent grip too with the larger magwell. :)

I am going to be faster, more efficient and just plain better all round :D

Edited by zhunter
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Hello: I can't imagine Benny laughing at you. Now Merlin on the other hand I think he set you up. At least now you know a little more about your pistol that you will soon be able to tear it apart in your sleep--nightmare maybe? kinda? You made all are day a little funnier since most of use have done the same thing and are laughing as well. That magwell does look great. Thanks Eric

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Tidbit for next time - wrap a rubber band around the grip safety and the sear spring won't have room to jump out of the slot.

+1 - except I've been known to use electrician's tape. ;)

I so feel your pain. I've had to take a box full of parts over to the gunsmith's shop because I wasn't holding my mouth right when attempting to do the same thing you've described.

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I so feel your pain. I've had to take a box full of parts over to the gunsmith's shop because I wasn't holding my mouth right when attempting to do the same thing you've described.

Catfish, dude, get a book or something. Anyone who can't detail strip a 1911 and put it back together blindfolded isn't a man! :P

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Z,

When you test fire that .45, be sure not to use the .40S&W ammo you took the picture with. :)

dj

I was wondering if one of you guys was gonna catch that!!! :D

I just grabbed the first box of ammo I got my hands on. I realized it was .40 after I had it all spread out, and said, WTF, just go with it.

I mean, give me credit, I was trying to be artistic ;)

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If you want to try real frustration and you have never tried to reassemble a ruger 22/45.

Even with the directions it's a real hair puller. This is espcially true if the gun is new and still super tight. :blink::o:wacko::angry:

+1

I can take my 1911's, ARs, and a wide variety of other guns apart down to every last pin but that stinking Ruger is weird to re-assemble. I have a 22/45 and a MKII both of which I avoid taking apart unless I absolutely have to.

-ld

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