1911 barrel link broke

[gerrycaruso]

After cleaning my Colt 1911 and closing the slide it wouldn't open. After much rattling around it opened and I was able to disassemble it. The barrel link was broken into at least 3 pieces. I only found 2. I guess I'll be taking a drive to Marshfield on Friday. It's about a 2 1/2 hour round trip so I hope Greg can fix it while I wait to avoid a second trip. Anyone ever seen a barrel link break into several pieces?

 

[84ta406]

I've never seen that but you could also try Lou at BEC.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

After cleaning my Colt 1911 and closing the slide it wouldn't open. After much rattling around it opened and I was able to disassemble it. The barrel link was broken into at least 3 pieces. I only found 2. I guess I'll be taking a drive to Marshfield on Friday. It's about a 2 1/2 hour round trip so I hope Greg can fix it while I wait to avoid a second trip. Anyone ever seen a barrel link break into several pieces?

Gerry, watch the length of the link. I put a .003 in longer link in a Colt 1911 to tighten the lockup. Then had to work on the feed ramp. I may have the original link somewhere. Give me a call in the AM. Jack.

 

[John4166]

Had one break in two in a Norinco, replaced it with slightly longer one from Brownells (as mentioned by Jack) it made a tighter lockup, better accuracy.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

After cleaning my Colt 1911 and closing the slide it wouldn't open. After much rattling around it opened and I was able to disassemble it. The barrel link was broken into at least 3 pieces. I only found 2. I guess I'll be taking a drive to Marshfield on Friday. It's about a 2 1/2 hour round trip so I hope Greg can fix it while I wait to avoid a second trip. Anyone ever seen a barrel link break into several pieces?

Had one break in two in a Norinco, replaced it with slightly longer one from Brownells (as mentioned by Jack) it made a tighter lockup, better accuracy.

Gerry, the link is a tinsey weeney little thing with two holes in it. Is that what broke? Jack.

 

[gerrycaruso]

Yes

 

[MuzzleDiscipline]

Please someone tell me Colt isn't using MIM barrel links?
Three or more pieces how about a photo?
If I understand the function correctly and if the part is properly fitted it acts to pull the barrel upper lugs out of the slide. I don't believe MIM parts do well in tension only in compression.
@Greg Derr certainly knows.

 

[gerrycaruso]

I don't know how to post pictures. The barrel is a Kart match barrel. I don't know who made the link and there's nothing on it to tell me. I'm going to see Greg on Friday.

 

[45collector]

Greg will take care of you and actually put a correct length link in.

 

[AMV]

yes, I had one break in a para p14 after a few thousand rounds, the barrel wasn't fit correctly, easy way to check if your barrel is stopping on the frame or the link is stopping it from traveling rearward, Take your slide stop out and reinstall it hanging down toward the trigger, press the muzzle end of barrel against something until the barrel and slide unlock and barrel goes all the way to the rear, the slide stop should spin freely if the link is long enough and barrel stops on frame, If link is stopping barrel rearward travel you can feel is by spinning slide stop and link is too short or frame or barrel is out of spec

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Watch out for link length, and pay someone like Greg to do it right.

If you put in a link that is just a bit too long, you will get a nice tight lockup and be very impressed with yourself and all the money you saved - until the slide stop hole in the frame starts to egg (goes ovoid) as a result of the excess pressure on the when the gun slams into lockup or the barrel stops on the slide stop instead of frame as aforementioned in the last post.. You will quickly become unimpressed with yourself when the gunsmith tells you welding and reboring the hole then refinishing the gun is not cost effective.

I have an egged out 1911 that was built by a highly reputable smith. No need to badmouth him now .... he died of cancer a couple of decades ago.

 

[gerrycaruso]

I did bring it to Greg. He put in a new link, put a new rod in the fiber optic front sight of my .45 Shield and straightened the front sight on my Krag carbine. It was a long drive but it was worth it.
Gerry

 

[45collector]

Greg is not far from my sister so every time I go to visit her, I try to think if there’s anything I need to drop off with him for work to be done.