The M 1 9 1 1 / M 1 9 1 1 A 1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 31

Figure 16- Ordnance style M1911/M1911A1 sectional drawings by Heritage - VSP staff artist, at top,
and cutaway pistols, shown below, are useful aids in visualizing parts interactions in M1911 type
pistols and additionally helpful in understanding the basic M1911/M1911A1 operating cycle.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 32

Figure 17- Cutaway pistols and partial sectional illustrations show M1911A1 interior views. Cutaway
pistols are particularly useful in shop training and especially helpful in troubleshooting difficult problems.
Virtually every parts function and interaction can be visually demonstrated in a cutaway M1911 pistol
including: cartridge feeding; disconnect/reconnect function; hammer/sear engagement; trigger bow/
disconnector/sear interaction; thumb safety/sear interaction; barrel link up/link down, and inertial firing
pin function. Parts and interactions can be, freeze framed by simply stopping slide motion at any point.
Headspace relationships also become apparent when headspace gauges are installed in cutaway barrels.
Also see M1911/Ml1911Al pistol basic function and cycle of operation beginning on page 37.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 33
M1911/M1911A1 Pistol Storage and Carry Modes -
Warning: The storage, ready storage, and carry mode data in this manual is furnished to provide historical information on
military storage/carry/use of the M1911 & A1 Pistol. These modes were common security measures also used by law
enforcement and civilians in earlier times, and not considered an unsafe or questionable practice because: self defense
was legal, and children were taught firearms safety. Today, any firearm and ammunition combination in unauthorized hands
is either potentially dangerous or, legally, a high liability scenario. None of the modes discussed is therefore recommended.
Long term storage - Pistol unloaded; detail cleaned and stored with empty magazine(s); hammer not
cocked; and recoil spring and plug removed to preserve tension. Apply a protective coating such as
cosmoline or a rust preventive/nonhygroscopic grease inside and out and wrap in wax paper or chem-
ically impregnated rust preventive wrapping. Store in a sealed moisture/air free plastic bag and
container. For extra long term storage or storage under high humidity/wide temperature range
conditions, evacuate or purge and fill storage container with nitrogen or argon.
Ready storage mode 1 - Pistol fully assembled, unloaded, and hammer not cocked. Pistol parts and
interior/exterior coated with nonhygroscopic oil. Pistol stored with unloaded, oil coated magazine(s).
Ready storage mode 2 - Pistol assembled, unloaded, lightly oiled, wiped dry, and hammer not cocked.
Pistol stored with loaded magazine(s) or loaded magazine(s) stored separately and readily accessible.
Ready storage mode 3 - As in #2, above, except loaded magazine installed in pistol. In this mode, the
slide must be cycled to place the first round in the chamber.
Ready storage mode 4 - As above, except the first or an extra round is placed in chamber, loaded magazine
installed, the hammer cocked, thumb safety engaged (pistol in cocked & locked condition), or the hammer
let down to engage the sear in the hammer's 1/4 cock/safety notch (pistol in hammer safe condition).
Carry Mode 1 - Pistol holstered with or without an unloaded magazine installed, hammer not cocked.
Carry Mode 2 - Pistol holstered with loaded magazine installed, but no round in chamber, and hammer
not cocked. The slide must be cycled to cock the hammer and place the first round in the chamber.
Carry Mode 3 - Pistol holstered cocked & locked- i. e, the first, or an extra round, in the chamber, hammer
cocked, thumb safety engaged, and loaded magazine installed. The first round is fired by manually disen-
gaging the thumb safety then simultaneously squeezing the trigger and grip safety to release the hammer.

Figure 18- Long term storage- pistol is stored cleaned & unloaded with empty magazine(s). All parts and
interior/exterior surfaces are coated with rust preventive/nonhygroscopic grease. The pistol and maga-
zines are wrapped in waxpaper and placed in a heavy sealable plastic bag with either Rust Blox or silica
gel packet(s) inside. For long term storage in extreme temperature/humidity conditions- purge storage
container with argon before sealing. Ready storage mode 1- store unloaded pistol and magazine(s) after
coating with nonhygroscopic oil, wrap in waxpaper and place in sealable plastic bag with air removed.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 34

Figure 19- Sectional illustration depicts an M1911A1 Pistol in Ready Storage Mode 2- The pistol is fully
assembled, unloaded, lightly oiled and wiped dry, and hammer not cocked. In this mode, the pistol may
be stored with loaded magazine(s), or loaded magazine(s) stored separately but readily accessible to the
owner of the pistol. See warning on page 33. Carry Mode 1- The pistol is holstered unloaded with or
without an empty magazine, hammer not cocked. Loaded magazine(s) stored in pouches on pistol belt.

Figure 20- Sectional illustration depicts an M1911Al Pistol in Ready Storage Mode 3. Carry 2 is the
same except the pistol is holstered; the chamber is empty; the hammer is not cocked and a loaded magazine
is placed in the pistol. The slide is cycled to place the first round in the chamber. See warning on pg. 33.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 35

Figure 22- Illustrations depict an M111Al Pistol in Carry Mode 3, at bottom. Pistol is holstered in
cocked & locked condition - i. e., a round is chambered, the hammer cocked, the thumb safety engaged, and
a loaded magazine installed. A serviceable M1911 type pistol in cocked & locked condition can't be fired
because the thumb safety, at A mechanically blocks the sear, at B. This, in turn, retains the sear in the
hammer's full cock notch. The grip safety, at C, redundantly blocks the trigger, at D, making it impossible
for the trigger to engage the sear and release the hammer, even if the thumb safety was not engaged.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 36

Figure 23- Illustrations show the mechanical steps/functions required to change the status of an M1911
type pistol from cocked and locked condition, to ready to fire, to firing mode - and the sequence of
component interactions that must occur. The thumb safety is moved to the ready position, at 1, in order
to rotate the sear stop (1b) and thereby unblock the sear. The grip safety, at 2, must be depressed to elevate
the trigger stop (2a) to permit rearward movement of the trigger, at 3. With the slide forward and the
disconnector connected as shown at 4, squeezing the trigger (3) applies pressure to the disconnector,
causing it to rotate the sear, at 5. This action releases the hammer, at 6. The hammer (6) then strikes the
inertial firing pin (7) which, in turn, fires the chambered round. This sequence can occur only as the result
of deliberate action- hence the ordnance truism that serviceable M191/M1911A1 Pistols have to be
intentionally fired. Carry Mode 3 was used by the military in combat and security enforcement zones.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 37
M1911/M1911A1 Pistol Basic Function
1. After a loaded magazine has been installed and the slide is cycled to chamber a round from the
magazine, or the pistol has been brought to ready to fire condition from carry mode 3 or storage modes
4 or 5, the trigger is pulled to fire each round. When the last round has been fired, the slide is locked
to the rear by engagement of the slide stop in the slide stop detent notch.
2. Each time a round is loaded and fired, components and parts assemblies in the pistol function in a
given order known as the cycle of operation. Although this basic cycle is similar in almost all
autoloading pistols, there are individual model differences and seeming beginning point of cycle
differences, depending on mode of use. See M1911/M1911A1 Pistol storage and carry modes on
pages 33-36. Regardless of cycle entry point, once the operating cycle begins, there is only one
sequence of operation. Familiarity with the cycle of operation is helpful and necessary when clearing
malfunctions, servicing, repairing, and troubleshooting problems in Ml911 type pistols.
3. The cycle of operation of M1911 type pistols is shown in a sequence of 8 consecutive steps, or stages,
as illustrated on the following pages. An ordnance style description is given at each stage and also
described in detail below and on page 38. Since it's a given that an operating cycle must begin at some
point- the basic M1911 operating sequence, i. e., operating cycle illustrated on the following pages is
based on a loaded magazine having been first loaded into the pistol and the slide having been manually
drawn back and released forward underpressure of the stored energy in the compressed recoil spring,
or having been released forward from the locked open slide position.
M1911/M1911A1 Pistol Basic Cycle of Operation-
To prepare the pistol for firing, at some point the slide must be drawn fully to the rear. This action
compresses the recoil spring; moves the hammer strut downward; compresses the mainspring
(hammer spring); engages the sear in the main hammer notch, and thereby cocks the hammer and
enables the operating cycle to begin.
1. Cartridge feeding: Cartridge feeding takes place when a round in the magazine is moved upward into
the path of the slide by the magazine follower and spring assembly which exerts a continuous upward
pressure on the bottom round in the magazine and, thereby, upward pressure on all rounds in the magazine.
2. Cartridge chambering: Chambering occurs when a round is placed in the chamber. This takes
place as the slide moves forward under pressure of the compressed recoil spring; picks up and strips
the elevated top round from the magazine, and pushes the cartridge forward, up the barrel ramp, and
into the chamber. The initial portion of the chambering phase is complete when the cartridge breaks
over into axial alignment with the chamber. The chambering phase is considered completed as the
barrel links upward into locked battery position as the slide reaches the end of forward movement.
3. Locking: Barrel link up/cam up and locking lug engagement occurs fractionally before the slide
reaches the full forward position. Link up/locking is accomplished as the slide breech face contacts
the barrel's rear extension surface and exerts forward pressure on the barrel extension. This action, in
turn, causes the barrel to swing upward on the barrel link and engage the locking lugs on the top of the
barrel with the corresponding locking lug recesses machined into the inside under surface of the slide.
Forward movement of the locked barrel and slide assembly ends as the stop surfaces on the bottom
barrel lug come to rest against the back of the slide stop crosspin. Aggregate frame, slide, slide stop
crosspin, barrel vertical dimensional tolerances and barrel link pin hole center dimensions determine
the extent to which locking lugs will actually vertically engage in a given pistol. When the locking
phase is completed, the pistol is in battery and ready for firing.
4. Firing: Firing occurs when the hammer strikes the inertial firing pin and the firing pin, in turn,
initiates and ignites the primer in a chambered round. The following conditions must exist in service-
able Ml911 and M1911A1 type pistols in order to release the hammer and fire the pistol: the thumb
safety must be in the down, safety off (or ready) position which unblocks the sear; the grip safety must
be depressed or squeezed forward enough to permit the trigger to move fully rearward when the trigger
is pulled or squeezed. The locked slide/barrel assembly must be in full forward position with the
barrel's bottom lug stop surfaces against the slide stop crosspin to thereby position the disconnector
camming/timing recess in the bottom of the slide's central rail above the top, slide contact surface of
the disconnector. This, in turn, enables the disconnector to rise to the connected, ready to fire position
under pressure of the disconnector spring. At this point, squeezing the trigger moves the trigger bow
rearward and into initial contact with the flat trigger contact surface on the bottom front of the
disconnector. Continued rearward trigger pressure causes the disconnector to exert rearward pressure
on the lower front portion of the sear (sear hook fingers) which simultaneously rotates the sear's
hammer engagement surface forward and out of engagement with the full cock notch on the hammer.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 38
M1911/M1911A1 Pistol Basic Function and Cycle of Operation, continued-
This action releases the hammer. The released hammer then rotates forward under pressure of the
mainspring (hammer spring) and strikes the firing pin, which causes the inertial firing pin to accelerate
forward, strike and indent the primer cup, ignite the primer, and fire the chambered round. The barrel and
slide remain locked firmly together during the firing phase. This interaction, caused by the firing of the
propellant charge in the cartridge, generates gas pressure in the barrel between the bullet and cartridge
case which mechanically forces the barrel forward (from an intermediate position in ordnance std. pistols)
to engage the barrel's front facing (vertical) locking lug bearing surfaces with the rearward facing
(vertical) locking lug bearing surfaces machined into the slide. Locked barrel position (front/vertical
locking lug surfaces engaged) is maintained until pressure drops to zero as the bullet leaves the barrel.
4A. Firing supplement - for Colt Series 80 type supplemental inertial firing pin lock mechanisms: In
a Series 80 type pistol (an M1911Al design variant), firing is accomplished as in a standard M1911
type pistol as described in #4, above, but with the following addendum: Series 80 type firing pins are
retained in rearward position by other Series 80 components- notably the firing pin lock plunger and
firing pin lock plunger spring. The firing pin lock plunger is pushed upward to unblock and free the
firing pin by interaction of the trigger bow with the Series 80 trigger bar lever and plunger lever. See
Series 80 component illustrations and detailed description on page 17.
5. Unlocking and barrel link down: (1) The initial (horizontal) unlocking phase occurs fractionally
after the firing of a chambered round. Specifically, unlocking occurs when breech pressure drops to zero
as the bullet leaves the barrel and, under pressure of the recoil spring and prior to slide movement, the
barrel moves rearward just enough to discontinue front facing top barrel locking lug surface/rear facing
slide locking lug bearing surface contact. Taken from an overview, the greater relative rest mass/inertia
of the barrel/slide assembly plus locking lug friction and the added energy of the recoil spring
aggregately exceed the inertia of the fired bullet and act to retard rearward inertial movement of the slide
and the (horizontal) separation of the locking lugs until the bullet has left the barrel. (2) Locking lug
(vertical) disengagement then occurs as the barrel links down. Specifically, (in a standard ordnance
specification pistol) vertical locking lug disengagement begins after the barrel locking lugs have reached
rearward rest position; the barrel's recoil surfaces are in proximity to the front facing slide recoil surfaces,
and the slide has recoiled (or is otherwise moved) rearward enough to enable the barrel link to draw/rotate
the rear of the barrel downward to fully linked down position. At this point, (in a standard ordnance
specification pistol) the rear portion of the barrel and the barrel's top locking lugs are sufficiently below
and clear of the slide to permit full recoil and continued rearward movement of the slide.
6. Extraction: Extraction occurs with rearward movement of the slide under firing recoil inertia as
the breech begins to open and as the barrel links down. The rim of the fired cartridge case, already
engaged by the extractor during feeding/chambering is drawn back by the energy of the recoiling slide,
thus breaking fired (expanded) cartridge case/chamber friction. Continued rearward movement of the
slide then fully withdraws the fired cartridge case from the chamber.
7. Ejection: As the slide continues rearward inertial movement and withdraws the fired cartridge case
from the chamber, the case head is held against the breech face by the extractor. Continuing rearward
movement of the slide then brings the left side of the cartridge case head into sharp contact with the
front portion of the ejector located on the left side of the frame. This action causes the fired case to
pivot upward and to the right and ejects the cartridge case from the opening breech.
8. Cocking: Cocking occurs as the hammer is forced into proper position for firing of the next round
by further rearward inertial movement of the slide. Specifically, the slide rotates the hammer back;
moves the hammer strut downward; compresses the mainspring (hammer spring), and engages the sear
in the hammer's main (full cock) notch. Continuing rearward inertial movement of the slide fully
compresses the recoil spring, and (given a serviceable recoil spring) stores sufficient inertial energy
to return the slide forward, strip, feed, and chamber a next round from the magazine, link-up and lock
the barrel and slide, and place the slide in battery position, thus enabling the next firing cycle to begin.
8A. Lockback: When the last round has been fired and the magazine is empty (or the slide is manually
drawn rearward with an unloaded magazine in the pistol), the slide stop actuating surface on the left arm
of the magazine follower, underpressure of the magazine spring, forces the rear of the slide stop to rotate
upward into engagement with the slide stop notch located on the bottom left side of the slide. This action
locks the slide to the rear and leaves the breech open for inspection or installation of a loaded magazine.
Firing cycle notes: Holding the trigger to the rear maintains disconnect status. The trigger must be
returned forward after each round is fired to permit the disconnector to reset and reconnect the sear and
trigger for the next firing cycle. The Ml911 operating cycle is graphically shown on the following pages.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 39

Figure 24- The cycle of operation in M1911 type pistols is shown in a sequence of 8 consecutive
freeze-framed stages, or phases, as illustrated on the following pages. An ordnance style description
is included with each phase. Since it's a given that all operating cycles must begin at some point- the
basic M1911 operating cycle illustrated is based on a loaded magazine first being loaded into the pistol,
as shown in the ordnance style illustration, at top, and the slide either having been manually drawn back
and released or having been released forward from the slide locked open position under pressure of
the stored energy in the compressed recoil spring, See manual slide release illustration, at bottom.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 40

Figure 25- Ordnance style sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of
components in an M1911/M1911Al Pistol as the slide assembly moves forward and begins to strip and
feed a round fed upward from the magazine. Specifically, cartridge feeding takes place and is completed
when a round in the magazine is moved upward into the path of the slide by the magazine follower/spring
assembly which exerts a continuous upward pressure on the bottom round in the magazine and, thereby,
on all rounds in the magazine. Cartridge ramping is also considered to be part of the feeding phase.

Figure 26- Ordnance style sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of
components in an M1911 type pistol at the beginning of the cartridge chambering phase. Chambering
occurs when a round is fed from the magazine, as shown above, and placed in the chamber. This function
takes place as the slide assembly moves forward under pressure of the compressed recoil spring, strips
a cartridge from the magazine, and then pushes the cartridge up the barrel ramp and into the chamber.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 41

Figure 27- Ordnance style sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions
of components in an M1911/M1911A1 Pistol as the slide assembly moves forward and the barrel
begins to link upward to vertically lock the barrel and slide. Aggregate frame, slide, slide stop, and
barrel vertical dimensional tolerances and barrel link hole center to center dimensions determine the
extent to which the barrel will link upward and the locking lugs vertically engage in a given pistol.

Figure 28- Sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of components in
an M1911Al Pistol when the slide assembly reaches the full forward position. Max. vertical locking lug
engagement occurs fractionally before the slide is fully forward. Locking is accomplished as the slide
breech face contacts the rear barrel extension and exerts forward pressure on the barrel. This action, in turn,
causes the barrel to swing upward on the barrel link (or cam upward over the slide stop crosspin) and
engages the locking lugs on the top of the barrel with the corresponding locking lug recesses in the slide.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 42

Figure 29- Sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of components in
an M1911Al Pistol during the initial firing phase, when the bullet is still in the barrel. Firing occurs in an
M1911 type pistol when the grip safety is depressed; the trigger is squeezed; and interaction of the trigger
bow, disconnector, and sear releases the hammer. The hammer then rotates forward and strikes the inertial
firing pin which, in turn, initiates and ignites the primer in a chambered round. The barrel and slide remain
locked firmly together (both horizontally and vertically) during the initial firing phase, as shown above.

Figure 30- Sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of components in
an M1911A1 Pistol during the firing phase, momentarily after the bullet has left the barrel. Departure of
the bullet drops the pressure in the barrel established in the initial portion of the firing phase (i. e., when
the bullet was still in the barrel as shown in fig. 29) to zero. Seen from the viewpoint of effect on the pistol,
this imparts a rearward force on the slide assembly (see arrow in illustration) equal to the inertia of the
departing bullet. Because the recoil assembly (slide/barrel assy.) has greater relative rest mass, plus the
added benefit of a calibrated recoil spring, inertial energy is fully absorbed as the slide recoils to the rear.
The M 1 9 1 1 / M 1 9 1 1 A 1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 43

Figure 31- Sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of components in
an M1911Al Pistol during the vertical locking lug disengagement/barrel link down phase. Vertical locking
lug disengagement occurs just after horizontal locking lug disengagement (both at zero breech pressure)
after the firing of a chambered round. Cartridge extraction (see fig. 32) actually begins with the initial
breaking of fired/expanded cartridge case/chamber friction, as indicated at B, in the above illustration.

Figure 32- Sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of components
in an M1911Al Pistol during the extraction phase. Fired cartridge case extraction occurs with rearward
inertial movement of the slide and as the breech begins to open as the barrel links down. The rim of
the fired cartridge case, already engaged by the extractor during feeding/chambering is drawn back by
the energy of the recoiling slide, thus breaking expanded cartridge case/chamber friction. Continued
rearward movement of the slide then fully withdraws the fired cartridge case from the chamber.
The M 1 9 1 1 / M 1 9 1 1 A 1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 44

Figure 33- Sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of components in
a standard, ordnance spec. M1911A1 Pistol during the cartridge ejection phase. As the slide continues
rearward after firing, inertial movement withdraws the fired cartridge case from the chamber as shown
in figure 32. The cartridge case head is held against the breech face by the extractor. Continuing rearward
movement of the slide then brings the left side of the cartridge case into sharp contact with the front of
the ejector located on the left side of the frame. This action causes the fired cartridge case to pivot upward
and to the right; frees it from the extractor, and ejects the cartridge case from the opening breech.

Figure 34- Sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of components in an
M1911A1 Pistol with a late NM type, or long, ejector during the cartridge ejection phase. Function is as
above in figure 33, except that ejection timing is considerably earlier and the resulting ejection angle flatter.
The M1911/M1911A1 Pistols BASIC FUNCTION AND OPERATING CYCLE 45

Figure 35- Partial sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of
components in a standard, ordnance specification M1911A1 Pistol during the cocking phase. Cocking
occurs as the hammer is forced into proper position for firing of the next round by rearward inertial
movement of the slide. Specifically, the slide rotates the hammer back, as shown at A; moves the
hammer strut downward; compresses the mainspring (hammer spring), and enables the sear, under sear
spring pressure, to engage in the hammer's main cocking (full cock) notch, at B. Continued rearward
inertial movement of the slide, at C, then fully compresses the recoil spring for the next firing cycle.

Figure 36- Sectional illustration by Heritage - VSP staff artist shows relative positions of components in a
standard, ordnance spec. M1911A1 Pistol at a point in the operating cycle preceeding slide lockback (lock
open). Stripping of the last cartridge from the magazine causes the magazine follower to move upward
under magazine spring pressure and to thereby engage and apply upward pressure against the slide stop.
The slide stop can't engage in a serviceable pistol until the slide is cycled rearward as shown in fig. 37.