Owner’s Manual 1911 Series Read the instructions and warnings in this manual CAREFULLY BEFORE using this firearm. 2100 Roosevelt Avenue • Springfield, MA 01104 1-800-331-0852 • Fax: 413-747-3317 www.smith-wesson.
WARNING READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS CAREFULLY. BE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THESE INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS BEFORE USING THIS FIREARM. FAILURE TO READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS AND TO FOLLOW THESE WARNINGS MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO YOU AND OTHERS This SAFETY & INSTRUCTION MANUAL should always accompany this firearm and be transferred with it upon change of ownership or when presented to another person.
YOUR SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-6 SAFE STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-8 NOMENCLATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 PREPARATION FOR FIRING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 AMMUNITION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-13 MODEL NUMBER IDENTIFICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 INSPECTION YOUR PISTOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
YOUR SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES CONT’D. • ALWAYS KEEP YOUR FIREARM POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION. Never point a firearm at anyone or anything you do not intend to shoot whether or not it is loaded. This is particularly important when loading, unloading, or fieldstripping the gun. ALWAYS control the direction of the firearm. • ALWAYS TREAT EVERY FIREARM AS IF IT IS LOADED AND WILL FIRE IF THE TRIGGER IS PULLED. Do not take anyone’s word that the firearm is unloaded – always check for yourself.
YOUR SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES CONT’D. • APPROPRIATE USE FOR YOUR FIREARM MEANS USING YOUR FIREARM FOR LEGAL PURPOSES. For example - target shooting and lawful resistance of deadly criminal force. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with all applicable laws and ordinances regarding the use of your firearm. • NEVER RELY ON MECHANICAL FEATURES ALONE. Only your safe gun-handling habits will ensure the safe use of your firearm. This is your responsibility.
YOUR SAFETY RESPONSIBILITIES CONT’D. • BE SURE ALL ACCESSORIES, SUCH AS HOLSTERS AND GRIPS, ARE COMPATIBLE with the handgun and that the accessories do not interfere with safe operation. • NEVER DISASSEMBLE YOUR HANDGUN beyond the field stripping procedure outlined in this manual. Improper disassembly or reassembly of your handgun may be dangerous and can lead to serious injury or death.
SAFE STORAGE & TRANSPORTATION WARNING: FIREARMS ARE DANGEROUS AND WHEN USED AND STORED IMPROPERLY THEY POSE A RISK OF SERIOUS OR FATAL INJURIES. FIREARMS CAN BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS TO CHILDREN WHEN THEY ARE STORED IN AN IRRESPONSIBLE AND UNSAFE MANNER. FOR YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU KEEP YOUR FIREARM LOCKED AND UNLOADED IN A SECURE PLACE. THE AMMUNITION SHOULD BE STORED IN A SEPARATE, SECURE LOCATION WHEN IT IS NOT IN USE.
SAFE STORAGE & TRANSPORTATION CONT’D. • NEVER ASSUME THAT A “HIDING” PLACE IS A SECURE STORAGE METHOD. Others may be aware of your storage location or come upon it by chance. It is your personal responsibility to use common sense when storing your firearm and ammunition and to always make sure they are not accessible to children or other unauthorized persons. • NEVER TRANSPORT A LOADED FIREARM. When transporting your firearm, be sure it is unloaded and locked.
NOMENCLATURE Smith & Wesson handguns are reliable and safe to use when the firearm safety rules are followed. There are a number of internal safety mechanisms within the lockwork of the handgun which ensure that the firearm will not discharge unless the trigger of the handgun is pulled. That is one reason why it is important to never modify or alter your firearm. Before you use your handgun, you should be fully familiar with its operation. Here is a list of basic firearms terminology.
PREPARATION FOR FIRING WARNING: THE FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE FIREARM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS WILL CAUSE SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH TO YOU OR OTHERS. • ALWAYS TREAT ALL HANDGUNS AS IF THEY WERE LOADED. • ALWAYS BE SURE THAT ALL CYLINDERS AND ACTIONS OF FIREARMS ARE OPEN; THAT CHAMBERS ARE CLEAR OF CARTRIDGES; MAGAZINES ARE REMOVED; AND THAT FIREARMS ARE POINTING IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
AMMUNITION GENERAL PRINCIPLES • A firearm and ammunition are a system and must work together. Their performance is closely related. There are different types of ammunition for different types of firearms. Your firearm has been designed for ammunition of a specific type and a specific caliber. It is important to select the proper ammunition for your firearm. Different combinations of bullet velocity, bullet weight and firearm weight can have major impact on felt recoil.
AMMUNITION CONT’D. • You are responsible for selecting ammunition that meets industry standards and is appropriate in type and caliber for this firearm. • Locate the caliber designation marked on the handgun. This information indicates the ammunition caliber that should be used in this firearm. (See figure #1). FIGURE 1 HANDLOADED OR RELOADED AMMUNITION WARNING: NEVER USE NON-STANDARD, RELOADED OR “HANDLOADED” AMMUNITION WHICH HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECTED TO INTERNAL BALLISTIC PRESSURE TESTING.
AMMUNITION CONT’D. • • Additional ammunition calibers can be fired from the following list of select calibers. Can also Fire Caliber on Barrel .45 Colt .45 Schofield, .45 S&W, .45 S&W .45 Schofield .45 ACP .45 Auto Rim (in revolvers only) .44 Magnum .44 Special .357 Magnum .38 Special, .38 Special +P .22LR .22L, .22 Short, .22CB, .22BB (in revolvers only) In some cases, a round of ammunition not specified on your handgun may fit into the chamber or cylinder.
MODEL NUMBER IDENTIFICATION The serial number and the model number appear here on your pistol.
INSPECTING YOUR PISTOL When you inspect your pistol, you should first check for yourself to ensure that it is unloaded. To do this, grasp the pistol with your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and depress the magazine release and remove the magazine (Figure 5). Depress the safety lever into the fully down “fire” position (Figure 6).
INSPECTING YOUR PISTOL CONT’D. When it is in the “safe” position, the slide is also locked in place and cannot be moved rearward. Notice how the safety lever looks and feels in each of the two positions of its extreme travel - fully up for "safe" and fully down for "fire". WARNING: IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WITH THE HAMMER IN THE AT REST (FULLY FORWARD) POSITION, THAT THE SAFETY LEVER CAN BE PRESSED UP SLIGHTLY. NEVER CONFUSE THIS WITH THE FULLY UP “SAFE” POSITION AS THE SAFETY HAS NOT BEEN ENGAGED.
LOADED CHAMBER INDICATOR CONT’D. Smith & Wesson 1911 Series pistols FIGURE 8 come with a loaded chamber indicator. This indicator can be observed at the top of the slide/ejection port by observing an opening at the rear of the barrel hood (Figure 8). By looking into this opening, you can observe whether or not a round is in the firearm’s chamber. If a round is in the chamber, you should see the actual brass or silver colored rim through this opening.
LOADING CONT’D. • Hold the pistol in one hand with the muzzle pointing in a safe direction and with your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard. Insert the loaded magazine into the magazine well of the pistol until it is locked in place. WARNING: DO NOT USE EXCESSIVE UPWARD FORCE WHEN INSERTING A LOADED MAGAZINE INTO THE PISTOL. EXCESSIVE UPWARD FORCE COULD CAUSE THE SLIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, CHAMBERING A ROUND AND MAKING THE PISTOL READY TO FIRE.
FIRING • • • • WARNING: NEVER ATTEMPT TO CARRY YOUR PISTOL WITH THE HAMMER DOWN ON A LIVE CARTRIDGE. THIS WOULD REQUIRE YOU TO DECOCK THE PISTOL WITH A LIVE ROUND IN THE CHAMBER. DECOCKING THE HAMMER OVER A LIVE ROUND SHOULD NEVER BE ATTEMPTED. TO DO SO COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO YOU OR OTHERS. With the pistol pointed in a safe direction and your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard, depress the safety lever fully down into the "fire" position.
DECOCKING CONT’D. • Place the safety lever in the fully up “safe” position. • Remove the magazine from the firearm. • Place the safety lever in the fully down “fire” position. • Draw the slide back and eject any chambered round. You must verify the barrel chamber is free of any live rounds or obstructions (Figure 13). Release the slide allowing it to move fully forward. • Place your finger on the trigger and place the thumb of your opposite hand on the hammer.
UNLOADING WARNING: ALWAYS KEEP YOUR PISTOL POINTED IN A SAFE DIRECTION. ALWAYS KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER AND OUTSIDE THE TRIGGER GUARD. • • • • Point the muzzle in a safe direction. Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard. (Figure 12). Ensure that the hammer is fully rearward and then place the safety lever in the fully up “safe” position. (Figure 11) Depress the magazine release, and remove the magazine. Place the safety lever into the down “fire” position.
FIELD STRIPPING DISASSEMBLY WARNING: IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO VERIFY THAT THE PISTOL IS EMPTY OF ALL LIVE ROUNDS BEFORE DISASSEMBLY OR ASSEMBLY. SEE THE UNLOADING SECTION. WARNING: SAFETY GLASSES SHOULD ALWAYS BE WORN DURING ALL OF OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS. • Remove the magazine by depressing the magazine release button, clear the chamber and verify it is empty. (Refer to the Unloading Section) Firmly grasp the pistol as shown in Fig 16, use the wrench provided and depress the recoil spring retainer.
FIELD STRIPPING DISASSEMBLY CONT’D. WARNING: DO NOT DRY FIRE YOUR S&W 1911 SERIES PISTOL WHILE THE SLIDE IS REMOVED. DOING SO CAN RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE HAMMER OR OTHER INTERNAL PARTS. FIGURE 17 FIGURE 18 FIGURE 19 FIGURE 20 FIGURE 21 FIGURE 22 WARNING: DO NOT ALTER, MODIFY OR REPLACE ANY OF THE PARTS OF YOUR FIREARM UNLESS THIS WORK IS PERFORMED BY A QUALIFIED GUNSMITH USING GENUINE SMITH & WESSON PARTS AND PROCEDURES.
FIELD STRIPPING DISASSEMBLY CONT’D. WARNING: OTHER BRAND PARTS MUST NEVER BE USED IN YOUR S&W 1911 EVEN THOUGH THE PARTS MAY APPEAR TO BE SIMILAR. USE OF ANY PARTS OTHER THAN GENUINE S&W 1911 PARTS MAY CAUSE A SERIOUS MALFUNCTION RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH TO YOU OR OTHERS. FIELD STRIPPING ASSEMBLY WARNING: SAFETY GLASSES SHOULD ALWAYS BE WORN DURING THIS PROCEDURE. • • • • Verify that the hammer is in the fully cocked position. Ensure the barrel chamber is unloaded.
FIELD STRIPPING ASSEMBLY CONT’D. FIGURE 26 FIGURE 27 MAGAZINE DISASSEMBLY WARNING: SAFETY GLASSES SHOULD ALWAYS BE WORN DURING THIS PROCEDURE. DISASSEMBLY (see Figure 28) • Remove all cartridges from the magazine and your work area. • Using a drift punch, depress the buttplate catch (4) through hole in the magazine buttplate. (5) • Slide magazine buttplate (5) off of the magazine tube (1) while holding the buttplate catch (4) in the magazine tube (1).
CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE WARNING: ENSURE YOUR FIREARM IS UNLOADED BEFORE BEGINNING TO CLEAN IT (SEE UNLOADING SECTION). ALWAYS FOLLOW THE RULES OF SAFE GUN HANDLING. Your firearm is a precision instrument. To ensure reliable function it is necessary to follow a routine maintenance procedure. After firing your handgun, be sure to unload it following the procedure outlined in the section entitled “Unloading” before performing any cleaning or maintenance procedure.
CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE CONT’D. WARNING: NEVER MODIFY OR PERMIT YOUR HANDGUN TO BE MODIFIED UNLESS SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED TO DO SO IN THIS MANUAL. WARNING: DO NOT MANIPULATE OR ADJUST ANY PART OF YOUR FIREARM UNLESS SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED TO DO SO IN THIS MANUAL. If your firearm will be used or stored in a cold climate, be sure to use an oil of an appropriate weight for that climate. Cleaning is essential to ensure the proper functioning of your handgun.
SERVICE & SHIPPING For Owners Within The United States SERVICE Customer Service 2100 Roosevelt Avenue Springfield, MA 01104 Tel: 800-331-0852 • 413-781-8300 ext. 2905 E-mail: qa@smith-wesson.com Should your Smith & Wesson firearm require service, it should be returned to the Smith & Wesson factory or to a Smith & Wesson Warranty Center in its original case or in a similarly secure container. It is not necessary to take the gun to a dealer for shipment.
SERVICE & SHIPPING CONT’D. Since we cannot assume responsibility for custom parts and accessories, such as stocks, special sights, or holsters, please remove these items before returning your firearm. Warranty repair work will begin upon receipt and examination of the firearm. In the case of repairs or work not covered by the warranty, a quotation covering the cost of the work plus round trip transportation charges will be sent to you. Repairs or modification will begin upon receipt of payment.
WARRANTY For Owners Within The United States This warranty is granted by Smith & Wesson, 2100 Roosevelt Avenue, Springfield, MA 01104. This warranty is effective from the date of purchase after February 1, 1989 and applies to the original owner of any handgun purchased after that date. With respect to such handguns, this warranty supersedes any and all other warranties. Smith & Wesson handguns are warrantied to be free from defects in material and workmanship.
WARRANTY CONT’D. Smith & Wesson reserves the right to determine what constitutes ordinary wear and tear. However, we can rebuild handguns that have experienced extreme usage or are beyond their normal useful life at a fee that will be quoted to the owner. This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may also have other rights that vary from state to state. Note: All liability is excluded in the event that the instructions in this manual are not observed.
NOTES 32
NOTES 33
NOTES 34
This handgun is not equipped with a device that fully blocks use by unauthorized users. More than 200,000 firearms like this one are stolen from their owners every year in the United States. In addition, there are more than a thousand suicides each year by younger children and teenagers who get access to firearms. Hundreds more die from accidental discharge. It is likely that many more children sustain serious wounds or inflict such wounds accidentally on others.
WARRANTY CENTERS Should your Smith & Wesson firearm require service, it should be returned to the Smith & Wesson factory or to a Smith & Wesson Warranty Center in its original case or in a similarly secure container. ALASKA Actions by Gene, Inc. 360 E. International Airport Rd. #8B Anchorage, AK 99518 (907)-563-9797 CALIFORNIA Bolsa Gunsmithing 7404 Bolsa Avenue Westminster, CA 92683 (714) 894-9100 HAWAII Mel Chung - Gunsmith 39 Ing Place, P.O.
