Please forgive what is probably a stupid question, but is there some secret to removing the firing pin stop on a Taurus 1911? I've depressed the firing pin block, and the firing pin, but the stop won't budge.
On close examination, the stop seems to be canted, slightly, clockwise, and may simply be wedged. My initial inclination was to follow my father's favorite stricture: "Never use force, just get a bigger hammer", but I thought I should seek the advice of people who actually know what they're doing, before simply whanging the daylights out of it.
Get the SDM Fabricating Tool; from the SDM Fab web site:
1911 Firing Pin Stop Plate tool
This tool was designed to install and remove extremely tight stop plates. I like to fit my stop plates very tight. This helps prevent extractor "clocking", a condition that can cause erratic ejection and malfunctions. The head of the tool is offset to clear most any sight. Fully machined from pre- heat treated 4140 steel.
When I have a really, really tight FPS, I clamp the tool in a vise, offer the FPS up to the tool, then rap the slide with a gunsmith's hammer. You have to clap the tool so that it's out to the side of the vise or pointing straight down, of course.
Just ordered one. That looks like a much better idea than beating the daylights out of it with a drift punch and hammer.
My thoughts exactly. BTW, I use the nylon head of the hammer on the slide!!
Taurus has recently been fitting the stops very tightly. I just pushed the firing pin out of the way and use a Colt Takedown tool or punch and tap it out then file on the little raised protrusions lightly until I get a fit that is removable yet tight. It is easy to file too much off. I guess Taurus forces the stop in place and doesn't worry about anyone taking it apart.