Before I start tinkering and start taking things apart, I thought I'd better ask a few questions, I have been reading the field stripping procedure on a few sites for the 1911, does the slide stop when you push it out release the barrel link from the frame, so if I was reassembling the slide stop would go through the bottom hole of the barrel link, is this right or am I off track?
You're right, sometimes the link doesn't line up right at the slide stop hole when your putting it back together, you can remove slide and try again, but I cheat and stick a pin in and line it up and put slide stop back in, link swings, so you'll figure it out.
Yep. Goes right through.
And if you manage to get it together without getting the slide stop through the link, it won't work worth a hoot!
Johnwill is right. On some guns, it is possible to insert the slide stop pin between the link and the barrel foot. When this happens, and the stop is fully inserted, it is nearly impossible to disassemble the gun. That is why a lot of people insert the pin with the slide stop thumb piece down in the trigger guard, work the slide to make sure everything is OK, and then pull the slide stop out a little, and swing it up and press it in. This, BTW, is where the scratches come from on a lot of used guns, but if done carefully it prevents disaster.
And Jim, I'm betting you want to know how I'm so sure of that point, right? It was a long time ago, with my first 1911.
Well, I did it when I got in a hurry with one of Uncle's guns. I sweated that one for a while, but finally got it apart, and never forgot the lessson.