Stand & Deliver
The Present Arms 1911 Armorer Plate Kit
Sometimes gunsmithing requires what feels like five sets of hands to grip, roll and align gun parts to make a simple repair. With the Present Arms 1911 Armorer Plate, now there’s a way to do this with just one pair of hands and fill a gap on the workbench.
I decided to try out the 1911 Armorer Plate Kit “Special Package” — which includes the plate, a 1911 fixture block, 1911 plug capture tool, small swivel and magazine post — to see if utilizing all aspects of Present Arms’ system would be easier than utilizing a standard bench block.
The pistol is held upright with the magazine well stand and allows for easy disassembly and visualization of frame and slide to allow for perfect alignment. During disassembly, there are separate trays to put pins and springs, slide and the barrel. The compartment for the slide allows for easy removal of the extractor if needed, and the frame lines up perfectly for the extractor pin to be removed.
The 1911 Armorers Plate with swivel base and magazine holder provides a stable platform for gunsmithing your 1911.
A V-shaped tray makes removal of the barrel link pin simple.
Want to make sure you don’t lose your recoil spring and plug? Then try out the plug capture tool.
With the help of the plate, removal of the mainspring retaining pin is easy.
Hands-On
I was able to quickly remove the mainspring housing on a 1911 with pins dropping neatly into the tray below. The barrel rested perfectly in the V-cut of the Armorer’s Plate and allowed easy removal of the barrel link pin.
I quickly discovered the 1911 Fixture Block provides more of a downward angle to give easier access to the grip frame parts. This block allows for easy removal of the strut pin, hammer and sear fitting, grip safety for fitting and interface and thumb safety for dress plunger interface. If you’ve ever attempted these on a normal bench block, you know how much of a headache this can normally be.
During assembly, the system held the frame perfectly in line of where it was needed to allow two hands for fitting parts, lining up pins and having everything easily accessible to install the next part. No more would I deal with trying to hold a 1911 frame in one hand, punch tool in another, while trying to reach for a pin.
The majority of 1911 wrenches require the wrench to be started at the 6 o’clock position during removal of the barrel bushing and turned to the 9 o’clock position. If you’re right-handed, this puts your wrist in an awkward placement and possibly allows slippage of the wrench, with the bushing and spring flying. Present Arms’ plug capture tool starts at the 3 o’clock position and turns to the 6 o’clock position, allowing a more fluid turn and more control of the process.
If you have a 1911 pistol, the Present Arms Armorer Plate Kit will make life much easier, from field stripping and cleaning to full disassembly, diagnosis, fitting and repair. It’s priced at $169.95 for the basic kit, and $265.99 with the fixture block. In addition to these ones for the 1911, Present Arms has armorer plates and other products designed for a wide range of popular firearms.
For more info:
www.presentarmsinc.com,
Ph: (413) 575-4656
