A question that has been asked several times, and which was brought up in the The M1911.ORG Forums Site lately, was how to remove the magazine release button, from the 1911.
Most people see the screw at the right side of the pistol, and believe that this is indeed a screw they have to remove, by unscrewing. Not so. The screw is actually a small lever, that you have to turn slightly, in order to remove the magazine release button. Have a look at the picture below.
When the magazine release (or magazine catch, as it is its official name) is in the frame, that little protrusion is engaging a small recess inside the frame and keeps the mag release from falling off. To release it, all you need to do is to turn the screw-like head of the mag release lock about a quarter of a turn, so that it goes to the position shown below.
But, there is a catch here. In order to be able to turn the lock by that little amount, you should partially press the magazine release in, as when you press it to remove the magazine, but not all the way in. So the technique is:
The mag release will fall right off.
If you want to remove the lock, you may now turn it clockwise, until that protrusion comes to its original position. Be careful, there is a spring behind the lock and if you are not doing this carefully, it might eject the lock to the other side of the couch, where you'll spend the next half an hour, trying to find the little piece.
To reinstall the magazine release button, insert the lock in, with the spring and lock it in its up position (as shown in the second picture above). Then insert the mag release in the frame but not all the way, insert it as far in as you should, to allow the lock to be turned to the locked position.You are done. Now please check the magazine release to make sure it operates as it should.
