Well, I've done something stupid.

I was taking apart my Springfield 1911 GI and did -not- know about it's I.L.S. and my friend neglected to give me the -key- I needed for it in any case. So, thinking that the mainspring housing was like any other 1911 I just took it off and...well now I cant get the spring back in. Is this something I can fix myself or do I need to just not mess with it and take it to an armorer? I'd really appreciate any help at all.

Scratch that. I was able to fix it. My fingers hurt.

ILS spring housing does not use a retainer, and unless you had the grip safety tapped in when you pulled the housing, you will need to pull the parts to install the leaf spring correctly.

With the grip safety at rest (not taped in) and the housing pulled, the leaf spring ends will spring/slip under the sear tabs when the housing pressure is removed (read function test the pistol to make sure the leaf spring is installed correctly).

Game plan would be to remove the grip and frame safety, install the leaf spring correctly, install the housing about half way up to hold the leaf spring in place, then install the grip safety with the frame safety, then push the housing all the way up (while making sure that the hammer strut is in the housing plunger) and install it's cross pin.

You don't need a key for the ILS when you take it out, but you do need the little pin that holds the mainspring and plunger in the MSH. I don't have mine handy, but IIRC, the pin is about 3/32" diameter, so you could probably use a trim nail instead.

I really wish Springfield would just do away with that whole system.

I believe they do it so they can sell pistols in states that require some sort of internal locking device.

At least it's easy to disable or remove completely.

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At one time their mainspring housings were drilled at the top for retainer pins, buying this pin plus, IIRC, one other small part would allow returning the pistol to the original no-lock 1911 design. If this is still true I'd do it at once. Otherwise I'd buy a new pre-lock mainspring housing and remove the lock.

They still do. You have to buy the pin and a new main spring cap. Might as well get a new mainspring while you're at it since Springfield puts an extra heavy one in there (thus making the trigger pull heavier than need be).

I've done it to one of my Springfields and have plans to disable 2 more.

Good point.

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