Need 1911 help from my friends

[Harrylee]

OK guys I need some input on my Springfield 1911 it started to act up lately I’m not sure if it is the sear or not, what do you guys think. This is what is happening sometimes when the slide release is hit it will go into half cock but not always I can do this maybe 10 or 12 times works correct then it will do the half cock. Sometimes I do the slide rack and about the same, the picture on top is right and picture on bottom is what it will do sometimes. Need a idea where to go with this

[Bawanna]

Did you add that thumb safety or is that the way it came? Does sound like a sear contact to me but while I love 1911's I'm no expert on the internal fine latch ups. CJB or Greg and a few others here know these things, wait for a response from them. We'll all learn something from this I hope.

Were that mine, it would definitely be out of the rotation until it's sorted out.

It's not a good thing you have going on there.

[Harrylee]

I added the thumb safety and the extended slide release about 1 1/2 years ago and has been good till now

[Bawanna]

Have you been inside to look at things yet. Sear surfaces, contact points?
Edge might have broke off or got rounded etc.

Got me curious.

[Harrylee]

yeah had it apart looked at the sear and the hammer with out a good one to compare to I'm not sure the edges on the sear look good but like I said without a good one next to it I'm not sure

[TucsonMTB]

If you still have it in an undamaged state, try reinstalling your original thumb safety as a test.

If the problem goes away with your old thumb safety installed, you know that your "new" thumb safety is at least part of the problem.

Otherwise, I see a new hammer (http://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/trigger-group-parts/hammers/1911-auto-barstock-hardcore-hammer-prod1298.aspx) and sear (http://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/trigger-group-parts/sear-parts/sears/1911-auto-perfection-sear-prod1311.aspx) combination in your future. The Ed Brown stuff at these links is nice, easy to install, and reasonably priced. ;)

In my experience, an Ed Brown "1911 sear jig (http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/handgun-tools/trigger-tools/1911-sear-jig-prod1299.aspx)" and a couple of nice stones make the process of installing both successfully almost a sure thing.

[gb6491]

Harrylee,
It's only dropping to half-cock?
Hold the trigger back and cycle the slide slowly to see if the hammer will follow the slide. If it doesn't, try bending the center leg of the sear spring to give a little more tension (should help it from jarring off when you drop the slide). If it does there are probably more serious issues.
Regards,
Greg

[Harrylee]

Ok Greg I will give that a try like I said it doesn't happen all the time but if you have the slide back and release the slide release you can do that maybe ten times and then it happens and then it won't do it for maybe 8 or 9 more tries before it does it again

[downtownv]

I all else fails.... you got one of the best gunsmiths in the country in your neck of the woods! And you can stop by Jimmy's for some killer hot dogs!

http://www.heritageguild.com/What-We-Do/Firearms.aspx#Easton%20and%20Heritage%20Guild

[Harrylee]

Greg did as you said put it back together pulled trigger racked the slide hammer stayed back as it should so I pulled the spring back out and put a little more pressure on the center leg back together and did slide release 30 times all good then I did rack the slide 30 times all good.Greg if you would tell me what each of the legs does I know the one on the right is for the beavertail and I think the one on the left is trigger pull.But I'm waiting for you to tell me for sure.I must say you are all great guys out there to lend a helping hand. This almost sounds like a Bawanna feel good story to me, thank you all got back and running in a few hours. We do have some really good people here at Kahrtalk

[TucsonMTB]

Great catch, Greg!

Clearly you have already learned and forgotten more about 1911's than I will ever know . . . :o

http://www.brownells.com/UserDocs/Documents/SearView.jpg

For Mr. Harrylee . . . here is a link where you can read more about the function of the sear spring http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/lid=10297/learn/2___lb__Trigger_Pull

But, when it comes to real experience . . . Greg ROCKS!

[yqtszhj]

I wanna be like Greg when I grow up. If I can't be like Greg I accept being like Bawanna for his grip making skills.

Otherwise I'll take being like Jocko just so I can irritate people :)

[Bawanna]

I want to be like Greg too. I think he has a photographic memory about stuff.

Wicked smart, good memory, good looks and charm, what more could a man ask for. Maybe grease and a prison fence.

[knkali]

yeah he knows his sheet for sure. Amazing how much he knows

[gb6491]

I must say that I think you all are way too modest about your own talents. http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-fc/patriot.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

Me?...It's all smoke and mirrors;), but thanks for the kind words (regardless of how undeserved they are:o).
http://i43.tinypic.com/2gwt72h.jpg
Regards,
Greg