Take some metal off the rear of the sear?

salvadore · October 2, 2011, 04:48 AM

I have a Taurus 1911A1 with a very light trigger. It will sometimes follow when you drop the slide without chambering a round, it has never followed while shooting or chambering a round. The shooter came this way, I have never touched the hammer or sear, never detail stripped it. How would I give this pistol a heavier trigger pull?

Sarge · October 2, 2011, 05:51 AM

I don't generally cut on hammers or sears unless I know what they're made of.

Given the wide availability of quality 1911 parts, I'd simply replace the sear, hammer, disconnector and sear spring with GI spec stuff from a top-drawer outfit. Your trigger pull will increase immediately and the hammer follow should stop.

Be advised that replacing the sear may require refitting the thumb safety and you will definitely need to reset your trigger stop. Be sure to set it so the half-cock notch clears the sear tip with room to spare.

ogree · October 2, 2011, 06:32 AM

Tweak (Bend) the middle leaf of the sear spring forward ever so slightly.
You may be getting some trigger bounce due to a lack of tension on the disconnector/back of the trigger stirrup.

Also, stop dropping the slide on an empty chamber.
This practice batters the mating surfaces of the hammer & sear.
Doing it a couple of times to make sure the hammer doesn't follow is one thing, but don't let it become a habit.

salvadore · October 2, 2011, 07:25 AM

Sarge, thanks for the advice. I am loathe to start replacing parts due to the advice I recieved on a question I had about a surplus Hi-Power I was having trouble with. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=460936 After tearing the piece apart it appeared that the safety wasn't blocking the sear so that is what I replaced and successfully solved the problem.

I may have to replace parts, 1911A1 parts aren't quite as spendy as for the FN thankfully, but will try the sear spring advice first. Thanks to both you guys.

Jerry45 · October 2, 2011, 08:30 AM

Start by doing what ogree says. If that doesn’t give you a heavy enough trigger and stop the following try replacing the main spring, they only cost a couple of bucks and should be replaced from time to time anyway. If that doesn’t do it than the only choice you have is to fallow Sarge recommendation or live with it. And as ogre says, do not drop the slide on an empty chamber.

James K · October 2, 2011, 05:04 PM

"Also, stop dropping the slide on an empty chamber.
This practice batters the mating surfaces of the hammer & sear."

Well, what happens when the gun is fired? Doesn't the hammer drop on the sear then? The slide is moving forward faster than it does when manually released, so the hammer-sear contact should be faster and harder.

Jim

Jerry45 · October 2, 2011, 05:46 PM

I don’t know about the hammer and sear but it batters the hell out of the slide and frame.

**Aguila Blanca** · October 2, 2011, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James K

"Also, stop dropping the slide on an empty chamber.
This practice batters the mating surfaces of the hammer & sear."

Well, what happens when the gun is fired? Doesn't the hammer drop on the sear then? The slide is moving forward faster than it does when manually released, so the hammer-sear contact should be faster and harder.

No.

When the pistol is fired, the sear nose rotates forward, releasing the hammer. Assuming everything is working properly, the tip of the sear moves far enough that the half-cock notch fully clears the sear tip and the hammer falls completely uninterrupted.

When dropping the slide on an empty chamber, the trigger is not pulled and the sear is not rotated forward. If the hammer is released due to bounce, the secondary (or half-cock) notch slams down onto the tip of the sear. That's what it was designed to do, and it prevents an accidental discharge if there's a round loaded, but the impact makes a mess of the sear nose.

As has been noted, it also puts unwanted stress on the slide stop pin, which is the only thing that stops the slide and barrel as they move forward into battery. When actually chambering a round, a lot of energy is used up in stripping the round from the magazine and pushing it into the chamber, thus reducing and/or cushioning the impact. None of that happens when you slam the slide closed on an empty chamber.

October 2, 2011, 04:48 AM	#1
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	Take some metal off the rear of the sear? I have a Taurus 1911A1 with a very light trigger. It will sometimes follow when you drop the slide without chambering a round, it has never followed while shooting or chambering a round. The shooter came this way, I have never touched the hammer or sear, never detail stripped it. How would I give this pistol a heavier trigger pull?

October 2, 2011, 05:51 AM	#2
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	I don't generally cut on hammers or sears unless I know what they're made of. Given the wide availability of quality 1911 parts, I'd simply replace the sear, hammer, disconnector and sear spring with GI spec stuff from a top-drawer outfit. Your trigger pull will increase immediately and the hammer follow should stop. Be advised that replacing the sear may require refitting the thumb safety and you will definitely need to reset your trigger stop. Be sure to set it so the half-cock notch clears the sear tip with room to spare. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

October 2, 2011, 08:30 AM	#5
Jerry45 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2000 Location: Metairie, Louisiana Posts: 890	Start by doing what ogree says. If that doesn’t give you a heavy enough trigger and stop the following try replacing the main spring, they only cost a couple of bucks and should be replaced from time to time anyway. If that doesn’t do it than the only choice you have is to fallow Sarge recommendation or live with it. And as ogre says, do not drop the slide on an empty chamber. __________________ Guns are not dangerous! People are! RKBA! Last edited by Jerry45; October 2, 2011 at 05:38 PM.

October 2, 2011, 05:46 PM	#7
Jerry45 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2000 Location: Metairie, Louisiana Posts: 890	I don’t know about the hammer and sear but it batters the hell out of the slide and frame. __________________ Guns are not dangerous! People are! RKBA!

October 2, 2011, 06:32 AM	#3
ogree Senior Member Join Date: January 18, 2005 Location: Idaho Posts: 151	Tweak (Bend) the middle leaf of the sear spring forward ever so slightly. You may be getting some trigger bounce due to a lack of tension on the disconnector/back of the trigger stirrup. Also, stop dropping the slide on an empty chamber. This practice batters the mating surfaces of the hammer & sear. Doing it a couple of times to make sure the hammer doesn't follow is one thing, but don't let it become a habit.

October 2, 2011, 07:25 AM	#4
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	Sarge, thanks for the advice. I am loathe to start replacing parts due to the advice I recieved on a question I had about a surplus Hi-Power I was having trouble with. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=460936 After tearing the piece apart it appeared that the safety wasn't blocking the sear so that is what I replaced and successfully solved the problem. I may have to replace parts, 1911A1 parts aren't quite as spendy as for the FN thankfully, but will try the sear spring advice first. Thanks to both you guys.

October 2, 2011, 05:04 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	"Also, stop dropping the slide on an empty chamber. This practice batters the mating surfaces of the hammer & sear." Well, what happens when the gun is fired? Doesn't the hammer drop on the sear then? The slide is moving forward faster than it does when manually released, so the hammer-sear contact should be faster and harder. Jim