It's All A Matter Of Springs

AzShooter · November 18, 2021, 08:14 PM

Playing with the trigger pull of my Colt Gold Cup 1911 22 I found that the Sear Spring is very important. I was getting a 9.5 pound trigger pull from the factory. I ordered a Cylinder & Slide trigger kit which brought the pull down to 7.5 pounds. Still not what I was looking for. Advertisements say the pull will be between 4 and 4.5 pounds. When I got it that low I ended up with hammer follow.

Youtube assured me that the problem was the sear spring. I ordered 6 new springs from different manufacturer and thy came in today. I put each spring in the gun, tested the pulls and they almost all averaged 5.5 pounds. One was 7.5 pounds and one was 3.5. This is with no work on the spring.

I opted for the 3.5 since I want to shoot this gun for RFPI (rimfire pistol iron) in Steel Challenge.

Guess which spring I chose...? Now I have a gun that works but I'll play with the other springs, tweeting them a bit and try to get poundage in the 2 pound territory.

RickB · November 19, 2021, 11:20 PM

Having a trigger pull gauge helps, a lot.
You want at least eight ounces of resistance on both the left and center legs of the spring, and it's difficult to set that resistance without a means of measuring it.

HiBC · November 20, 2021, 12:36 AM

While a 2 lb pull CAN be done on a 1911, its outside the window of reliability.
I suggest you adjust your goal to something over 3 lbs.
Its not all in the sear spring,either.

AzShooter · November 20, 2021, 01:08 AM

Yeah, 2 pounds isn't realistic for me, I just want to see if it can be done but I feel comfortable in the 3 pound range.

November 18, 2021, 08:14 PM	#1
AzShooter Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2006 Location: Surprise, Az. Posts: 766	It's All A Matter Of Springs Playing with the trigger pull of my Colt Gold Cup 1911 22 I found that the Sear Spring is very important. I was getting a 9.5 pound trigger pull from the factory. I ordered a Cylinder & Slide trigger kit which brought the pull down to 7.5 pounds. Still not what I was looking for. Advertisements say the pull will be between 4 and 4.5 pounds. When I got it that low I ended up with hammer follow. Youtube assured me that the problem was the sear spring. I ordered 6 new springs from different manufacturer and thy came in today. I put each spring in the gun, tested the pulls and they almost all averaged 5.5 pounds. One was 7.5 pounds and one was 3.5. This is with no work on the spring. I opted for the 3.5 since I want to shoot this gun for RFPI (rimfire pistol iron) in Steel Challenge. Guess which spring I chose...? Now I have a gun that works but I'll play with the other springs, tweeting them a bit and try to get poundage in the 2 pound territory.

November 19, 2021, 11:20 PM	#2
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	Having a trigger pull gauge helps, a lot. You want at least eight ounces of resistance on both the left and center legs of the spring, and it's difficult to set that resistance without a means of measuring it. __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

November 20, 2021, 12:36 AM	#3
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,286	While a 2 lb pull CAN be done on a 1911, its outside the window of reliability. I suggest you adjust your goal to something over 3 lbs. Its not all in the sear spring,either.

November 20, 2021, 01:08 AM	#4
AzShooter Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2006 Location: Surprise, Az. Posts: 766	Yeah, 2 pounds isn't realistic for me, I just want to see if it can be done but I feel comfortable in the 3 pound range.