Help

Frederic · March 3, 2008, 02:21 PM

I have a Colt 1911 Officers model (series 80) that has recently started acting up. I have had this pistol for a number of years and it has always been 100%. Lately it does not want to fire a second shot. The silde functions, the new round is chambered and the slide is closed. The Hammer appears to be back but it will not fire unless I pull the hammer a fraction with my thumb. I have had this pistol apart all the way to removing the trigger. Every thing is very clean and appears good. If I cycle the slide by hand it works perfectly. What is up? As mentioned above this pistol has always functioned flawlessly. Why now??
Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance

RickB · March 3, 2008, 04:00 PM

Do you have an overtravel stop screw in your trigger?

James K · March 4, 2008, 04:01 PM

How much is a "fraction"? It sounds like the hammer is following the slide down and stopping with the sear on the "shelf" that has replaced the half-cock notch on the newer Colts. If so, there could be several causes, possibly related to the Series 80 parts. It could also be a worn or chipped full cock notch or a worn sear. Have you ever had a "trigger job" done on the gun?

Jim

**Unclenick** · March 4, 2008, 04:24 PM

Empty the gun and slowly move the slide back while pulling it up and away from the frame and hammer. This is the worst-case position. You should be able see it push the hammer back far enough to reach full-cock and hear the sear snap into place? If you let the slide slowly forward, the hammer should remain cocked, then dry fire normally. If it does not, the hammer nose has worn or the slide position in the ways has worn and in either case, putting a new hammer in will be the cure.

If you find the hammer cocks properly, lock the slide back. Grasp the gun and pull back on the trigger to trap the disconnecter, and release the slide stop so the slide slams into battery. Did the hammer remain cocked, or did it drop to half-cock? Try this several times to be sure. If the hammer falls to half-cock, that is going to come down again to replacing the hammer and maybe the sear because the hammer hook is bouncing the sear nose forward and letting the hammer drop to half cock.

If neither of these issues shows up, then the other two things that come to mind are ammo too light in bullet or powder or both for the recoil spring that is installed. That can stop the slide from recoiling back far enough to fully cock the hammer. The leftmost leaf of the leaf spring under the mainspring housing needs to be bent forward so it pushes the sear to the rear harder so it can't bounce out from under the hammer hook so easily. This will increase trigger pull a little if you change it.

Edit: I was writing while Jim posted. He's got a point about the Series '80 parts. I've seen those accumulate enough crud from some loads that they slow down and interfere with the other parts moving into place as quickly as they need to. Have you done a complete tear down and detail cleaning?

Frederic · March 4, 2008, 07:34 PM

Thanks guys for all of the good sugestions.

Rickb: No overtravel screw.

JimK: No trigger job. (At least since I have owned it. I bought it used a number of years back)

Unclenic: Wow, thats great info, several things to check. Thanks again, I'll let you know.

And yes on the detail strip and clean.

Frederic · March 8, 2008, 02:08 PM

Unclenic:

Quote:

Empty the gun and slowly move the slide back while pulling it up and away from the frame and hammer. This is the worst-case position. You should be able see it push the hammer back far enough to reach full-cock and hear the sear snap into place? If you let the slide slowly forward, the hammer should remain cocked, then dry fire normally. If it does not, the hammer nose has worn or the slide position in the ways has worn and in either case, putting a new hammer in will be the cure.

When doing this I can make it macfunction. Everything seems to be in place but it will nor dry fire. I can tap the top of the slide, just in front of the rear sight, and it will fire then. I can also move the safety to safe then back to fire and it will fire. Does this still point to the trigger? It seems to me that it is still engauged properly on the sear.

Quote:

If you find the hammer cocks properly, lock the slide back. Grasp the gun and pull back on the trigger to trap the disconnecter, and release the slide stop so the slide slams into battery. Did the hammer remain cocked, or did it drop to half-cock? Try this several times to be sure. If the hammer falls to half-cock, that is going to come down again to replacing the hammer and maybe the sear because the hammer hook is bouncing the sear nose forward and letting the hammer drop to half cock.

It does remain cocked. It doesn't look to me as if it ever drops to half cock even when it does malfunction.

Your thoughts apprecieated.

Hunter Customs · March 9, 2008, 09:41 AM

You might want to ckeck your disconnector to make sure it's functioning as it should.
Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com

Doggieman · April 4, 2008, 09:20 PM

whatever happened to this problem?

March 3, 2008, 02:21 PM	#1
Frederic Member Join Date: January 25, 2007 Location: Milton, WV Posts: 30	Help I have a Colt 1911 Officers model (series 80) that has recently started acting up. I have had this pistol for a number of years and it has always been 100%. Lately it does not want to fire a second shot. The silde functions, the new round is chambered and the slide is closed. The Hammer appears to be back but it will not fire unless I pull the hammer a fraction with my thumb. I have had this pistol apart all the way to removing the trigger. Every thing is very clean and appears good. If I cycle the slide by hand it works perfectly. What is up? As mentioned above this pistol has always functioned flawlessly. Why now?? Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance

March 4, 2008, 04:24 PM	#4
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Empty the gun and slowly move the slide back while pulling it up and away from the frame and hammer. This is the worst-case position. You should be able see it push the hammer back far enough to reach full-cock and hear the sear snap into place? If you let the slide slowly forward, the hammer should remain cocked, then dry fire normally. If it does not, the hammer nose has worn or the slide position in the ways has worn and in either case, putting a new hammer in will be the cure. If you find the hammer cocks properly, lock the slide back. Grasp the gun and pull back on the trigger to trap the disconnecter, and release the slide stop so the slide slams into battery. Did the hammer remain cocked, or did it drop to half-cock? Try this several times to be sure. If the hammer falls to half-cock, that is going to come down again to replacing the hammer and maybe the sear because the hammer hook is bouncing the sear nose forward and letting the hammer drop to half cock. If neither of these issues shows up, then the other two things that come to mind are ammo too light in bullet or powder or both for the recoil spring that is installed. That can stop the slide from recoiling back far enough to fully cock the hammer. The leftmost leaf of the leaf spring under the mainspring housing needs to be bent forward so it pushes the sear to the rear harder so it can't bounce out from under the hammer hook so easily. This will increase trigger pull a little if you change it. Edit: I was writing while Jim posted. He's got a point about the Series '80 parts. I've seen those accumulate enough crud from some loads that they slow down and interfere with the other parts moving into place as quickly as they need to. Have you done a complete tear down and detail cleaning? __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

March 4, 2008, 07:34 PM	#5
Frederic Member Join Date: January 25, 2007 Location: Milton, WV Posts: 30	Re: Help Thanks guys for all of the good sugestions. Rickb: No overtravel screw. JimK: No trigger job. (At least since I have owned it. I bought it used a number of years back) Unclenic: Wow, thats great info, several things to check. Thanks again, I'll let you know. And yes on the detail strip and clean.

April 4, 2008, 09:20 PM	#8
Doggieman Senior Member Join Date: April 19, 2006 Location: San Diego, Calif. Posts: 717	so whatever happened to this problem?

March 3, 2008, 04:00 PM	#2
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	Do you have an overtravel stop screw in your trigger?

March 4, 2008, 04:01 PM	#3
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	How much is a "fraction"? It sounds like the hammer is following the slide down and stopping with the sear on the "shelf" that has replaced the half-cock notch on the newer Colts. If so, there could be several causes, possibly related to the Series 80 parts. It could also be a worn or chipped full cock notch or a worn sear. Have you ever had a "trigger job" done on the gun? Jim

March 9, 2008, 09:41 AM	#7
Hunter Customs Senior Member Join Date: March 26, 2005 Location: Osborn, Missouri Posts: 2,697	You might want to ckeck your disconnector to make sure it's functioning as it should. Regards Bob Hunter www.huntercustoms.com