1911 Sear Spring

keys85 · October 19, 2008, 11:02 AM

The leaf on the left is the sear, the middle the trigger bow/disconnector, and the one of the right is the grip safety...is this correct?

What is the procedure for adjusting the leaf spring? I'm by no means a novice to building/restoring/modifying/refinishing and repairing guns, and I'm not interesting in performing a trigger job, but I must admit I'm not an expert in the 1911 field. I would, however, like to add a bit more tension to my grip safety, but while I have my gun apart, I would like to check to make sure the other two leafs are tensioned properly but do not have a manual to guide me.

I understand having too little tension on the sear spring could cause hammer follow or full auto conditions. What does too much cause? How do you know when it's "just right", and does the middle leaf purely effect trigger reset and how is that properly tensioned? I'd like to check this because I could have sworn my hammer followed the slide on a last round, but I could never replicate it (even by slamming the slide closed on an empty chamber), but now I have this great fear that the hammer will follow one day when I'm loading the pistol and putting a hole in my floor.

Harry Bonar · October 19, 2008, 04:04 PM

Sir;
Left is on the sear, middle is on disconnector/sear and trigger bow and right is grip safety!
The tension on the sear and trigger bow, technically should be equal - side by side, even. Your grip safety set properly should adequately operate the grip safety.
However, in setting trigger weight of pull it's more complicated than these various spring tensions! I always at the end of a trigger job drop the slide from locked back position. Does the hammer follow? No, it shouldn't! "Racking" the slide two or three times, does it "follow"? No, it shouldn't. DO NOT keep racking the slide or you will end up with a damaged sear etc. If you keep up racking the slide it will end up following!
The real test is with a magazine full of hardball, OUTSIDE, fired without a follow or accidental discharge!
In other words, if your pistol works O.K. now - leave it alone!

A complete trigger job should be done by an expert who thoroughly understands the 1911 system!
Harry B.

keys85 · October 20, 2008, 05:37 PM

Will racking the slide damage the sear, or letting the slide slam home?

I was under the impression that only letting the slide slam home on empty could* cause damage to the sear. When I toted my friend about slamming my slide closed he told his father what I said, his collector friends and the rest of the gun community along with various gun shop owners. He, being a "gun nut" himself (although carries a beretta) made me get into a heated debate with his father (who carried a 1911 in the navy and most of his life) that slamming the slide closed will NOT cause any damage. I ended by agreeing with them, but only to the point that slamming the slide could cause a fine tuned trigger job with carefully cut and polished sear engagements being ruined. My friend then later took his charles daily and slammed it closed 100 times to prove to himself it wouldn't harm it.

Harry Bonar · October 20, 2008, 06:34 PM

Sir;
"Racking" the slide that I described IS done empty! And, yes, if done repeatedly WILL damage the sear!
Harry B.

October 19, 2008, 11:02 AM	#1
keys85 Junior member Join Date: September 21, 2008 Posts: 199	1911 Sear Spring The leaf on the left is the sear, the middle the trigger bow/disconnector, and the one of the right is the grip safety...is this correct? What is the procedure for adjusting the leaf spring? I'm by no means a novice to building/restoring/modifying/refinishing and repairing guns, and I'm not interesting in performing a trigger job, but I must admit I'm not an expert in the 1911 field. I would, however, like to add a bit more tension to my grip safety, but while I have my gun apart, I would like to check to make sure the other two leafs are tensioned properly but do not have a manual to guide me. I understand having too little tension on the sear spring could cause hammer follow or full auto conditions. What does too much cause? How do you know when it's "just right", and does the middle leaf purely effect trigger reset and how is that properly tensioned? I'd like to check this because I could have sworn my hammer followed the slide on a last round, but I could never replicate it (even by slamming the slide closed on an empty chamber), but now I have this great fear that the hammer will follow one day when I'm loading the pistol and putting a hole in my floor.

October 19, 2008, 04:04 PM	#2
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	sear spring Sir; Left is on the sear, middle is on disconnector/sear and trigger bow and right is grip safety! The tension on the sear and trigger bow, technically should be equal - side by side, even. Your grip safety set properly should adequately operate the grip safety. However, in setting trigger weight of pull it's more complicated than these various spring tensions! I always at the end of a trigger job drop the slide from locked back position. Does the hammer follow? No, it shouldn't! "Racking" the slide two or three times, does it "follow"? No, it shouldn't. DO NOT keep racking the slide or you will end up with a damaged sear etc. If you keep up racking the slide it will end up following! The real test is with a magazine full of hardball, OUTSIDE, fired without a follow or accidental discharge! In other words, if your pistol works O.K. now - leave it alone! A complete trigger job should be done by an expert who thoroughly understands the 1911 system! Harry B.

October 20, 2008, 06:34 PM	#4
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	racking Sir; "Racking" the slide that I described IS done empty! And, yes, if done repeatedly WILL damage the sear! Harry B.

October 20, 2008, 05:37 PM	#3
keys85 Junior member Join Date: September 21, 2008 Posts: 199	Will racking the slide damage the sear, or letting the slide slam home? I was under the impression that only letting the slide slam home on empty could* cause damage to the sear. When I toted my friend about slamming my slide closed he told his father what I said, his collector friends and the rest of the gun community along with various gun shop owners. He, being a "gun nut" himself (although carries a beretta) made me get into a heated debate with his father (who carried a 1911 in the navy and most of his life) that slamming the slide closed will NOT cause any damage. I ended by agreeing with them, but only to the point that slamming the slide could cause a fine tuned trigger job with carefully cut and polished sear engagements being ruined. My friend then later took his charles daily and slammed it closed 100 times to prove to himself it wouldn't harm it.