Possible problems with 1911 trigger job.

[Battler]

I just had a trigger job on my Kimber compact - quality (I guess) tool steel match hammer and sear, 4.5lb (the stock pull was a disturbing 3.5 lb so it's not that I'm making the gun more dangerous than stock).

The trigger job feels good.

However, I started dry-firing it a little away from the shop, and I once pulled the trigger (safeties off) and rode the hammer down. It seems to grab a little at the half-cock notch (No, I did not rest it there; but there's some real resistance - not enough to catch the hammer if I release it but it catches if I hold about 1/2 the weight). This is with the trigger all the way down.

I was planning on taking the gun to the range on my lunchbreak tomorrow and trying the trigger out. Now I find myself asking you guys (seems to be a lot of knowledgeable gunsmiths and tinkerers on this board) whether I should be returning it for work, and whether or not I should consider the hammer or sear to be effectively destroyed (i.e. make him replace it), or just shoot it and ignore this, or shoot it and have it just break in.


thank you for your time.

Battler.

 

[Battler]

Just a quick update on that. . . . I repeated the test (no, I didn't do this often - I know monkeying with the hammer is bad) - but found out that if I pull the trigger WAY WAY hard it's smooth as silk.

I get the feeling that this puts the trigger in a position that it slams into right after breaking. . . . and that the situation I described above may be one that does not turn up when merely firing the gun.

Is what I'm describing just the tight tolerances of good parts/trigger work?

Anyway, unless I hear a serious warning I'll be off putting 100 rounds through this tomorrow (thurs) lunch.

thanks,
Battler.

 

[beemerb]

Probably know this allready but will say it anyhow.Load one rd and fire it .Do this a few times to make sure that it does not go auto on you.

------------------
beemerb
We have a criminal jury system which is superior to any in the world;
and its efficiency is only marred by the difficulty of finding twelve men
every day who don't know anything and can't read.
-Mark Twain

 

[Daniel Watters]

It sounds like the overtravel screw in the trigger was adjusted just a little too far. Back it out a tiny bit, and see if that doesn't cure the hestitation on the half-cock notch.

 

[Oldspeed]

I agree! The hammer can bump the half cock notch on the way down if the overtravel screw is turned to far in. I would turn the screw out a 1/16 or so turn at a time until the grab disappears.

 

[Ruben Nasser]

I agree with Daniel and Oldspeed, to see clearly the relationship between the trigger, sear, hammer and disconector, there is a great animation on www.1911forum.com , go to the Troubleshooting section, last 20 days, to the post "hammer drops when a new round is chambered" by Kuiper.

 

[Battler]

Does the overtravel screw prevent any damage? Am I subjecting the sear etc. to more wear if I overloosen it or remove it?

Also, is it fairly tight, e.g. will my adjustment stay fairly stable?

Can it be adjusted with an allen wrench?

thanks,

Battler.

 

[Battler]

Had the gunsmith look at it. . . .

We wound the trigger back but that wasn't it. Claimed it was one of the safeties, and that he would go back in and fix it when I drop the gun off to have the sights added.

Seems it wasn't catching on the half-cock; but rubbing the non-trigger-pull modifying surface upon the hammer AFTER passing the half-cock region.


thanks for all the help.

Battler.

 

[James K]

When the trigger is pulled normally, the sear releases and the reflex of the trigger finger moves the trigger back hard enough and far enough for the sear to get out of the way of the half cock notch and any other part of the hammer. It would only be when carefully manipulating the trigger and hammer that the roughness or contact with the edge of the half cock notch would be detected. A non-existent problem.

A problem can occur when the trigger pull has been lightened so much that no real pull is required. In that case, a mere touch on the trigger can drop the hammer in the half cock notch. The pistol is then unsafe. (Yes, I know about the gunsmiths who put .0000002 ounce triggers on 1911s. I repeat - those triggers are unsafe.)

Jim

 

[Battler]

Thanks, all.

Went and fired the gun tonight - I'm a lousy shot but things were a little tighter and the gun is nicer to shoot (I kind of noticed the most improvement on the head-hit component of my "mozambique" (2-torso, 1-head) - I think the improvement is greater when I'm firing fast than on a very aimed shot.

gun works great, thanks all

Battler.