Problem with Gold Cup hammer falling part way

[Wulfmann]

I have a Gold Cup some genius did his own tinkering with before I got it. Actually it will be mine if I can fix it or it goes back to a deputy that wants it to be mine.
It had the slide and barrel ported and shoots very well but after 4 mags or so I noticed when I released the slide to load the first round the hammer came half way down.
So, I went back to the firing line pulled the trigger and empty the 8 rounds in less than a second (or so it seemed)

Gave it to a friend that is an armorer and he put a kit in it, new hammer and sear and said "It does not do it as often"
I am sure you agree that is not good enough.

Anyone have this problem or know someone that has and can suggest something more to do???
Could it be the trigger ?? (don't think he changed that)

Wulfmann

 

[Brian48]

If it's one of the older Gold Cups with the steel trigger, it's likely who ever took it apart had a hard time putting the sear depressor mechanism back together and simply said the hell with it, leaving it out. Some Gold Cups can get by without this in place, but some cannot since the trigger is so heavy.

If that is the case, then no permanent damage has been done, but you do have to buy the missing small parts from either Brownells or Colt. Your other alternative is to switch to a lighter, after-market trigger made of aluminum or polymer.

Of course, you'll need to take the gun apart to be sure.

 

[Brian48]

I just reread the part where you mentioned that sear had been replaced as well. If this sear does not support the depressor mechanism, then this is likely the cause.

 

[JohnKSa]

Be very careful about loading or firing this gun until you get it fixed. The half-cock notch is not designed to handle that kind of abuse for long--eventually it may break too leaving you with a gun that will allow the hammer to follow the slide. That's probably more excitement than most people would appreciate.

 

[Wulfmann]

Gun will not be fired until it is fixed, no way do I want to be unsafe. Although, that ported barrel kept the string pointed at the metal plates.

I passed this link to my friend that is working on it and gave him another 1911 to swap out parts to search for what/which it might be.

There have been a few theories from different sites on what it could be.

Wulfmann

 

[RickB]

A tweak of the sear spring could fix it, if the problem is indeed the heavy trigger. Of course, every ounce added by the spring is added directly to the pull weight. What sort of loads are being used? If a ported barrel is having any effect, they must be pretty stout, and if a heavier-than-normal recoil spring is being used, that will add to any trigger bounce problem.

 

[Wulfmann]

Light loads, 200gr SWC lead 5.2gr RamShot ZIP, the same loads I use in all my 1911s.

Ported barrels and muzzle breaks do not seem like they do much with these light loads until you shoot a near same gun without one alternating back and forth; you can tell a difference.
I hurt both my thumbs years ago in martial art training so breaks and ports allow me to shoot more comfortably as many rounds as I want

Wulfmann