1911 Receiver Help - Part 2 - sear spring and hammer strut problems

[Triathloncoach]

http://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/threads/243487-1911-Receiver-Assembly-Help-I-have-2-extra-parts-Doh!

First of all, thank you for the help with the above thread.

So I took the gun apart and put it back together twice. I was attempting to fix a rattle in the grip safety. This is fun, I have never attempted to work on a gun before. But it has been frustrating. It's a Model 80 Commander.

Both times after reassembly the trigger was not able to be pulled, and I was not able to rack the slide.

I have attached photos. The hammer strut keeps going under the sear spring. There is not a notch in the main spring housing for the hammer strut to go under so its being forced under the sear spring. The sear spring also has a space that the hammer strut goes thru and ends up under the sear spring.

I'm asking for help one more time before I give up and pay a gunsmith. As stated before I am a mechanical dunderhead.

I'm also not sure how bent the spring should be. My original intent was to fix a rattle in the grip safety. And of course it still rattles. YIKES!!! I can't believe I gave up alcohol.

Thanks everyone

No slot for the strut in the mainspring housing
Designed gap in the spring legs
Is it bent incorrectly?

 

[Kyzrsoze]

I'm not sure if I'm understanding completely, so may answer may be off. The hammer strut should plug right into the plunger on the top of the main spring housing. Flip the hammer strut up and out of the way, Set the spring in place, slide the mainspring housing in, and fit the hammer strut into the opening on the top of the main spring housing before seating it completely.

 

[mtgldr]

You tube has some great info on stripping a 1911.

 

[Kyzrsoze]

Yep, this a good video on assembly of a series 80. If you get the series 80 specific safety parts installed incorrectly it will not function.

 

[RamRoddoc]

Your parts look fine and as long as you didn't bend the leaf spring it should function fine. You are most likely having an issue with the friking safety/lawyer parts. Many series 70's guys snub their noses at such nonsense but a series 80's can be made to run just as well as a series 70's with a bit more work on the trigger components.

Go through the video and step by step and you should get through this. If the frustration is excessive, before resorting to a BFH, stop and go back to it later when your blood pressure returns to normal and profane speech cessates.

It's most likely something very simple.

 

[magna750]

Your parts look fine and as long as you didn't bend the leaf spring it should function fine. You are most likely having an issue with the friking safety/lawyer parts. Many series 70's guys snub their noses at such nonsense but a series 80's can be made to run just as well as a series 70's with a bit more work on the trigger components.

Go through the video and step by step and you should get through this. If the frustration is excessive, before resorting to a BFH, stop and go back to it later when your blood pressure returns to normal and profane speech cessates.

It's most likely something very simple.

That sir is some excellent advice.

 

[Triathloncoach]

Thank you everyone. This is actually the third thread I started for this issue.
Well it works now but the grip safety still rattles. I showed it to my neighbor who is a mechanical engineer and a gun enthusiast and owns and works on several high end 1911.

He said its a bad fit issue between the main spring housing and the grip safety. He thinks it came from Colt not fitting. Hmm. The gun works fine, I guess I just live with it?

 

[Kyzrsoze]

The main spring housing is a relatively cheap and simple part to replace. See is brownells has one with a different shape/material/checkering that you might want and replace it. It is slippery slope toward customizing though.

 

[Triathloncoach]

The main spring housing is a relatively cheap and simple part to replace. See is brownells has one with a different shape/material/checkering that you might want and replace it. It is slippery slope toward customizing though.

Thanks. How would I know if the new one fits better than factory? Maybe I should contact Colt, or bring the gun into a shop and make certain it fits before buying?

 

[jglenn]

is the hammer loose feeling when it is in the fired position.. if so your rattle may be a short hammer strut.. you can get longer ones from Brownells


if the grip safety is really the culprit simply try putting more pressure on it by bending sear spring's Right most leaf back a bit to apply more pressure on the grip safeyty