My 1911 Colt Commander, series 80 won't go bang

[Triathloncoach]

I rack a round into the chamber, pull the trigger, the hammer drops, no bang. Same with different ammo.

Put a pencil in the barrel, eraser first, pull the trigger, pencil doesn't move.

It's a LNIB Colt Commander, series 80. I haven't touched the series 80 firing safeties. At least not deliberately.

 

[loadnplenty]

Have you cleaned the slide assembly?

This was my experience with a LNIB series 80 I bought some years ago. The original owner bought it and fires it just enough to cook off any oil left from the factory on the internals. After that he never shot it and just took it out of the box every now and then to wipe it down with an oily rag.

So when I went to shoot it, I had very light strikes. Firing pin was leaving a mark on the primer but did not have enough movement to get a full power strike.

Upon taking it apart I found light freckling and gunk in the upper slide assembly parts. A good scrubbing with a brush and steel wool knocked most of it off. I took the lower half to my local gunsmith because that was beyond me. Same situation with lower parts.

So after a good scrubbing and oiling I went and put 500 hand loads down range to get all moving parts somewhat broke in and help create friction to further aid in getting rid of any rust. A good cleaning afterwards and never had a hiccup again.

There are quite a few 1911 experts on here that can probably give you more technical reasons for failure. But before you spend any money on parts I would clean the crap of it first and see if that helps, if you have not already.

Also most of the powders nowadays are a lot cleaner burning. So there is the possibility if it has never completely cleaned there is gunk and lint in there. Gotta remember Magnum PI was big and so was tucking that 1911 into the waiste band!

 

[markj]

If the gun is clean, and failing the "pencil test" it sure sounds like the FP safety is installed wrong.

1) pull off the slide.
2) the safety plunger in the slide should depress easily with the tip of a pencil. it should move up and down with almost no resistance and be spring loaded.
3) depress the plunger with one hand and use a pen or pencil the push the firing pin in, it should extend well out of the breach face with the safety depressed.
4) "un-cock" the hammer on the frame. watch the little lever that comes out of the frame, and pull the trigger all the way, as you pull the trigger, the little safety lever should move up. You will have to push it back down, its not spring loaded.

There are only 3 moving parts in this system. Im not sure whats going on with yours, but these are some quick tests to make sure its doing what it should. If it passes thes checks, put it back together, the firing pin in a stock Colt should launch the pencil out of the barrel with authority! like, point it straight up ant it should send the pencil right up to the celling!

Here's how those parts should interact:

 

[Triathloncoach]

Thank you. I have been fussing with the gun a lot lately. Maybe I knocked the firing pins loose, maybe I wiped off all the oil and maybe I gunked up the firing pin.

Sounds like a sign from above telling me to bring in the gun and have nite sites installed - and a general tune up by a gun smith. Generally when I "fix" things I "unfix" additional things. I'm home today, lets see if I'm ambitious enough to mess with the firing pins.

 

[geezer]

I'm off today also, If you need(want) me to come have a look at her, I will...

 

[Triathloncoach]

I'm off today also, If you need(want) me to come have a look at her, I will...

Thanks Geezer, thank is a super kind offer. Aren't we a bit far away? And if you were to help me, I would be the one driving to you.

You are a good guy.

 

[geezer]

You got time to go to Adventure Outdoors? I was thinking about riding over there. and could fix you up right in the parking lot...

 

[Byte Stryke]

Fixed it...
Trigger bar was improperly installed.

he is good to go.

I went over it with a fine tooth comb.

FYI he reports that AO Smiths were the last to have it apart for inspection and he had not fired it since.

Whatcha doin over there Geezer?

 

[geezer]

At AO? I wanted to have a looky through their "junk gun" display case...

Did you show him everything you did? VERY cool of you to take this on, You are on my good guy list for sure now!

 

[Byte Stryke]

I tried to explain it using diagrams.
coming from IT I tend to 'over explain' things sometimes.

Momma has been wanting a new holster, might have to head over there as well