1911 spontaneously firing possible?

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TheProf

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Trying to decide between a 70 series or 80 series for my second 1911.

has there ever been a 70 series where the sear has failed to hold back a cocked hammer fire ..... and the gun fired without the trigger being pulled?

I just bought my first 1911 Springfield mil spec and wondering if I should have gotten an 80 series instead.

I plan on carrying aiwb...so this has me worried.



I'm new to 1911s...but I think I really like them. I just realized that there were two main versions. (I am a Glock guy...but may switch over to 1911.)
 
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If I were going to carry cocked and locked I would for sure want the series 80 with the firing pin block plunger...This would preven firing even if the sear broke off unless the trigger was pulled. I am sure that many carry a series 70 cocked and locked with no problems but I just can't make myself do it...
 
On series 70 you have a captive half-cock notch that stops the hammer if the sear slips from full cock. Sear braking is quite rare occurrence and it's usually a result of the owner's negligence to safely handle a loaded weapon. If you don't mess with the firing mechanism, trying some unnecessary tinkering, or abuse your gun, you can enjoy safely shooting and carrying that pistol for decades.
 
It's not going to go off in your holster, if that's your concern. There are two safeties. And, as Mizar points out, there is a failsafe notch for half-cock. The end of the sear would have to break off for the hammer to fall, in which case you couldn't have cocked it in the first place.

I am curious about appendix IWB with a 1911. That sounds uncomfortable, unless you're talking about an Officer-sized one.
 
I have been able to comfortably do aiwb carry for Glock 19. But I have been thinking of doing the same thing with a 1911.

I was worried about the sear wearing down from repeated use and the possibility of the hammer slipping off it and firing.

No I don't plan on tinkering with the firing mechanism I'm not that handy.

So if I'm understanding you correctly,. I'm assuming that the half notch will catch the hammer should it fall for any reason ( including the seer failing) if the trigger is not pulled?
 
What Mizar said is correct. That half cock notch would catch it but the only times I have ever heard of a problem in this regard the person had been doing “mods” to their gun. I remember 3 instances of this and all 3 were guys that were trying to modify trigger pull on their guns.
 
TheProf said:
has there ever been a 70 series where the sear has failed to hold back a cocked hammer fire ..... and the gun fired without the trigger being pulled?
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If made correctly, there is a notch on the hammer that the sear will catch if if slips the sear without the trigger being pulled.
 
Has there EVER been a 1911 that slipped off the sear or was dropped and discharged? I'm sure that has happened. However if you have a properly assembled gun with properly spec parts it is nearly impossible. If you mess with the fitment or try to improve the trigger or safety engagement or let the slide slam home a thousand times on an empty chamber, or let the hammer slip from 3/4 cocked to the half cock notch a lot while thumb cocking, your chances will be greater.
 
Good to know. I'm new to the 1911 world. How many of you carry a 70 series aiwb?
 
I got a second hand SA MILSPEC a few years ago that had a really good trigger, a nicely fitted beavertail, and Novak sights professionally installed. I fired it from time to time, and enjoyed it. After a range session about 2 years ago, I cleaned it, (only took it down to basic operator level) reassembled and reloaded it, and when I let the slide loose, it fired into the floor of my garage. Needless to say, it scared the poo out of me. I took it to my LGS, and after detailed disassembly, found that the previous owner had "worked" the sear with what I am sure was a dremel tool and some harbor freight files.
 
AIWB isn't my thing, but one of the more respected AIWB holster makers, JM Custom Kydex ( https://www.jmcustomkydex.com/c/AIWB-Holsters.html ) claims to offer a shelf on their sweat shield that will engage the thumb safety of a 1911 and keep it in the safe position. While I'm skeptical this is possible with all the different style thumb safeties available, he has a very good reputation in the AIWB community. My particular Colt tear drop thumb safety is small enough in profile and secure enough in operation that is merely pushes all the sweat shields I have out of the way. However, it would be something I'd consider if I were to carry AIWB.

I believe 5 Shot Leather's SME also offer's a similar feature. https://www.5shotleather.com/sme.htm
 
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I remember a post by the ultimate 1911 master...1911Tuner... where he tried to make a 1911 go off by being dropped. He was dropping it from a latter, was filing parts down, dropping it directly on the hammer and all kinds of crazy stuff in general. If memory serves he had a primered case chambered and He never did get it to go off.

I sure miss his 1911 wisdom.
 
DeepSouth said:
I remember a post by the ultimate 1911 master...1911Tuner... where he tried to make a 1911 go off by being dropped. He was dropping it from a latter, was filing parts down, dropping it directly on the hammer and all kinds of crazy stuff in general. If memory serves he had a primered case chambered and He never did get it to go off.

I sure miss his 1911 wisdom.
Click to expand...
Conversely, Drake Oldham and Walt Kuleck ("The M1911 Complete Owner's Guide") did some testing about 10 years ago, and were able to get a non-firing pin safety equipped 1911, even with a titanium firing pin, to fire if dropped from around 6'. I believe the information was in the old 10-8 Performance Forum, with video, though that forum has gone away. You can find some info with a search for "Drake Oldham 1911 drop test", if you need more information.
 
JTQ said:
Conversely, Drake Oldham and Walt Kuleck ("The M1911 Complete Owner's Guide") did some testing about 10 years ago, and were able to get a non-firing pin safety equipped 1911, even with a titanium firing pin, to fire if dropped from around 6'. I believe the information was in the old 10-8 Performance Forum, with video, though that forum has gone away. You can find some info with a search for "Drake Oldham 1911 drop test", if you need more information.
Click to expand...

Of course, the issue there is a muzzle-down drop bringing the gun and cartridge to a sudden stop while the firing pin's inertia overcomes the FP spring and causes it to cruise into the back of the primer.

Not relevant to anything that's going to happen while the gun is in a holster on a person unless the person just jumped off a cliff! But relevant to dropped-gun situations. Not as bad as a propensity to a muzzle-up-drop discharge... usually, muzzle-down drop discharges are going to blast a crater in the concrete or stone that it fell on (dropping on dirt or wood flooring or carpet usually provides just enough give to avoid a discharge). Scary and dangerous (perhaps rough on the shoes of the dropper), but not as dangerous as a gun that lands muzzle-up and discharges!
 
FL-NC said:
I got a second hand SA MILSPEC a few years ago that had a really good trigger, a nicely fitted beavertail, and Novak sights professionally installed. I fired it from time to time, and enjoyed it. After a range session about 2 years ago, I cleaned it, (only took it down to basic operator level) reassembled and reloaded it, and when I let the slide loose, it fired into the floor of my garage. Needless to say, it scared the poo out of me. I took it to my LGS, and after detailed disassembly, found that the previous owner had "worked" the sear with what I am sure was a dremel tool and some harbor freight files.
Click to expand...
You're getting lax :neener: -I'm pretty sure you were taught to always perform a function check (unloaded) after cleaning and before loading up. As has been said, trigger/sear/hammer setups that have been messed with by Bubba Q. Smith are about the only way a 1911 will do that. I have a lot of expereince with smithing 1911's and I don't mess with the sear engagement surfaces unless I have to, ceramic stones used tediously little by little at that point.
 
I'll do a lot of work on my own guns, but fiddling with a hammer/sear interface (or a striker/sear interface) is something I have always left to a professional gunsmith.
 
ATLDave said:
Of course, the issue there is ...
Click to expand...

Certainly, and I agree. However, my comment was directed to DeepSouth regarding his comment, and not in regards to the OP's question, so in that context my comment could be construed as off topic. My bad.
 
And I was just trying to keep some kind of "framing" in place so the OP doesn't freak out.
 
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