1911 spontaneously firing possible?

[FL-NC]

You're getting lax -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.

Actually, I perform a function test on every firearm after I assemble it, and I did in that case (certain habits from the military die hard). Before we did the detailed disassembly and inspected the parts with a jeweler loop, we dropped the slide on a dummy round with the pistol pointed in different directions no less than 20 times. The hammer followed the slide twice. It had never "doubled" on me during live fire, though.

 

[FL-NC]

That is always bad news.

Yes, yes it is. But it worked great- until it didn't. If I ever get a used pistol again with a "good" trigger, you can bet I will take it down all the way and inspect everything before it even goes to the range.

 

[drband]

Following the slide any at all would “trigger” me!

 

[DPris]

When I carried a 1911, it was always in a concealment type holster with a retention thumbstrap between hammer and firing pin.
Unnecessary, but one additional layer of insurance against ANY remote possibility of the pistol somehow firing in that holster, if the thumb safety ever got switched off & the pistol (both Series 70 and Series 80) should get knocked hard in some sort of impact.

During routine handling & when sitting on the nightstand each night, I had no worries whatever about one of 'em spontaneously firing.
Denis

 

[Drail]

If the 1911 is in spec. and the parts were made to spec. a sear will not "break" or "wear down". Tests have been done over the years on dropping a cocked and locked 1911 from a height. All of the ones I saw dropped the pistol directly onto concrete with the gun riding down a guide rod and landing on the muzzle which would place the greatest stress on the hammer and sear. Colt's test showed they had to drop from a height of 18 feet to get a failure. Since they figured it would only be dropped from hand height it was good enough. Taking tolerance stacking from mass production into consideration I would say "some" 1911s would fail this test and some would pass. An old military 1911 might fail and a hand fitted Wilson Combat might not. You never know what yer gonna get. Make sure your gun is secured in a holster - and in your hand.

 

[TheProf]

Thanks fellas. I may opt to use a holster with a thumb strap between the firing pin and hammer.

 

[rskent]

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.

Most “professionals” I have dealt with, are less than they could be. If you have found a gunsmith, you trust, congratulations. You are lucky indeed. I don’t think I could trust anyone I could afford. Does Bill Wilson still tune guns?

 

[Drail]

Not personally but he owns one of the biggest smithing operations in the U.S. and sells tons of most excellent parts.

 

[Texas10mm]

Most “professionals” I have dealt with, are less than they could be. If you have found a gunsmith, you trust, congratulations. You are lucky indeed. I don’t think I could trust anyone I could afford. Does Bill Wilson still tune guns?

https://www.ingeniousgunworks.com/hammer-sear

 

[Walkalong]

That is a very interesting design. Looks like it would be a rolling release.

 

[drband]

That is a very interesting design. Looks like it would be a rolling release.

Current pricing is only $136. I wonder if it is "drop safe" as far as the sear/hammer interface is concerned...
If I had unlimited fun funds, I would order this and try it out.
Somebody should.
What does a traditional trigger job by a good smith cost?

 

[Mizar]

I remember this design being discussed in Brian Enos forum maybe like 10 years ago. As I have no interest in competition guns I did not follow closely, but still sounds interesting (at least on paper).

I wonder if it is "drop safe" as far as the sear/hammer interface is concerned

Looks like the radiused sear's contact surface is not contacting the hammer slot on half cock. This might be something interesting to further examine I think.

 

[Walkalong]

Somebody should.

Yep, and if I wasn't seriously broke, I would be willing to be the guinea pig.

Looks like the radiused sear's contact surface is not contacting the hammer slot on half cock

Yep, and they advertise it as

This produces a safety engagement that cannot damage the trigger pull.

 

[CapnMac]

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

I have over 9000 rounds out of a Series 70 over 30+ years; least worn part on that arm is the sear.
It broke a finger-collet bushing, but that's common with that part. Which, even then, takes over 750-800 rounds. Not that finger collets have been used in about 25 years' worth of production.

The 1911 was meant ro be carried by Cavalry on horses, at walk, trot, run, and gallop. Firing spontaneously is not really in the design.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

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.

I have a similar "cam" on the sweat shields of the holsters I make -- in fact, I test a holster by taking a cocked and UNlocked gun (unloaded of course) and shoving it into the holster. When I pull it out, it is cocked -- the "cam" forces the safety lock lever into the safe position.

 

[Obturation]

Good to know. I'm new to the 1911 world. How many of you carry a 70 series aiwb?

No one . If you manage that longterm i would be impressed.

 

[243winxb]

Accidents happen, even to an expert.

Dan Combs was severely wounded by, but survived the accidental discharge of, a .45-cal. semi-automatic handgun at the range during the late 1960s. He resumed his training and exhibition schedule in the early 1970s.

https://www.americanrifleman.org/ar...e-oklahoma-highway-patrols-captain-dan-combs/

He was out shooting by himself (might be a lesson here) and shoved a .45 cal. 1911 into the front of his pants and it went off

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?t=235633

A 1911 45 acp series 70, may fire when loading a round into the chamber and may double. Happens mostly with a light trigger pull. 50 competitors were on the firing line when i seen it.

Will it fire unmolested , no.

 

[rskent]

Texas10mm Thanks for the information.

But I still have my 1911 tools laying around here someplace. And I would rather just do it myself.

 

[Col. Harrumph]

My series-70 reissue came with a series-80 hammer. In other words, it had a step where the half-cock notch should've been. (I have no idea why Colt made that change.) I replaced the hammer with something more suitable.