1911 falling to half-cock?

[BerettaNut92]

KZ45 dropped to half cock on an empty chamber. I know it's a no-no, but:

1. what's the worse thing that can happen, full auto?
2. After sending back for repairs, how do I test to make sure it's OK, rack hard on snapcaps?

 

[Tamara]

Skunkabilly,

The technical gunsmithing term for this condition is "broken".

1) Theoretically, yes.
2) That's how I'd do it.

 

[Schuey2002]

1. what's the worse thing that can happen, full auto?

The dreaded "slamfire"...

 

[BerettaNut92]

When I told my dad about my 1911's condition he said, "Cool, you can have a full auto .45. Merry Christmas."

I'll send it to get fixed, maybe I'll try slamming it on snapcaps now to see if it'll do it.

I'm skeered tho! I found out too late that slamming on empty chamber is bad.

What happens to break the sear anyway?

 

[boing]

Are you going to send it back to Kimber?

Maybe it would be a good time to have a smith install decent tool steel parts and do a trigger job, rather than having factory MIM parts put back in.

Assuming the KZ internals aren't proprietary.

Just a thought.

 

[railroader]

Boing, the KZ45 is a wilson. http://www.wilsoncombat.com/pistols/kz45.asp Mark

 

[RussB]

Check the trigger stop screw. It may have migrated inward a bit. The sear spring may just need a bit of tweaking as well. If you're not comfortable doing a thorough disassembly, just call Wilson, they'll take good care of you.

 

[boing]

But...Wilson doesn't start with "KZ"...

Ahem. Thanks.

 

[dfariswheel]

When you've got this condition the following can/will happen:
Full auto.
Severe battering of the sear.
Battering of the hammer notches.
Bent sear pin.

Usually a few drops to 'half cock" is enough to ruin a high-grade trigger job.

The best test is to drop the slide on an empty chamber a few times. A snap cap cushions the impact enough that a dangerous condition can be disguised.

Dropping to half cock is either a worn assembly, or (usually) a bad gunsmithing job.

 

[10-Ring]

I saw a 1911 go full auto once as the result of a home made, 1st time, trigger job.

 

[fastbolt]

Send it back and let them examine & repair it ...

The mainsprings had to be replaced in our KZ's after one of our folks experienced the hammer following the slide ... We were told Wilson had received a bad batch of mainsprings, with improper temper, and the sear leaf wasn't holding its adjustment.

Also, we noticed that when the pistols came back from Wilson, the trigger pulls measured 3.5 lbs, which is a bit lighter than the 4.0-4.25lbs that some folks say they prefer ... Ours are now set to hold at 4lbs, and break by 4.25lbs ... Shooting will "lighten" them a little, and our pistols all receive 1,000 break-in rounds in the hands of the folks carrying them ...

Try to avoid allowing your pistol's slide to drop on an empty chamber as a matter of common practice ... A gunsmith or armorer may do it as part of a test, but it's not something to do everytime you unload the pistol and want to close the slide without ammunition in the pistol ...

 

[M1911]

skunkabilly:

To test it once it comes back:

1. remove magazine, lock slide open, visually and manually (i.e., with your pinky), check that the chamber is empty.
2. Are you sure it's unloaded?
3. Are you REALLy sure it's unloaded?
4. Close the slide.
5. Pull the trigger to dry fire and hold the trigger to the rear.
6. With the trigger held to the rear, pull the slide all the way to the rear and then let it go. Do not ride the slide down, just let it go. Since you're holding the trigger back, this won't hurt the sear.

If the hammer follows the slide down, then you've still got a problem. If not, then you're good to go.

I do this test each time I reassemble my 1911.

 

[El Tejon]

M1911 has it.

Skunk, see why some of us harp on multiple copies of the same gun?

 

[buttrap]

Hmmm thats a really bad edge on that sear stirrip there. Hold trigger back, drop slide.hmmm its broken...

 

[dinosaur]

I once had a Colt pre 70 National Match, :banghead: that would drop the hammer. Used gun, amateur trigger job. I`m so lucky I sold the gun.

No "kick me" smiley? Pity.

 

[Tamara]

dinosaur,

We feel your pain, man.