1911 Problems

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Stinger

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Springfield Mil-Spec G.I. WWII 45ACP

Problem: Hammer will not positively engage/lock back. It can be pulled back, and it does lock, however, a pull of the trigger produces nothing. You can push the hammer forward with your finger.

I was firing, and I was having problems dropping mags. Finally, trigger pull proved uneventful. I unloaded the pistol and came home. When I removed the grips, I noticed a small pin wedged in the sear spring. I have no idea what this pin is, nor where it came from.

It is not the Hammer Strut Pin, Hammer Pin, Mainspring Housing Retainer Pin. It is much smaller than any of these pins. It is .1 in wide and .62 long, but appears to be broken/sheared off.

The only thing I can seem to think it is is the pin (minus the spring) in the Mainspring Housing. The parts list shows the pin and spring, but they do not have parts numbers or names. The Mainspring Housing is definitely missing these parts on the top.

Please help.

Thanks,

Stinger
 
That sounds like a problem in the Springfield internal lock system. Does your gun have that?

Jim
 
That sounds like a problem in the Springfield internal lock system. Does your gun have that?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, yes.

What can be done?

Thanks,

Stinger
 
Problems

That's a strange one...Something in the ILS system could have sheared off, but not likely it would have gotten tangled up with the sear spring. If it
was the hammer strut pin, it should have stayed put since the frame has it captive...

Go to the consolidated thread at the top of the gunsmithing forum and
hit the 1911 Detail Strip link. Remove the mainspring housing, thumb safety, and sear spring and go from there. If your sear pin is broken, I have a few layin' around. I'll drop one in the mail.

Standin' by...

Tuner
 
It can be pulled back, and it does lock, however, a pull of the trigger produces nothing. You can push the hammer forward with your finger.
Click to expand...

So the sear is catching the hammer. This means the sear works.

I'll guess that once you pull it back you can't press it forward until after you pull the trigger at least once.

Since the hammer won't fall on its own, the problem would seem to be be with the hammer strut, hammer strut pin, mainspring or mainspring cap.

Since I am not familiar with the infamous Springfield lawyer lock I can't comment on the possibility of it malfunctioning and locking the mainspring compressed.
 
Okay, I'm still having problems.

I forgot that when I began having problems, the Grip Safety did not seem to have any spring to it. It remained in the "fire" position, even with no pressure.

I think I've solved the mystery of the "extra" pin. It's not a pin at all. It appears to be the lower portion of the hammer strut. I've matched the parts up and it is a perfect fit.

Now where to get one. I know Springfield, but I prefer something as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Stinger

Edited to add: What other possible problem parts should i go ahead and get while I'm at it. My wife shot it to qualify for her CHL the day before. Man, am I glad it didn't break on her. Thanks.
 
Strut

Get into the Brownells Factory Parts section and order the Colt strut
and pin. It should work with the ILS mainspring housing. I'll post part numbers and their toll-free tomorrow early A.M. I'll also post a number for a sear spring...Sounds like you could use a new one.

Good call BluesBear...You rule!

Stand by...

Tuner
 
Tuner and all,

Thanks for the help with my problem.

I feel kinda dumb not knowning what it was at first, but to look on the bright side, I now know how to strip and reassemble the 1911.

Besides the hammer strut and sear spring, what else should I get. Since I have to pay the shipping, I would like to get a few "insurance" parts in case (when) something else breaks in the future.

Thanks again for all of the help,

Stinger :)
 
re:

Stinger said:

I feel kinda dumb not knowning what it was at first, but to look on the bright side, I now know how to strip and reassemble the 1911.

Hey...Don't feel that way! There was 4 or 5 of us takin' blind shots tryin' to
figger it out before one of us nailed it. :D

Check back to this reply in a little while and I'll edit to add a list and
the part numbers. Sorry I didn't get to it before...Probably be here around 9 A.M. EDT...about 2 hours from now.

Brownells Toll-Free...1-800-741-0015

Parts/Price List (App. Retail) Add $7.25 shipping charge.(UPS or FedEx) You can opt for a small package shipping rate via US Mail at $3.75, but delivery may take up to 10 days.

Strut...160-113-250...$5.25
Strut Pin...160-113-252...$3.75
Sear Pin...160-121-110...$4.40
Hammer Pin...160-113-202...$4.40

Optional, but recommended:

Hardcore Extractor...087-813-080...$28.00
Hardcore Slide Stop(blue)...087-815-001...$35.00
Hardcore Slide Stop(stainless) ...087-815-101...$36.00

Be aware that your strut pin is staked in, and may be a little hard to remove. Appropriate tools required. If you would like to do away with the ILS mainspring housing, just sing out and I'll list the parts required.

Luck!

Tuner
 
Last edited:
I Like Ed Brown's hammer strut and would not consider useing any other. When you order it I would also order a pin set from Brownell's. Tuner knows the best one for the price. It is very easy to lose these things and having spare pins defeats Mr. Murphy! Good luck with those lawyer parts! To quote Colonel Cooper: " A wonderful soultion for a non existant problem"
 
Brown Strut

Brown Strut...sounds kinda like a 50s dance...don't it?:D

Hey Cap'n! have you ordered an Ed brown strut in the last few weeks?
I got one in 2 weeks ago for a guy who broke one on an old Springfield,
and it didn't look right. It was a casting, and not a very good one. I re-ordered and the next one was just like the first one. I tossed'em both in the beater spare parts drawer and gave him a used Colt strut out of a Series 80 Commander that I parted out a while back.

I used Brown's struts exclusively until I saw these. Seen any like these two? Wonderin' if these are just from a bad lot or if they've been bean-counted to make the bottom line look better.

The new-design Colt struts are steel...probably blanked from flat
stock and are wicked strong.

Standin' by...

Tuner
 
I got the Brown Hardcore Extractor just yesterday. I ordered it before the strut broke.

I will go with the parts mentioned. Any advantage/disadvantage with going stainless or blue on the extractor other than looks?

Be aware that your strut pin is staked in, and may be a little hard to remove.
Click to expand...

Any special tools required, or just a good punch?

Thanks,

Stinger
 
re: Stuff

Howdy Stinger,

The Brown Hardcore isn't avaliable in stainless...at least not from Brownells.
No advantage that I can think of, at any rate.

The Hardcore extractor probably won't fit flush with the back of your slide...
they don't in most slides. If that's an issue, you'll have to file it to shape and touch it up with some cold blue unless your gun is stainless.
SLow process, so take your time. Extractor out...file...extractor in...
eyeball it...extractor out...file...etc.

The right SIZE punch for the hammer strut pin and proper support UNDER
the hammer is important, or you risk breaking the hammer. You'll also need to restake the pin, but I don't punch the metal on the hammer around the pin. I support the pin and punch the pin in the center...flip it over, and do the other end the same way...flip it back over and stake the
center again. Makes the pin much easier to remove when needed, and
doesn't involve displacing metal on the hammer again. Either way will work...your choice.

Keep us posted on the project. Luck!

Tuner
 
Any advantage/disadvantage with going stainless or blue on the extractor other than looks?
Click to expand...

Oops, I didn't mean extractor I meant slide stop.

Thanks for all of your help, guys and gals, and I will report back later.

Thanks,

Stinger
 
Well,

I got my parts in last week, and reassembled everything. Piece of cake.

I finally was able to take her out to the range today, and it ran flawlessly.

Sidenote, I also bought a Hardcore extractor, but didn't install it yet. I'm going to wait and see how much longer the Springfield extractor will last. I adjusted it a few weeks ago, and it functions perfectly after a couple of hundred rounds.

Thanks for all of your help THR.

You guys rock!!!

Stinger
 
Count and correction.
Springfield 1911 SS loaded base model from a 2002 Imbel lot broke a hammer strut from the lower thin end.
Hammer strut pin was not staked.
I found this thread searching for "broken, strut, 1911". So this would be first and only thread on this. Another how to thread of Tuner's also showed up. Replacement came from a spares kit I got from Numrich. Got two sets so thats one set whittled down.

Posted on another board:
Tonight I am not working for speed. I just wanted to get all the hits in. 2nd stage my pistol broke and I had a FTF and hard time racking. Magazines are suddenly pretty stiff getting out. I keep shooting to the end of the stage and go to the safe table to check this piece out. I rack and look. Slide sticks with the disconnecter frozen. I look at the magwell and it looks like the flat spring is twisted and rolled up. Kaput for this pistol tonight. rhino loans me a nice shooter and I finish the night out. I made a note on my score card about my hero.

At home I start to work on the piece in the light. Spring did not roll or fold. Hammer strut broke where it thins for the mainspring housing. Racking without a mag pushed the partial strut pieces through the spring leafs and froze the disconnecter.
 
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