1911 questions

[Echo9]

I just came across this website:

http://www.coolgunsite.com/funcheck/function.htm

It's a guide for inspecting the various safeties and functions of a used 1911.

I know basically how a 1911 works, but one thing here has me confused. In the third and fourth steps down from the top, it says to keep the trigger pressed and rack the slide. It says that if the gun is functioning properly, the hammer will stay cocked when the slide drops, even with the trigger held in.

Why would the hammer even cock to begin with? Wouldn't keeping the trigger pressed keep the sear away from the notch?

Also, someone correct me if I'm wrong -- is the disconnecter what prevents the gun from firing out of battery? If so, how does it work exactly?

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

... it says to keep the trigger pressed and rack the slide.

I've never tried this and don't have a 1911. In fact, I only have one hammer-fired handgun, a CZ. But, when I dry fire it, hold the trigger fully to the rear and rack the slide, its hammer does stay cocked.

Why would the hammer even cock to begin with? Wouldn't keeping the trigger pressed keep the sear away from the notch?

Apparently not, at least on my CZ. The sear has nothing to do with cocking the hammer; it is the center rail on the underside of the slide that pushes the hammer to the rear.

Also, someone correct me if I'm wrong -- is the disconnecter what prevents the gun from firing out of battery? If so, how does it work exactly?

Part #5 is the disconnector. When the slide is in battery it pops up into the little half-moon shaped cutout in the slide center rail. When the slide is out of battery it is pushed down and disconnects the trigger linkage. One end of it is contacted by one of the three leaves of the sear spring. Someone with more 1911-specific knowledge can expound on that, or it can be discerned from the diagram.

 

[Quack]

the Dis-connector seperates the sear from the trigger bow.

when you fire a round the trigger bow pushes on the dis-connector, which trips the sear.
now with the trigger pulled back, the slide goes back, the dis-connector goes down and is now below the sear.
when the slide is fully forward, releasing the trigger will reset the action. the dis-connector will move from under the sear back inbetween the trigger bow and sear.

 

[Quack]

take a look at this and you can see how everything you are asking about works.
http://www.m1911.org/loader.swf
hide the following:
frame
barrel
magazine
ammo
grip safety
safety

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

The sear (part 37) is what keeps the hammer cocked and is not (or should not be) affected by the position of the disconnector.

 

[ambidextrous1]

Thanks, Quack; that's a handy link!

 

[Quack]

if you go to the download section on www.stiguns.com you can get a copy as a screen saver

http://www.stiguns.com/docs/STI_TrojanScreensaverSetup.zip