Springfield & Pachmayr mainspring housing problem

[Thorgrim]

I have a Springfield Armoury "Loaded", the parkerized full-sized model with Trijicon sights. It came with the flat mainspring housing and I tend to shoot low instinctive with those, I've put arched housings on all my previous 1911s. So, I lucked out and found a Pachmayr arched housing online, installed it, and it doesn't work. The gun functions, snaps, but the hammer bounces back and there's no pressure on it. I'm guessing that the retaining pin on the housing is fouling the mainspring cap before the mainspring can make a full stroke, and thus there's no static pressure on the hammer strut to keep the hammer in a down position.

If I replace the mainspring, plunger and cap with stock Colt parts, do you think the Pachmayr housing will work properly? Surely someone else has done this, if for no other reason than to get rid of the silly locking mechanism which I see as just something else that can fail.

 

[JTQ]

Is this a current Springfield 1911 with the ILS? I believe you will have parts incompatibility if that is the case.

 

[Thorgrim]

Yes, JTQ, brand spanking new with the locking device.

 

[Jolly Rogers]

You need standard parts to make the standard mainspring housing work.
The Springfield spring and mainspring cap are only compatible with the Springfield ILS housing.
Joe

 

[Thorgrim]

Thanks, guys, looks like my Pachmayr needs new "guts".

 

[JTQ]

Do an internet search for replacing the Springfield ILS. The info is out there and you should be able to find a parts list and step by step guidance. Good luck.

 

[Thorgrim]

Again, thank you. I bought new innards for the Pachmayr and it works fine, you just have to pay close attention when installing the housing to see that the grip safety is captured.