Had a customer's 1911 hammer follow the slide home on a test fire this morning

Tbh, it was a rebuild job on a pretty worn Springfield. I'd just put in a new sear and hammer, hand-fitted everything, and thought it was good. I loaded a single round in the mag, pulled the trigger, and it fired fine. But when I racked the slide to chamber a second round from a full mag, the hammer just dropped with the slide. My heart sank. I cleared it right away, of course. The new sear looked okay, but the engagement on the hammer hooks was way too shallow, maybe only a third of what it should be. I think the old hammer was so worn it threw off my feel for the new parts. I'm going to re-cut the hooks on the new hammer tomorrow. Has anyone else had a new part just not play nice with an old frame like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

maxm631mo ago

My first 1911 build had a perfect sear job that still failed. That shallow hook engagement you found is exactly why I don't trust just the feel anymore. Now I use a magnifier on every single part before it leaves the bench.

skylerg1714d ago

So @maxm63, you think that shallow hook is the real killer even when everything feels right? Makes you wonder how many "perfect" builds are just one dry fire away from a problem, doesn't it?

eva_owens1mo ago

Used to believe a good trigger job was all about the right feel in the hand. A hammer follow like that would have really shaken me up. Seeing that shallow hook engagement is a clear lesson, isn't it? Now I won't call any rebuild done until I've checked the angles with a loupe. Guess trusting your touch only works until the old parts trick you.