1911 with hammer follow

[tdaughg]

i need the experts advise on this one. i installed a cylinder & slide ultra light speed II 3lb kit in my springfield 1911. everything seemed to go fine as far as the install. everything fit without any problems but now im getting hammer follow. it is getting caught on the half cock notch so at least thats working right.

ive tested it a few different ways and it only seems to happen under one condition. no mag, not holding the trigger back and cycling the slide. it doesnt happen every time but its still happening. i can feel a tiny bit of creep when i pull the trigger so that would lead me to believe that im getting a positive engagement with the sear. therefore im thinking it might be trigger bounce and i just need to tighten up the spring. what does everyone here think?

ways ive tested:
1)all thumb and grip safeties passed.

2) mag in w/snap caps. fired and cycled by hand like normal while holding trigger back. passed.

3)mag in w/snap caps. fired and cycled by hand like normal without holding trigger. passed.

4)no mag. fired and cycled by hand like normal while holding trigger back. passed.

5)no mag. fired and cycled by hand like normal without holding trigger back. FAILED.

thanks for any help you can give.

[huckberry668]

not enough spring pressure pushing the sear forward to catch the hammer properly so it slips sometimes. bend the finger (i believe the left one with the hook) slightly forward to increase the pressure if the sear and hammer hooks are unmodified.

I've seen guns with under-sized sear or hammer pins do that and incorrectly stoned sear will do that too.

[Rock_Islander]

I was going to say undersized or incorrectly fitted sear myself as well.

Just remember as a GENERAL 1911 RULE: There are no drop in parts.

One exception would be the trigger. Many times that must be fitted as well using files and polishing or lapping.

I've read of people purchasing 3lb. trigger kits assuming that they drop-in but when installed the gun doesn't work as it should. Then it's passed on to a gunsmith next who delights at being able to work on "new" quality parts, which they then tune to your pistol properly.

Anyhow, if none of that's the issue I hope that the leaf spring bending should fix your problem.

Let us know what happens.

[smittty]

Very simple fix. The trigger spring needs to be bent forward to increase the weight on the trigger. That's the middle finger on the 3 prong spring.

Smitty

[tdaughg]

i didnt mess with anything in the kit. sear and hammer hooks are as they came. ill try adjusting the spring and see if that helps. thanks.

[smittty]

i didnt mess with anything in the kit. sear and hammer hooks are as they came. ill try adjusting the spring and see if that helps. thanks.

Bend the middle spring at the base.

I just fixed my friends 1911 that was doing the same thing. Bend the middle spring towards the front of the gun and it should fix it.

[dfletcher]

Agree on bending the finger forward will result in the sear exerting greater pressure and should cure it, but isn't it the left finger of the spring that applies pressure directly to the bottom hooks of the sear? I thought the middle finger of the spring applied pressure to the bottom tab of the disconnector?

I could be wrong, doing it from memory and don't want to yank apart a 1911 just now.

[9mmepiphany]

also be aware that it is normal practice to hold the trigger back while releasing the slide to prevent wear on the sear/hammer engagement

[JTROKS]

Try putting a bit more pressure on the sear spring, look at the engagement surface on your hammer hooks and sear. If you only have one side being polished up then it needs to be looked at by a competent gunsmith.

[J-cat]

also be aware that it is normal practice to hold the trigger back while releasing the slide to prevent wear on the sear/hammer engagement

Could you explain how not holding the trigger back while teleasing the slide causes any premature sear wear?

[9mmepiphany]

holding the trigger back...not allowing it to reset...prevents the hammer and sear from bouncing/pounding against each other from the shock of the slide slamming closed

[dfletcher]

holding the trigger back...not allowing it to reset...prevents the hammer and sear from bouncing/pounding against each other from the shock of the slide slamming closed

There may be an aspect of this I'm missing but ...

Even with the trigger to the rear the sear and sear notch of the hammer are still engaged - I think by being still engaged whatever bad was going to happen to the sear/hammer engagement would still happen. Keeping pressure against the trigger prevents the disconnector from resetting, not the sear.

[9mmepiphany]

oops...i have to fall on my sword here. i had a brain fart

i was thinking of trigger bounce.....and impact of the sear and the half-cock notch

i'm going to claim old age...sorry

[J-cat]

holding the trigger back...not allowing it to reset...prevents the hammer and sear from bouncing/pounding against each other from the shock of the slide slamming closed

The hammer hook will slam against the sear as the slide closes no matter whether the trigger is held back or not. Otherwise, you would have a full auto 1911.

[JTROKS]

When I used to do trigger jobs for 1911s and depending on what it will used for I would let the slide slam forward on an empty chamber for the final test. Modified 1911s used for range and competition only having trigger pulls at 1.5 lbs or less either have the height of the hammer modified to decrease the slamming of the hammer hooks to the sear contact area, or have the bottom of the slide relieved. Once your 1911 start having hammer follow problems no matter if it's just 1 every 100 rounds fired, get it looked at before it goes full auto and/or have more expensive repair cost. I still have my worn/broken titanium hammer to remind me of what a full auto 1911 in 10mm feels like.