1911 issue

[benz510]

How's it going all. I have a technical question. I have a RIA 1911A1. I believe the sear spring is worn out. If u cock the hammer with your thumb and attempt to pull the trigger, the hammer will not engage.

Anyone else know what could cause this?

[redcliff]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by the hammer will not engage. On a GI type pistol if you hold the hammer all the way back so that the hammer spur depresses the grip safety and pull the trigger it should drop the hammer; you've defeated all the safeties and released the hammer from the sear.

Or do you mean that with the hammer cocked (and pistol empty for safety of course), if you take a firing grip on the pistol (so that the grip safety is depressed) and pull the trigger the hammer doesn't drop?

Have you taken the pistol apart recently? Changed any parts? Is the sear spring and it's fingers seated properly?

[Vin63]

...If u cock the hammer with your thumb and attempt to pull the trigger, the hammer will not engage.

Do you mean that the hammer will not drop?

[18Dmedic]

Or the hammer won't click to the ready to fire position manually?

[edwardm]

I think redcliff hit it on the head. If that description is not the sequence of events preventing the hammer from engaging the sear, please clarify the exact steps and operations you use to replicate the 'problem'. Did you recently detail strip the pistol?

The 1911 is a simple beast, operationally. There are only a few things that will keep the full cock and half cock hammer notches from engaging the sear.

1. Bad or improperly installed sear spring (easy fix).
2. Sear engagement surface chipped/broken/worn (not easy for a novice).
3. Broken/malfunctioning disconnector.
4. Bad or improperly installed disconnector spring *

*1 & 4 are the same piece, but different 'fingers' coming off the flat spring. I've seen the flat spring referred to as just the "sear spring", and I don't have my manual handy to reference the proper name.

Here is a good test to try to see if you can eliminate the disconnector part of the spring.

Start:
Unloaded, slide in battery, hammer down, finger off trigger.

Next:
Finger on trigger and squeeze trigger as if to fire. Maintain the pressure on the trigger and rack the slide, full to the rear, then ride it forward back into battery.

Result:
1.
The hammer should lock back at full cock and should not fall. Trigger should feel the same, should be pressed full back still. At this point the disconnector has not reset.

2.
Gently and slowly release the trigger. You should hear a slight 'click'. That will be the disconnector resetting, under pressure from the disconnector leg of the spring. If you have the click, it's not the disconnector or that leg of the spring.

[mofojoe]

How's it going all. I have a technical question. I have a RIA 1911A1. I believe the sear spring is worn out. If u cock the hammer with your thumb and attempt to pull the trigger, the hammer will not engage.

Anyone else know what could cause this?

Your biggest problem is that it's a RIA.
Dump it and go with a name brand
I had one and was glad to get rid of it. One thing after another with those P's.O.S!!

[cc426]

Over travel screw could be too far in if you mean that the hammer won't drop

[reg290]

Your biggest problem is that it's a RIA.
Dump it and go with a name brand
I had one and was glad to get rid of it. One thing after another with those P's.O.S!!

I call shenanigans!

My RIA TACT II rock's out with it's ---- out!
Still can't believe its shoots damn near match quality for under $650.

[edwardm]

RIA is a mixed bag.

A friend picked up the GI model several years ago, and it just runs and runs, eats any ammo, never a problem.

I got a 1911A1-CS (compact model) in 2012. The slide stop notch was peening badly after 50 rounds. On top of that, it would FTRB routinely - the front sides of the barrel locking lugs were rounding off. That was probably (though not certainly) a link length issue. Sent it back once, it worked OK for another 100 rounds, then started the same FTRB nonsense (they did not address the peening issue). Sent it back again, and they sent me a replacement. The replacement has been night-and-day. Absolutely reliable, very accurate for a short barrel pistol and it eats any ammo I throw in the magazine.

I suppose anyone can get a bad pistol. I personally know people that got bad stuff from Colt, Kimber and Springfield. Sh** happens.

[Fishslayer]

This message is hidden because mofojoe is on your ignore list.

I call shenanigans!

My RIA TACT II rock's out with it's ---- out!
Still can't believe its shoots damn near match quality for under $650.

Well, thanks for the quote to remind me why...

[benz510]

I just inspected the sear spring. There is a chip missing on the tip of the middle finger. I suspect it to be causing the problems!

[benz510]

1911

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by the hammer will not engage. On a GI type pistol if you hold the hammer all the way back so that the hammer spur depresses the grip safety and pull the trigger it should drop the hammer; you've defeated all the safeties and released the hammer from the sear.

Or do you mean that with the hammer cocked (and pistol empty for safety of course), if you take a firing grip on the pistol (so that the grip safety is depressed) and pull the trigger the hammer doesn't drop?

Have you taken the pistol apart recently? Changed any parts? Is the sear spring and it's fingers seated properly?

That is exactly what I meant. The hammer will not drop.

[edwardm]

I just inspected the sear spring. There is a chip missing on the tip of the middle finger. I suspect it to be causing the problems!

Disconnector leg of the spring. Disconnector is likely not resetting (remaining in the 'down' position).

Remove the slide and push down on the disconnector tip. Is there any spring resistance at all? If not, that chip is likely the problem.

If there is resistance, it could be that the spring, though chipped, is still doing it's job, but the disconnector is not returning to the proper position.

I'll have to go look up the protrusion dimensions for that one, and you could also check the half moon slot on the underside of the slide - make sure it's not full of debris which prevent the disconnector from returning to its proper position.

Why the tip of the leg broke, I'm not sure. Could be crappy metal, I suppose. :/

[redcliff]

Or just send it in to RIA for warranty repair, lifetime warranty and free shipping.

[Bsandoc40]

Or just send it in to RIA for warranty repair, lifetime warranty and free shipping.

Agreed. RIA might not be a brand name some think of when thinking about good quality 1911. But their CS is great.... Easiest option is just to send it back to RIA and they will fix whatever is wrong with your 1911.