Not a LRH gunsmith question

[ndking1126]

Welderboy, best of luck in your recovery and thank you for being willing to relay your story as a reminder to us all. Subscribing cause I'm interested in what broke in the pistol. Sounds to me like mechanical failure of the parts, not anything you did wrong.

 

[25WSM]

To the OP this malfunction is normally associated with the sear spring. The fix is to bend the left finger of the 3 to get more tension on it. Or to replace the spring with a pre-tuned one. Has anyone been adjusting your trigger. Tuning the sear spring is very important. Please if you feel you can't do this them don't. Safty is always number one.
Shep

 

[Alibiiv]

First things first. This is 100 percent a huge safety issue and should not be up for discussion of any fixes by any one of us. It needs to go to a Smith in person and resolved by someone in real time. I am a gunsmith of 30 yrs and have a pretty good idea what it is and I would never do this in a post. That pistol needs to be in the hands physically of the person troubleshooting it. To the op. You can get some guesses on what it might be but please just take it to a shop and be on the safe side. If your looking at the parts right now and don't know what you did then you need a shop anyway. I'm not trying to be mean or condescending I'm trying to make certain nobody else gets hurt or much worse. Safety first. We all grew up with that word associated with firearms. Safety.
Then someone said why would he want to rework a mid range 1911.
1800 is not a mid-range 1911 to most folks. As gun enthusiast working on guns is what we do. The 2 biggest aftermarkets for guns are the AR and 1911. I don't know anyone who has a 1911 with no mods. At least 3 people already identified the problem with your 1911. Please just go get it fixed. Hope your hand gets better soon.
Shep

I totally agree with 25WSM that the 1911 ought to go to an extremely qualified, 1911 specialist to have the weapon looked at. You have a lot of new pieces inside of that firearm, something is either catching up, something has broker, or something just is not meshing up with other parts. This has nothing to do with how you "racked" the weapon or "why would you "rework" a high end handgun! Racking a handgun is something that most of us have done thousands of times in their homes or areas that would have been a whole lot safer. I carried a handgun for many years in my profession, was always safety conscious, never would I have ever thought of a "full automatic" AD!! If that had ever happened to me I'd be living alone.

 

[Welderboy11972]

This is why I look to this forum for anything I have questions about. I always get great, knowledgeable advice. I always get responses from all sides of the table. Thank you guys very much. I will keep you updated on every little thing that is not in perfect mechanical working order.
I have to know, (for my confidence sake) what went wrong. This has got me second guessing myself on everything I have touched on all my firearms. Even as simple as a full cleaning.

 

[Welderboy11972]

To the OP this malfunction is normally associated with the sear spring. The fix is to bend the left finger of the 3 to get more tension on it. Or to replace the spring with a pre-tuned one. Has anyone been adjusting your trigger. Tuning the sear spring is very important. Please if you feel you can't do this them don't. Safty is always number one.
Shep

I am the only one that has been inside it. If the spring is bent, like you suggest, I could of done that the last time I had it apart to clean it.
The only thing I can remember doing, back when I first changed everything, was I adjusted the little ears on the trigger bow. I adjusted them to give the trigger about 3/16" of travel before it contacted the disconnecter/sear. Reason being, I felt like it was more safe as a carry.

 

[Welderboy11972]

Welderboy, over the slide is the way every law enforcement training I have attended teaches for tap rack failure drills, slide lock reloads, and making ready. It's also the way that I train my Deputies as a firearms instructor. You did not do anything wrong in that aspect, so don't think you did.

As far as the gun, I personally would just take it to a good 1911 smith and have them fix it. My first guess is the sear, but it's just that, a guess. Then again, I am not a smith of any kind myself.

That's how I pretty much have to do it. A work injury from years ago, has my thumb pretty much just there. It works and looks kinda normal. But I can't use it to grip much.

 

[nmbarta]

Glad your okay.
I had a very well know gun smith tune up Rem 700 trigger for me, if pressure was applied to the trigger when on safety, it would drop the firing pin when it was taken off safety. No one got hurt, but it's very unsettling when a round is unintentionally fired for any reason.
Point being, do your homework on whoever works on your gun.

 

[wonderman4]

Then someone said why would he want to rework a mid range 1911.
1800 is not a mid-range 1911 to most folks. As gun enthusiast working on guns is what we do. The 2 biggest aftermarkets for guns are the AR and 1911. I don't know anyone who has a 1911 with no mods. At least 3 people already identified the problem with your 1911. Please just go get it fixed. Hope your hand gets better soon.
Shep

Ok, so that proves that you don't know me. I have four 1911s and only one has been modified. Except, it was modified by an arsenal during WWII. It has an Ithaca frame and a Remington Rand slide.

My other 3 are from the original manufacturer with my 1st one built in 1975 and I purchased it in March 1976. Series 70 Government Model. I bought the other two Series 70s just when the Series 80s were coming out.

None of them have been modified and are 100% original from the factory. They do not need any modifications. All three of them are as reliable as any other semi-auto, plus very accurate.

To the OP: good luck in locating the defective parts and my God Bless.

 

[KyCarl]

I have several that have never been touched or even shot! I don't think when you buy a Cabot or a Volkmann Ed Brown Bill Wilson Stan Chen there is any improvement
a layman can make that can in anyway improve what a Master Smith has already done?
My last Brown was pick this pick that and they built exactly what I wanted Bobtail and all. And yes it when past 1800 quick fast and in a hurry!
Look at Chen's work..We could improve on perfection??
http://www.chencustom.com/fa3ivz9gpvofkl76ntl4yd12769gug

 

[DSheetz]

Welderboy , I'm glad that it didn't turn out any worse then it did . Heal fast and keep us informed as to what you learn about what went on with it . We all like to learn , but not in that way , that is one you will remember for your lifetime .

 

[redleg1013]

The best thing you can do at this point is to take it to a COMPETENT pistolsmith and have them correct it, ensure that there is correct sear engagement and sear spring tension. Joe Chambers in Crete,NE is arguably THE subject matter expert when it comes to 1911s.
Unfortunately for the end user, the 1911 is not an entry level plug and play platform. However, that should not deter you from owning, using or carrying a 1911.

I'm glad you were able to tell your tale.

 

[entoptics]

I have several that have never been touched or even shot! I don't think when you buy a Cabot or a Volkmann Ed Brown Bill Wilson Stan Chen there is any improvement
a layman can make that can in anyway improve what a Master Smith has already done?
...

Some people buy Gunwerks and don't touch or shoot them too...

Many of us aren't able to, but with a little research and effort, often can get 95% of the way there for 50% of the cost. Usually this is perfectly safe when using reputable manufacturers' aftermarket parts and well established practices.

I've seen plenty of threads on various forums where "highly regarded gunsmith/manufacturer produced a lemon". Sure it's rare, but it happens. If what we're hearing from the OP is correct, I don't think his misfortune is anything more than a freak failure.

Living in fear of this sort "1 in a million" scenario would result in a pretty boring, expensive, and/or stressful life. I can't afford top tier "everything dangerous", and I sure as heck am not going to forgo many of life's pleasures on the off chance "something bad will happen". I'm not cavalier about dangerous things, but there's already enough dangerous stuff I have to do that isn't fun...

 

[KyCarl]

It's your choice do what you think is right?
I'm happy my way and shall continue as I have the last 45 years...
1911's and Pythons long before rifles and scopes. I have 2 mint Randall 1911's
and most guys have never heard of them.
http://sightm1911.com/lib/history/randall_history.htm

 

[ID667]

Sear spring installed incorrectly. Easy fix for a 1911 armorer or Smith.