pistolsmithing safety goes on at halfcock

judge sam · 01-17-2015, 08:57 PM

I have a Taurus pt1911. It has been a great gun so far. I was doing some dryfire draw practice with it today. I went to load it so that it could resume it's post on my nightstand. That's when things got scary. let my strong hand thumb sit on top of the safety. Well, I inserted the magazine and wracked the slide. It was then that I noticed the hammer sitting at half cock. The first thought that went through my head was "thank you, oh merciful lord and savior, for the half cock notch." I then removed the magazine, cleared the chamber, and began to wrack the slide in an attempt to recreate the situation. It was then that I noticed that the safety had room to travel further downward than the disengaged position. When I press it down as far as it goes, the hammer will fall to the half cock position when the slide slams home. It only does this when the slide is wracked. Simply pushing the safety down will not cause the hammer to fall.

So, what the [censored] is going on and how do I fix it? I don't know if it makes a difference, but the gun has the series 80 firing pin safety system.

Selling the gun is not an option, as it is unsafe.

"Buy a (insert brand name)" is not the answer to the question I asked either.

JohnnyT · 01-18-2015, 01:43 AM

Sounds like a thing called "Trigger Bounce" where the trigger stand still when the gun is yanked forward by the slide...which bumps the disconnect...which rolls the sear out of the hammer hooks. Then, the sear resets and grabs the half cock.

Test for this with the gun empty by releasing the slide with the slidestop while holding the trigger fully rearward. If the hammer doesn't follow the slide, it's probably a simple matter of bending the center leg of the sear spring to add more tension to the trigger. Bending the far left leg for a bit more tension on the sear couldn't hurt.

If it does follow with the trigger pulled, you've got other issues...maybe simple, maybe not so simple.

Using a good light, peek into the magwell to see if the corner of the disconnect is pokin' through enough to make contact with a magazine. If it does, there could be whence the bug nests.

If not, it could be an issue with clean sear reset...where it barely grabs the full cock hooks or misses them completely...but can still catch the half cock.

And it could be a not-so-simple problem with the hammer hooks...or the sear crown...or both.

judge sam · 01-18-2015, 04:58 AM

No, it doesn't follow with the trigger pulled. Upon further inspection, I've discovered that it isn't the thumb safety. It's the grip safety. If the grip safety is pushed in, the hammer will follow.

JohnnyT · 01-18-2015, 07:30 AM

Quote:

If the grip safety is pushed in, the hammer will follow.

Even with the trigger pulled?

judge sam · 01-18-2015, 08:53 AM

I just tried it. With the trigger pulled, the hammer does not follow.

judge sam · 01-18-2015, 10:20 AM

I bent the left and center legs of the spring to apply more tension to both the sear and trigger. That seems to have fixed the problem. I tride releasing the slide release and jerking the gun forwards at the same time. The hammer won't follow anymore. I may replace the spring later, as it felt a bit too easy to bend.

JohnnyT · 01-18-2015, 10:37 AM

Don't jerk the gun forward. You soften the slide's blow. Just release the slide.

A new spring may be in order.

sopojarwo · 02-07-2015, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyT

Sounds like a thing called "Trigger Bounce" where the trigger stand still when the gun is yanked forward by the slide...which bumps the disconnect...which rolls the sear out of the hammer hooks. Then, the sear resets and grabs the half cock.

Test for this with the gun empty by releasing the slide with the slidestop while holding the trigger fully rearward. If the hammer doesn't follow the slide, it's probably a simple matter of bending the center leg of the sear spring to add more tension to the trigger. Bending the far left leg for a bit more tension on the sear couldn't hurt.

If it does follow with the trigger pulled, you've got other issues...maybe simple, maybe not so simple.

Using a good light, peek into the magwell to see if the corner of the disconnect is pokin' through enough to make contact with a magazine. If it does, there could be whence the bug nests.

If not, it could be an issue with clean sear reset...where it barely grabs the full cock hooks or misses them completely...but can still catch the half cock.

And it could be a not-so-simple problem with the hammer hooks...or the sear crown...or both.

great answer,, I agree with you

[IMG]http://************/15/o.png[/IMG]

01-17-2015, 08:57 PM	#1
judge sam Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 85	Yikes! Safety problem I have a Taurus pt1911. It has been a great gun so far. I was doing some dryfire draw practice with it today. I went to load it so that it could resume it's post on my nightstand. That's when things got scary. let my strong hand thumb sit on top of the safety. Well, I inserted the magazine and wracked the slide. It was then that I noticed the hammer sitting at half cock. The first thought that went through my head was "thank you, oh merciful lord and savior, for the half cock notch." I then removed the magazine, cleared the chamber, and began to wrack the slide in an attempt to recreate the situation. It was then that I noticed that the safety had room to travel further downward than the disengaged position. When I press it down as far as it goes, the hammer will fall to the half cock position when the slide slams home. It only does this when the slide is wracked. Simply pushing the safety down will not cause the hammer to fall. So, what the [censored] is going on and how do I fix it? I don't know if it makes a difference, but the gun has the series 80 firing pin safety system. Selling the gun is not an option, as it is unsafe. "Buy a (insert brand name)" is not the answer to the question I asked either. Last edited by judge sam; 01-17-2015 at 08:59 PM. Reason: typo

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01-18-2015, 01:43 AM	#2
JohnnyT Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: North Carolina Posts: 724	Sounds like a thing called "Trigger Bounce" where the trigger stand still when the gun is yanked forward by the slide...which bumps the disconnect...which rolls the sear out of the hammer hooks. Then, the sear resets and grabs the half cock. Test for this with the gun empty by releasing the slide with the slidestop while holding the trigger fully rearward. If the hammer doesn't follow the slide, it's probably a simple matter of bending the center leg of the sear spring to add more tension to the trigger. Bending the far left leg for a bit more tension on the sear couldn't hurt. If it does follow with the trigger pulled, you've got other issues...maybe simple, maybe not so simple. Using a good light, peek into the magwell to see if the corner of the disconnect is pokin' through enough to make contact with a magazine. If it does, there could be whence the bug nests. If not, it could be an issue with clean sear reset...where it barely grabs the full cock hooks or misses them completely...but can still catch the half cock. And it could be a not-so-simple problem with the hammer hooks...or the sear crown...or both.

01-18-2015, 04:58 AM	#3
judge sam Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 85	No, it doesn't follow with the trigger pulled. Upon further inspection, I've discovered that it isn't the thumb safety. It's the grip safety. If the grip safety is pushed in, the hammer will follow.

01-18-2015, 08:53 AM	#5
judge sam Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 85	I just tried it. With the trigger pulled, the hammer does not follow.

01-18-2015, 10:20 AM	#6
judge sam Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Georgia Posts: 85	I bent the left and center legs of the spring to apply more tension to both the sear and trigger. That seems to have fixed the problem. I tride releasing the slide release and jerking the gun forwards at the same time. The hammer won't follow anymore. I may replace the spring later, as it felt a bit too easy to bend.

01-18-2015, 10:37 AM	#7
JohnnyT Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: North Carolina Posts: 724	Don't jerk the gun forward. You soften the slide's blow. Just release the slide. A new spring may be in order.