Well, it has been awhile since I posted 1911 hammer drop to half-cock (July 22, 2010!) Some projects just get pushed back. I have been messing with 10mm and 40s a lot more than 45ACPs lately, but I digress.
To recap my previous post...
The problem was that my 90s Edition Springfield 1911A1 (kind of in between the GI and the MilSpec before they offered either) had been converted with Ace Hindman's help to 45 Super and spent a number of years running Ace's "Tactical Loads" (185gr @ 1200-1400fps). Unfortunately, I suspect, that accelerated wear help bring about intermittent hammer drop. Meaning that the hammer falls from cock to half-cock. Not good.
Here is what it looked like (from the original post):
Examining it showed a little more wear on the hammer than I would like. I filed on it and was softer than I would have thought. In fact, I messed it up.
Oh well, I like ring hammers and might as well swap it out. Might as well do a few other things too since the parts more than likely would have to be fit. Here is what I ended up doing:
- STI Match Sear – these are HARD and are almost perfectly cut out of the bag
- EMC Ring (commander) round hammer – I just like the look of these and they are bars tock for the purists.
The sear and hammer went together perfectly! - Colt 1991 Commander grip safety – because I don’t need/want a beavertail, I don’t want to notch the stock one for the ring hammer. This one dropped right in.
- Wolff Sear Spring - very mild arching
- Replace frame pins – they had become loose, falling out if you tilt the pistol
- Colt aluminum solid long trigger – I love this trigger in my Delta. No frills, no set screw to back out. People looked at me like I was crazy. I think that if I had gone with a normal lightweight trigger I would not have had to arc the new sear spring. It replaces a Pachmayr long trigger (its polymer!)
- STI extended safety (more on this below). I actually wanted a classic 1911 Army-style safety but couldn't find one. Oh well, single-sided safety it was.
So, I needed to fit the original stock safety to work with the new parts. So, I fit it (more like attempted). It actually came out decently and functional but it dropped down to the "fire" position a little too low and the detent stop was a little off. A safety is cheap and I am kind of picky. My local gun smith fit it and checked that everything else was ok.
Here is what it looks like (finally) completed:
There we go, only 2 short years later it is completed and a new life for a pistol that I originally bought in 1990. At least I got better at taking pictures.
