Author Topic: "Click" (Read 814 times)

sgtt · « **on:** April 06, 2005, 07:48:38 PM »

An interesting thing happened to me at the range today. I have a Clark built 1911 bullseye gun with a slide mounted red dot. Periodically the hammer would drop but no bang. An examination of the chambered round showed no firing pin intent. My thoughts are that the gun is not going quit all the way into battery but, enough to let the hammer fall. Any input?

vinconco · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2005, 12:42:34 AM »

Is there a fireing pin block such as found in the series 80 colts? Sometimes these get out of whack even on new guns.

KN · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2005, 11:44:34 AM »

You may be correct. If a slide does no go fully into battery it should not fire. The hammer may well still drop if its close. KN

vinconco · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2005, 04:32:42 PM »

I've seen it happen on a new Para 45. At first it was an occasional misfire with no dent on the primer, then it became more and more often until we detail stripped the gun and found the firing pin battered where it hit the blocker. I had to refit the parts then all was OK. Also happens a lot on guns with trigger jobs by weekend gunsmiths.

sgtt · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2005, 07:28:02 PM »

No firing pin block.....trigger job is the original by Clark. (more than a few yrs ago)

vinconco · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2005, 11:33:38 PM »

Is the hammer falling all the way or is it falling to the half cock notch?

DennisB · « **Reply #6 on:** April 08, 2005, 12:56:14 PM »

I encountered a similar problem with my Commander and a box of bulk (100) Winchester 230 hardball from Wally's. Got a slight firing pin dent, but no bang. Never encountered this with my handloads. Another shooter at the range opined that the mainspring might be too light for those WW bulk primers. I ran a clip through HIS Springfield Armory weapon and had no problems. I think I'll get a 23# spring from Brownells.

Mikey · « **Reply #7 on:** April 08, 2005, 03:50:24 PM »

ssgt: I agree with your analysis. Bullseye guns tend to have a light mainspring - probably somewhere in the 12-14 lb range. When you couple that with a slide mounted scope, the lighter recoil spring may not allow your slide to go all the way into battery. It may allow it to go far enough to almost chamber the round, or look like it chambers the round and your sear plunger may be close enough to the sear plunger indent on the bottom of the slide, but not enough to allow the hammer to fall far enough forward to fully impact the firing pin.

DennisB is heading in the right direction by going to a heavier recoil spring, I believe. My choice here would be for DennisB to get a set of 22 lb heavy duty springs from Wolff Springs in PA - those are the ones I carry in all my 45s, and they should help with his problem.

ssgt - I would go the same route and get a heavier set of springs from Wolff, but for your purposes with a bullseye gun I would first go to a 16 lb set (which is normal factory spring rating) and if that doesn't cure your problem then go to an 18 lb set. What you will need to balance out is the power factor of your loads and the recoil spring tension. If you are shooting light target loads, the 16 pounder may be the heaviest that can properly function your gun with those loads. HTH. Mikey.

ed1921 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2005, 06:07:04 AM »

Have you taken out the firing pin & cleaned it up? There might me a piece of crud floating around in there or just a buildup.

Questor · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2005, 06:31:03 AM »

Are you sure the trigger pull is causing the hammer to drop? When my gun doesn't go into battery I can't pull the trigger.