Hammer Follows Slide - Intermittent

[Tom in CA]

My Kimber TLE/RL has developed an intermittent problem. When I pull back the slide and then release it to chamber a round the hammer sometimes follows the slide back down. Occasionally it will stop at half cock but usually goes all the way. Sounds like a bad sear - but the problem is intermittent - it does it when the gun has been sitting for a while (like overnight) if I work the safety a few times and fiddle with it a little it then works fine. It will not fire the chambered round when it does this. Its done about 1400 rounds of factory hardball and has never had the hammer lowered manually or the slide released fast on an empty chamber.

Anything I should check before sending it back for warranty repair??

[1911Tuner]

Sounds more like a sear spring issue. If you have a dummy round or a snap cap, try pulling the trigger and holding it while chambering the dummy under the same conditions that the problem occurs. If you don't get a followdown, it's probably the sear spring. If you do, it's either a sear/hammer hook or a disconnector problem.

If you don't have a dummy...you can still do the test, but you'll have to keep it pointed in a safe direction, 'cause...every so often, I'm wrong.

Can you detail-strip the gun? Sear spring is an easy fix if you can.

[Tom in CA]

Hi - Thanks for the fast response!!

I tried the test with a metal snap cap (manually cycle the slide on a loaded magazine) It chambered the round but the hammer did not fall - When I released the trigger there was a little "click" and then a pull of the tirgger will fire the round (or actually pop a pencil out) So it sounds like the sear spring.

I have fully stripped a 1911 years ago and managed to get it back together BUT this one has a Kimber pinned ambi safety (no tab under the right grip) and I'm not sure how to get that apart. There is a gunsmith in town if all else fails. I'm game. How would I fix the sear spring?

Tom

[1911Tuner]

Hi - Thanks for the fast response!!

I tried the test with a metal snap cap (manually cycle the slide on a loaded magazine) It chambered the round but the hammer did not fall - When I released the trigger there was a little "click" and then a pull of the tirgger will fire the round (or actually pop a pencil out) So it sounds like the sear spring.

I have fully stripped a 1911 years ago and managed to get it back together BUT this one has a Kimber pinned ambi safety (no tab under the right grip) and I'm not sure how to get that apart. There is a gunsmith in town if all else fails. I'm game. How would I fix the sear spring?

Tom

Hi Tom,

The click on the trigger release was the disconnect resetting. Not sure on the ambi safety unless it's one that has a long sear pin with a slot cut halfway through like the Mueshke Ambi design. If that's what you have, remove the left side of the safety first, then rotate the right side up and past the slot...and out.

Bend the center leg of the sear spring forward a little to put more tension on the trigger and disconnect. Bend the left one forward a little too, to provide a strong sear reset. Your trigger pull may increase a half-pound or it may not change. Grasp the legs a little aboce the junction with the main body of the spring to prevent snapping one off. If it stats to happen again, you might want to just get a new spring...4 bucks from Brownells. I like the factory Colt springs.

A reduced-power mainspring makes the hammer more likely to follow. Some of the higher-end production and semi-custom pistols have non-standard mainsprings.

What caused your problem was a simple inertial event. The slide slapped home and jerked the pistol forward...while the trigger obeyed Newton and stood still for a split second...and nudged the disconnect. When you held the trigger, you took the disconnect out of the picture, and kept it in the disconnected position. The trigger can't rotate the sear until the disconnect is up into the connected position. Hence...no hammer follow with the trigger held rearward because the disconnect can't reset until the trigger is released.

[sleepertib]

When you held the trigger, you took the disconnect out of the picture, and kept it in the disconnected position. The trigger can't rotate the sear until the disconnect is up into the connected position. Hence...no hammer follow with the trigger held rearward because the disconnect can't reset until the trigger is released.

Since this was brought up, I'll add that this test is an important part of function checks, particularly if any work was done on the internals. You definately don't want the disconnector misbehaving :scared: .

I think it's rather odd the problem is intermittant, but I haven't been at the 1911-smithing thing very long. On a factory pistol, I think it's especially odd for this to happen. I hope things work out for ya.

[Tom in CA]

THANKS! I checked the ambi safety - it is held on by a flange on the head of the hammer pin should be easy - If I have time I'll take it apart tomorrow. After 1400 rounds of Winchester white box its also probably pretty gummy in there! Thanks for all of the help!

Tom

[1911Tuner]

Mighty welcome Tom. Hope this squashes your bug. Might wanna go ahead and order a new sear spring anyway...

Sleepertib wrote:

>Since this was brought up, I'll add that this test is an important part of function checks, particularly if any work was done on the internals<

Back in the early days...when the only triggers available were steel...and heavy...it was standard practice for the AMU/Bullseye shooters with match-tuned guns to pull and hold their triggers whenever loading or reloading an empty gun to prevent the trigger nudging the disconnect. Lightened mainsprings aded to the problem by causing the hammer to "bounce" for a nanosecond and momentarily lose a tiny bit of contact pressure with the sear...making it easier for the trigger to bump the sear out of engagement.
Lightweight aluminum triggers work to counter that, and skeletonized aluminum triggers take it a step further, allowing ever lighter and more ticklish trigger jobs.

[Kruzr]

To remove the Kimber ambi safety, first take out the left side safety like you would normally. Then, push up on the right side safety. It will rotate up and off the pin. You then pull it out.

[Tom in CA]

I ordered a new spring from Brownell's (Wilson bullet proof) and disassembled the pistol. The original spring had a noticeably flatter sear leaf - which did not seem to put a whole lot of pressure on the sear. I replaced the spring and re-assembled the gun - Using instructions from this site. No problems at all - I tested the safety, disconnect and slide release with no round (I know -there goes the sear) and slide release with trigger back and dummy round - everything worked perfectly - 1911 Tuner was correct in his diagnosis. THANKS!!!

As I was reassembling the pistol I wondered what kind of mind created this thing - it is so interrelated and so clever - it is one thing to see it and figure out how it works -- but a creator doesn't do that - this pistol started as a day dream and THEN it was built!

Thanks to everyone for their help! And thanks to Browning for the design!

Tom

[John]

And thanks to Browning for the design!

Amen!

[1911Tuner]

Ahhhh...Another satisfied customer. :D

It's usually somethin' simple... :cool:

[John]

For you, maybe! Somehow, we have to get you to check out my pistols, maybe with some web camera, a couple of robotic arms etc. I have the nausing feeling, that even though they function perfectly, you will still find something which is not right! LoRL