cocking problem

[alman58]

ok.. finally got all the parts together to build my first 1911. A 70 series govt. model,using a commander style hammer, and a notched grip safety. I Installed trigger, disconnect, sear, and hammer. Slid mainspring housing in, dropped grip safety in and pinned MS housing . Tried cocking hammer and it wouldn't lock in half or full cock. After installing the thumb safety and engaging to the on position, then off again it seemed to force the sear to rotate far enough to allow it to fully cock. However, I noticed it would fire that way without engaging the grip safety. I Have a friend with an old Military model, so we stripped his down and by trying different combinations of parts found that mine would cock just fine using his sear and both safeties working as they should to make it fire, or not allow it to. Also, his gun had the same problem when he used my sear. We inserted a pin through both our sears to try and see any difference in them. The only major difference we could see was in the 2 legs, with his seeming to be slightly longer. I Have a new sear ordered, just wondering if some of u highly knowledgable and experienced gents ever ran into the same type problem as well.

[1911Tuner]

Ya got the sear spring in wrong...Far left leg is under the left sear foot instead of on top. Forcing in the thumb safety probably kinked the sear spring enough to force it into the bottom of the hooks, but now it won't reset the sear properly. You'll likely need a new sear spring, and you'll have to make sure it's in correctly.

[alman58]

no sir, i made sure the sear spring was on top of the leg. I picked up a wilson combat assembly/disassembly dvd and watched it a few times before i ever got all the parts together, and then used it as i assembled it to be sure everything was right. So , I know that didn't happen.

[1911Tuner]

no sir, i made sure the sear spring was on top of the leg. I picked up a wilson combat assembly/disassembly dvd and watched it a few times before i ever got all the parts together, and then used it as i assembled it to be sure everything was right. So , I know that didn't happen.

Okay...Then there's some sort of interference with the sear that's preventing it from resetting. Either the disconnect isn't clearing the sear feet, or the sear itself is in a bind in the frame, and can't reset to the bottom of the hammer hooks.

Hand-cycle the slide and hold it full rearward. If the disconnect is functioning correctly, it should pop up in front of the breechface.

Take the gun back down and replace just the sear on its pin. Check for easy
rotation. If there's any hesitation, dress the sides on a medium India stone.
Move the sear in a figure 8 pattern, and use honing oil. Both sides.

Check the bottoms of the sear feet for roughness.

Assemble the gun without the grip safety and watch the disconnect to see that it clears the sear feet completely when you hand-cycle the slide. Leaving the recoil spring out will make this easier. Use a good light. Return the slide to battery and watch the disconnect reset to make sure it doesn't hang on the corners of the sear feet.