Hello, I am new to this board and may I say that there is a wealth of useful info for any 1911 fan.
My questions are about the mainspring and the sear spring. My 1911 runs perfect has never jammed, failed to fire or eject since I have had it(about 1000 rds). The only complaint I have is that the trigger is a little heavy, I would like to lighten it but not at the cost of reliability. I read somewhere here that Brownells has sear spring that will take off about 6oz an I have also heard that replacing the mainspring will reduce the trigger pull. Replacing the sear spring looks easy enough, I have had my pistol apart several times for part inspection. I keep hearing that the mainspring can be a real challange to change out. Can I do this at home? If so any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

PS: series 70

What Brand of 1911? Series 70 is a Colt designation so I assume it's a Colt.

First, I would slick up the internal parts before replacing any springs.


Polish the trigger bars and contact area, sear, disconnector etc...... any parts that touch each other in the trigger mechanism. Lube the parts nicely, including the trigger bars, and reinstall.

I used a dremal with a felt polishing wheel. It's easy and if you do still want new springs afterwards, your trigger will be much smoother anyhow.

Try this first, you can always put springs in later if needed.

Howdy Poncho Junkie...(Love them '67 Goats)

The new factory Colt sear spring will reduce your pull a little...maybe 6 ounces..maybe less. it depends on a few things. Going lighter on the mainspring won't have much effect until you get it too light. Best not to play with spring rates in a 1911 overmuch.

Understand that a sub-4 pound trigger in a 1911 is tricky to attain, and
I consider it a liability rather than an asset in a carry gun. I don't want less than 5 pounds in a carry gun, and I'm happier with 5.5 to 6 pounds.

Take the Dremel out in the driveway and hit it 10 or 12 times with a hammer so you won't be tempted to use it on the trigger group. Don't touch the sear primary angle without the proper equipment. If you're good with your hands, PM me with your E-mail address and I'll send you a text for instructions on how to do The Poor Man's Trigger Job. It requires detail-stripping the frame, but that's not major. If you can assemble a model airplane, you're over-qualified. I can help with that too...

Standin' by...

Tuner

Don't kill the Dremel! Send it to me! It slicked up my trigger slicker than goose $H**.

Your indeed correct. I shouldn't offer that kind of advice without knowing the level of skill the person has.

Prezzz...Please tell me you didn't dremel the sear primary and the hammer
hooks! Pleeeeease! lol

Cover yours ears everyone...............Yep I did. As well as the trigger side bars and rear contact area.


BUT, I just used the little felt polishing wheel and polish. No sand paper or anything that would remove metal. It just smoothed up the surfaces and got the factory "grit" off.

I felt okay with this because I understand the workings of the mechanisms and was real careful not to do anything that would alter the original angles and depths.

Worked better than I could have hoped for. Trigger is much smoother, crisper and a hair lighter.


Should I go to bed tonight with no TV and supper?

Should I go to bed tonight with no TV and supper?

Nah...Just get a good grip on the gun when ya shoot it. If you didn't cut the
hammer hooks off too short, it'll probably be okay.

Cheers!

Tuner

do yourself a favor, take it to a gunsmith
and, if you play with the trigger you may violate the warranty, if there is one

I would love to find a Series 70 pistol, even if it wasn't under warranty!

LoL

__________________
John Caradimas SV1CEC
The M1911 Pistols Organization
http://www.m1911.org

In the Brownells site (TechTalk) there are instructions for the trigger job. I do not believe that the weight should be as light as they have it for a carry gun. I like 4-5lbs.