[Bullwinkle J Moose]

I have encountered a problem on three ocassions after firing more than 50 rounds through my 45. When I pull the trigger, the trigger pulls all the way back feeling normal, but the hammer does not fall. When I make the weapon safe and point it down range, while putting some finger pressure on the rear of the hammer with the trigger depress the hammer will "break" and fall. After doing this the pistol operates again. The first time it happens I was shooting cheapo ammo (American brand hardball). Yesterday I was shooting S&B hardball and this happened twice. The pistol is customized by Gunsmoke in Colorado (I believe) and has the following mods:
Trigger Job
Polished feed ramp and barrel throated
Flared and lowered ejection port
Beveled magazine well
Dehorned
Tuned and adjusted extractor
18.5 lb Wolff Recoil Spring kit
I was wondering if powder fouling might be causing something to hang up. Any suggestions on possible problem areas? I emailed Gunsmoke the first time this happened and never got a reply and I today I find their web-site down, so I haven't got a phone number for them.



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Bullwinkle J Moose
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

Edmund Burke


[This message has been edited by Bullwinkle J Moose (edited 07-05-2001).]

 

[Newton]

It's possible that the hammer and grip safety are interfering. Here's a test you can do. Remove your slide and barrel. Then, use your thumb to bring the hammer back to full cock, but don't touch the grip safety. Watch and see if the hammer makes contact with the grip safety on the edges around the relief depression where the hammer fits when cocked. If there is enough play between grip safety/thumb safety pin/back of frame, it is possible to move, or skew the grip safety to a point where it can interfere with the hammer, and if someone had a good enough grip on the grip safety, it is possible to actually "trap" it in the cocked position.

That's one place to check. Obviously, an inspection of the action is also prudent.

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Really interesting....Don't ya think??

 

[RickB]

Do you have an overtravel-stop screw on your trigger? It might be too tight.

 

[Bullwinkle J Moose]

Thanks Newton, but I have a GI hammer and grip safety. There nothing that could bind that I can see with the Bbl and slide off. I presume the possible problem you describe refers to a beavertail grip safety and commander hammer, right?

------------------
Bullwinkle J Moose
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

Edmund Burke

 

[Bullwinkle J Moose]

Thanks RickB,
There is an overtravel screw on the trigger. How might the intermittent occurrance be explained, gun heating and expanding parts combined with possible residue? Every time this happened I was in the midst of giving it a workout, shooting several boxes of ammo and I do not waste time when shooting, since where I shoot is usually HOT and muggy. I'll search the site for a tried and true method of adjusting in the meantime.

------------------
Bullwinkle J Moose
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

Edmund Burke

 

[shane45-1911]

My vote goes to a sear spring that may not have correct tension on either the disconnector (middle leaf) or the sear itself (left-hand leaf).

Either way it sounds like your sear is not disengaging the hammer correctly.

If you know how to detail strip your gun, I would take it apart paying attention to the sear/disconnector/hammer and make sure all is clean and not bent or broken. Re-lube, re-assemble, and make sure that your sear spring has tension where it should.

Good luck.

 

[shane45-1911]

PS - Rick may be correct about the overtravel screw. It should be adjusted so that once the hammer falls, the trigger moves back another 1/16' - 1/8".


[This message has been edited by shane45-1911 (edited 07-05-2001).]

 

[Havoc]

Bullwinkle - These guys are all giving good idears, I wanted to update you on a change to Gunsmoke's web URL... try this link:
http://www.gunsmokeguns.com/

They took out the dash between gunsmoke and guns...

Also (303)456-4545,,, I don't know of a toll-free number.

Were you by chance the "winner" of that Col Cooper birthday raffle?

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Rust never sleeps

 

[TiroFijo]

Bullwinkle, all these ideas might be the cause, plus another: a damaged or bent sear spring. Have you detail stripped your gun yet?

 

[Mac10]

I've got one more idea. Does this series 80 still have the firing pin block parts in it? In some '80's with these removed, the sear can travel to the right just enough to come in contact with a cut in the frame, preventing further movement. Clearing or safeing the gun is usually enough activity to allow the sear to move back into place. This can happen every other round or once a year.

Keep in mind that this can occur even when a shim is installed in place of the lever. The removal of a little material in the offending area of the frame can cure this.

 

[Bullwinkle J Moose]

Havoc, Yes, this is the Jeff Cooper raffle pistol

TiroFijo, I just detail stripped it and can see no damage to the sear or hammer parts or a lot of dirt either.

Mac10, if you are talking about the lower lever that goes beside the sear, this pistol has it.

The overtravel seems to be alright.

As far as the sear spring goes, is there a way to check if it is good? Perhap I should just replace it and try it out again. Maybe back off the over-travel screw an eighth or quarter turn, too. Any particular brand replacement spring I should get or avoid?


------------------
Bullwinkle J Moose
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

Edmund Burke

 

[Havoc]

You lucky Moose you!! Was it actually shot by the Colonel himself?

Please contact Rich Wyatt at Gunsmoke, I'm sure he'd like a crack at making it right.

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Rust never sleeps

 

[Bullwinkle J Moose]

Yep, I was at the April 22, 2000 MCRC open house in Columbia, SC and watched the Col shoot it (and a 308 gatling gun), talked to him, had him autogragh a couple books, took a pile of pictures and a month or so later at the Charlotte NRA convention, the Master of pistolcraft (not to discount his prowess with longarms) drew my raffle number. At the time the pistol was held by Swiss customs and no one knew if it would be released. The Col speaks about it in Vol 8, #5 of his commentaries.

If I can't get this bug out, I'll probably send it back to Rich and let him work his magic on it.

------------------
Bullwinkle J Moose
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

Edmund Burke