[Flame Red]

Here is a good one that I cannot figure out. On my brother-in-law's Colt Combat Commander, the slide will sometimes lock back and jam on the firing pin stop that seems to have slide down enough to catch the hammer on its return to battery. Is happening frequently now - at least once a mag.

What gives? I took it apart and the fire pin is fine and the firing pin spring looks good.

I looked at mine and just like his, the firing pin stop seems to be loose in there. But mine does not ever seem to come out. His gun has about 1200 rounds thru it.

I thought about dimpling the back of the firing pin stop where it fits into the groves to make it fit in tighter, but wanted advice before I do anything drastic.

Any ideas?

 

[RandyColt]

I would say that is just too loose. If you have Kuhnhausen's excellent book it shows how to tighten them or you could just buy a new one. It should be fit tight on the sides more than the back. I recently fit a EGW firing pin stop in my Delta Elite. They are shipped oversized and need to be filed on the sides to get a nice tight "tap fit".

 

[dsk]

The firing pin return spring is too weak. Replace it with a new one, preferably an extra-power unit.

 

[BarryinIN]

The firing pin return spring is too weak. Replace it with a new one, preferably an extra-power unit.

There ya go. I think we should change 'em when the recoil spring gets changed. I don't consider it a coincidence that Wolff recoil springs come with firing pin springs, but rather a convenience.

 

[bdavis385]

I would still suggest that a new firing pin stop be put it, even is the spring helps that is simply way too loose.

 

[DPris]

I'd agree with DSK, my first thought would be the firing pin spring.
A tap-fit stop would be too tight for my preferences, which is not to say it wouldn't work, but I'd start with the firing pin spring first.
Denis

 

[dsk]

If the firing pin return spring has sufficient tension to do its job properly the FP stop plate won't fall out no matter how loose it is. A snug-fitting plate does add a bit of extra insurance, however.

 

[DPris]

Superglue?
Denis

 

[Chuck S]

Colt makes a couple different thickness firing pin stops. They're numbered and I think a larger number is thicker. Try the next thicker one.

"Extra power" firing pin springs are a recent "requirement." The M1911 got on well for probably 75 years without one and still doesn't need one.

-- Chuck

 

[Flame Red]

I ordered a couple Ed Brown firing pin stops and extra strength spring. It did seem to be slightly thicker than the stock firing pin stop that came with the Colt Combat Commander. But it fit in rather loosly too. I filed it down so it would clear the ejector. With the extra stength firing pin spring, my brother-in-law reports that it no longer falls out.

Mine did not ever fall out, but it was in rather loosely. I did not replace the firing pin spring on mine. However, I did take a punch and give the back of the firing pin stop a wack on the back near the edge on both sides. Now the firing pin stop snaps in and there is no way it is going to fall out. Taps out easily with a punch.

Problem solved

 

[dsk]

"Extra power" firing pin springs are a recent "requirement." The M1911 got on well for probably 75 years without one and still doesn't need one.

-- Chuck

I respectfully disagree. The XP spring is extra insurance against a slam-fire or a dropped weapon. I've bought numerous vintage GI and commercial pistols over the years, and more often than not the original spring had lost tension or was limp as a noodle. The rest of the springs were almost always still fine, even the recoil spring. A lot of folks look at the original 1911 design as a flawless masterpiece, but the truth is there were numerous bugs that had to be worked out during the first few years. One thing it needed but never received was a stronger firing pin spring.