Hi Guys,
This is going to be a long post, and for that, I apologize. Please bear with me.
I’ve been doing some research into the “WHY” it is not accepted practice to drop the slide on an empty chamber. In particular, the “damage” , it is claimed, can be cause to the sear especially on guns that have had a trigger job. Please, don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating dropping the slide on an empty chamber. I feel, whether right or wrong, it’s just putting unwarranted wear and tear on the gun. However, occasionally, it needs to be done to check everything is working properly.
My understanding on the sequence of events is as follows, and please, any of you professional armorers and smiths, if there is a fault in my understanding, I would be grateful if you could clarify my reasoning. I’m on a learning expedition here.
Given:
A perfectly serviceable 1911, clean, cocked and UNLOCKED.
In this static state, the disconnector’s mating face is in contact with the rear of the trigger. The disconnector’s other vertical mating face is in contact with it’s opposite mating face of the sear. The sear is holding the hammer in the cocked position.
When the trigger is pulled, it pushes the disconnector, which in turn pushes the sear to the breaking point, the hammer falls and the gun goes bang. At this point, the trigger, disconnector and sear are all operating as one. Now, the slide begins it rearward travel, and at about 1/16 inch of travel, it depresses the disconnector’s pin, and disengages the disconnector from the sear. The spring tension on the sear begins to move the sear back toward engagement with the hammer hooks. The slide continues rearward, cocking the hammer, the sear engages the hooks, and the slide returns to battery. At return to battery, the slide has disengaged the disconnector pin, and the disconnector would, if possible, return to it’s ready position. However, at this point (trigger is still being pulled), the horizontal surface of the disconnector is in contact with it’s horizontal mating surface of the sear. As the trigger is released, the disconnector follows the trigger forward until the end of the surfaces are reached and the disconnector pops up and re-engages the sear, ready for the next trigger pull. When the disconnector pops up is the position where the trigger is reset.
Now, lets load a mag and release the slide lock to strip a round from the mag, and the slide goes to battery. Everything stated above is still true except, since the trigger is not being pulled, the disconnector is STILL disengaged from the sear by the slide still pushing down on the disconnector pin. When the slide reaches battery, it disengages the pin and the disconnector pops up into it’s ready position. However, instead of it being held in the disengaged position by the horizontal surfaces, it is being held disengaged by the pin contacting the slide. This is also true if the slide is being dropped upon an empty chamber.
In either case, when the slide bottoms out in battery, it’s inertia is transmitted to the frame, which has a tendency to move the frame forward. The sear, due to it’s greater mass being below it’s locating pin, will give the sear the tendency to stay where it is, and the combination of forces will try to disengage the sear from the hammer hooks.
Now, if I am correct in the way the system works, could someone explain to me how any of this can lead to damage of the sear/hammer relationship? If I’m not correct, please point out where I am wrong, and how this damage can occur.
Please, I’m not looking for an “it’s accepted practice” comments. I’m looking for the “WHY” it is accepted practice pertaining to the sear/hammer relationship.
And Guys, anyone commenting on this one is going beyond what would be deemed reasonable, and what one would normally be expect, and I thank you for your efforts and thoughts.
Be Safe,
Chris
This is going to be a long post, and for that, I apologize. Please bear with me.
I’ve been doing some research into the “WHY” it is not accepted practice to drop the slide on an empty chamber. In particular, the “damage” , it is claimed, can be cause to the sear especially on guns that have had a trigger job. Please, don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating dropping the slide on an empty chamber. I feel, whether right or wrong, it’s just putting unwarranted wear and tear on the gun. However, occasionally, it needs to be done to check everything is working properly.
My understanding on the sequence of events is as follows, and please, any of you professional armorers and smiths, if there is a fault in my understanding, I would be grateful if you could clarify my reasoning. I’m on a learning expedition here.
Given:
A perfectly serviceable 1911, clean, cocked and UNLOCKED.
In this static state, the disconnector’s mating face is in contact with the rear of the trigger. The disconnector’s other vertical mating face is in contact with it’s opposite mating face of the sear. The sear is holding the hammer in the cocked position.
When the trigger is pulled, it pushes the disconnector, which in turn pushes the sear to the breaking point, the hammer falls and the gun goes bang. At this point, the trigger, disconnector and sear are all operating as one. Now, the slide begins it rearward travel, and at about 1/16 inch of travel, it depresses the disconnector’s pin, and disengages the disconnector from the sear. The spring tension on the sear begins to move the sear back toward engagement with the hammer hooks. The slide continues rearward, cocking the hammer, the sear engages the hooks, and the slide returns to battery. At return to battery, the slide has disengaged the disconnector pin, and the disconnector would, if possible, return to it’s ready position. However, at this point (trigger is still being pulled), the horizontal surface of the disconnector is in contact with it’s horizontal mating surface of the sear. As the trigger is released, the disconnector follows the trigger forward until the end of the surfaces are reached and the disconnector pops up and re-engages the sear, ready for the next trigger pull. When the disconnector pops up is the position where the trigger is reset.
Now, lets load a mag and release the slide lock to strip a round from the mag, and the slide goes to battery. Everything stated above is still true except, since the trigger is not being pulled, the disconnector is STILL disengaged from the sear by the slide still pushing down on the disconnector pin. When the slide reaches battery, it disengages the pin and the disconnector pops up into it’s ready position. However, instead of it being held in the disengaged position by the horizontal surfaces, it is being held disengaged by the pin contacting the slide. This is also true if the slide is being dropped upon an empty chamber.
In either case, when the slide bottoms out in battery, it’s inertia is transmitted to the frame, which has a tendency to move the frame forward. The sear, due to it’s greater mass being below it’s locating pin, will give the sear the tendency to stay where it is, and the combination of forces will try to disengage the sear from the hammer hooks.
Now, if I am correct in the way the system works, could someone explain to me how any of this can lead to damage of the sear/hammer relationship? If I’m not correct, please point out where I am wrong, and how this damage can occur.
Please, I’m not looking for an “it’s accepted practice” comments. I’m looking for the “WHY” it is accepted practice pertaining to the sear/hammer relationship.
And Guys, anyone commenting on this one is going beyond what would be deemed reasonable, and what one would normally be expect, and I thank you for your efforts and thoughts.
Be Safe,
Chris
