1911 hammer drops when trigger is pulled, and grip safety NOT depressed

S

spark@onestopknifeshop.com

Wise Guy
I recently got a used Kimber Custom and while doing some dry fire practice with it, I noticed by accident that the hammer will drop when the trigger is pulled, yet the grip safety isn't depressed!

This prompted a detail stripping (my first on a 1911) and I didn't see anything obviously wrong. So, I cleaned the hell out of it, reassembled it, and it still does this.

Is this a quick fix? If so, what do I need to do?

Spark

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Kevin Jon Schlossberg
SysOp and Administrator for BladeForums.com
www.bladeforums.com
 
The grip safety should stop the movement of the trigger (thats all it dose). How did you get the pistol to dry fire without the grip safety being depressed??? If you just pulled the trigger it sounds like your grip safety has been altered or the tab on the grip safety has broken off.

[This message has been edited by Gun Plumber (edited July 11, 1999).]
 
I was doing a function check on it and noticed that when the trigger was pulled, and the grip safety was not depressed, the hammer would drop.

So do I need a new grip safety?

Spark

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Kevin Jon Schlossberg
SysOp and Administrator for BladeForums.com
www.bladeforums.com
 
May have to bend that spring to provide more tension. It happened to a friend's 1911 and I was demonstrating the function of the grip safety. Thankfully, I had prechecked it to ensure that it wasn't loaded. It was very embarassing to make a lenghty speech and espouse all the safety features of the firearm and then have it fail in front of your audience. I bent the spring to increase the tension and the problem went away.

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Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt
 
Spark, being that your Kimber was used, I'd guess that the previous owner may have trimmed the nose of that grip safety. It's a common practice on competition guns with a very high beavertail to to tape the grip safety down in case you don't get a proper grip on the draw.Some people object to the tape so the next step is to just file the tang so it doesn't engage at all. If this is the case with your gun, I think the only fix is to replace the grip safety. If this isn't the case, you may be able to bend the tang down to block the trigger. It's not something I've ever tried and probably wouldn't. George, are you out there?
 
you can do one of three things:
1.Buy a new safety from Chip McCormick or Kimber (it should be a drop in fit)
2. Build up the tang area with weld and recut it.
3. If the tang is only missing by a small amount you might be able to peen the metal just enough to stretch it so it engages the trigger.
 
Spark, From what I have read your grip safety is no longer among the functioning. You might be able to peen the edges of the tang that mates against the trigger to lengthen it and stop the trigger movement but I would not try. Grip safeties are reasonably cheap and not all that hard to fit. A properly fit grip safety does much to ease one's worries. :)

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Ne Conjuge Nobiscum
"If there be treachery, let there be jehad!"
 
Spark, I see this more often than you might think. Sometimes the safety has been altered by the owner or a previous owner. Sometimes it is simply the sear spring needing to apply more tension. And sometimes especially with triggers like the Dlask and the McCormick Lightweight the bow gets bent in the rear and actually folds around the safety. My bet is that it needs to be stretched. But, I don't recommend you do this yourself. Take it to your local smith. It'll probably run you around $10. George
 
Thanks for all of the responses, guys, I appreciate the advice. I'll dissassemble it again and look at the grip safety and see what's cooking. The previous owner says he didn't modify it, so it's probably the spring.

Spark

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Kevin Jon Schlossberg
SysOp and Administrator for BladeForums.com
www.bladeforums.com
 
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