Can a 1911 go full auto????
- Thread starter Ironbarr
- Start date
Henry Bowman
Moderator
1911 Rock and Roll!-
Greetings from Anchorage, it's not as common these days with the newer sear/hammer angles and harder steel. In the early IPSC it was common, everyone just had to have a 1-2 pound trigger and the quick way was to use the Colt Gold Cup hammer and sear. Bad news was that the Gold Cup parts didn't hold up and sooner or later you had to deal with the 1911 going full auto. With a good compensator it's very controlable but it's tough to convince the RO that I really shoot that fast. It takes a looong second to empty the mag and as long as you've got a good grip...henry
Greetings from Anchorage, it's not as common these days with the newer sear/hammer angles and harder steel. In the early IPSC it was common, everyone just had to have a 1-2 pound trigger and the quick way was to use the Colt Gold Cup hammer and sear. Bad news was that the Gold Cup parts didn't hold up and sooner or later you had to deal with the 1911 going full auto. With a good compensator it's very controlable but it's tough to convince the RO that I really shoot that fast. It takes a looong second to empty the mag and as long as you've got a good grip...henry
Gopher .45
New member
I understand from one of the people who runs a range where I sometimes shoot that 1911s can go full auto when there is a firing pin malfunction where the pin gets stuck slightly forward due to damage/bending.
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
What do you do?
You unload and safe the weapon. Your shooting for the day is done. ASAP take that gun to a qualified gunsmith.
Tag the gun as malfunctioning incase you might forget...
or to indicate to others that this gun is off line.
DO NOT let anyone else "See the gun"... Take it straight away to the Smith. Dont pass GO - Dont collect your 200 dollars - Go Directly to a Gunsmith!
You unload and safe the weapon. Your shooting for the day is done. ASAP take that gun to a qualified gunsmith.
Tag the gun as malfunctioning incase you might forget...
or to indicate to others that this gun is off line.
DO NOT let anyone else "See the gun"... Take it straight away to the Smith. Dont pass GO - Dont collect your 200 dollars - Go Directly to a Gunsmith!
Yep, they can go full auto. Worn parts and the gun will sing. In days bygone, some folks even modified their 1911s to selective fire capability.
What to do if you're at the range and your gun goes full auto? First, control the muzzle and keep it pointed downrange as much as possible. Second, drop that magazine! No bullets, no full auto. That's what a Customs Inspector did when his pistol went full auto (broken part). Luckily he was also a firearms instructor and while he kept it downrange, dropped the magazine.
Finally, as suggested by George, take it to your gunsmith ASAP and have it fixed.
What to do if you're at the range and your gun goes full auto? First, control the muzzle and keep it pointed downrange as much as possible. Second, drop that magazine! No bullets, no full auto. That's what a Customs Inspector did when his pistol went full auto (broken part). Luckily he was also a firearms instructor and while he kept it downrange, dropped the magazine.
Finally, as suggested by George, take it to your gunsmith ASAP and have it fixed.
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
A new Kimber?
Must have been those MIM parts...
SPRINGFIELD BABY!!!
Must have been those MIM parts...
SPRINGFIELD BABY!!!
Big George
New member
There are some funny stories about 1911s going full auto...unfortunately, some a not very funny.
One of the features of the 1911 is the fact that the triggers, as delivered, are normally prety good. Creative owners have found out that tweaking the sear spring will lower a 5.5 pound trigger to 3.5 pounds without further modification of the Hammer and sear. This is something that is free, and if done properly, it's great...Unfortunately, if the sear spring is over-tweaked, or the wrong fingers are messed with, one pull of the trigger will deliver an unwanted bonus! I would venture to say that this may be the most common cause of full auto mishaps.
The rate of fire is so swift on the 1911 that all 7 or 8 rounds are gone post haste! (I'll try to remember about the magazine release the next time...if I can act fast enough!)
One of the features of the 1911 is the fact that the triggers, as delivered, are normally prety good. Creative owners have found out that tweaking the sear spring will lower a 5.5 pound trigger to 3.5 pounds without further modification of the Hammer and sear. This is something that is free, and if done properly, it's great...Unfortunately, if the sear spring is over-tweaked, or the wrong fingers are messed with, one pull of the trigger will deliver an unwanted bonus! I would venture to say that this may be the most common cause of full auto mishaps.
The rate of fire is so swift on the 1911 that all 7 or 8 rounds are gone post haste! (I'll try to remember about the magazine release the next time...if I can act fast enough!)
eger precision
New member
Well twin,
Although I didnt see it,I have heard from a guy who was attending a gunsmithing school. They were at the range,and a 1911 went full. Surprised by the recoil and suddeness of the situation, the gun kept coming up,then back,till the poor guy actually shot himself in the head. I guess that would be a bad situation.
Short disconnectors are also a problem which can lead to this situation.
Frankly guys, this is a deal that really shouldnt even be discussed in the forums. Ok, OK, my opinion.
If you encounter this,like the others have said,go to a pistolsmith.
I would also suggest popping the slide and barrel off the frame after the gun is cleared,just in case.
Although I didnt see it,I have heard from a guy who was attending a gunsmithing school. They were at the range,and a 1911 went full. Surprised by the recoil and suddeness of the situation, the gun kept coming up,then back,till the poor guy actually shot himself in the head. I guess that would be a bad situation.
Short disconnectors are also a problem which can lead to this situation.
Frankly guys, this is a deal that really shouldnt even be discussed in the forums. Ok, OK, my opinion.
If you encounter this,like the others have said,go to a pistolsmith.
I would also suggest popping the slide and barrel off the frame after the gun is cleared,just in case.
dick w. holliday
New member
i have two or three full auto pistol stories. #1 was today at NRA action pistol match--saw a 1911 shoot at least two maybe more shots during a barricade event--also noticed that when competitor dropped the slide after showing clear that the hammer just about alwways fell....#2 i was shooting M17 glock with light spring kit and ran up to several ports during an IPSC to engage multiple targets through the ports....what i got was about three shot bursts each time i pulled the trigger...luckily it was the last stage of the day and i got away with it....#3 is really bad--you know the guys that use thumb and pointer finger to grab the grooves at the front of the slide to charge their pistol...after a training excercise an instructor got into his car and charged his CZ (His Carry Gun--Carried cocked and locked) when the slide came forward gun went full auto--shreading his left hand and shooting up the inside of his car--i heard later that surgeons were able to move some of what was left of his fingers and i think he ended up with a couple of fingers on that hand....Dick
twin Sigs: Thanks...
for resurrecting this topic. These additional cases show that full-auto is not necessarily a once in a lifetime event. There's always a chance that any semi can go ballistic.
With this in mind, it would seem any course in semi-automatic pistol handling and safety should cover the possibility of full-auto and, in some way, address (hopefully) the action to take if it should occur. After all, a semi is a machine with working parts requiring properly timed synchronization and/or sequencing... and all machines can, and many do, fail.
Also, I wouldn't disregard the revolver in this same vein. A poorly operating cylinder, whether by wear or breakage could be devastating should the hammer come down on a misaligned cartridge in my opinion.
It seems that we should TRULY take to heart Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety:
I'd suggest a Rule V: "Expect the Unexpected - and Be Prepared for It." Of course this means both mentally and physically prepared.
So, what would a full-auto event training plan cover, my friends?
for resurrecting this topic. These additional cases show that full-auto is not necessarily a once in a lifetime event. There's always a chance that any semi can go ballistic.
With this in mind, it would seem any course in semi-automatic pistol handling and safety should cover the possibility of full-auto and, in some way, address (hopefully) the action to take if it should occur. After all, a semi is a machine with working parts requiring properly timed synchronization and/or sequencing... and all machines can, and many do, fail.
Also, I wouldn't disregard the revolver in this same vein. A poorly operating cylinder, whether by wear or breakage could be devastating should the hammer come down on a misaligned cartridge in my opinion.
It seems that we should TRULY take to heart Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety:
I'd suggest a Rule V: "Expect the Unexpected - and Be Prepared for It." Of course this means both mentally and physically prepared.
So, what would a full-auto event training plan cover, my friends?