Colt Series 80 45acp

A

ammo.crafter

New member
While shooting my Colt 1911, the firing pin stop dropped slightly out of its proper position. I was able to correct the problem but was wondering why it happened.
Has anyone have an answer?
 
Sounds like the firing pin was somehow delayed returning to rest. Issue with the firing pin lock, channel or some kind of interaction with the ammo?
 
The firing pin stop has the firing pin passing through it. I'm not really seeing how it could "drop".

Was the firing pin clicked into the hole in the stop when this happened?
 
I would first start with a weak firing pin spring. Also check that the extractor isn't loose which will normally be indicated with it rotating a little bit one direction or the other (clocking). Assuming the fps is fitted well and its hole not enlarged, I'd guess you need a heavy duty spring. You can get a new Wolff recoil spring / firing pin spring combo for not much. Did it cause the cycling to hang up?
 
While shooting my Colt 1911, the firing pin stop dropped slightly out of its proper position.
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What I think you are referring to is that the firing pin stop dropped down when you were firing the gun. That is always caused by a too weak firing pin spring. I had that same thing happen on a new Colt SXE Combat Commander. The recoil spring was also too weak on that gun. Colt evidently does not test the springs (I was told by a Colt employee that Colt does not make the springs...they just buy them), before assembling their 1911's...something that is basic to good manufacturing practice.
 
ammo.crafter-how did you "correct the problem"? Whatever "fix" you found would seem to help answer the question as to why the problem happened in the first place.
 
I think its out of time. Pull the firing pin. Look at the stop when the trigger is pulled. Is it centered? Too high or Too low?

David
All just an internet diagnosis. If the firing pin is beat up in the back, its out of time.
 
Inertia firing pins are stopped by the cartridge that head spaces on the case mouth. Look for short brass (trim length) , to much taper crimp or 45 gap brass. If both acp and gap are using small primers.
 
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Really, the fix is a better-fitting firing pin stop.
Does the FPS have a number stamped on it, above the hole for the pin?
If there's no number, see if you can find a Colt factory FPS with the number 1 stamped on it. It is slightly oversized compared to the unnumbered part, and should still be a drop-in fit.
Ideally, get an aftermarket oversized FPS and have it fitted to the slide and extractor. You should get better function from an immobile extractor, and the FPS won't fall out.
 
I think RickB has it right. A properly fitted firing pin stop will cure the problem of dropping down, plus, if the FPS is loose, you might have some clocking of the extractor which will also be fixed. They're not hard to fit at all, just some judicious metal removal with a file. I think its a small amount of money for the benefits you gain. I have fitted oversized FPS's to all 5 of my Colts-4 of them were doing okay but I noticed my ejection pattern was much better, and as I am a reloader, not so much time searching for empties! The fifth 1911 was occasionally bouncing brass off my forehead and the fitted FPS solved that issue.
 
The firing pin stop is held in place by the firing pin except for a fraction of a sec.
after being impacted forward by the hammer.
Immediately after not only does the Firing pin return to position but it is held up by the hammer,a lose fitting firing pin stop can not fall out unless the firing
pin is not in position,GI pistols were issued with rather lose FP stops and worked just fine,all my pistols have lose fitting stops and work just fine,while
a tight fitting stop may mask the problem it does not solve it.
OP's pistol worked ok until something failed to function and FP stops don't wear out in normal use.
 
A tight-fitting stop masks the problem? Depends on what you think "the problem" is.
The problem is the firing pin stop falling out. Fix that by installing a firing pin stop that doesn't fall out.
No G.I. pistols had extra-power firing pin springs in them, but they've worked just fine for 100 years, so I'd say the extra-power spring would be masking the problem.
 
No G.I. pistols had extra-power firing pin springs in them, but they've worked just fine for 100 years, so I'd say the extra-power spring would be masking the problem.
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Again,OP's gun worked until it developed the issue,chances are that it didn't have an extra power spring to begin with so one is probably not needed.My point was that an obstruction in the firing pin recess,a damaged or weakened spring is likely the cause,speculation doesn't help,OP can easily determine what it is.
Maybe he'll clear out the air.
 
A fitted FP stop? Effects extraction? Then I realized the FP stop on a 1911 keeps the extractor in place. That's nice to know. :)
 
A fitted FP stop? Effects extraction? Then I realized the FP stop on a 1911 keeps the extractor in place. That's nice to know.
Click to expand...

I had a 1911 that if I just waved my hand by the rear of the slide the extractor would clock at least 10 degrees. Crazy. I fit an oversized flat-bottom EGW fps and it locked that extractor in solidly and resolved an extraction issue I was experiencing.
 
I had a 1911 that if I just waved my hand by the rear of the slide the extractor would clock at least 10 degrees. Crazy.
Click to expand...
What do you know? I can shake and wave mine without a firing pin stop and the
extractors don't budge a hair.
 
If the firing pin stop is loose enough to slip down during firing, the fit can be tightened up by removing the stop from the pistol, laying it on a hard surface (like the anvil surface of a bench vise), and tapping the left side of it a few times with a punch or a ball pein hammer. I would use a punch, and only spread it out in a couple of spots -- just enough to prevent slippage.
 
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