slide damage

[Harold]

Have an officers 1911 colt.Recently developed a problem where it would shoot 1 round and then the trigger would lock up.Once i retracted the slide about a half inch it would fire and then lock the trigger again.Finally determined that the disconnector was sticking because the channel in the slide where the disconnector moves thru had some bad peening causing the disconnector to stick.Now what I would like to know is what caused the peening on the inside of the slide?The only part that touches the underside of the slide in that area is the hammer.I"ve got it working but am concerned about what is causing the peening.Any info would be greatly appreciated .

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[George Stringer]

Harold, I haven't run across this particular problem that I can remember but, if you'll paint the top of the frame and the underbelly of the slide with Dykem Blue, then shoot the pistol a few times. You'll soon find whats causing the problem. The area being peaned and the offending area will both be shiny. George

 

[Cheapo]

Hammer bounce. As the slide flies backwards and cocks the hammer, the hammer continues in its arc until it reaches the end of its travel, rebounds from there, and has enough energy to strike the bottom of the slide with a stiff rap.

Common. The harmonics of it made a nice three-dent pattern on the bottom of one semiauto I once owned.

Sounds like the peening narrowed the disconnector slot until it was stopping the disconnector from rising into the slot, right?

Periodic inspection and maintenance may be the only answer for this one. Maybe your slide is soft (my gun's was, but it was Spaniardish and depended too much on surface treatment for hardening--long sad story).

Because this is related to slide velocity, it happens faster with high-energy loads. Chamber pressure is related*, but not decisive.

*Since higher peak pressure usually increases velocity, depending on the powder used.