1911 with sticky hammer fall

[RocketFoot]

I bought a used PT1911 for a steal, but it has a light or sticky hammer fall when you pull the trigger after racking the slide. The hammer fall is snappy if you just pull it back with your thumb and then dry fire. I tore it down, cleaned and lubed and it still does it. the PO said that it just started doing this after he carried it for a while. Operation seems fine in every other way except for the slow hammer fall?? It almost feels like it is gummed up inside?

Anyone know what could be wrong?

[cdi]

Does the trigger have an over-travel stop (a small screw in the front of the trigger).

Or, does the gun have firing pin blocking safety parts like a series 80 Colt?

[RocketFoot]

I think it has both...It's a standard off the shelf Taurus PT1911 blued. When it works right, the trigger pull breaks nice and clean.

[gold cup abuser]

Few fast things here:

1. Take out the disconector and clean it and clean the hole in the frame it rides in. Check the bottom of the disconector where it comes in contact with the back of the trigger bow. Look for any high marks, burrs or other signs of part wear.

2. With the grip safety out and the sear, thumb safety, trigger, and disconector in place, pull the trigger. Put some pressure on the hammer strut while doing this. See how the disconector is traveling.

Now also do the same test, but have the sear spring installed and the mainspring housing in place enough to hold the sear spring down. Again pull the trigger. What you want to observe here is how the sear spring is engaging the trigger and the disconector. If its not making contact, or is binding then the sear spring is the culprit. If the disconector is binding with and without the sear spring in place the disconector, or the track it sets in is suspect.

I am recomeding this test with an UNLOADED firearm and the slide assembly removed from the frame Safety and laywer liability first

[RocketFoot]

Few fast things here:

1. Take out the disconector and clean it and clean the hole in the frame it rides in. Check the bottom of the disconector where it comes in contact with the back of the trigger bow. Look for any high marks, burrs or other signs of part wear.

2. With the grip safety out and the sear, thumb safety, trigger, and disconector in place, pull the trigger. Put some pressure on the hammer strut while doing this. See how the disconector is traveling.

Now also do the same test, but have the sear spring installed and the mainspring housing in place enough to hold the sear spring down. Again pull the trigger. What you want to observe here is how the sear spring is engaging the trigger and the disconector. If its not making contact, or is binding then the sear spring is the culprit. If the disconector is binding with and without the sear spring in place the disconector, or the track it sets in is suspect.

I am recomeding this test with an UNLOADED firearm and the slide assembly removed from the frame Safety and laywer liability first

Good info, but I've never tore a 1911 down that far...I'm not much of a smith! LOL...maybe I better have someone look at it?

[cdi]

You might try turning the small screw in the face of the trigger out 2 or 3 full turns.
That screw bears on the magazine catch. If its at just the right spot, it will cause the problem you described. If it is turned in past that point, pulling the trigger will not drop the hammer.