1911 fire more then once with single trigger pull?

[Waldo]

I talked to a guy today who says he inherited a 1911 that had not been fired since before WWII. He said it was in good shape, but he took it to a gunsmith for a check up. The gunsmith said it had a broken or filed down part and would have emptied the gun with a single pull of the trigger. I have heard of this for years, but have never seen it or talked to anyone who has. I saw a 1911 that had a " custom trigger job" that would sometimes drop the hammer to half cock after a shot. But I have never seen one fire more than once per trigger pull. Does this actually happen? Or is it just an urban legend?

 

[murphydog]

Yes, it can happen. Probably related to a home gunsmithing job on the part mentioned, as I can't recall it ever reportedly happening on an unmodified gun.

 

[JayCeeNC]

I've seen a couple do that in the 1980s in bowling pin and IPSC matches where a lot of guys "slicked up" their guns.
Custom guns were expensive in those days, but a Dremel tool was cheap!

 

[Spurdann]

I saw one double a few years back, it gets your attention.

 

[OldK22]

Bought a Colt Ace used in the 80s that had been “worked on” by the previous owner. First time i shot it the 10 round magazine emptied on the first trigger pull. Scared the **** out of me and the other folks on the range. Do not remember what the gun smith replaced or charged me to repair it.

 

[UncleEd]

I've seen, rather heard, a full auto two times and also several "double" or "triple" taps. Poor sear engagement.

Also, used to be National Match models with the heavy steel trigger could go off. Colt installed a spring in the trigger mechanism to stop what was a common problem. In taking the
gun apart, that little spring easily took off to never-never-land.

 

[Chubbs103]

When I got back from Iraq on 2006, I treated myself to one of the then new Colt 70 Series Re-issues. I promptly sent it off to a nationally known 1911 smith for one of their semi-custom package deals.

A little while after I got it back, I was shooting with my dad, and he was firing pairs faster than I could imagine. He hands it to me and says there's problem. I proceed to fire a two round and three round "bursts."

I call up the shop, send it in, and they promptly returned it corrected.

To this day, my wife still gripes that I didn't pick her up so she could have a chance to shoot it.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Making a fully-automatic firearm is relatively simple when compared to making a semi-automatic firearm. The difference lies in interrupting the cycle, freeing the sear to re-engage and stand before the next trigger pull. A more difficult engineering exercise.

Either someone has modified key components, or those parts have sustained wear or damage beyond design specifications. Time to consult a competent gunsmith, for sure.

 

[Golddollar]

Yes, I witnessed it once when I was running a bowling pin match. I asked the competitor to go get another gun.

 

[AJ]

I bought a Ranger M1911 frame made for Federal Ordnance of South El Monte, Calif. This was 1988 and it would double every couple of shots. Figured out the sear pin was drilled a touch low. A police officer that I knew wanted and as he thought it was pretty neat. Sold it to him and he was happy.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

When I built 1911s in the late 80's I used Fed Ord frames. When using GI parts there was a lot of doubling, when using Colt sear and disconnector no doubling! it has to do with The +/- on tolerances. Too many pluses or too many minuses in the same general direction and you can go full auto!

I'm pretty sure just a new Brand Name sear and disconnector will fix the old 45. I only use Colt or Wilson for my rebuilds now days.

Ivan

 

[jimmyj]

Occasionly a M1911 will double fire or the hammer will follow the slide to half cock when the slide is dropped not from "Home Gunsmithing" but from normal wear. Many eons ago when I shot in bullseye matches it was a proceedure to hold the hammer back on the M1911 when dropping the slide to limit the wear on the sear.

 

[Wyo]

Insufficient spring pressure on the disconnector can cause this to happen. Happened to me once. I pulled the trigger and slide locked open after it fired. Seemed strange as I thought I had two rounds, not one, but oh well. Reloaded a mag of seven and they all fired with one pull of the trigger - VERY fast! Turned out the leg of the spring that puts pressure on the disconnector was worn, or maybe the guy who owned the gun before me had messed with it. Either way, a new spring solved the problem. But it was very exciting for about 1 second!

 

[minconrevo]

Doubling (and more) virtually always the result of some nimrod shortening the disconnector and/or sear. Unsafe condition can also occur due to tinkering with the sear spring, sear angle or shortening the hammer hooks under .016".

An unaltered MIM kit is good for at least 25,000 rounds. A quality fully machined S-7 steel kit, unaltered from factory spec, should be good for 100,000 rounds plus.

 

[CH4]

I see this all the time. Although there are a couple causes, 90% of the time it’s caused by someone improperly reassembling their 1911s and getting the left leg of the sear spring in front of the sear, which allows the hammer to follow the slide. Then, after reassembly they don’t function check their 1911 and to make sure it’s operating as designed. The other oops I see all too often are the NDs caused by folks thinking they are carrying with the hammer all the way forward, but it’s actually resting on the half cock notch over a live round. BANG!

 

[mikerjf]

I had a 50’s Beretta 22LR that would do this; problem was wear/damage in the chamber that would pinch the rim of the incoming round. Possibly from dry firing? Usually a 2 round burst, sometimes 3.

Also had a CZ 45 (25acp) that would leave a little dent in the new rounds primer as they chambered. That DAO design depended on balancing the various springs involved. It did a couple 2-shot bursts over the time I had it.

 

[AJ]

When I built 1911s in the late 80's I used Fed Ord frames. When using GI parts there was a lot of doubling, when using Colt sear and disconnector no doubling! it has to do with The +/- on tolerances. Too many pluses or too many minuses in the same general direction and you can go full auto!

I'm pretty sure just a new Brand Name sear and disconnector will fix the old 45. I only use Colt or Wilson for my rebuilds now days.

Ivan

Only had that problem with the Ranger. Never with any other aftermarket frame. Never had a problem with any U.S. GI parts that were new. Some dealers sell used parts and that may be where the problems arose. To me the Ranger frames were the lowest on the pole.

 

[gwpercle]

Shooting 1911's for +50 years , even did a few years of NRA Bullseye Target Match with stock or Clark Custom Guns trigger job , never had one fire more than one shot per trigger pull ...
I don't remember any other shooter , on the line , having this problem either .
Where I come from ,,, it isn;t a common problem .
Gary

 

[NYlakesider]

Years back I fired a friends 1911 that went FA. Good thing at that time I was doing a lot of "combat type shooting" and had a real good grip on it. At 15 yards I kept 4 of the five rounds in the silhouette target.

Stitched a reasonably straight line up the target! Why it went FA and why it never happened to its owner before we never figured out. He sent it to a competent smith and got it fixed!

 

[AJ]

Shooting 1911's for +50 years , even did a few years of NRA Bullseye Target Match with stock or Clark Custom Guns trigger job , never had one fire more than one shot per trigger pull ...
I don't remember any other shooter , on the line , having this problem either .
Where I come from ,,, it isn;t a common problem .
Gary

I also have been shooting M1911's for well over 50 years. Have shot several hundred of these pistols. The one I referred to is the only one I have ever seen double. No, it is not a common problem. It is not the trigger job that is the problem. It is the Disconnector that is the problem. The sear pin hole on the Fed Ord Ranger frame was drilled a touch low and this allowed the Disconnector to sit a tad low.