S&W 1911...following shot perforated the cealing

[Swissman]

A good friend and well educated shooter, bought a used S&W 1911 in .45 ACP. After cleaning and inspecting the gun, he went to the range. After a few rounds start the hammer to go forward (with the slide) to the decocking position. He changed the ammo but, same effect. And then it happens. After the normal shot, the gun goes bang a second time, while the gun point to the cieling.

Did someone else here in the forum this experience, or know somebody what the reason of this could be?

Thank God, nobody is injured, only the ego of my buddy.

Any comment is very welcome.

Greetings

Swissman

 

[Swissman]

A good friend and well educated shooter, bought a used S&W 1911 in .45 ACP. After cleaning and inspecting the gun, he went to the range. After a few rounds start the hammer to go forward (with the slide) to the decocking position. He changed the ammo but, same effect. And then it happens. After the normal shot, the gun goes bang a second time, while the gun point to the cieling.

Did someone else here in the forum this experience, or know somebody what the reason of this could be?

Thank God, nobody is injured, only the ego of my buddy.

Any comment is very welcome.

Greetings

Swissman

 

[WaterburyBob]

Most likely a worn or damaged sear.

 

[d625]

I agree, probably a sear problem. (Somebody's been doin' a trigger job

)

Your friend does need a little scolding, though. A following hammer is a serious mechanical malfunction and needed to be treated as such.

The correct reaction was not to change ammo and keep shooting, it was to unload the firearm and not fire it again until the malfunction was diagnosed and corrected.

I mean this as constructive criticism, I am glad that nobody was hurt.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

Concur with Waterbury Bob and d625 - I had the same thing happen to me with a Walther PPKs. The wise guy gunsmith told me I either had to return it to the factory for repair, or take out a Class III application ha! ha! I had it repaired at the factory, and yes, it was the sear.

Best of luck,

Dave

 

[gmchenry]

Whenever a 1911 hammer starts following the slide, get it fixed. They've been known to occasionally go full auto until the mag runs dry.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Originally posted by Swissman:
A good friend and well educated shooter, bought a used S&W 1911 in .45 ACP. After cleaning and inspecting the gun, he went to the range. After a few rounds start the hammer to go forward (with the slide) to the decocking position. He changed the ammo but, same effect. And then it happens. After the normal shot, the gun goes bang a second time, while the gun point to the cieling.

Did someone else here in the forum this experience, or know somebody what the reason of this could be?

Thank God, nobody is injured, only the ego of my buddy.

Any comment is very welcome.

Greetings

Swissman

Bad trigger job by some idiot?

 

[SIGWolf]

Your friend does need a little scolding, though. A following hammer is a serious mechanical malfunction and needed to be treated as such.

The correct reaction was not to change ammo and keep shooting, it was to unload the firearm and not fire it again until the malfunction was diagnosed and corrected.

Exactly! First time that happens, back in the case it goes until dealt with by a gunsmith. It's a good thing the gun was at least pointed in the general direction of the target. It could have been disastrous otherwise.

 

[Iggy]

Does the gun have an over travel screw in the trigger?

If so, it may have migrated a bit. A quarter turn back out. Then check to see if the hammmer still follows. If not and the adjustment is correct, a drop of blue locktite should prevent it happening again.

If it doesn't have the screw in the trigger, then by all means get it checked by a competent gunsmith.

 

[jwr747]

back in the days when NRA 2700 Bulls Eye was more popular,lots of "kitchen table" 45 trigger jobs went full auto.saw one at "Steel City" B'Ham Alabama,where round #5 went thru the shooters bill of his ball cap. since than,I've stayed away from "Bubba" trigger jobs. jwr

 

[JoeHatley]

If the edge of the sear isn't rounded, try bending the left leg of the sear spring forward to increase the pressure.

Good Luck...

Joe

 

[Swissman]

Originally posted by Iggy:
Does the gun have an over travel screw in the trigger?

If so, it may have migrated a bit. A quarter turn back out. Then check to see if the hammmer still follows. If not and the adjustment is correct, a drop of blue locktite should prevent it happening again.

If it doesn't have the screw in the trigger, then by all means get it checked by a competent gunsmith.

Many thanks for all this good advices and warnings. After my buddy adjusted the overtravel-screw, was the problem gone. But i don't trust this
gun and told him, that he must give it to a gunsmith for check the whole thing.

Swissman

 

[AZ Shooter]

When I was shooting competitively in the Air Force back in the early 1970's, I had a National Match .45 go full auto on me. There were only five rounds in the mag, but the last three went through the upper baffles on our outdoor range at Lackland. It was pretty surprising and scary. I also do not think this is something to fool with..get a competent gunsmith to look at it!