Questionable Malfunction in with Colt .45 Model 1911

[MikeJackmin]

I had my 1911 double on me once - I was experimenting with changing my grip, and I happened to be pulling the trigger in such a way that the tip of my trigger finger would touch the tip of my thumb just as the gun fired. I could reproduce it too.

 

[popeye]

I had a chain fire on a Systema I used to own. Luckily it was only 4 rounds. I cleaned the firing pin channel, replaced the sear spring and firing pin spring with a heavy duty one, cleaned and lubed the gun and inspected sear/hammer engagement. When testing the gun thereafter I loaded only 2 rds. in the mag, chambered one and fired. Repeated that test 20 times and the second round never fired, without a second pull. People balk at installing a heavy FP spring in a 1911, but it will fire every time assuming the main spring is up to spec.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

A faulty disconnector won't lead to full auto fire. It'll lead to hammer follow. Hammer follow will NOT lead to firing another round.

If I recall correctly, the sear is the component you need to worry about here. (You can look up how the 1911 design works online.) If it's functioning properly, the half cock will engage the sear and halt the hammer even if physical shock is causing the hammer to drop.

This problem COULD be intermittent in nature...meaning you may or may not be able to reproduce it "upon demand". Which makes it doubly dangerous, because a .45 firing multiple rounds unexpectedly will lead to DANGEROUS muzzle rise.

I doubt it's a simple cleaning problem. However, you may certainly tear down the pistol and inspect/clean everything.

But you really should have the gun inspected and repaired by a qualified gunsmith. This is NOT a safe firearm at this point in time.

 

[ATLDave]

I think it's either the hammer/sear interface (which is a gunsmith issue and not anything to play around with), or one shooter has enough "give" in his grip to induce a handheld bump-fire. The latter is possible, but I would have a real 'smith check it out.

 

[HPJeep]

In the late 80s or maybe early 90s I bought a mixmaxter 1911a1 with various manufacturers for the frame, barrel, slide and parts. It would consistently double. A Smith fixed it and said it was the sear which had a chipped edge on it. He stoned the edge to square it again.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

A faulty disconnector won't lead to full auto fire. It'll lead to hammer follow. Hammer follow will NOT lead to firing another round.

If I recall correctly, the sear is the component you need to worry about here. (You can look up how the 1911 design works online.) If it's functioning properly, the half cock will engage the sear and halt the hammer even if physical shock is causing the hammer to drop.

This problem COULD be intermittent in nature...meaning you may or may not be able to reproduce it "upon demand". Which makes it doubly dangerous, because a .45 firing multiple rounds unexpectedly will lead to DANGEROUS muzzle rise.

I doubt it's a simple cleaning problem. However, you may certainly tear down the pistol and inspect/clean everything.

But you really should have the gun inspected and repaired by a qualified gunsmith. This is NOT a safe firearm at this point in time.

My old 1911 Colt that had been accurized discharged when I put in a fresh mag. & hit the slide stop/release. Then slide went down as did the hammer & it discharged. I took it to my 1911 smith & he showed me where the sear on the hammer had been chipped. He replaced the hammer & no other issues in thousands of rounds.