1911 Questions....HELP!!!

[Yukon227]

I picked up a RIA 1911 full size. Someone butchered the hammer...I have ordered a replacement, I'm fairly confident that I can swap it out but I've never had a 1911 that far apart. Any suggestions? Also I'm wondering if these have a magazine safety? This one does not and I'm wondering how much it has been tinkered with before. Heres some pics

 

[halfmileharry]

I'll bet you wish you'd ordered a beavertail while you have it down.
It never ceases to amaze me when someone butchers a firearm.
IIRc I saw a video or two about changing out the hammer and assembly on youtube

 

[the only Qualk]

You going to factory replacement or aftermarket style just out of curiousity? And that thing looks nice let us know how she shoots.

 

[Yukon227]

I ordered the one from RIA but its a combat style...I wanted to stay with the same finish. I got it Friday for my birthday and I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. Maybe tomorrow or Friday.....

 

[Yukon227]

Other than the hammer issue the gun is immaculate...it hasn't been shot much and the exterior finish is like new. That bobbed hammer is almost sharp enough to draw blood....Tyler34 would even be surprised.

 

[Wild Deuce]

Looks like someone didn't want to get "bit" ... just sliced. That hammer certainly looks like it could draw blood.

I had the same thing done to my SA GI ... intentionally. Only mine was done by a competent gunsmith and it looks a tad nicer/smoother ... even re-did the finish for me.

 

[popeye]

The previous owner was suffering from hammer bite and did a butcher job on the hammer. There's probably a 1911 total disasembly video on the web somewhere. I don't know if RIA final fits the hammer/sear engagement on their guns. Probably not. The hammer/sear engagement is critical to both trigger pull and SAFETY. The result should be around 4 - 5 lbs.. Anything less should be considered a range gun only. To me the only PIA part of hammer replacement is knocking the pin out of the hammer strut. Once you replace the hammer and your satisfied the gun is operational: When you test fire the gun; Load 2 rounds only in the mag and put it in the gun. MAKE SURE THE GUN IS POINTED DOWN RANGE. Pull the sidle back all the way and slingshot the first round into the chamber. If your hammer installation is .OK. the hammer won't follow the slide with the resulting AD. Fire the gun. If your hammer installation is O.K. the gun will chamber the second round and hammer remain cocked. The reason for 2 rounds only is if your hammer install is not safe the gun will chainfire. That event is quite exciting with 8 rounds of .45. I'm just trying to help. Maybe I'm telling you stuff you already know.

 

[AllenM]

You tube is your friend

 

[iChokePeople]

I think the hammer thing has been addressed pretty well, but you also asked about a "magazine safety"? What do you mean by that?

 

[JetGirl]

Detailed strip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmKAz5Zi7vg



Reassembly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ6LpsjCSB4

 

[Yukon227]

By magazine safety I meant that some guns will not fire or decock without the magazine in place

 

[popeye]

By magazine safety I meant that some guns will not fire or decock without the magazine in place

There is no mag safety on any 1911, including yours. You can get the hammer/ strut assm. out by driving the pin out of the base of the main spring houseing. Then move the housing down in the frame about 3/4". Wiggle the thumb safety up and down, and apply pressure to the safety pin from the opposite side. The safety will pop out. DON'T LOOSE THE LONG SKINNY SPRING AND P[LUGER THAT RETAINS THE THUMB SAFETY! The grip safety can now be removed and the hammer pin, and hammer/strut assm. removed also. If you don't push the main spring housing too far down the sear/trigger spring won't pop out.

 

[Yukon227]

There is on my sig 1911-22... so I wasn't sure

 

[popeye]

There is on my sig 1911-22... so I wasn't sure

O.K. Sorry,, that's a new development. I'm old as dirt.

 

[Double T]

if you get a replacement hammer, I think I understand correctly that you would also need to get a new sear as the metals may not match hardness wise.

If you wanted, it wouldn't be hard to convert that to a round "bob" and refinish it....don't really understand why they just used a straight file to do a hack bob. Kind of silly.

 

[Yukon227]

if you get a replacement hammer, I think I understand correctly that you would also need to get a new sear as the metals may not match hardness wise.
.

Really? What exactly are you referring to? I would think that the hardness of the metal would be the same...stock or aftermarket.

 

[popeye]

You should be O.K. as you ordered a part from RIA. All the Phillipine mfg. guns and parts are pretty much homogenous. As mentioned if you ordered a "combat" skeletonized hammer, you'll probably need a need upswept beavertail. Other wise when you install the new hammer it may contact the tang on your old style grip safety when you cock it. If you find you need an upswept beavertail, you'll need to remove material from the rear of frame to install it. I've got some stuff like "drop in beavertails" that should fit. Let me know if you need one.

 

[Drail]

When swapping ANY fire control parts in a 1911 you MUST perform safety checks on the gun. It might drop in and work (although the trigger pull weight may change for better or worse) but if the new hammer changes the position of the sear when at full cock (even a tiny bit) your thumb safety may not hold the sear in place. Be very careful when swapping parts in any gun. Very few actually "drop in" with no fitting.

 

[Double T]

Really? What exactly are you referring to? I would think that the hardness of the metal would be the same...stock or aftermarket.

I will have to search, but to use a barstock and a MIM, the MIM if filed/tuned would mean that the filed surface would be "weaker" as MIM parts are surface hardened. Of course, I could be wrong.

I'm talking about using non-RIA parts.

 

[Yukon227]

I have a new question....will anyone be at the show at greenfield next saturday? I have yet to fire this gun, the more I handle it and compare it to others the more I become skeptical, it feels like the grip safety has no "spring" to it, takes hardly any pressure to release the hammer. Also it seems like there is a "half cock" position to the hammer. Does this seem normal? I'm concerned that maybe someone has tinkered a little beyond their ability with this gun. If so I will fix it, or pay a smith to make it right, and upgrade it. Thoughts?