mas Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 On my last range outing, I had something weird occur with my new pistol....I was shooting a string of shots, and I noticed that I couldn't squeeze off the next round, so I looked at the pistol and saw that the hammer was cocked...then it fell to half cock. I shot for the rest of the day with no problems (only about 225 rounds total)...When chambering a round into battery, I did not experience the same problem. To test, I did drop the slide on an empty chamber (geez I HATE doing this) to see if I would get hammer follow....the hammer stayed cocked. Is this just the overtravel screw set a little too far? How much should I back it off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 From what you said I'd back out the overtravel screw 1/2 to 3/4 turn, and see if it happens again. A cool way to adjust (set) the overtravel screw is to screw it in until the hammer won't fall, then hold pressure on the trigger while slowly backing out the screw until the hammer drops. Then back out the screw approx one more turn. (Which is why I drilled a very small hole in the front of my SV's trigger guard, so I can get an allen wrench in the screw so I can "dial it around.") be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted June 23, 2004 Author Share Posted June 23, 2004 great, thanks, Brian. Do you then apply loktite or some such substance?? If so, does this require you to first completely remove the screw? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gun Geek Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 mas: Just went through setting up over travel screws in some Kimbers that I changed the triggers. I did it exactly the way Brian said for an initial setting, then shot the gun/monkeyed with the screw untill I got the OT just where I wanted it. I ended up about 1/2 turn in (less OT). I kept count of the fractions of turns. But as a check I repeated the procedure several times to make sure I got the same functioning. Once done, I removed the screw and cleaned it and the hole with brake cleaner (removes all oils and solvents). I then applied blue thread locker (can be un-done w/o heat), checked function, then let sit for 24 hours. Works great!!!! If you don't want to lock the OT down, I think there are products that "almost" lock the threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Btw the Ghost-pin hole works great for adjusting the OT with a long ball-end wrench. I've started adjusting mine until I can feel the second leaf on the sear spring just start to engage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted June 23, 2004 Author Share Posted June 23, 2004 so if I just back the screw out a half-turn w/o putting any loktite on it, will the screw come loose? I'll let you know how it goes once I get to tinkering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 oh yeah, one more question: to reduce overtravel, do I loosen the screw (counterclockwise)?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonub Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 to reduce overtravel tighten the screw. i myself advocate a long overtravell like travis and max so that one will not wank shots to the left Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 so if I just back the screw out a half-turn w/o putting any loktite on it, will the screw come loose? I'll let you know how it goes once I get to tinkering. Yes, they will work loose. When you least expect it. Especially on plastic/composite trigger bows. The aluminum ones can be squashed a bit to provide plenty of holding force. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 oh yeah, one more question: to reduce overtravel, do I loosen the screw (counterclockwise)?? I recall it's the other way. As you turn the screw into the trigger, it reduces travel range. BTW: the correct adjustment of the screw requires understanding that the two hammer hooks (the full cock hook and the half cock hook) are usually different heights... the half cock (sometimes called the "safety") hook is taller to make sure it captures the sear if you thumb the hammer down and it slips. Further, most people cut down the full cock hook height intentionally to get a shorter trigger break. That means, you can set the screw where it will allow the hammer to fall very well from the full cock position and the nose of the sear will drag the HC hook as it shoots by. Perfect way to destroy the sear (I refuse to admit how I know this). Bottom line, you pull the trigger ALL the way back and then use your thumb to very slowly move the hammer all the way from back to forward and you should not feel anydrag as the hammer hooks pass by the sear nose. If you feel resistance, you need to back the screw off and give it more room. It's esy to do this with the gun apart and the min spring housing out because then you can easily rotate the hammer and fel if there is any drag. But, you can do it with th gun together. I'd recommed taking the screw out far enough to apply the blue loctite and then start turning in in. You stop at the point where you start to pick up a feel of interference on the half cock notch passing by the sear with the trigger fully back. Then, give it justa touch more room and it's set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Yes, especially with a plastic trigger, always keep a little blue Loctite on the threads. You could try this - (if you know there's not enough loctite on the screw and you don't feel like removing the screw) Once you're happy with the adjustment, remove the mag catch and clamp the pistol in a vice with the muzzle straight down, then very carefully take a small drop of loctite to the back end of the stop screw (with a very small tool) and just touch the loctite to the screw so it transfers. If you get too much be sure to dab it out of there right away. Then come back in an hour or so and you're all set. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 this has turned into all out war......I went ahead and loktited the overtravel screw...no problems (thanks for all the help)....I then decided, out of the blue, to go ahead and detail strip the gun to examine the sear and hammer (I got curious seeing how the ignition system is made of MIM parts and it felt to me that the trigger has become heavier since day one). Lo and behold there appears to be a very weird chip at the edge of the sear. It's right in the middle. Anyway, so I went to reassemble the pistol, as I have done thousands of times with other 1911's, and for some god forsaken reason, I can not for the life of me get the friggin' mainspring housing pin in!!!! I don't know if it's the S&A magwell or what, but this thing will not budge in....grip safety is in place, sear spring in place, everything seems right but I can't seem to get the pin into the MSH!!! man, this is just not my week or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Is the strut centered on the cap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted June 25, 2004 Author Share Posted June 25, 2004 yep....I'll try *one more time* for good measure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted June 25, 2004 Author Share Posted June 25, 2004 ok, finally got it in....using a flashlight, it appears that the SA magwell is not properly fitted and so the pin hole was misaligned with the frame.....it required me to use a wall and tons of pressure to finally get the pin into the hole, and then tons of pounding to fully seat it. Sending it off to a smith this upcoming week. Thanks for all the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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