GigG Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 (edited) I installed a Cylinder and Slide, Drop in Trigger Job this weekend and it worked amazingly well but with one problem. On re-installing the mainspring housing; when there is only a punch holding it in place the hammer can be pulled back to full cock with no problem. Smooth as can be. BUT when I put the pin in I can't manually cock the hammer. Racking the slide will do it but there is much harder to do. When fired it also seems to work fin but this is with full power .45ACP loads. I doubt lighter Steel Challenge load would. It does this with the Mainspring in the C&S kit and the lighter factory main spring. I've sent a tech support email to Cylinder and Slide already but I'm curious if anyone here has any ideas. Edited March 18, 2013 by GigG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Sounds like the hammer strut is a bit too long. I think I would try grinding a little off the tip of the strut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 +1 Sounds like the strut is long enough to crush the mainspring to max when the hammer is pulled back. Shortening the strut should fix it if that's what's happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GigG Posted March 18, 2013 Author Share Posted March 18, 2013 That's what I was thinking as well. C&S responded but with a wrong answer. They assumed I had the lockable mainspring housing that many Springfields come with. I responded that I had an aftermarket mainspring housing and they haven't yet replied to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
open17 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Might not apply in your case, but I had a similar problem. Aftermarket MS housing/magwell unit on a Springfield Loaded. Dropped in a C&S trigger kit and could not cock the hammer. Whoever swapped out the MS housings put the guts from the lockable unit in the aftermarket housing. It's the top plunger that is different---it's longer from the spring shoulder to the cup that the strut fits into. I replaced the "mainspring cap" with a mil-spec piece---problem solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuildSF4 Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I agree with the above info that the strut is probably the issue, if you have one available change out the hammer strut with a no-lockable one (like Ed Browns). Did you have to move the strut from your old hammer to the C&S? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakpb Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 Hmmm I have a C&S hammer strut that I have not installed yet. Since it was advertised as "longer" I compared it to the stock strut of my TRP and could not detect any difference in length with the naked eye. Before you start filing and shaping the tip of the strut, I would ensure you have the correct mainspring cap installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GigG Posted March 19, 2013 Author Share Posted March 19, 2013 I did use the Springfield Mainspring cap and look at some photos of a stock one I think that may be the issue. I do have another Colt 1911 sitting around so I will pull the one out of it and see if it fixes the problem and then order a replacement if it does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakpb Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I did use the Springfield Mainspring cap and look at some photos of a stock one I think that may be the issue. I do have another Colt 1911 sitting around so I will pull the one out of it and see if it fixes the problem and then order a replacement if it does. Ok...so are you running the ILS specific cap, spring, and retainer in the aftermarket MSH (shown on left)...or did you switch those out for standard parts (shown on right)? If you are using the mainspring cap shown on the left with the spring on the right....that's your problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GigG Posted March 19, 2013 Author Share Posted March 19, 2013 Yes that is doubtless the problem and why I'm going to pull a Mainspring Cap out of a Colt I have an use it. I'll compare the retainers at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakpb Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 (edited) The retainer will not be the issue. It will be the ILS specific cap (which adds length) combined with a standard spring (which is longer than an ILS specific spring and also adds length - compressed). If you are using all ILS specific parts (cap, spring, retainer) it should work just fine in an aftermarket MSH...because when assembled it is the same overall length as a standard set. You will run into issues if you start mixing parts as stated above. Edited March 19, 2013 by kodiakpb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GigG Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 Just to close out the thread for future readers. It was the the mixture on new full size springs and Springfield's locking system. I changed the Mainspring cap last night and it works perfectly. And for the record the drop in trigger guard that is advertised as 3# by Cylinder and Slide weighed in at 3.25 pounds and was very crisp with zero creep. I highly recommend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakpb Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Good news GigG...glad it all worked out for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cohland Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I did use the Springfield Mainspring cap and look at some photos of a stock one I think that may be the issue. I do have another Colt 1911 sitting around so I will pull the one out of it and see if it fixes the problem and then order a replacement if it does. Ok...so are you running the ILS specific cap, spring, and retainer in the aftermarket MSH (shown on left)...or did you switch those out for standard parts (shown on right)? If you are using the mainspring cap shown on the left with the spring on the right....that's your problem Thank you for the photo, this is a great example of the old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words". Great work! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Thank you for the photo, this is a great example of the old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words". Great work! Chris +1 Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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