1911 noob question- sear spring doesn't reach up to the sear

[obsessiveshooter]

Hi,

I took apart my 100% reliable Bul Govt 1911 to familiarize myself and to lightly polish contact surfaces (not the sear/hammer engagement, trigger was under 3lb out of the box), and on reassembly the hammer will not catch.  Looking closer, the same sear spring's left leg (that I didn't bend) makes no contact with the bottom of the sear, so there's no pressure on it to catch the hammer.  It sits just below it, instead of slightly on top of it, like I see in close-up pics online.  I shouldn't need a longer Para sear spring; the gun ran perfect prior.  I just can't figure out what's causing this.  Is this a rookie assembly mistake or did the 1911 Elves do something to my spring to shorten it?

[BoyGlock]

Have you installed the backstrap to hold it in place? If not yet, install the bs and it will press the spring from its bent shape and elongate it and reach the sear leg.   

[obsessiveshooter]

yes, with the problem is with it fully assembled (Mainspring housing, grip safety, thumb safety)

[MikeBurgess]

is the bottom of the spring correctly in its notch? 

 

I have found the easiest way to reassemble is, install sear and disconnector, install hammer, install sear spring ensuring its in its notch and sitting on the sear and disconnector correctly, install main spring housing far enough to hold spring in place, install grip safety, finish installing mainspring housing. 

I find that if I don't have the mainspring housing holding the sear spring in place I end up with it moving before I can get the rest of the parts assembled.

 

 

[gethirt]

I have had this happen as well. Just remember, the gun didn’t change. Start all over, put it all back together again, and you will probably fix the problem.  

[Furrly]

YT has great vids on disassembly and assembly of this platform

[sharko]

I think MikeBurgess is right, installing the sear spring without the grip safety is the easiest, just lay the sear spring in and push the MSH mostly in to hold the spring down.

It can be done with the grip safety in but its kind of hard because of the way the springs are bent and you usually end up with one of the legs under where they are suppose to be, usually with me it's the center leaf under the disconnector.

[obsessiveshooter]

Thanks everyone!

Installing the spring before the grip safety was the ticket.  Turns out, what I was seeing was the spring actually under the sear, not short of it.  Putting the spring in with the grip safety already in place was somehow allowing the spring to twist in under.  

All is working like it should again! 

[MikeBurgess]

16 hours ago, obsessiveshooter said:

Thanks everyone!

Installing the spring before the grip safety was the ticket.  Turns out, what I was seeing was the spring actually under the sear, not short of it.  Putting the spring in with the grip safety already in place was somehow allowing the spring to twist in under.  

All is working like it should again! 

Great news,