Firing Pin Stop On 1911.

[Kenpo Joe]

I was at practice on Monday and after about 50 rounds I got a jam. It turns out that the firing pin stop had slid down and was jammed under the hammer. This prevented the slide from moving all the way back. I pushed it back up and continued with practice. This happened once before and I would like to take care of it before it happens at a match.

I checked the firing pin to see if it may be getting stuck in the forward position, but it moves freely in the hole. I am thinking that it may be a weak firing pin spring and the pin is not coming back fast enought to keep the stop locked in place. Any ideas?

[BritinUSA]

I am thinking that it may be a weak firing pin spring and the pin is not coming back fast enought to keep the stop locked in place.

Sounds like you have the right idea. I would certainly start with the spring as it sounds like the most likely cause.

[Dan Sierpina]

Make sure the firing pin spring is installed correctly. Yes, there is an incorrect way. The closed end goes toward the hammer. It only doesn't matter if the spring is closed at both ends, most aren't.

[Brazos Custom]

Usually this is caused by the firing pin becoming stuck momentarily in the forward position. Check your firing pin and make sure it is not dragging at all. Clean out the firing pin hole good with a pipe cleaner and some solvent.

[benny hill]

Also fit a onersized stop to a snug fit & it won't happen again.

[JFD]

I had this happen on a Kimber with their oversized FP. I replaced the FP with a USGI I had and the problem was solved.

[Kenpo Joe]

First of all I would like to thank everyone for their advice.

When I pulled out the firing pin, I found that the small end of the spring was away from the hammer. I turned the spring around and tried to slip it over the firing pin. It only went up the pin half way and would not go any further. The small end of the spring looks like it has been hammered pretty good and needs replacement. If that doesn't work, I'll try the other advice I received.

[Dan Sierpina]

First of all I would like to thank everyone for their advice.

When I pulled out the firing pin, I found that the small end of the spring was away from the hammer. I turned the spring around and tried to slip it over the firing pin. It only went up the pin half way and would not go any further. The small end of the spring looks like it has been hammered pretty good and needs replacement. If that doesn't work, I'll try the other advice I received.

The small (closed) end is supposed to be tight! That's what keeps it in place, and doesn't allow it to expand to bind the pin. It's a very common misconception.

[mike cyrwus]

If you were really shooting fast when this happened, most likely the firing pin stop is out of spec. A new EGW stop will prevent this.

[jmorris]

A fellow shooter had this same problem a few weeks ago, a new spring was the fix.

[kevin c]

Dan Sierpina is right - the small end of a brand new FP spring should bind on a completely in-spec FP.

You can use brute strength to push it on, or you can rotate the pin with your fingers against the coil direction of the spring (and all the springs I've seen are counterclockwise wound, so I turn the pin clockwise). This should open the coils just enough to make it easy to slip on, unless the pin or the spring are burred or bent.

[Kenpo Joe]

Dan Sierpina is right - the small end of a brand new FP spring should bind on a completely in-spec FP.

You can use brute strength to push it on, or you can rotate the pin with your fingers against the coil direction of the spring (and all the springs I've seen are counterclockwise wound, so I turn the pin clockwise). This should open the coils just enough to make it easy to slip on, unless the pin or the spring are burred or bent.

All of this advice is good to know and I have replaced the spring. I was up in Coos Bay, OR last weekend and I didn't have time to test it. I'll let everyone what the final fix is. Thanks for your help.