Yeah, so I took it (A RIA 1911 5 inch GI style 1911) down, and after cleaning up and polishing it inside, I went to put it back together.
Where I'm having a meltdown is after putting the sear/disconnector together and putting them in the frame. Sear pin through the sear and disconnector. Then I went to put the hammer in, got it in. G-safety and thumb safety next. Then I realized the hammer is not engaging the sear. I can cock the hammer, but it rebounds forward as soon as I let it go. I put a rag there to keep it from bashing the frame. I, for some reason, cannot get the hammer to cock and stay cocked. Obviously it's not engaging it's hooks with the sear engagement surface.
Look. I'm pulling my hair out here, and know there's something GLARING at me and I'm missing it. I checked my work against Kuhnhausen diagrams, Ordnance drawings, and even wjkuleck's 1911 Assembly Guide directions. Nothing. I don't understand how I can be missing this. I tried to fiddle with the sear & hammer while it's assembled, and have even taken it back down and put the sear/disconnector in and gone on again from there. I didn't stone the hammer/sear, either. I took 600 grit sandpaper and polished it enough to get the Parkerizing off, and stopped. I can't imagine that I would have changed the geometry enough that they won't interface correctly anymore. Ideas? What am I missing?
The only thing that comes to mind... is that the sear is backwards.
Here's what it looks like if you have X-Ray vision (or extended pins so that you can mount the hammer/sear/disconnector outside of the frame):
Image courtesy of The M1911 Complete Owner's Guide
Have you installed the sear spring yet? The sear spring is what pushes the sear into engagement with the hammer. No sear spring ==> pot luck regarding engagement.
Quote:
Have you installed the sear spring yet?
[Slaps forehead] Yeah!
Man, I honestly was hoping I'd hear from you on this. That photo you put up was just the ticket. Somehow I had the sear spring not engaging the sear. The disconnector was up and thru the hole, and all the pieces were slightly off. I got the puzzle back together now.
Even if the sear spring is there, it may not be in the proper position. Here's how it must be installed:
It was indeed the sear/sear spring arrangement. I was looking right at it, too. I just couldn't "see the big picture", it all looked like a puzzle to me for some odd reason. I think it was cause I've wanted to get this piece back together for so dang long. Whew.