1911 question on new beavertail

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I recently had an extended beavertail put on my series 70 Colt Combat Commander. I noticed 2 things that I don't think happened before the beavertail was put on but I can't swear to it. Maybe a 1911 owner or expert could comment.

First, if I hold the gun with one hand and press the muzzle with the other hand the barrel/slide always moved about 1/4 inch. What seems different now is that the hammer goes to half cock. I don't ever remember that happening before.

Second, if I put force on the trigger to fire without engaging the beavertail grip safety the trigger will not move, as expected. But while maintaining the force on the trigger if I squeeze the grip safety the gun will fire. Is this normal? I seem to remember you have to release the force on the trigger and then engage the grip safety and then pull the trigger, but again I can't be sure.

Thanks in advance for any comments.

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1911CC wrote:

First, if I hold the gun with one hand and press the muzzle with the other hand the barrel/slide always moved about 1/4 inch. What seems different now is that the hammer goes to half cock. I don't ever remember that happening before.

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Any time the slide moves to the rear the hammer must move as well. (The hammer rests on the firing pin stop which is a part of the slide.) Since the slide and hammer are moving, if you push the slide rearward 1/4" that should be enough to engage the half cock notch on the hammer. This is a normal safety feature, your gun is operating normally.

Second, if I put force on the trigger to fire without engaging the beavertail grip safety the trigger will not move, as expected. But while maintaining the force on the trigger if I squeeze the grip safety the gun will fire. Is this normal? I seem to remember you have to release the force on the trigger and then engage the grip safety and then pull the trigger, but again I can't be sure.

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I'll check this out when I get home tonight. I think you are correct that you must release trigger pressure in order to fire after depressing the grip safety.

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1911CC wrote:

Second, if I put force on the trigger to fire without engaging the beavertail grip safety the trigger will not move, as expected. But while maintaining the force on the trigger if I squeeze the grip safety the gun will fire. Is this normal? I seem to remember you have to release the force on the trigger and then engage the grip safety and then pull the trigger, but again I can't be sure.

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I just tested this on my Taurus PT1911 and it also does this. While holding pressure on the trigger, applying pressure to the grip safety causes the hammer to fall.

I'd say this sounds like your pistol is functioning properly.

Also, I second what NSL said about half-cock. A quarter-inch or so should engage it.

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Tomahawk wrote:

Also, I second what NSL said about half-cock. A quarter-inch or so should engage it.

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OK I am in a goofy mood this morning, but I SWEAR, I am NOT going to say anything..... :quirky

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Tomahawk wrote:

I just tested this on my Taurus PT1911 and it also does this. While holding pressure on the trigger, applying pressure to the grip safety causes the hammer to fall.

I'd say this sounds like your pistol is functioning properly.

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I just tested my Kimber and it does the same.

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1911CC wrote:

...
First, if I hold the gun with one hand and press the muzzle with the other hand the barrel/slide always moved about 1/4 inch. What seems different now is that the hammer goes to half cock. I don't ever remember that happening before.

...

But while maintaining the force on the trigger if I squeeze the grip safety the gun will fire. Is this normal?

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The beavertail serves to prevent trigger motion when it isn't depressed, but moves out of the way when you press it. The beavertail should be a little harder to move with trigger pressure applied, but it should get out of the way. See http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=231096 for a diagram.

Did they change the hammer when they changed beavertails? if so then they may have used one with a non-captive half-cock which would engage sooner than a captove one. You can tell by placing the firearm in half cock and attempting to fire (with all safeties deactivated). If the hammer releases then it's non-captive.

EDIT: the HTML link didn't work, so I removed it and left the URL only.

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Hey,

Thanks for that link. Yes it is harder to push in than normal and the harder I push the trigger the harder it is to engage the grip safety.

The hammer is the original combat commander hammer. The hammer will not fall from the half cocked position when I try to fire it with all safeties off.

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The real question is: does it fire when you tell it to, and not fire when you don't? Then it's working properly. Trying to get it to function in a way that it was not designed to is not good for the surfaces of the inner workings on your gun.

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The cocking of the hammer is as it should be. That it happens now on press of the slide is not unusual. Half cock is a life saver for those with slippery fingers and whocock their guns at things they are not willing to destroy.

The 1911 weaponis designed by JohnM. Browning to fire from the trigger pull with the beavertail depressed. Its fire modes are as follows:

1. Normal fire. Press the trigger with the thumb safety disengaged and the grip safety depressed. BANG!

2.Panic fire! Triggerpulled but hand does not depress the grip safety enough OR thumb safety is not pressed. Hand then squeezes enough or the thumb safety is depressed. BANG! Pistol fires without having to reset trigger.

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Your gun is normal.