Slow hammer?

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

STI 2011 5.0 45ACP Tactical that I’ve messed with a bit, nothing major- but it’s been a few years since I worked on it.

Trigger feels a bit mushy- but the odd thing is that it feel like the hammer is ‘slow’? As I typed that and I start to work through the schematic in my head, it is the three legged flat spring steel that would affect that, right? For some reason, I felt like I had to tune that for some reason, that escapes me now. Actually, that is the sear spring. That might explain the mushy trigger? I can’t remember why I was tweaking that?

Anyway, is it the main-spring housing that powers the hammer? Could I have a weak one?

[Diamondback]

IIRC, the mainspring cap pushes the hammer strut, which in turn pushes the hammer. Sear spring only interacts with trigger, sear, disconnector and again IIRC thumb safety.

Been a while since I looked at the Kuhnhausen books or did a detailstrip, so take that with a grain. The sear spring could have something to do with your mushy release.

[gaijin]

Mainspring controls the force which hammer falls, as well as retards the slides rearward movement in recoil.
Too little tension on the center leg of leaf/sear spring will cause a slower, lagging RESET of trigger, which may feel “mushy”.
Simply increasing tension on center leg will provide a more positive reset, but will contribute to more weight of the felt “trigger pull”.

Both the Mainspring weight and the sear spring “legs” control weight of trigger pull.

The quality of the interface between sear (nose) and hammer hooks is responsible for the “felt” part of trigger/hammer interface, or trigger “break”.

Shit MIM parts can be a source of a “lousy trigger”. It is much easier to get a “good” trigger on quality parts (think EGW, Harrison, Wilson). It’s possible to get a decent trigger job on MIM parts, but usually much more difficult than simply starting with quality parts.

It’s a fairly fine balancing act to get a nice, “light” pull while maintaining 100% function and not beating gun to death under recoil.

Describing a “mushy” trigger is really subjective. Truly one of those “really need gun in hand” to properly diagnose the issue.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Thanks. Man, time flies! Starting to think it was at least 8 years since I messed with it- but I also have a Gold Cup, so they are kind of blurring in my mind. I think the STI is all OEM parts IIRC. The Gold Cup got Wilson beaver tail and ambi safety.

Trigger is ‘wiggly’ on the take up, and then not the cleanest break, but I’m wondering if the hammer being a bit slow adds to that sensation. Reset is pretty nice.

[gaijin]

“Trigger wiggly on take up” is common; trigger shoe doesn’t fit, or “fill” shoe channel in frame.
Aftermarket trigger could correct that, but it’s inconsequential compared to “not the cleanest break”. Cleaning up “break” requires work on hammer hooks and sear nose, or new/better quality parts.
(Harrison Design hammer/sear are closest to “drop in” as I’ve found. John knew his way around 1911’s. RIP John)

The OEM/standard Main Spring should be 23#. If you feel the hammer drops sluggishly, replace it. Possibly someone cut coils from the original MS.
Not difficult.

Oh, I’m assuming this is .45 ACP. Has bearing on spring weights.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Yep, 45.

[sinister]

Mainspring controls the force which hammer falls, as well as retards the slides rearward movement in recoil.
Too little tension on the center leg of leaf/sear spring will cause a slower, lagging RESET of trigger, which may feel “mushy”.
Simply increasing tension on center leg will provide a more positive reset, but will contribute to more weight of the felt “trigger pull”.

Both the Mainspring weight and the sear spring “legs” control weight of trigger pull.

The quality of the interface between sear (nose) and hammer hooks is responsible for the “felt” part of trigger/hammer interface, or trigger “break”.

Shit MIM parts can be a source of a “lousy trigger”. It is much easier to get a “good” trigger on quality parts (think EGW, Harrison, Wilson). It’s possible to get a decent trigger job on MIM parts, but usually much more difficult than simply starting with quality parts.

It’s a fairly fine balancing act to get a nice, “light” pull while maintaining 100% function and not beating gun to death under recoil.

Describing a “mushy” trigger is really subjective. Truly one of those “really need gun in hand” to properly diagnose the issue.

“Trigger wiggly on take up” is common; trigger shoe doesn’t fit, or “fill” shoe channel in frame.
Aftermarket trigger could correct that, but it’s inconsequential compared to “not the cleanest break”. Cleaning up “break” requires work on hammer hooks and sear nose, or new/better quality parts.
(Harrison Design hammer/sear are closest to “drop in” as I’ve found. John knew his way around 1911’s. RIP John)

The OEM/standard Main Spring should be 23#. If you feel the hammer drops sluggishly, replace it. Possibly someone cut coils from the original MS.
Not difficult.

Oh, I’m assuming this is .45 ACP. Has bearing on spring weights.

I've got a .45 caliber 2011. It has a fitted Geppert short curved trigger, removing slop in the frame. It has all after-market lock parts (hammer, sear, trigger) and lightweight titanium mainspring cap and hammer strut.

With a shorter or less than 23-pound mainspring the trigger pull is lighter, but obviously slower. With a factory mainspring the trigger is clean, but heavier.

A skeletonized ultra-light hammer can give you scary light trigger pulls with fast lock-time -- not something I'm comfortable with in a carry or work gun.

[sinister]

(Harrison Design hammer/sear are closest to “drop in” as I’ve found. John knew his way around 1911’s. RIP John)

John died?! Good grief, when did that happen?

[gaijin]

John died?! Good grief, when did that happen?

I received notice of his passing several months back.
Looking online however, I find nothing.

[militarymoron]

It might just need a disassembly and a good cleaning of the components. I've tried various lubricants over the years and found that some can gum up and get sticky. I've had it happen before where the firing mechanism seems to 'slow down' due to the drag of the gummy stuff on the moving surfaces. I'd start with a complete disassembly, thorough cleaning then re-oil with a light lubricant and see if that makes a difference.