The 3 components I have chosen for this week include the trigger, firing pin and extractor.
What are the critical dimensions associated with these components? What potential malfunctions may occur if damage or improper modifications were made to the components? Explain the specifics behind these malfunctions.
The trigger has a bar connected to it that slides into a grove cut inside the frame and wraps around the magazine. If this is bent it may not fit into the groove cut in the frame or it may prevent a magazine from being inserted, making its dimensions critical to its operation. If the trigger being pressed doesn’t contact the sear spring, then you get a failure to fire type malfunction.
The firing pin needs to be the appropriate length for the 1911 it is being used in and the correct width to fit in its channel with little room for movement that may prevent the tip of the pin from pushing through the breach face to strike the primer. Using a shorter pin designed for a compact 1911 in a full size will result in another failure to fire.
What damage is likely, if any, on these components and why?
-It can be hard to damage a 1911 trigger because of its simplicity but that is not to say it can’t break or be installed incorrectly.
-The extractor can break at the claw for many reasons to include firing steel cased ammunition or dropping a round in the barrel and slamming the slide forward.
-Firing pins can get worn down with prolonged use and abuse and on occasion can break in the firing pin channel of the slide.
What training should a gunsmith undergo to avoid causing damage to these components?
I recommend taking the 1911 advanced armorers’ course with Sonoran Desert Institute to get a better understanding of the 1911 platform and avoid causing damage to many of the 1911 parts.
What additional components interact with the components you selected and what are their critical dimensions?
The extractor is very simple and is held in place with a groove cut on the rear for the firing pin stop to slide in. This firing pin stop also helps retain the firing pin and firing pin spring allowing the rear of the firing pin to be exposed so the hammer can strike it and fire the cartridge in the barrel. Lastly, once the trigger is pressed the bar on the rear contacts the sear spring allowing the 1911 to release the hammer to strike the firing pin and fire the cartridge in the barrel.
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