What caused this to happen?

[Buckshot Bear]

New to owning a 1911, not new to shooting or competing.

Used the Ruger SR1911 .45 a lot in practice zero problems.

Had my first competition yesterday and was on the line first scenario, pistol out of holster wracked the slide and 'something' small and black fell out, just saw it hit the table  thought "What the hell was that" dropped the magazine wracked the slide back to remove live round and show TO clear and next thing the firing pin and spring are on the ground 🤨

Other more experienced WB shooters told me the firing pin stop had fallen out and then the firing pin and spring (but didn't know why) got it back in with their help in a short time and shot the rest of the day with zero problems.

This is a brand new pistol, besides around 300 rounds I've put through it getting my loads right in practicing and two cleanings (never stripped the gun down to taking the firing pin out).

Anyone know why this happened? Threw my confidence a bit as I was waiting for it to happen again and it was cold, very dark and raining and I didn't want to lose the parts if it did, but the pistol working faultlessly for the rest of the day.

[Tully Mars]

Now that it's together, is there tension on the firing pin? The firing pin spring should provide enough tension to push the rear end of the firing pin through the firing pin stop, holding the stop in place.

I'd start there. Otherwise I haven't a clue.

[Deacon KC]

The stop should have enough friction/pressure to fit snugly even without the firing pin pressure. It should take just a tiny bit of tug to slide out when the pin is pushed forward.

[Buckshot Bear]

Thanks pards, totally stumped how this happened.

Its midday Monday here and going to strip it down and clean it after I have some lunch.

[Garrison Joe]

The firing pin stop needs to ft pretty snugly in the extractor and slide slot.  Slightly oversize (thickness and width) firing pin stops are available from the higher end 1911 parts shops.  These need to be fitted to give a real snug fit.   I doubt that you lost the stop because a FP spring was weak.  It's just that the stop is loose in the slide and extractor.   This can let the extractor twist ("clock") and start giving feed and extraction failures if the fit is bad enough that a lot of clocking happens.   Your stop fell out with the impact of the slide going to battery.   Bad news when that happens.   Check yours for any wiggle with the FP and spring removed.  Replace if you find wiggle.    And just to be detailed about the check, check the slot in the rear of slide that it's not damaged/chipped out.

good luck, GJ

 

Edited May 8, 2023 by Garrison Joe

[Buckshot Bear]

Thanks Garrison Joe, just finished fully cleaning the pistol and now taught myself how to take the firing pin out and also the extractor and get it all back together a few times. 

Different from a Glock, Beretta or CZ which I'm very familiar with, but I can say that I can strip a 1911 now with ease.

Looked at all those points you mentioned above and can't see anything that stands out like the proverbial dogs bollocks. I'm hoping that this was just a once off fluke happening and maybe something I did cleaning it before the match the day before. I did push down (after racking my brain what it could have been) with a metal syringe type needle oiler and put a drop of oil on the back of the firing pin. In my total ignorance I had no idea that the black object was a 'firing pin stop' or that it came out.....so hoping that somehow I may have been the cause of it because it happened as soon as I racked the slide. After being fixed I shot the rest of the match without a problem.

It's  very nice pistol, surprisingly accurate for a 'battle pistol'.

P.S thanks again for the PM advice reloading .45acp some weeks back, loads are working perfectly. 

[Garrison Joe]

Sounds like you did not slide the stop all the way up to get a solid click of the FP popping back into the hole of the stop - that pop is what locks the stop in place.   Since your failure occurred on first attempt at a shot after "lubing the FP" you probably nudged the stop enough to prevent the seating of the FP into the stop when you stuck that oil syringe in the hole, then pulled it back out.     I would not lube a FP unless I took it all apart and cleaned the FP, bore and spring first.

And, on reassembly, eyeball the end of the FP to make sure it has popped up - if not, the hammer will never touch it and you get continuous failures to  fire.

Glad you learned a bunch.  It's well worth knowing how to do a deep disassembly on a 1911 - it will save you trips to a smith when you need to replace a 1911 part that really only takes a few minutes.  

Also glad your loads now work!

shoot fast, and good luck, GJ

 

Edited May 8, 2023 by Garrison Joe

[Garrison Joe]

Quote

surprisingly accurate for a 'battle pistol'.

One does not win wars making inaccurate guns.   I think we taught the British that in 1775-1781. 

Most pistols have more accuracy than their owners ever discover.

good luck, GJ

Edited May 8, 2023 by Garrison Joe

[Buckshot Bear]

GJ, taking it apart and learning how it all works......I couldn't stop thinking what a genius JMB was.