Searious Issues

The replacement slide from Sarco hadn't arrived yet, but the desire to tinker was overpowering. The most compelling urge was the desire to feel the trigger pull, but without the slide to catch the hammer, this wasn't feasible. The next best option, though, was examining the parts influencing the trigger pull.

Most places that sell gunsmithing supplies sell special hammer and sear pins designed to pass all the way through the frame so that the hammer and sear's fit can be examined without requiring the ability to see through tempered steel. Possessing neither the ability to see through solid objects nor the special pins, I just used the standard hammer and sear pins. Because the pin wouldn't be supported through both frame holes, the positioning of the hammer and sear on the outside of the frame might be subject to some wobble. That was okay, since I was just taking a look at how the parts fit, not trying to get a Bullseye-grade fitted-by-microscope matchup.

On the outside looking in.

A closer look showed that the mating surfaces of the hammer and sear were close but not perfect. The primary and secondary engagement surfaces didn't mate up perfectly with their counterparts on the hammer. My guess was the trigger would have some creep in it and might also be heavy due to the mechanical disadvantage introduced by the imperfect fit.

Tamest picture of mating you'll find on the internet.

While I was at it, I decided to measure the lengths of the sear and disconnecter. According to Kuhnhausen, most Colt factory fit disconnecters measure between 1.287" and 1.290", but others "can exceed 1.310 inches in length." I guess mine was one of those others, as it measures 1.32" long. A long disconnecter is definitely to be preferred over one that's too short: Long disconnecters drag a little; short diconnecters can cause doubling or, worse yet, let a gun fire out of battery. The sear measured out to about 0.41" long, which is above Kuhnhausen's cutoff point of 0.395". The two parts seemed to work well together, but I would have to wait for the slide to confirm.

Although I would probably have to take it apart again to fit the slide, I reassembled the frame for the practice, then resumed restless pacing. Where was the slide, anyway?