any 1911 smiths here?

[mr_dove]

I'm looking for a local 1911 smith. I brought my Para Ordnance home from the range and started stripping it for a cleaning. While cleaning I got a bit curious and did more disassembly than is required for cleaning.

I removed things like MSH, sear spring, etc. I think I might have even removed the firing pin (hard to remember a few months later).

Anyways, after I put everything back together the hammer doesn't lock back anymore. I've disassembled and reassembled several times with peoples instructions, suggestions and pictures but it still doesn't lock back properly.

Nothing "looks" out of place but functionality is affected.

I'd like to find a smith who will not only fix the problem for me but show me what I did so that I can avoid the problem in the future.

I suppose any smith will do but one who will give me pointers is that much more valuable.

[Obiwan]

Last name escapes me...but I believe his name is Pat...something

Jensens can point you to him...he works out a storefront across the street

[Hoser]

The sear spring missed the bottom of the sear.

Bring it down to the Pueblo IDPA match this Sunday. I can walk you through it a few times.

[Gman]

Sounds about right. The LDA sear spring has some narrow legs and it likes to walk when you remove the MSH. I've replaced the MSHs on both Paras and had to reposition the sear spring to make sure everything was working correctly.

[mr_dove]

Mine is a single action rather than an LDA. My wife shoots and LDA but I probably wouldn't mess with her's too much.

I think Tom was right on. After his suggestion I went to m1911.org and found this document.

http://www.m1911.org/stripin1.htm

The part that I needed was this picture. It shows perfectly what each leg of the sear spring should be doing.

http://www.m1911.org/images/reass03.jpg

I can't see everything in the picture but the left leg (bottom in the picture) of my spring has a notch in it at the very top.

Following that picture my trigger appears to be back to normal. I'll have to hit the range to be 100% sure but it feels right dry firing.

[Meateater]

The best 1911 smith around is in Longmont at Rocky Mountain Arms. Bob Ford is a class II mfr. and expert refinisher. His gunsmith used to work at Les Baer in IL assembling/fitting his pistols. They can fix anything.