.45 spring?

Hello Shooters,

I bought a beautiful Caspian .45. I took to sight in and shell would cycle but hammer doesn't cock. I suspect I need a lighter spring. Cany anyone tell me if I can determine the current spring weight and what lb. spring should I put in? Thank you.

Are you sure that it isn't "hammer follow" where the hammer just rides the back down with the slide?

Google "1911 hammer follow" and research that a bit.

Load and fire one cartridge. See if the slide locks back.

The factory spring rating is 23 pounds.  But I’d like a better description of the problem.

Does the hammer remain cocked or does it follow the slide?

Can you manually cock the pistol (empty) and does it hold the hammer until the trigger is pulled?  

Can you manually apply the safety? … Does the grip safety function normally?

Well, the gun cycles another shell and the hammer does not cock. I can cock the hammer and fire the gun . I did cock and fire empty. I can apply safety when cocked. Grip safety seems to work as I can fire when cocked.

Sounds like hammer follow. Someone work on the sear/hammer hooks??

empty gun. cock the gun and pull and hold the trigger. continue to hold the trigger and manually cycle the slide. does the hammer stay cocked. if so you may need to go to a lighter recoil spring or mainspring.. I run nothing but 19 mainsprings

Can you rack the slide with dummy rounds in the magazine and cause the hammer to cock - and remain cocked - regardless of the force you use to rack and release the slide? And repeatedly do so? If not, then i agree hammer follow is the thing I'd suspect.

When I rack pistol and pull trigger and keep trigger depressed and rack, hammer does not cock. Dummy rounds and cock and rack and stays cocked. Custom pistol with Clark barrel.

Here's a good start to diagnose hammer follow...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAvIQoyxK3s&ab_channel=AtlasGunworks

Is the disconnector properly functioning?

Thanks for the video DA/SA. I had closely adjusted over-travel. I've moved over-travel out and doesn't seem to make any difference. Gun does not cock when trigger depressed and racked? Hammer does fall when slide moved back out of battery and trigger pulled. Wilson video says shouldn't fall?? Gun double fired once at range. Would shoot 3 touching shots then two wild high?
How do you test disconnector function?

"is the disconnector properly functioning?"


no it's not. that's your issue
break the  frame down so you can remove the grip safety.  leave the mainspring housing in place then look at your middle finger of the sear spring..this controls the disconnector. push the disconnector down from above and see if the bottom of the disconnector clears the sear feet..if not the disconnector is too short

is this a new to you pistol or has something been changed in it recently

New to me pistol.

New to you?  Does that means it was previously sold?  Then I would take it back to the place you bought it from and ask for a recommendation or referral to a gunsmith to examine the pistol for defects.  It shouldn’t take longer that 15 minutes for a competent gunsmith to determine if something is assembled wrong.

YA, thank you and pistol is off to my gunsmith for a complete check up.