Did y'all know?

[Alpo]

Maybe all y'all do, but hey - I've owned this gun since '99, and I wasn't aware of it.

With a Series 80, if it's on half cock, and you pull the trigger, the hammer falls.

I was reading Jerry Whats-his-name (long name, starts with a K) book on working on the 1911. He says that, before working on one, go through this checklist, making sure the gun is in working order.

One step was to "put the hammer on the captive half cock and pull the trigger". Nothing should happen. Then it says the Series 80 guns don't have a "captive" half cock, and pulling the trigger will ease the hammer off. Says it is designed that way. "Captive half cock?" "Ease the hammer off?"

So I get out my one Series 80 gun, and after making sure its empty, I put it on half cock. Well, it ain't really "half cock", 'cause it's way too far forward. More like the "safety notch" on a Single Action Army, but Colt says it's "half cock", so we'll go with that term. Anyway, I put it on half cock and pull the trigger.

Be damned. Hammer fell.

Glad I read that before finding it out by playing with it. I'da thought my gun was broke.

[garydude]

Great info Alpo; do you think it would discharge a live round?

[Alpo]

No way. The fall is like a 32nd of an inch, or something like that. It was just surprising.

[ka64]

They are suppose to, mine does.



It will not fire the round in that position, if it does you have a problem.

[Helix_FR]

the only funny thing about that is the series 80 does not have a specific hammer style. Grip safety yes but hammer no

[H-D]

Originally Posted by Helix_FR

the only funny thing about that is the series 80 does not have a specific hammer style. Grip safety yes but hammer no

Sure they do I have 3 of them in a box they have a "shelf" for half cock not a "notch" its waaaaay different than the original design, but you can change them to a series 70 hammer it will work fine the series 80 design is to save "wear and tear" on the sear