Sorry for this being long but I need to make sure you guys know exactly what I'm talking about and what I'm asking. I have a Springfield MC Operator. It is my first 1911 and I enjoy understanding how they work. I have used the internet and the search function but I can't quite find the answer to a question that has been annoying me.
I've become competent in properly fully stripping and assembling the pistol. My question is with the mainspring housing and its internals. My Operator does have the ILS housing. Out of curiosity, I've researched what need to be done to make the system inoperable. I understand that there are 2 options. One is to get a new standard housing, mainspring, cap and cap pin. The other, apparently, is that the ILS housing can still be used as long as new standard internals are used.
Ok, here we go, please bear with me. Let's say I chose option 2. I get new standard internals and plan on using the ILS housing. I remove the housing by cocking the hammer, inserting the takedown pin, lowering the hammer to where the takedown pin captures mainspring tension, drive out the housing retainer pin and slide the housing off of the frame. I get that. Simple. Done it a hundred times.
The new standard internals are now in. I understand that a standard mainspring is longer than the ILS mainspring. I also understand that a standard cap is shorter than the ILS cap. The question - How does the cap pin not act like the takedown pin? In my mind, because it goes in the same hole, the cap pin will capture tension at the same place as the takedown pin does. How does it matter that the cap is shorter and the spring longer? It's all under the cap pin so how does the length matter? It'll be captured at the same spot no matter what internal are used. Therefore, the hammer strut will loose contact with the cap and won't drive the hammer to strike the firing pin with force. The hammer will be loose and floppy around the half cock point, just like is is using the takedown pin. I hope that what I'm asking makes sense to you guys.
The above would also apply to option 1, if the pin hole in the standard housing is in same spot as it is in an ILS housing. I would understand how it works if the hole for the pin(s) was in a different spot or my hammer strut needed to be longer as well in order to keep contact with the cap pin. Apparently the strut is standard, which is why Springfield uses a shorter mainspring and taller cap. If so, great, but that still doesn't answer my question.
The only thing I can think of is that the cavity in a standard cap for the hammer strut is shallower than the cavity in the ILS cap. That would make sense, enabling the strut to keep contact with the standard cap, at the point where the cap contacts the cap pin. Sound right? If so maybe that's the case and I already had the answer to my question. Sorry if I haven't been clear enough and I confused you. Thanks in advance for the replies. I may post this on a 1911 forum but I tried here first because, well, I like this site better!
I've become competent in properly fully stripping and assembling the pistol. My question is with the mainspring housing and its internals. My Operator does have the ILS housing. Out of curiosity, I've researched what need to be done to make the system inoperable. I understand that there are 2 options. One is to get a new standard housing, mainspring, cap and cap pin. The other, apparently, is that the ILS housing can still be used as long as new standard internals are used.
Ok, here we go, please bear with me. Let's say I chose option 2. I get new standard internals and plan on using the ILS housing. I remove the housing by cocking the hammer, inserting the takedown pin, lowering the hammer to where the takedown pin captures mainspring tension, drive out the housing retainer pin and slide the housing off of the frame. I get that. Simple. Done it a hundred times.
The new standard internals are now in. I understand that a standard mainspring is longer than the ILS mainspring. I also understand that a standard cap is shorter than the ILS cap. The question - How does the cap pin not act like the takedown pin? In my mind, because it goes in the same hole, the cap pin will capture tension at the same place as the takedown pin does. How does it matter that the cap is shorter and the spring longer? It's all under the cap pin so how does the length matter? It'll be captured at the same spot no matter what internal are used. Therefore, the hammer strut will loose contact with the cap and won't drive the hammer to strike the firing pin with force. The hammer will be loose and floppy around the half cock point, just like is is using the takedown pin. I hope that what I'm asking makes sense to you guys.
The above would also apply to option 1, if the pin hole in the standard housing is in same spot as it is in an ILS housing. I would understand how it works if the hole for the pin(s) was in a different spot or my hammer strut needed to be longer as well in order to keep contact with the cap pin. Apparently the strut is standard, which is why Springfield uses a shorter mainspring and taller cap. If so, great, but that still doesn't answer my question.
The only thing I can think of is that the cavity in a standard cap for the hammer strut is shallower than the cavity in the ILS cap. That would make sense, enabling the strut to keep contact with the standard cap, at the point where the cap contacts the cap pin. Sound right? If so maybe that's the case and I already had the answer to my question. Sorry if I haven't been clear enough and I confused you. Thanks in advance for the replies. I may post this on a 1911 forum but I tried here first because, well, I like this site better!
