[PJlovesguns]

I have a Colt .380 Gov't model That shoots well and doesn't jam,But when I fire it it ejects the shell and puts another one in the chamber but the hammer remains down. Can anyone tell me what is causing this problem?

 

[7of7]

I have a Colt .380 Gov't model That shoots well and doesn't jam,But when I fire it it ejects the shell and puts another one in the chamber but the hammer remains down. Can anyone tell me what is causing this problem?

worn sear not catching on the hammer notch, or vice versa. allowing it to ride down to the next position, but not letting it fall all the way... That would be the first place I would look. How does it do when the slide is cycled by hand? Check pin wear too on those parts...

 

[PJlovesguns]

When it's cycled by hand it does fine. I also had a friend shoot it and you know where the safety is positioned on the gun right above your thumb? Every time he shot it his thumb would flip the safety because of the recoil but the hammer stayed back every time his thumb hit the safety when he fired it. I thought that the safety might have something to do with it???

 

[jasper]

My kneejerk guess would be something not bringing slide back far enough to engage sear or step that keeps hammer back.......

Under powered loads? limp-wristing? (any stove-pipe rounds?)

Or like was mentioned before, worn part/parts......
Slow action of manual draw or cocking will not repeat action in real time speed......

 

[PJlovesguns]

Thanks for the advice Guys. I do believe It's the hammer now. At least ow I know the first thing to look for if this happens again!

 

[7of7]

Let us know when you get it fixed... and what caused the problem...

 

[andy]

The Mustang, and I think the Gm also, have a lame sort of firing pin safety, that is built into the ejector, and the ejector is a weak looking thing. Always keep your thumb atop the safety lever, while firing any SA autopistol, so that you won't bump up the safety, and so that you won't one day (under lethal stress) "miss" that safety, and continue on down into "firing" position, leaving the gun "safed". If the parts were easy to find and low cost, like the 1911, I'd recut the hammer's full cock notch. Were these full power, up to date factory rds? If so, then it's a mechanical-gun prob, and probably either a worn hammer or sear. Such wear is extremely unusual in a .380, tho. Colt has had union problems many times over the years, with workers deliberately sabotaging product quality.

 

[money30]

When it's cycled by hand it does fine. I also had a friend shoot it and you know where the safety is positioned on the gun right above your thumb? Every time he shot it his thumb would flip the safety because of the recoil but the hammer stayed back every time his thumb hit the safety when he fired it. I thought that the safety might have something to do with it???