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Springfield 1911 drop safety with titanium firing pin

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neil0311

Master Class
So I recently posted that I bought a Springfield Defender Mil Spec 1911, and am waiting anxiously for it to arrive at the FFL for pickup.

I’ve know about the light titanium firing pin and heavy firing pin spring which is reportedly how they achieve drop safe. I’m not planning to carry this pistol, so use at the range is really the only concern.

Can someone clarify for me (or link to an article that explains…can’t find one), exactly how this firing pin setup mitigates discharges when dropped or subjected to a blow? I just want to understand more about the testing and physics involved.

My Dad was an MP in WW2, stationed at Ft McClellan and 2 other PW camps guarding German and Italian PWs. One of the issues he used to mention was his concern for carrying the M1911 because of drop safety issues.

He was issued a shotgun (not an M1 Garand or Springfield 1903), and later a Thompson SMG when he made Sergeant, but also had an M1911 as a sidearm and carried it loaded while on duty.
 
neil0311 said:
So I recently posted that I bought a Springfield Defender Mil Spec 1911, and am waiting anxiously for it to arrive at the FFL for pickup.

I’ve know about the light titanium firing pin and heavy firing pin spring which is reportedly how they achieve drop safe. I’m not planning to carry this pistol, so use at the range is really the only concern.

Can someone clarify for me (or link to an article that explains…can’t find one), exactly how this firing pin setup mitigates discharges when dropped or subjected to a blow? I just want to understand more about the testing and physics involved.

My Dad was an MP in WW2, stationed at Ft McClellan and 2 other PW camps guarding German and Italian PWs. One of the issues he used to mention was his concern for carrying the M1911 because of drop safety issues.

He was issued a shotgun (not an M1 Garand or Springfield 1903), and later a Thompson SMG when he made Sergeant, but also had an M1911 as a sidearm and carried it loaded while on duty.
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The low mass firing pin won’t be able to overcome the force of the heavier spring to strike the primer with enough force to detonate it in the extremely unlikely event of dropping the pistol at the perfect angle to set off that chain of events.
 
neil0311 said:
Anyone have a link to any testing that was done?
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Considering that all the major mfg’s, including the custom/semi-custom (Les Baer, Wilson, Nighthawk, et al) do this to be CA compliant?

Pretty empirical evidence, there.

But feel free to dig further on your own.
 
HansGruber said:
Considering that all the major mfg’s, including the custom/semi-custom (Les Baer, Wilson, Nighthawk, et al) do this to be CA compliant?

Pretty empirical evidence, there.

But feel free to dig further on your own.
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I’m not doubting it. I want to understand better. No big deal, but as you mentioned, they do it and there should be a lot of info on why they used a specific firing pin and spring and how they conducted the tests.

Don’t confuse curiosity for doubt. 🙂
 
neil0311 said:
I’m not doubting it. I want to understand better. No big deal, but as you mentioned, they do it and there should be a lot of info on why they used a specific firing pin and spring and how they conducted the tests.

Don’t confuse curiosity for doubt. 🙂
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It’s really pretty basic physics; F=MA.

If the Mass of the firing pin is Accelerated with enough Force to overcome the spring tension strike the firing pin hard enough to ignite the primer, boom.

By decreasing the Mass and increasing the spring tension, it prevents the boom.
 
HansGruber said:
It’s really pretty basic physics; F=MA.

If the Mass of the firing pin is Accelerated with enough Force to overcome the spring tension strike the firing pin hard enough to ignite the primer, boom.

By decreasing the Mass and increasing the spring tension, it prevents the boom.
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Yes, I get that. Was interested in specifics to understand the point at which titanium would be safe vs steel, and at what point the spring tension provides protection.

I did find a video that went into some of it. Seems like a drop from 5 feet was the target and even with titanium, when you drop from bigger heights, you may still set off the primer.

No biggie. Thanks for the responses.
 
There are an awful lot of 1911's that are the series 70 design-I can name at least 5 manufacturer's off the top of my head and I own around 4 or 5 models that are the 70 type-
I have never heard of any discharges that were due to dropping them-not in my own circle anyways-
Not that it never happens-it just doesn't happen often-
 
krunchnik said:
There are an awful lot of 1911's that are the series 70 design-I can name at least 5 manufacturer's off the top of my head and I own around 4 or 5 models that are the 70 type-
I have never heard of any discharges that were due to dropping them-not in my own circle anyways-
Not that it never happens-it just doesn't happen often-
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I agree, in over the 30+ years into 1911’s and guns, I never heard of one going off if dropped, I have never seen it either, so I wouldn’t worry or think about it much, I’m also guessing it came from old worn 1911’s with old worn out springs. Enjoy your new gun
 
krunchnik said:
There are an awful lot of 1911's that are the series 70 design-I can name at least 5 manufacturer's off the top of my head and I own around 4 or 5 models that are the 70 type-
I have never heard of any discharges that were due to dropping them-not in my own circle anyways-
Not that it never happens-it just doesn't happen often-
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Is the Springfield Defender Mil Spec a series 70? I didn’t think it was, but could be wrong.

AFAIK, the Springfield line of 1911s doesn’t have any drop safety at all, beyond the lightweight and slimmer titanium firing pin with heavier spring. And sounds like that’s done the job.

Back in the day, when the military used standard milspec M1911 and M1911A1 during WW2, they had NDs which led to the orders for personnel to carry in condition 3 when not in a combat zone or guarding prisoners. But those pistols had full size steel firing pins.
 
neil0311 said:
Is the Springfield Defender Mil Spec a series 70? I didn’t think it was, but could be wrong.

AFAIK, the Springfield line of 1911s doesn’t have any drop safety at all, beyond the lightweight and slimmer titanium firing pin with heavier spring. And sounds like that’s done the job.

Back in the day, when the military used standard milspec M1911 and M1911A1 during WW2, they had NDs which led to the orders for personnel to carry in condition 3 when not in a combat zone or guarding prisoners. But those pistols had full size steel firing pins.
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It is indeed a series 70-I may be wrong but Springfield I think make's no 1911 that has a drop safety-
I own 2 Springfield EMP's in .40 S&W and neither of these have a drop safety either-
 
Yep, Springfield makes no 1911’s with any drop safety, there all series 70 with the titanium firing pin, your Defender is a series 70, like I posted earlier, I wouldn’t worry about it at all, it’s not an issue.
 
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