BROWNELLS - Bob Marvel 1911 Auto Sear & Hammer Jig

I bought the 1911 trigger ,hammer & sear kit and this jig comes in the kit I've been reading the reviews for years on this tool recently I just read the 5 star reviews good move on my part. I sat down with the tool and directions and did as instructed and followed all the diagrams and in about 15 or 20 minutes I could set up the jig step by step without the directions. Haven't worked on any parts yet and will deal with the sear pin if and when I have a problem some reviews said there was no warning about the sear pin coming out but it is mentioned in the directions. I'm not a rocket scientist just don't get overwhelmed go step by step and look at each part it will come together can't wait to use it.

The first time around youll need to read the instructions look at the jig and probably read the instructions again. It does get easier after the first trigger job. The design is simple & elegant, one of those things that makes you wonder why didnt I think of this. Before using the jig I took the Brownells hammer squaring file and got rid of the big tool marks, roughness, etc. This saves a lot of wear on the stones and on the jig. I purchased the three stones that are recommended and they work very well. Place the hammer in the jig and true up and polish the hammer hooks with the stones. The hooks end up dead square at 90, something Ive always struggled with before. Then set up the sear and cut the primary and secondary angles. The first trigger I did came out with a 4 pound weight. I was able to easily go back to the jig and do a little more work on the hammer hooks and the sear face & that dropped the weight to just under 3 pounds. I am thrilled to have this jig in my tool kit and feel it will save me enough time to easily pay for itself after two trigger jobs.

I do have to say when I first used this I said some choice words at it. The sear stud did pull out on me and would not tighten so I took it out and used super glue on it and the staked the back of it three times and that solved the problem. After that I went ahead and started to stone the sear, it went fast and easy. I am very happy I purchased this I just wish they would of fixed the sear stud at the factory they even mention the problem in the instructions. Take your time fix the sear stud and read the instructions and I think you will be happy with this jig.

In a previous post, I suggested using two nuts to secure the sear and keep from pulling out the sear pin. Since then, I have developed a simple bullet-proof fix for the pin. First, thread on a 4-40 nut flush with the top of the pin. Then, tap the nut to start the pin moving out the rear of the sear holder. Once started, the pin comes out easily. Use a small punch to push out the pin once it is flush with the top of the sear holder. Then, countersink the pin hole on the back of the sear holder. Push a flat head 4-40 X 1" machine screw in from the back of the sear holder, checking to ensure that the screw head does not protrude from the rear of the sear holder. You can sand, stone or file the screw head if necessary to get it flush with the back of the sear holder. Remove the screw and degrease the screw and sear holder. Put a drop of Locktite 680 into the hole from the countersunk end. Push the machine screw in all the way and twist it until the locktite grabs it. Put a spacer of some kind (I just used an old sear) on the screw post and tighten it down lightly with a 4-40 nut. After 24 hours, remove the spacer and your sear fixture is ready to use. You can substitute your favorite glue or epoxy for the Locktite. It only needs to be strong enough to hold the screw until you get the nut started. An even simpler fix is to knock out the existing pin, degrease and Locktite 680 the original pin back into the hole. This method will work OK, but if you use the flat head screw fix you cannot pull out the pin!

The problem people are having with the sear pin pulling out is easily solved. The trick is to use two (2) nuts to hold the sear in place. I place one nut on the threaded pin and snug it down firmly on the sear using a drive socket held in my fingers. Then I place a second nut on the threaded pin and snug it down, locking the first nut and keeping it from coming loose. I have been using this fixture in this manner for two years and have stoned hundreds of sears without experiencing any problems. I really like this fixture for hammer prep. I have found no other jig that will produce 90 degree stoned hammer hooks. One warning: do not cut the sear relief angle until you have the sear face properly stoned. If you try to set the sear angle using the hammer and the sear has a relieved face, the sear face cut will be at the wrong angle!!