Drop Test Results

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How I Performed The Tests

From page 12 of the P-11 manual:

"The Velocities necessary to fire a cartridge with the low mass hammer/firing system are so high that they cannot even be approached by the slide's action or an accidental fall."

not so sure I totally agree with that....

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that the P-11 is unsafe or anything, hell I'm sure it will pass the "police" drop test on the rubber matt from one meter in stock form. I am not terribly afraid of it actually happening or anything, just trying to be more aware of the properties of my pistol. Also if one knows it will drop fire at a certain distance and knows they can make that distance longer without compromising reliability, why not?? I mean it might not help, but putting my seat belt on might not help either but I do it anyway.....

I'm not trying to spur a big KT is unsafe controversy, just showing some facts that I, and I assume others, were not aware of and possibly showing some improvements. I also add the tests on my own 1911 to put the results into perspective.

Codes for Condition Tested Abbreviations:
(W) Wolff 5% Extra power Firing Pin Spring
(SFPS) Stock Firing Pin Spring
(7FPS) Stock Firing Pin Spring shortened by 7 coils
(SHSP) Stock Hammer Spring Pin
(VHSP) Hammer Spring Pin with a .075 inch V in it
(to lighten the trigger pull)
(NH) No Hammer or hammer spring installed
(NHSP) No Hammer Spring Pin
NF No Fire
F Fire


Abbreviated Results:

For P-11 using Winchester white box
Condition NF Height F Height
Firing pin Spring Hammer Spring
7 Cliped Stock Wolf No Hammer No Pin V Pin Stock Pin
X         X   2 3
  X         X 3 4
  X       X   4 5
X           X 4 5
    X       X 5 6
    X     X   5 6
    X   X     5 6
X     X       8 ?


Detailed Results:

Gun Used Ammo Used Condition as tested Height
(FT)		 F/NF Pic
P-11

 Winchester White box (115 FMJ) Smoothed FP and FP spring, (7FPS), (VHSP)

All cases next to each other:
click to enlarge
2 NF
3 F
4 F
5 F
6 F
(SFPS), (SHSP). The only thing different than a new one would be that my FP, and FP set screw head are smoothed a little.

All cases next to each other:

click to enlarge
3 NF
4 F
5 F
(SFPS), (VHSP)

All cases next to each other:
click to enlarge
3 NF
4 NF
5 F
(7FPS), (SHSP) Now the only thing not stock is the FP spring with 7 coils clipped off.

All cases next to each other:
click to enlarge
3 NF
3 NF
4 NF
4 NF
5 F
(W), (SHSP) Now the only thing not stock is the Wolff FP spring.

All cases next to each other:

click to enlarge
5 NF
6 F
(W), (VHSP)

All cases next to each other:
click to enlarge
5 NF
6 F
(W), (NHSP) The hammer was pushed forward to be resting on the FP before each drop, but because no Hammer spring pin was installed, there was no pressure holding the hammer forward other than gravity.

All cases next to each other:
click to enlarge
3 NF No Mark
4 NF
5 NF
6 F
(7FPS), (NH) 7 NF No Mark
8 NF
P-32

UMC 71gr FMJ (SFPS), (SHSP). I bought it new, and have not modified the FP, FP spring, hammer, or hammer spring (other than to smooth contact areas). 9 NF No Mark
10
(5 times)		 NF
Pulled Trigger F
P-3AT

Winchester WinClean 95gr FMJ I shortened the FP spring by 6 coils, and the trigger, fp, fp set screw and fp channel have been smoothed. 9 NF
No FP spring installed, only the FP and set screw. 9 NF
Pulled Trigger F
origonal FP spring installed (all stock configuration) Pulled Trigger F
Colt Cal .45 MOD 1927 (1911)

 UMC 230gr FMJ I bought it well used, but have no reason to believe the FP or FP spring has been modified

All cases next to each other:
click to enlarge
1 NF
2 F
3 F
4 F
6 F
Winchester primers in used cases I replaced the FP and FP spring with Ed Brown Parts. Firing pin spring part #908 or part #087-000-019
Firing Pin part #824 or part #087-205-824

these parts significantly reduced my 1911's tendency to drop fire.

All cases next to each other:
click to enlarge
3 NF
4 NF
5 NF


The Wolff FP spring (that you get with the extra power recoil springs for the P-11) is shorter than a stock FP spring. That is with both springs being new, and never even installed yet. The stock spring measures 1.970 inches, and the Wolff one 1.795 inches (both at rest). One coil has a diamater of .025 inches on both, and both have 40 coils, so the fully compressed spring length should be the same. Also wolf reported that the FP spring they offer is 5% extra strength.