How hard is it to fit a new thumb safety on a 1911?
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Do you feel that you can strip the gun down enough to take out the safety & put it back in ? If so, then you can put another safety in.
There are numerous books, articles etc on how to take the 1911 apart & put it back together. There are also some really good videos on utube.
A few years ago, I took mine apart down to the frame. I put in a new sear, trigger, hammer , slide safety & a beavertail.
I am an accountant not a gunsmith & it is still working fine.
There are numerous books, articles etc on how to take the 1911 apart & put it back together. There are also some really good videos on utube.
A few years ago, I took mine apart down to the frame. I put in a new sear, trigger, hammer , slide safety & a beavertail.
I am an accountant not a gunsmith & it is still working fine.
There are somewhat-good to very good videos on Youtube, as mentioned above, search for '1911 dis/assembly" or so. I'm not a gunsmith either and was able to take mine apart with double-sided safety (also, mine is Series 80...), and after lotsa reading and videos, polished particular surfaces on sear, disconnector, hammer and trigger. Also replaced recoil spring from factory 20# to 14# for light handloads., works way better than brand new 
Thinking of going with 12# recoil and lighter main spring now... If you are to get new recoil spring, go with Wolff VARIABLE!!
Thinking of going with 12# recoil and lighter main spring now... If you are to get new recoil spring, go with Wolff VARIABLE!!
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Why on earth would you read a disassembly manual in this day and age?
Watch the videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEBrkF0sMgI
Watch the videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEBrkF0sMgI
oh assembly/disassembly is no big deal
I was inquiring on the fitting itself, how much job does a new unit needs to adabt to the gun. Every safety description I checked had a note: gunsmithing needed, or minor fitting, or minor gunsmithing etc.
It's an ambi safety by the way
I was inquiring on the fitting itself, how much job does a new unit needs to adabt to the gun. Every safety description I checked had a note: gunsmithing needed, or minor fitting, or minor gunsmithing etc.
It's an ambi safety by the way
Being ambi doesn't make a difference. If you're fitting a virgin safety, it does take a good deal of understanding where, how and how much to file the stud so it works correctly and safely. There's a lot of assembling and disassembling being sure you don't cut too much metal off. Not to mention the need for an appropriate file. Don't forget you're messing with the fire control components of the gun.
Not just a matter of swapping parts that's for sure. The two Kuhnhousen books are a good start. The video tells you bupkiss about cutting safeties.
Not just a matter of swapping parts that's for sure. The two Kuhnhousen books are a good start. The video tells you bupkiss about cutting safeties.
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After taking your existing safety out you can compare it with the new one. You will have a rough idea what must be done. But it doesn't mean that you have to copy the old one.
Before you start read again what EASY said. Otherwise you will need another new safety and a box of facial tissue to wipe off your tears.
Kazimier
Before you start read again what EASY said. Otherwise you will need another new safety and a box of facial tissue to wipe off your tears.
Kazimieroh well
tears there will be, let's avoid this, I'll go directly to my gunsmith
I'm new with the 1911 platform, and my 1911 had an ARMco treatment, anything I should avoid touching? (trigger job, beaver tail pinned and that's just about what I'm aware of)
tears there will be, let's avoid this, I'll go directly to my gunsmith
I'm new with the 1911 platform, and my 1911 had an ARMco treatment, anything I should avoid touching? (trigger job, beaver tail pinned and that's just about what I'm aware of)
fitting a new thumb safety is not difficult at all as long as you know how it works and where to file. assemble your gun minus the grip safety and work the existing safety to see where it contacts the sear to block it from moving. the 1911 safety works by blocking the sear from moving and dropping the hammer. the sear should not move at all when the safety is engaged
the new safety might not go into place until you remove enough material to clear the sear. watch how much you take off!!! if you remove too much material and the sear can move when you pull the trigger with the safety engaged then you've taken too much off and have to get the safety rewelded or replaced and start over.
if you pull the trigger with the safety on and then pull back on the hammer and hear a small click then your safety is not locking the sear and preventing it from dropping the hammer. the click is the sear resetting itself when you pull back the hammer
if your gun is not 100% safe then do not shoot it until you have a properly installed safety. if you change any parts of your gun such as the hammer, trigger, safety....they have to be fitted to each other. 1911 parts are not "drop in". you can't just swap a new hammer or safety or do a trigger job and expect everything to work. every time you make any changes to your gun then you have to test all the safeties on your gun again.....the thumb safety, grip safety, disconnector, half ####
if your hammer drops to half #### when you move your safety off then your safety is not working at all and is dangerous
best to read up and look at pictures of what area needs to be filed before doing anything but you can't really understand anything until you see where it contacts the sear and blocks it. only take a few thousands of an inch at a time and check to see if it clears the sear. when it clears the sear but is stiff and binding you are really close to making it perfect or ruining your safety by removing a bit too much
the new safety might not go into place until you remove enough material to clear the sear. watch how much you take off!!! if you remove too much material and the sear can move when you pull the trigger with the safety engaged then you've taken too much off and have to get the safety rewelded or replaced and start over.
if you pull the trigger with the safety on and then pull back on the hammer and hear a small click then your safety is not locking the sear and preventing it from dropping the hammer. the click is the sear resetting itself when you pull back the hammer
if your gun is not 100% safe then do not shoot it until you have a properly installed safety. if you change any parts of your gun such as the hammer, trigger, safety....they have to be fitted to each other. 1911 parts are not "drop in". you can't just swap a new hammer or safety or do a trigger job and expect everything to work. every time you make any changes to your gun then you have to test all the safeties on your gun again.....the thumb safety, grip safety, disconnector, half ####
if your hammer drops to half #### when you move your safety off then your safety is not working at all and is dangerous
best to read up and look at pictures of what area needs to be filed before doing anything but you can't really understand anything until you see where it contacts the sear and blocks it. only take a few thousands of an inch at a time and check to see if it clears the sear. when it clears the sear but is stiff and binding you are really close to making it perfect or ruining your safety by removing a bit too much
Actually, ambi gets removed when the safety is roughly half way between top and bottom positions where you pull on either both or just ejection port side one first. It may and most likely will make a difference compared to single-side safety.
