[shootin-blanks]

I pin all my personal guns. Years of IPSC shooting with thumb riding on the high thumb safety and a very high grip actually causes me to push up on the grip safety not in, which is the opposite direction needed to deactivate it. In all my travels around the country competing don’t believe I ever saw a upper level competitor with a grip safety that wasn’t deactivated in some way.

+1, I've pinned all mine..and slides with non-beveled edges cut me up.. "high-grip"

 

[wrmiller]

I pin all my personal guns. Years of IPSC shooting with thumb riding on the high thumb safety and a very high grip actually causes me to push up on the grip safety not in, which is the opposite direction needed to deactivate it. In all my travels around the country competing don’t believe I ever saw a upper level competitor with a grip safety that wasn’t deactivated in some way.

So much this... ^^^

In my early competition days I just lopped off the arm of the GS with my dremmel and let the thing flop around. Then Bob (mentor) showed me how to pin them. As an experiment, I had Bob pin one extended, ground the crap out of it and then took a old 1911 hammer and completely cut the back of it off, making what I called a 'slapper'. I wouldn't do that to a carry pistol though.

 

[blprnt]

Was trying to figure out how to pin my GS in my double stack 1911 and a friend sent me this thread.

I used the shock buff method and worked perfect.

 

[wrmiller]

If you're looking for a temporary/non-permanent solution, that is a good way to go.

 

[ferretray]

How thick is a shok buff?

 

[philk]

How thick is a shok buff?

Wilson’s are .103 thick that I measured.

 

[philk]

Used to be able to buy these years ago.

 

[ferretray]

Thanks all. I have a plan now.

 

[cmertens289]

Looks good. I can understand pinning on a competition gun but not on a carry weapon. The Ranger pistol I posted above was pinned for a reason. As one of the members noted in an earlier post, the trigger guard treatment worked as a trigger funnel.

Personally even if this is a rare instance.. I can understand pinning a carry gun. There might be a time you are wrestling your attacker or for some reason be in an awkward position where you can’t get a proper grip on your fire arm and the gun would be useless unless the grip is pinned. As long as one practices gun safety and treats there gun as always chambered and cocked then there 1911 will be completely safe.

 

[Pachesky]

There a lot of ways to do it, some neater than others.

I like the "shock buff on top of the MSH" method. You can cut down a shock buffer to place atop the MSH and wedge the grip safety in the disengaged position.


I have also seen a hole drilled in the top of the MSH with a pin inserted to accomplish the same thing.

You can also drill and tap the bottom flange of the grip safety for a set screw to do the job. The screw should protrude rearward enough to keep the grip safety pressed in.

These are all invisible from the gun's exterior, BTW.

The ugliest way I've seen is to simply drill hole through the side of the frame for a pin to hold the GS in.

I was about to drill and tap my magwell last night before seeing this... I assumed that bright ass blue plastic would have to stick out like a sore thumb on my all matte handle, but I gotta give you props! It takes a bit of "carving" but the end result is fantastic. No drilling and It's functional without the hint of grip safety wiggle and if done properly not a bit of blue is showing even upon close inspection. Nice life hack here

 

[Magnumite]

I have the grip safety not disengaging consistently without a perfect grip as you all..except because my hand is a bit small for riding the thumb safety. The whole rear of my pistols are configured for me. It happens to work for other big paw challenged folls also…

I keep all my grip safeties functional, even my competitive 1911’s. I don’t shoot open class. Just a preference. In addition to everything else I relieve the gs and housing tangs to allow the gs to move outward more…then adjust the disengagement on the shallow side.

1911’s…gotta love ‘em.

 

[Lo-Profile]

I cheap out on mine.
Remove the grips, two layers of electrical tape pulled tight around the frame and grip safety.
Replace the grips.

 

[Uncle Bob]

deactivate it by filing the trigger bow blocking tab so it won't block it, when the GS is depressed.

or tap and screw in a set screw to the back of the MSH so it will put constant pressure to to the bottom of the GS, thus continuing to push it in.

Roll pins were the classic way of doing it.

 

[Magnum P.I.]

This is how I would do it. I assume your grip safety is working. I would not modify the Grip safety or the frame by pinning it. I would buy a new trigger and modify the back of the bow to make the Grip safety not work. This way you can simply change out the trigger to get the blaster back to all safeties working. Plus if you pin the safety it may look funny as many custom smiths fit the grip safety in both the engaged and dis engaged position and if it is always in the disengaged position it may not look right. Anyway just a different way to get what you are after. Good luck.

 

[Magnumite]

This is how I would do it. I assume your grip safety is working. I would not modify the Grip safety or the frame by pinning it. I would buy a new trigger and modify the back of the bow to make the Grip safety not work. This way you can simply change out the trigger to get the blaster back to all safeties working. Plus if you pin the safety it may look funny as many custom smiths fit the grip safety in both the engaged and dis engaged position and if it is always in the disengaged position it may not look right. Anyway just a different way to get what you are after. Good luck.

If you know you will be pinning the grip safety just blend the upper part of the beavertail in the lower registered position (grip safety pushed in). Yes, lower registered is a thing…

 

[Yeti]

Tune the grip safety as desired and you shouldn't have an issues. You can typically leave this safety function intact.
This is what I would try (in progression) before disabling.

• Reduce the tension of the right leg on the leaf spring (viewing from back of pistol) by bending near the start of the leg.
• Fit a speed bump grip safety.
• Remove the grip safety, put it in your vice upside down and take one fine file stroke (only) off the bottom, see photo.

Re-install and test after each. It does NOT take much to turn a perfectly good grip safety to trash. Easy does it.

If you still feel you need to disable it after all this. Consider the 1/2 shock buff mod, or pin it.
If you decide to pin, remove the hammer with strut and mark where you need to pin. You want the grip safety depressed fully without wobbling. Drill a 1/16" hole in the top of the MSH where you marked it. An ejector roll pin works nicely.

 

[billy k]

Well I was going to say "why bother when a properly fitted grip safety like I put in my 1911s works 100% reliably and does not need a bump pad or other stupidity to make it work?" Then I saw the problem. I said "properly fitted". But I guess you blew my answer out of the water, "Doin' this for ME! NOT you!" May God bless.

Part of “properly fitted” involves the right leaf spring on the sear spring that controls the pressure required to depress the grip safety. On most of my 1911’s the required pressure is moderate, but on a recent Dan Wesson Classic Commander that leaf spring required considerably more grip force to consistently depress the grip safety. There is enough room on the top of the mainspring housing to drill and insert a 1/16 inch pin, but there is not enough room on the bottom of this pistol’s grip safety to drill the appropriate hole to receive such a pin. For me, the most satisfactory answer was to simply reduce the pressure of the controlling leaf spring by very slightly bending it down with my Leatherman needle-nose pliers. Worked like a charm. The grip safety remains 100% functional because it isn’t pinned down or jammed down by a cut-down shok buff, yet is now much easier to depress. The grip safety is now “properly fitted”, because an extra strong grip on this pistol is no longer required.

 

[billy k]

Part of “properly fitted” involves the right leaf spring on the sear spring that controls the pressure required to depress the grip safety. On most of my 1911’s the required pressure is moderate, but on a recent Dan Wesson Classic Commander that leaf spring required considerably more grip force to consistently depress the grip safety. There is enough room on the top of the mainspring housing to drill and insert a 1/16 inch pin, but there is not enough room on the bottom of this pistol’s grip safety to drill the appropriate hole to receive such a pin. For me, the most satisfactory answer was to simply reduce the pressure of the controlling leaf spring by very slightly bending it down with my Leatherman needle-nose pliers. Worked like a charm. The grip safety remains 100% functional because it isn’t pinned down or jammed down by a cut-down shok buff, yet is now much easier to depress. The grip safety is now “properly fitted”, because an extra strong grip on this pistol is no longer required.

 

[Uncle Bob]

deactivate it by filing the trigger bow blocking tab so it won't block it, when the GS is depressed.

or tap and screw in a set screw to the back of the MSH so it will put constant pressure to to the bottom of the GS, thus continuing to push it in.

Most of our GS were pinned for IPSC with a roll pin. Far easier than a set screw

 

[Gary1911]

There a lot of ways to do it, some neater than others.

I like the "shock buff on top of the MSH" method. You can cut down a shock buffer to place atop the MSH and wedge the grip safety in the disengaged position.


I have also seen a hole drilled in the top of the MSH with a pin inserted to accomplish the same thing.

You can also drill and tap the bottom flange of the grip safety for a set screw to do the job. The screw should protrude rearward enough to keep the grip safety pressed in.

These are all invisible from the gun's exterior, BTW.

The ugliest way I've seen is to simply drill hole through the side of the frame for a pin to hold the GS in.

That really interest me and I think I'm going to try it. Has anybody had any long term experience with using the buff?