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I think I have ruined my Thumb Safety.

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604 views 27 replies 15 participants last post by  Rangen  
#1 ·
A few weeks ago I installed my First Thumb Safety. I felt elated until today when I realized I may have missed a Safety check step. I'll be brief as possible. All safety Checks pass with one exception.

Steps -
1. Check the Grip and Thumb Safety preventing the hammer from falling.
2. Drop the slide a few times checking for Hammer Follow.
3. All safeties disengaged pressing the muzzle against something hard to move the hammer to the half cock notch, Essentially a dead gun at this point.
4. Press on the hammer to see if it will slip off the Sear from Half Cock and at Fully Cocked.

All these steps passed. Good to Go? uhhh No. I wanted to tighten up the over travel of the Trigger. When doing the function checks by chance with Thumb Safety engaged. Releasing the Thumb Safety would drop the hammer to the Half Cock position. What? So, I loosened the Over Travel on the Trigger It still does this. I confirmed by reinstalling the original TS. The problem disappeared with All Function Checks appearing normal.

With the new TS All the function checks pass with the added new disengaging the Thumb Safety and Hammer Fall to Half Cock. I found i can create this by gripping the gun with TS engaged and pulling the trigger. No bang right? I hear a short click and noticed the hammer slightly moves. At this point the TS is disengaged and the hammer falls to half cock. Repeat with pulling the hammer slightly back and the problem doesn't present.

Have I taken to much material of the Thumb Safety?
Is it marginal?

I restored the original thumb safety and in research mode about this. I don't think I've missed a step but... Anyone else experience something like this? If too much material is off the TS, it will get replaced.
 
#2 ·
Tough to say without the gun in front of me but what your'e describing is textbook "too much material removed from the thumb safety lug that engages the sear"....allowing it to move from out from under the hammer hooks when you press the trigger. So the sear moves, then the hammer falls when the safety is moved to OFF, and the sear is caught by the half cock notch.
 
R
#6 ·
Thumb safety is overcut and not fully blocking sear movement. You have to sneak down on fitting a new one and not eyeball duplication. Did it drop in or did you need to fit it? If you pull the trigger and get a click the safety isn't on the sear to lock it down, weird things happen then.
 
#7 ·
It had to be fit. The click is not loud, faint sounding. While trying to figure this out, when hearing the click and seeing the hammer move. I could move the hammer back "Click" it was like it never happened. I guess that is the sear re-engaging on the hammer hooks. The Original TS looks like someone filed down half the lobe, A Les Baer Commanche. I think its marginal or right at the point of too close. It's out of there for now.
 
#12 ·
Can you weld?

Just kidding.
 
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#13 ·
Yup, wee bit too much. Early on we all messed up some parts. At least you know prior to actual use!
Put that TS into the parts box. As noted, there is a possibility it can be used elsewhere.

More likely it will just serve as a reminder to go slow and creep up on fitment. Especially on more costly parts :p
 
#16 ·
Correction to my earlier comment "same Wilson Sear" My Garrison is all Wilson BP. The LB Commanche is stock. I took @sinister advice and swapped in an Ed Brown sear and disco. No dice. I know its a joke about welding for me, Some may have that skill set. I did read about peening to correct. That sounds way above my pay grade. Then, how hard or soft do you peen? Tap Tap fit...Rinse and Repeat until it works? I know! Where's my sledge hammer? I may take some wise advise and order a Harrison set or another thumb safety.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Epiphany incoming.... So everyone is spot on about maybe a different sear/disco may save the part. The things I learn here. The earlier test with Wilson BP Sear/Disco in my Garrison placing the TS in, all function checks passed. I have Ed Brown internals in parts. I just finished? the Kimber project using Wilson parts. Last night a swap meet ensued. Removed the Wilson sear/disco from the Kimber and replaced the stock sear/disco in the Les Baer.

A Few Moments later..... All safety checks passed. A little Over travel adjust and the 4# pull remained. One down, One to go. The Wilson Fit TS in the Kimber needed some massaging for the Ed Brown Sear/Disco. An 80 grit sanding stick, 6 strokes allowed engagement for function. All Safety checks passed. Original 3.75# Trigger pull is down now to 2.5# WOW. I Had this experience on my Jacob Grey. Well some tweaking is in order before the range. I adjusted the over travel abit and like the trigger pull, however that's a bit light to me. I'll hit the range this next week for function testing on both. I'm not calling this a Save yet. My jitters and learning are still primary...See Spot run. See the Ball. See Spot Chase the Ball.

Now this is all drop in. No sear polishing or adjusting has occurred. Everything is inspected and appears under a jewlers loop there are proper surfaces. I have two functional guns with crisp clean triggers and all function checks work. I'm amazed by the 1911 design. I'm liking Ed Brown parts. Being prudent, I may run both by my Local guy to examine and tell me how dumb I am. I do not recommend my approach to anyone. With limited parts on hand, I sure got a lot of Educational moments here.

Please let me know if I am missing anything. I'm learning. These, I call them "Pittle Projects" may well be satiated for another period of time.
 
#21 ·
Sounds like you're learning from experience and actually doing the work yourself. Ive found things work differently in different guns. When fitting go slow taking very little material off and trying it out. I like to force things so this stuff is teaching me much needed patience. Get them to the range and try them out then bask in self satisfaction for a job well done!
 
#22 ·
I've been building 1911s as a hobby for some months now...it's been one of the most enjoyable, gratifying and frustrating things I've ever done. But I am getting better at it...learning something more with each build.

One of the more mystifying things I've dealt with is fitting the thumb safety. It's not so much science as it is an art. Each build is different and requires a different level of filing to fit and operate correctly. The grip safety is pretty basic and not difficult to properly fit.

I'm one of those guys that has trouble learning from reading the instructions...I have to see it demonstrated before the light bulb goes off. Most YouTube or manufacturer videos aren't much help as they don't show detail. I finally found one (from Fusion Firearms) that it wasn't just the guy standing there and telling you what he was doing while the camera didn't move. It actually zoomed in and showed what was being done to fit the thumb safety. BINGO! The light bulb went off and now I understand what gets done and how...and it's far less frustrating...just a bit time consuming.
 
#24 ·
I haven't quite figured out the Grip safety yet. I will at some point. I started watching MoisinVirus on YouTube awhile back. At first it was fascinating and my thinking... Gosh that sure is a lot of things to do. Today I go back for the subtle points he made. The small stuff almost like he forgot about it in the moment. Its been helpful.
 
#25 ·
I admit it I'm wrong about this block. I'm gonna pick one up for the future Piddles... It is good to see this explained. Its hard to follow what Hilton has forgotten. The picture with the file flat not on the angle, Is the wood shim there for the picture or used at that step to keep the file level?

The factory looks filed nearly flat. Well its obvious...due to the Baer Cote. :D
Image
 
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