[fieldgrade]

I am not a pistolsmith, but I can fit a thumb safety with a positive “on”, and “off’.

Why can’t Colt?

Only those who ride the thumb safety will care, and I am one.

 

[Greg45acp]

Both of the last 2 new Colts I purchased had/have very solid thumb safety function. Snaps on and off and no squish at the bottom when you ride the safety. These are both tear drop safeties.

I don't believe I've handled a Colt with an extended safety that didn't "bounce" at the bottom.

 

[fieldgrade]

Both of the last 2 new Colts I purchased had/have very solid thumb safety function. Snaps on and off and no squish at the bottom when you ride the safety. These are both tear drop safeties.

I don't believe I've handled a Colt with an extended safety that didn't "bounce" at the bottom.

I owned a Colt Competition, Colt Combat Unit, and recently handled a Colt Competition Plus. The fit of the thumb safeties was abysmal.

 

[gun_fan111]

I think I remember reading before that Colt cuts their frame opening too “deep”, meaning low on the bottom. Sounds plausible to me.

 

[Howe45acp]

Yea the mushy Colt thumb safety issue has been going on for years. I’m with @fieldgrade, I ride the safety too and it irritates the pi$$ out of me lol. I’ve been using Harrison TS’s for a few years now I really like them. The Novak thumb safety feels good to me too. So far, those are the only 2 besides the Colt Tear drop TS, that fits my thumb almost perfectly.

 

[B81]

I handled a Colt Competition at my LGS last week. I walked in with the intention of buying, but ended up walking out empty handed because of squishy thumb safety. I also was less than impressed with the undercut trigger guard; it just didn't fit my hand the way I had hoped.

I really wanted to like the Colt Competition, but it just wasn't for me.

 

[hatchettg]

Some are too mushy, and some are difficult to move in either direction. I think Colt is shooting itself in the foot by letting guns leave the factory with these defects. I wonder how many more potential 1911 buyers Colt loses because of this issue.

In addition to incomplete fitting, I think part of the blame goes to the rough cast safeties Colt uses. I have noticed that MIM thumb safeties, as found on SAs and Kimbers, are much more positive with barely any overtravel.

If Colt wants to continue to use inexpensive thumb safeties, a quality MIM part may offer more consistency and precision than poorly finished cast ones.

 

[Howe45acp]

I’ve seen a few Kimber TS’s that were mushy. I had a CDP Utra ii that was very mushy and would flex if I rode it hard, I was afraid that it was going to break so I swapped it for a Novak. I don’t have near the experience with Springfield’s or Kimber’s that I do with Colts.

 

[Scaramouche]

I happen to know where an unsold brand new Colt Wiley Clapp Government is sitting right now with a very positive and audible thumb safety. I have been patiently waiting for it to sell so I dont buy it.

 

[Colorado Sonny]

I happen to know where an unsold brand new Colt Wiley Clapp Government is sitting right now with a very positive and audible thumb safety. I have been patiently waiting for it to sell so I dont buy it.

TESTIFY BROTHER! REVEAL TO US THIS DEEP SIN YOU HAVE BEEN HIDING AND FREE YOURSELF FROM THIS BURDEN OF SIN & GUILT!
:greedy::roflmaro::cigar:

 

[jfrey]

Several years back I sent my Commander to the custom shop when Brent was still there and one of the things I wanted corrected was the mushy thumb safety. He told me then that he had been complaining to Colt for 3 years about the safety issue and they had never taken the opportunity to fix it. My Combat Elite has the same issue but I never sent it in to be corrected. He replaced the safety on my Commander with a Novak safety but it is still mushy with over travel when it is in the "off" position. I guess they just don't care enough about their customers and the issue to correct it since they are still selling guns like it is.

 

[Greg45acp]

I think I remember reading before that Colt cuts their frame opening too “deep”, meaning low on the bottom. Sounds plausible to me.

It isn’t the cuts in the frame. Switching the Colt safety out for an aftermarket brand (and fitting it) solves all the problems.

 

[Bender]

The “snick snick” comes from the corner of the thumb safety.
the more square the corner is the snappier the transition is for the plunger tube

 

[fieldgrade]

Edit: I see this is addressed three posts up.

My beef is when you’ve disengaged the safety, and the plunger snaps into place in that divot in the thumb safety, but then continuing to mash the thumb safety as to ride it for recoil control the thumb safety continues to travel further past that point into some squishy, mushy, yucky place in these recent Colts I’ve owned and handled. It might not affect the actual function of the pistol, but just feels awful.

I have fit thumb safeties from Wilson, Wilson Bulletproof (they are different), Ed Brown, and maybe some others I can’t recall, and they all had a very positive and definitive “bottom” which is usually right where the plunger snaps in place.

I just don’t understand Colt’s apparent inability to make this work. Even my dad’s early 1990’s Series 80 Government with its decidedly loose fitting has a better thumb safety “action” to it.

 

[pistolwretch]

Random recent pics from the bench.

https://www.1911addicts.com/threads/random-recent-pics-from-the-bench.18919/page-68#post-1352391

 

[Bradd_D]

I recently purchased one of the new Colt 1911 Classics and the thumb safety function was terrible. It took pressure from both thumbs to get the safety to engage. Thumb safeties and crooked lines are my two biggest peeves with Colts.

 

[Bugs]

Several years back I sent my Commander to the custom shop when Brent was still there and one of the things I wanted corrected was the mushy thumb safety. He told me then that he had been complaining to Colt for 3 years about the safety issue and they had never taken the opportunity to fix it. My Combat Elite has the same issue but I never sent it in to be corrected. He replaced the safety on my Commander with a Novak safety but it is still mushy with over travel when it is in the "off" position. I guess they just don't care enough about their customers and the issue to correct it since they are still selling guns like it is.

Ditto. I sent my Combat Elite back twice to Brent and it still sucks.

 

[Bender]

See Dubs’ explanation.....learned a few things

 

[fallenangelhim]

Mine is t squishy more than it is super stiff. Replaced the detents and springs. I think my was fitted improperly.

 

[fallenangelhim]

Mine is t squishy more than it is super stiff. Replaced the detents and springs. I think my was fitted improperly.