Smallest 1911 safety?

[TerryD]

I have a Kimber Ultra Carry (first version) that I am really getig tired of. The safety is just annoying. I guess I could try a holster with some kind of guard on it, but would like to try something a little cheaper first, and safeties seem pretty cheap.

Anyone know who makes a super tiny safety?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[JD]

Define super tiny? You could just get a standard thumb safety without the elongated lever.

Wilson Combat Factory Plus replacement parts come to mind as a supplier, or just to to Brownells and surf through thier parts.

The old GI safeties come to mind, but those were a little too small IMHO, you might want to check out the thumb safety on the Kimber AEGIS and see if that style safety would float your boat.

[TerryD]

I am talking tiny, like a little nubby...as big as a push pin mabye.

I guess I could dremel the safety down, until it gets small enough for me, and if I screw it up then get a new safety.

Now just gotta figure out how to get the thing off.

[arawn]

Terry,

What exactly is the problem with the safety?

Is it protruding too far while holstered?
Is it ambi, when you don't need that feature?
Are you accidentally swiping the safety off?

As JD mentioned the original GI safety was tiny, a tag jutting out from the safety plate.

Although my Kimber has an slim/extended ambi safety, my favorite 1911 safety would be a non-extended ambi, like the MUESCHKE, although I've gotten mixed feedback on that particular safety from gunsmiths and users.

B.

[pogo2]

Anyone know who makes a super tiny (1911) safety?

The traditional Colt thumb safety, which fits on the left side of a 1911 with a very small protruding lever, is the smallest I have seen:

[SOLOLUCKY]

I'd say try and do it yourself (dremel) cuz if/when you replace it you may not get exactly what you want..and you are gonna hafta learn how to take it apart to replace it anyway, if you end up going that route, so what have you really got to lose?
You can always polish or reblue/black it after you shape it as desired.

Yeah, the above pic shows a standard GI safety which for my Springer is about as small as I could go due to leverage issues on the detent.

[arawn]

This is the kind JD's talking about.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=120132890926
(not my auction, just a reference)



B.

[JD]

This is the kind JD's talking about.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=120132890926
(not my auction, just a reference)



B.

Yep, that's the style, but I wouldn't buy from that particular seller, but that's topic for another thread.

[limatunes]

I'd say try and do it yourself (dremel) cuz if/when you replace it you may not get exactly what you want..and you are gonna hafta learn how to take it apart to replace it anyway, if you end up going that route, so what have you really got to lose?
You can always polish or reblue/black it after you shape it as desired.

Yeah, the above pic shows a standard GI safety which for my Springer is about as small as I could go due to leverage issues on the detent.

Actually, I'd recommend taking it to a gun smith to get the new safety fitted if he decides to buy a new safety. There is some precision work I would not be comfortable doing at home, by myself. But if he's just dremelling the outside of an old safety, go for it.

It's very easy to take out a standard thumb safety, not quite as easy to put it back in however. Field strip the gun (to be safer), cock the hammer (it should already be cocked from stripping the gun, but just in case), thumb the safety up (or on, however you like to think of it) and start to carefully wiggle the safety loose.

Ambi safeties are a little more difficult to get out though.

However, a word to the wise, when you take a thumb safety on a 1911 out, your grip safety becomes loose. It won't fall out unless you take off the main-spring-housing, but believe me, unless you know what you're doing you DO NOT want to take that off (the entire guts of your gun will start to fall out onto your kitchen table (or wherever you do your work)).

Also, watch your plunger spring, it may shoot right out of the plunger tube when you take the safety off and then you are going to have one heck of a time trying to find them.

Your grip safety and your plunger spring will be flopping around without the thumb safety in there, and when it comes time to put the thumb safety back you have to make sure you line it up nicely with the hole in the grip safety and that you have a VERY small tool which which to push back the plunger spring so that your thumb safety can slide back home.

My only other question is if you want the thumb safety to be smaller, are you sure you are going to be able to disengage it as quickly and effectively in time of need?

I just traded my thumb safety for a bigger one because I wasn't hitting it as fast as I would like, I'd be loath to get a smaller one. Either way, good luck with it.

[Ping Ping]

Take it to a smith and have it cut down to your taste.
Thumb safties are not "drop-in" parts, espcially ambis.
Regardless, I dont like the idea of carrying a 1911 without a "body shield" between me and the safety.

[QKShooter]

An old style 1911 Thumb Safety?
I actually prefer that style safety.
Yep, you sure can do that modification yourself with a Dremel.
If you take your time & then carefully finish it up with 3M Wet or Dry paper you can make a beautiful job of it too.
Then Cold Blue it when you're all finished.

[maclean3]

Ooops, my bad! The thumb safety pin does indeed hold the grip safety in place. The thumb safety pin is used to remove the hammer pin and the hammer strut is used to remove the MSH. Been a while since I detail stripped the ol' girl and had my pins confused - sorry about that.

I agree about having a new thumb safety installed by an actual 'smith though, that's something that needs to be fitted correctly.
Jack

[Redneck Repairs]

Actually IMHO the standard colt safety is the most comfortable for ccw , both the nubbin and the extended ( except possibly the swenson extended pattern ) tend to jab more than the smooth conture of the original .

[ICTsnub]

I am talking tiny, like a little nubby...as big as a push pin mabye.

I guess I could dremel the safety down, until it gets small enough for me, and if I screw it up then get a new safety.

Now just gotta figure out how to get the thing off.

I ground down the right handed side of my ambi since it is my off side. Take the safety out, one slip can be an expensive mistake. Mine was stainless, just used 180 grit 3" sander on a die grinder. Go slow so you don't discolor from heat. When I got the shape I wanted, I finished with Scotchbrite, then 6000 (yes, thousand) grit, and it looks almost like nickle.

Here's a good 1911 disasembly http://www.marstar.ca/AssemblyColt1911.htm

[TerryD]

I ground down the right handed side of my ambi since it is my off side. Take the safety out, one slip can be an expensive mistake. Mine was stainless, just used 180 grit 3" sander on a die grinder. Go slow so you don't discolor from heat. When I got the shape I wanted, I finished with Scotchbrite, then 6000 (yes, thousand) grit, and it looks almost like nickle.

Here's a good 1911 disasembly http://www.marstar.ca/AssemblyColt1911.htm

Wow I come back from doing a couple of runs and there are 2 pages of info. Thanks for your help everyone!

I went to the link above, and it just de-mystified taking my pistol apart. I figure if I have been working on mountain bike suspension, hydraulic disk brakes, build wheels, etc...for 12 years,then this couldn't be that hard.

And to answer another question, the main problem is the safety just digs into my love handles so much, I am getting sick of it.

I will try the dremel/sanding first, then get another one if I mess it up. But I just don't see that happening. I am to much of a mechanically inclined guy for that.

I will post pics when I am done.