Weird thumb safety problem

[AnthonyRSS]

I am rebuilding a Norinco and when I put the STI thumb safety in with the beavertail installed the grip safety will not compress. A factory Colt thumb safety I have does the same thing. The safety that came on the gun is one of those big Wilson ones but it didn't hold the sear, but the grip safety worked fine. This is without any other parts on the gun. The thumb safety will go in the holes on the frame fine, and it will go into the grip safety fine, but when together it takes some workin to get the pin through and then the grip safety won't move. Any insights as to how to fix this?
Thanks
Anthony

[stumbler]

My shot would be that the frame could be a little thicker than the clearance allowed between lever and the part that stops sear movement. With no parts (and plunger tube spring assy removed) will the safety go into the frame and move correctly?

[gottripletsNC]

Stumbler is definitely the one to listen to, not me, but I had that problem when i was replacing the stock grip safety with a beavertail. I hadn't removed quite enough from the tangs, and when I placed the thumb safety in it would pull the BT tight enough that it would bind on the tangs and was not able to rotate correctly on the pin around the tangs. It was also easy to fit the pin through either hole seperately, but when installed it was a tight fit to put in the tang and safety as you describe. Took off just a little more and fixed that problem.

Just one idea, but by all means don't take my word over stumbler's or the likes of tuner, or stans or those guys

[wichaka]

Sounds like something may be out of spec. The only thing the 2 have in common is the pin on the safety that the grip safety hinges on.

You mentioned that the pin going into the grip safety is a bit tough. May be that when the thumb safety pin is in the grip safety, it forces the grip safety against the frame. Which would mean the hole in the grip safety may be off, or the tang may need to be modified a bit, or the hole in the frame is off spec.

Check the clearance on the grip safety to the frame.

Take a pin punch of the same or close diameter of the thumb safety pin, and put it in the grip safety hole. See if the grip safety works. If not, the hole in the grip safety is off and is probably forcing it into the frame somewhere. If it does work, then go to the next test.

Instead of putting the thumb safety into the frame, just insert the pin of the thumb safety into the grip safety hole, and see if it works that way. Just trying to narrow things down a bit.

Norks are rock solid guns, but once in awhile, something gets off spec.

[AnthonyRSS]

The same thing happens when I just put the pin in without putting the lug in the frame. I think Gotripp may have it right. I'll mess with it tomorrow some. Thanks all