help on norinco thumb safety...

[vhince524]

i need help regarding my stock norinco thumb safety... when I press on it, it overshoots the off position(kind of overtravels about 1/8 of an inch)... Is this unsafe? how can I correct it? do I have to replace it? tnx

[John]

Welcome to the mysterious world of thumb safeties.

There is not much you can do about it, but change the safety. But even that, is no guarantee that the new one will be better in this respect. You see what happens is that it might be a problem of the safety (the gap between its outside part and the ledge on the inside can be cut deeper than it should) or it can be an issue of the frame (the hole being a little larger than it should).

If you have a safety around, give it a shot (possibly without the sear in place) and see if it does the same thing. That will guide you.

[vhince524]

thanks John... i have an imbel 1911 i'll try to use its safety

[kitchue]

On my Norinco, I went through three safetys before I found one that was just right. Both of the first two had the over-travel by about a 1/8th.

The third one is a used wilson combat tactical safety. Fits nice and snug and clicks into place, on safe and off, right where its supposed to.

sean

[vhince524]

I found out that the problem is the thumb safety... I tried out the safety from my Imbel in the nork and it didnt overshoot the off position... I then used the nork thumb safety in th imbel... it did the same... so the problem I think is the thumb safety... but I dont want to buy another thumb safety... is it safe if i would just use the nork thumb safety even though it overshoots the off position by 1/8 inch?

[robot1911]

If you can move it back up into position so the plunger seats in the safety detent, I'd say go ahead and use it. You could even deepen the detent cavity so the plunger would exert a bit more holding pressure.

Bob

[Farnorth]

I'm not a 1911 mechanic and I know asking a question doesn't answer one, but if the thumb safety goes past where it should lock up, isn't there a space between the sear and the thumb safety ledge? If so, then wouldn't the sear be allowed to "float", so to say? What I mean is that the sear wouldn't be held captive by the thumb safety even though the safety is in the "safe" position. Just my thoughts, Greg

[John]

As long as the thumb safety doesn't bind, with the plunger going over it, you may use it. But why? A thumb safety is not an expensive part and anyone can fit one in about 30 minutes max.

[robot1911]

I'm not a 1911 mechanic and I know asking a question doesn't answer one, but if the thumb safety goes past where it should lock up, isn't there a space between the sear and the thumb safety ledge? If so, then wouldn't the sear be allowed to "float", so to say? What I mean is that the sear wouldn't be held captive by the thumb safety even though the safety is in the "safe" position. Just my thoughts, Greg

You're right. The safety would not lock the sear. However, the safety lever can only go up an amount limited by the slide's notch.
I suspect you misunderstood the original poster's question.

Bob

[Farnorth]

You're right. The safety would not lock the sear. However, the safety lever can only go up an amount limited by the slide's notch.
I suspect you misunderstood the original poster's question.

Bob
I suppose "overshoots the OFF position" should have been my clue, eh :o . Sorry bout that. Greg

[vhince524]

As long as the thumb safety doesn't bind, with the plunger going over it, you may use it. But why? A thumb safety is not an expensive part and anyone can fit one in about 30 minutes max.

right here in our neck of the woods, yes it is expensive about around $70-75 for quality parts like ed brown, wilson, sti... and from what I heard of, the nork's steel is way better than any other big name custom parts.....

[John]

I do not know what you want to make out of that Nork, but a standard Colt safety should work fine. Of course, Wilson or Brown they are more expensive.

[Ric4509]

I found out that the problem is the thumb safety... I tried out the safety from my Imbel in the nork and it didnt overshoot the off position... I then used the nork thumb safety in th imbel... it did the same... so the problem I think is the thumb safety... but I dont want to buy another thumb safety... is it safe if i would just use the nork thumb safety even though it overshoots the off position by 1/8 inch?

That shouldn't be a problem.

[vhince524]

I do not know what you want to make out of that Nork, but a standard Colt safety should work fine. Of course, Wilson or Brown they are more expensive.

A colt thumb safety would be wonderful... but hard to find. Colts down here is like gold...AFAIK, no one would want to alter a stock colt 1911. :nono:

[kitchue]

Do I dare say…ebay. Just be careful and read the posts carefully. Stay away from Wilson style posts.

I've had ok luck with ebay. Just purchased nice fitting Stainless hex screws for my norinco. It was a shot in the dark if they would work, but for less than $10 including shipping, couldn't complain.