1911 safety hole out of spec

[Fumbler]

I have a RIA 1911 Tactical.
I plan on "cleaning it up" by removing machining marks, replacing a couple parts, doing a light melt job, and refinishing with KG Gunkote.

Issue #1: The grip safety
The grip safety is too easy to disengage for my tastes. It only takes 0.040" of movement at the bottom of the GS to disengage. I have a Chip McCormick trigger that doesn't work with the factory GS because there just isnt enough engagement surface.

The factory GS is an Ed Brown type with 0.250" radius. It has ugly gaps between the rear of the tangs and the GS.
I purchased a Wilson Combat GS with the 0.220" compound radius and intend on fitting the shorter radius to the larger tangs. After fitting it, I'd reshape it to blend with the frame and match the Ed Brown profile.

After looking at the frame, I realized the right tang's thumb safety hole is oval shapped. It is 0.179" at the widest spot. The drill bit must have wandered towards the rear and a little downward during manufacturing.

My questions about the hole:
- The oval hole bugs me. Am I worrying over something insignificant?
- If I fit the new GS to this frame, what potential problems could I run into?
- What options are there to fix the oval hole, if any?

Issue #2: The barrel bushing fit
The hole in my frame is 0.702-0.705", so an oversized bushing should be a drop in part. BUT, the rear of the bushing's "plate" sits 0.015" off of the front of the slide.
Either the barrel bushing retaining lug groove in the slide is too far forward or the barrel bushing's retaining lug is too far rearward.

The question:
Do oversized barrel bushings have enough meat on the forward surface of the retaining lug to remedy this gap?

[dogmush]

Have you considered sending it back? These isues are not normal for a RIA, so you might avail yourself of the warrenty.

On your questions:

1. Oval hole would worry me, just because I don't want any movement possable between the safety and sear, and if the safety wobbles, it could leave a gap. Fixing would probably involve welding and redrilling, and that would mess with the heattreating of the frame.

Dunno about the bushing. Sorry.

FWIW I'd send it back. None of my Rocks had issues like that.

[Greg Derr]

The issues with RIA being out of spec are common. You will find the fixes can get expensive compared to the cost of SA Mil Spec. Many smith , me included will not work on them. Greg

[Fumbler]

Have you considered sending it back? These isues are not normal for a RIA, so you might avail yourself of the warrenty.

On your questions:

1. Oval hole would worry me, just because I don't want any movement possable between the safety and sear, and if the safety wobbles, it could leave a gap. Fixing would probably involve welding and redrilling, and that would mess with the heattreating of the frame.

Dunno about the bushing. Sorry.

FWIW I'd send it back. None of my Rocks had issues like that.
Well...here's the rub. The gun works fine as is.
I've emailed Ray about getting a replacement and he hasn't replied.
Since the gun works as is I don't think I have any hard justification for a replacement, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
The oval hole doesn't worry me from a thumb safety standpoint. There is no movement of the left side of the thumb safety because that hole is correct. That's also the side that matters in safety function.

What kind of fit issues do you think I could run into? Do you think I could get a functional and seamless joint between the new GS and frame without doing anything to the oval hole?

Maybe I'll give Ray a call and ask nicely.

The issues with RIA being out of spec are common. You will find the fixes can get expensive compared to the cost of SA Mil Spec. Many smith , me included will not work on them. Greg
That didn't answer any of my questions.

[dogmush]

While I understand that it shoots, If the frame is out of spec it's out. RIA should, (and I'll bet will) fix it or give you a new one. That way you won't have to worry about these issues.