thumb safety question

[mbuzha]

hey again guys. got another question for y'all. just got a new taurus 1911 and i've been working on it. so far i've done a poor man's trigger job and replaced the trigger with an aftermarket one, as well as tweaked the sear spring leafs a little with no apparent problems. noticed yesterday after all this that the thumb safety doesn't work. pull the trigger and the safety disengages, and the hammer falls. didnt mess with the safety at all. i will admit this could have been dysfunctional before all the work (i didn't specifically check it before i took all the guts out and started my work). can't think of why what i did would make the thumb safety not work. anybody know what the problem might be? thanks.

[log man]

The thumb safety blocks the sear, if you change the sear, hammer, or change them in any way by stoning and fitting, the relationship between the thumb safety and the sear will be changed. If you'll remove the grip safety and reassemble with out it you will be able to see how it interfaces, a new thumb will be an answer.

LOG

[1911Tuner]

The steps in the "Poor Man's Trigger Job" shouldn't have had any effect since none of the safety blocking areas are involved. This is assuming that you didn't stone the small breakaway cut at the wrong angle, and cause the sear to move further into the hammer. Even so...It wouldn't have let the sear move far enough to let the hammer fall and knock the safety into the OFF position unless you really screwed the pooch.

The safety's lug is too far from the rectangular pad on the sear when the safety is engaged. Way YONDER too far. You had the problem from the git-go. In the cases where the safety only allows a tiny amount of sear movement, the lug can be "stretched" a little to correct, though I'm hesitant to do it with any safety material other than machined barstock...and normally only do it with old or collectible guns with original safeties...strictly for the sake of having a functional gun without losing its originality. If I have a correct safety for such a gun, and it works properly...I change it.

You need a new thumb safety. The pin hole locations in the gun may preclude ordering one from the factory, because you may not see any change...or very little. The aftermarket is the logical choice. Most aftermarket thumb safeties have extra material on the lug to let you fit to an out-of-spec gun.

Meanwhile...it won't affect the function of the gun for shooting. Just don't carry it in Condition One or rely on the safety even at the range until this is resolved.

[mbuzha]

Thanks Tuner, that's what I was afraid of. Better to just spend the 50 or 60 bucks and fit it myself than wait a year to get it back from the factory. Any preferred brands for the ambi safety (I'm a lefty). Was gonna go with Brown or Wilson, but would like to save a couple bucks if possible. Thanks.

[Sniper350]

Mbuzha - Be careful with this one ....if you have the Taurus PT1911

I was told the internals are NOT standard 1911 parts ...therefore they can not be swapped out. This pistol has a safety device built into the hammer - correct ??? I was told that the way this device works called for modification of the Sear leg & the thumb safety. So many owners are finding that they just can't swap out a new standard 1911 hammer and go on their way. This might also mean that a standard trigger might not work -- I have no idea !

Let me know if any of this is correct ??

JF.

[mbuzha]

Sniper,

Hope for my sake you heard wrong. Going to order a new thumb safety later this week. I'll get it fitted and let you know. I have already fit a new trigger and it seems to be ok. no problems. And yes, the hammer does have a "safety device" build into it that I will be very sure never to employ if i don't change the whole thing out anyway. For a gun that I bought for a "semi-build" over cheaper models because of the large number of "loaded" features already included, sure seems like I'm having to change out a lot of parts.

[mbuzha]

Sniper and others,

Got an update on the Taurus 1911 thumb safety situation. Ordered an STI ambi safety (i'm a lefty) last week and, believe it or not, it actually "dropped in" (gasp!). Works great. Took it to the range today. No problems whatsoever with the aftermarket trigger or safety with 200 rounds. Gotta be the first time in history ANYTHING has actually "dropped in" to a 1911...for me at least. (FYI: Smith and Alexander MSH/magwell do NOT drop in on these guns). Just wanted to let y'all know in case anybody has had a similar experience. Hope this helps. Maybe I'll post on the Taurus forum as well.

Matt

[berkeleygiraffe]

did you do the safety checks after it "dropped in"?

[mbuzha]

Yeah, I did. Like I said, I was very surprised the STI safety dropped in...surprised almost to the point of being distrustful. And I'm not at all saying STI's safeties will drop into all Taurus 1911's, but it did in mine. So for other folks that are having the same problem with their taurus thumb safeties (and there are plenty), STI might be a good alternative to try first. Might save a few bucks over a Wilson and maybe have an easier time fitting it.

[log man]

I think of these things like the game of golf. With every swing you're trying to get the ball in the hole. So sometimes you get a hole-in-one. :p

LOG