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gray wolf
17th July 2008, 17:33
Went shooting today with my SA 1911A-1 loaded. This pistol has a welded up safety that SA did last Nov. They did some repair work and when I got it back the safety would give me a click when I released it and pulled the hammer back ( sear would move off hammer ) The dreaded click. OK it went back to SA and they welded it up and the problem was fixed.
Today when shooting I would fire one round and then the pistol would not fire. I checked to make sure that it had returned to battery --all OK there. I clicked the safety on and off and was able to fire another round and then it would not fire again. My friend fired it and there was no problem. I felt it was something with the safety. So the next five mags I used the thumb over safety grip and all was fine. As long as I held the safety down it was OK.
When I got home I ran all the test I know how to do--checked it with dummy rounds. What I found was that the safety would disable the pistol when it was moved 1/16 of an inch in the up position. Know Ware near the safety locked up position. So if my grip was a little high and the least amount of pressure was put on the safety lever it would not fire.
I have fired many,many rounds with this pistol and never had a problem like this. I know I should not have my grip put pressure on the thumb safety --but this seems just a little so sensitive if perhaps in a hasty situation a little pressure is applied to the T/S I don't think is should disable the pistol.
Any thoughts on this would be helpful. Perhaps a little more pressure on the spring in the plunger tube.

Thank you
Gray Wolf

Jim Watson
17th July 2008, 18:16
I had one somewhat like that fixed today. An extended safety took only the barest nudge to reengage. I haven't ridden the safety for 40 years and am unlikely to learn now. My other guns with extended levers take more effort to engage and are not problematical. The local 'smith looked at it, noticed how small a detent there was in the face of the safety and enlarged it to where it takes a noticeable push to engage.

I am surprised that SA welded up the original safety. Seems like it would have been easier for them to just replace it.

gray wolf
17th July 2008, 18:49
I agree I thought it strange they welded up the safety instead of replacing it.
I also thought about the indent or the spring pressure to stiffen it up a little.

Thank you for the reply

GW.