Mil-Spec Grip Safety Question

[Landman]

The used Mil-Spec I recently purchased has had the grip safety disabled by filling off the tab that touches the trigger bow. I would like to have a functional grip safety but SA will not sell only the grip safety for liability reasons. They said I could send the pistol in and they would install one. I don't want to do that for such an easy fix. My question is will any Government Model Grip Safety fit a SA Mil-Spec built in 2003? If so, which one would you recommend? Thanks.

[RickB]

If it hasn't been shortened too much, it can be "stretched" enough to refit. Place the tab flat on an anvil (or other solid metal; I use a heavy bench vise), and give the tab a few whacks with a ball peen hammer. If the tab was shortened just enough to not work, it should now be long enough to refit.

[jimster]

If I'm not mistaken, the radius on the Springfield is different than the Government model, if you do a search at Brownells you can find grip safeties that have a radius made for your SA. Still might require some fitting. So if you can't "smash" your tab enough, you can try an aftermarket one.

[Hawkmoon]

If I'm not mistaken, the radius on the Springfield is different than the Government model, if you do a search at Brownells you can find grip safeties that have a radius made for your SA. Still might require some fitting. So if you can't "smash" your tab enough, you can try an aftermarket one.

Does the Mil-Spec have a beavertail? If it has a GI pattern grip safety, the radius of the frame tangs is irrelevent.

[Landman]

The grip safety was filed off too short to "stretch" it.

The pistol does not have a beavertail and I don't want one. So the .220 radius is irrelevant I think. I just want to put a standard GI grip safety on it and since the SA requires a non-standard beavertail I was curious if the same goes for a standard grip safety.

Thanks for all your replies.

[JeepinJ]

I just want to put a standard GI grip safety on it and since the SA requires a non-standard beavertail I was curious if the same goes for a standard grip safety.

Not to hijack, but I was interested in the same thing. I was hoping to find the standard GI style with a palmswell, but I think I maybe be limited to a beavertail for that feature. If that is the case, does anyone other than Smith & Alexander make a (readily available) .220 radius grip safety?

[Landman]

Not to hijack, but I was interested in the same thing. I was hoping to find the standard GI style with a palmswell, but I think I maybe be limited to a beavertail for that feature. If that is the case, does anyone other than Smith & Alexander make a (readily available) .220 radius grip safety?

I looked around quite a bit and could not find anybody but Smith & Alexander that made a .220 radius grip safety but it is a beavertail and it does require some fitting. Looks to me like the frame tangs would need to be filed down. That is why I don't want one.

As far as a standard GI with a palmswell, I have never seen one. I think without a beavertail the palmswell would make hammer bite worse.

[kcshooter]

Since it's a mil-spec, I am pretty sure any grip safety made to original GI specs should work. You should be able to find one on Brownells pretty easily.
For the palmswell, I've never seen a GI model with one, but you could always do what the "old-timers" used to do back in the day and have a local welding shop build that spot up a bit, then file it down to the height you want, then polish it and reblue it.
Please take note that if you cold blue an area like that, it will wear off rapidly and you'll have to redo it every so often.
If it bites too much, you can always slightly bob the hammer.

[RickB]

If I'm not mistaken, the radius on the Springfield is different than the Government model, if you do a search at Brownells you can find grip safeties that have a radius made for your SA. Still might require some fitting. So if you can't "smash" your tab enough, you can try an aftermarket one.

The radius does not refer to the dimensions of the frame, but the dimension to which any frame must be cut, in order to fit the beavertail. Most of the high-ride grip safeties are designed to fit a Colt/G.I. frame, and don't match up well with the Springfield frame, even after cutting the proper radius. Any "G.I." grip safety should fit fine, but my experience with Colt frames and numerous G.I. and commercial grip safeties, is that some fit better than others.

[Panama1911]

I was looking for the same thing for the same gun this week, and just ordered one from Auto-Ordnance. They have them in parkerized too. Hopefully the quality will be good. If AO builds within spec, then they will be a very good source for standard GI type parts. They have everything!

Just click on "parts".

http://www.auto-ordnance.com/ao_1911pkz_f.html