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S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present All NON-PINNED Barrels, the L-Frames, and the New Era Revolvers


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Old 02-01-2010, 11:37 AM
BudD BudD is offline
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Default Softening up Model 40 grip safety

I own a new-generation S&W Model 40 with the lemon-squeezer grip safety. I don't know if they're all like this, but the grip safety on mine seems to have an extremely stiff spring. I have to put a high death-grip on the gun to disengage it -- it's nothing at all like the grip safety on my 1911.

I haven't pulled the side plate off the gun yet to see what's going on in there, and none of the J-frame schematics I've seen show the grip safety mechanism. I assume the grip safety has its own spring?

Can anybody suggest a solution? Is there a lighter spring I could install? Can anybody share a schematic of the the Model 40/42?

As it's set up now, it's beating up the web of my hand pretty badly -- I think the bone at the base of my thumb is bruised permanently.
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Old 02-01-2010, 12:01 PM
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Remove the grips, and you'll see that there is a pin though the frame at the bottom of the safety lever. The spring is about in the middle, between the frame and lever.

Put a rubber band around the grip to secure the safety lever in position, and drive out the pin with a punch. Release the lever and remove the spring from its recess. Take a good diagonal cutter, and lop off a coil or two of the spring. Check for function.

That's how I did mine.
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Old 02-01-2010, 12:14 PM
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You can also pin the grip safety down. With the original models there was a pin and a pre-drilled hole to insert it in. I have heard the 40-1 models are not pre-drilled, but an early one I saw was pre-drilled. It shouldn't be a difficult job to hold the grip depressed, drill through and pin.
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Old 02-01-2010, 12:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by H Richard View Post
You can also pin the grip safety down. With the original models there was a pin and a pre-drilled hole to insert it in. I have heard the 40-1 models are not pre-drilled, but an early one I saw was pre-drilled. It shouldn't be a difficult job to hold the grip depressed, drill through and pin.
The new ones aren't drilled, and the current set-up would make it difficult to do so. Never understood why folks bought M40's and then made them into unsafe (no hammer block) regular J-frames.
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Old 02-01-2010, 12:47 PM
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The factory stocks are skinny and do not allow your hand much of a grip to depress the grip safety. I have one of the new models and found that applying a grip adapter to the frontstrap gives me more purchase as I squeeze, and that alleviates the problem with no modification to the gun.

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Old 02-01-2010, 12:50 PM
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Tom:

Thanks for your quick reply and solution. I'll give that a try -- sounds easier than I had expected.

Bud
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Old 02-01-2010, 12:58 PM
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Paladin:

I already have a T-Grip on order but it hasn't arrived. They say it'll take 4-6 weeks to make one for me. I can't quite figure out that company -- it seems like it would be more efficient to make a larger run of these things rather than not manufacture one until an order is received and paid for.

Maybe I'll wait until I get a feel for the gun with the T-Grip on before I start cutting springs.

Bud
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Old 02-04-2010, 12:42 PM
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I tried Tom's fix on my Model 40 grip safety, and let me tell you, it's a different gun now.

The spring hiding under the grip safety is a stout one, no doubt due to lawyering. Removing two coils wasn't quite enough, but removing the third coil seemed to do the trick.

With the shortened spring, I now find that a normal, firm grip of the hand overcomes the awkward geometry on the frame and deactivates the safety. And the grip safety is still plenty firm to do its intended job. I'm not a wimpy guy -- 220 pounds, wear an extra-large glove, am the guy people turn to to take off a stubborn lid -- but I was having trouble with the factory springing.

The job went smoothly. Make sure you have a small enough pin punch, as it's a very small pin. And although the pin is not knurled, mine seemed to want to drive out from right to left. (No need to drive the pin completely out of the left side of the frame, just enough to clear the grip safety.) Use a good diagonal cutter. When reinstalling, put your rubber band back on, line the holes up on the right side by inserting the pin punch, and give the pin on the left side a tap to get it started.

I love it when a plan works. What a great resource of knowledge this forum is.

Bud
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Old 02-04-2010, 03:19 PM
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Glad you got your grip safety to your liking. When you put the T-Grip on the gun, it'll be even better.
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