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Old 03-26-2009, 09:05 PM
Big Lou Big Lou is offline
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Hi Gents

Looking to remove the ambi safety on my 6909. Does anyone know where I can get a "plug" (I don't know if that's what it is called) to fill the empty space on the slide? I really love the smooth right side of my 915 & want to do the same for 6909.

Thanks in advance for any help.
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Old 03-26-2009, 09:05 PM
Big Lou Big Lou is offline
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Hi Gents

Looking to remove the ambi safety on my 6909. Does anyone know where I can get a "plug" (I don't know if that's what it is called) to fill the empty space on the slide? I really love the smooth right side of my 915 & want to do the same for 6909.

Thanks in advance for any help.
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Old 03-27-2009, 10:10 AM
handgunner356 handgunner356 is offline
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The single side safety is the complete safety body. It is considered a "fitted" part and not available from S&W. You can buy one from Gunparts Corp or Jack First for around $60.
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Old 03-27-2009, 07:46 PM
S&W247 S&W247 is offline
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Yes S&W won't sell you one...I'm guessing because of liability concerns. The "fitted" part is making sure the safety body trips the sear release lever. Somebody on this site probably knows for sure, but my guess is that they have different height sear release levers and "fit" one that makes it work reliably if by chance the standard part doesn't work due to tolerance stack ups. I've swapped several safeties out and never had to worry about swapping out sear safety levers. Maybe I've just been lucky. So its easy to change parts, but you run a small risk (as far as I have been able to tell) that you will need to change out sear safety levers to make it work reliably. As for finding the single side safety lever, I'm sure someone out there wants an ambi and would be more than happy to trade you.
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Old 03-27-2009, 11:54 PM
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Yep, the single side (left) manual safety assembly has a smooth/flush-with-the-slide end on the right side.

The top of the sear release lever indexes off a surface of the safety/decocker assembly as it's rotated in the slide for decocking. Replacing an assembly sometimes requires that a new sear release lever is fitted to the frame so decocking timing remains within normal specification.

Armorers used to be taught to check this by slowly manipulating the decocking lever(s) on a fully assembled EMPTY pistol (with an EMPTY magazine inserted in the grip) and checking to see when the hammer did (and didn't) fall. Additionally manipulating the lowered (decocked) hammer to check for full downward movement of the decocking lever(s) after decocking occurred was also involved.

Spurless hammer models required using the end of a wooden armorer's block to catch and pull back the decocked hammer (on the older flashchromed hammers with serrations), or else the end of one of the larger pin punches was pressed into the gap under the bottom of the left lever within the recessed space in which the lever moved, as a gauge reference (this was needed when the MIM spurless hammers came without serrations).

Nowadays armorers are taught to use a set of 3 'gauges' to check for proper decocking timing. The shanks (non-cutting end) of 3 different size numbered drill bits are used as the 'gauges' (held in the same recessed area of the slide under the bottom of the left lever). It's quicker and easier to use the gauges ... and it's an easier technique to teach to new armorers in the short 3-day class than trying to get them to properly 'eyeball' the tolerances while slowly depressing the levers and checking for hammer fall.

Short answer?

Replacing the manual safety assembly may require a new sear release lever being fitted in order for the decocking function to occur as intended.

FWIW, sometimes a new sear release lever might eventually have to be fitted in a well-used gun after a lot of decocking ... (I've had to replace a few in older guns over the years) ... or else in one where the original lever was fitted too far on the 'wrong end' of the tolerance range when the gun was produced.

Fitting the levers is relatively simple as far as such things go. The bottom of the lever's 'foot' is filed until it provides for normal functioning in the specific gun.

The trick is to make sure the surface is filed evenly and the original angle is maintained.

The time consuming part of fitting a new lever comes from having to strip down the involved parts from the frame just to make one or two passes on the lever with a file, and then reassembling the whole gun in order to check the timing.

The older levers were often pretty long in the required dimension compared to what they eventually needed to be when fitted and installed in most guns, while the newer production levers seem to be much closer to what they need to be and seem to require less fitting. Naturally, the closer overall tolerances of the newer production guns makes it easier in this regard, too.
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Old 03-29-2009, 07:49 PM
Big Lou Big Lou is offline
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Thank you Gents! Having read your input, I think I'll just leave it alone. Thanks again.
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Old 03-30-2009, 07:55 AM
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Quote:
Gunparts Corp
Big Lou, i just asked this question about 10 posts before you and got a lot simpler answer. MidwayUSA has some for sale but only on some of the models. I get the feeling that changing the safety from a ambidextrous to single side safety is not a big a deal as the previous post may indicate. So if it's worth the $60 bucks then do it. I plan on it for the models that I can find the right part for. Check out the post I started, Hope that helps.
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Old 03-30-2009, 11:39 AM
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It's not a 'big deal' as long as the existing sear release lever fits and functions with the new manual safety assembly.

You just don't know if a new sear release lever will have to be fitted until the new safety assembly is installed and the pistol is inspected and checked for proper function.

When I wanted to install a couple of spring-loaded, decock-only assemblies in a couple of pistols I had to fit a new sear release lever in one pistol in order for it to decock properly, but not the other.

Sear release levers are not drop-in parts, and changing the manual safety assembly off which they function changes the tolerance relationship of the related parts located in the slide and the frame. That's why technicians, gunsmiths and armorers check for proper fit and function when replacing one or the other.

Got a local gunsmith familiar with S&W pistols?
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