Removing safety on 1911. Help Please

Wee Hooker · Mar 27, 2011

I'm trying to replace the sear spring in one of my SW1911's (early 282) and am stuck at the part where I remove the thumb safety ( to remove teh beavertail grip safety).
In watching various online tutorials, they say to remove the slide then push the thumb safety up all the way, pull jsut it out the left side of the gun. Well, the safety is IN THERE and won't budge. Tried pulling, gently prying and it doesn't budge. Even hitting the exposed pin on the rt side with a hammer and punch won't get it backed out. What am I doing wrong?
Any tricks or do I need to really whack it??
Any advice much appreciated.

dickttx · Mar 27, 2011

Not sure without going and doing it, but I believe the hammer has to be cocked to remove the safety.

Bruce51 · Mar 27, 2011

1911

Here's a good tutorial. Give it a read and try again.

Bruce

http://www.m1911.org/stripin1.htm#reass

Wee Hooker · Mar 27, 2011

Thanks, Hammer is full cocked and I've tried it with the main spring housing in place and removed. (It's currently removed.) I'm (currently) holding the grip safety in, thumb safety is all the way up past "safe", still won't budge. I can force a thin knife blade in under the safety by the stud but it still wont pry up. ( never mind "lift out".)

Big Cholla · Mar 27, 2011

Try lowering the thumb safety to a little above the half way position and 'wiggling' it up and down slightly while pulling outward. Your mainspring housing should be out of the gun. The hammer should be in full cock position. Look at the slide release/thumb safety plunger and see if the rounded and pointed end is digging in to an indent on the thumb safety. If it is get a second person to take a thin feeler gauge or something like that and slide it in between the plunger and the safety and hold it in position while you do the 'wiggle and pull'. DON'T hit the thumb safety stud on the outside. ............ Big Cholla

Wee Hooker · Mar 27, 2011

AH, It finally came out!!! Still not sure what was really different. ( I pulled and pried on this for 1/2 hour!)Seems like maybe it wanted to be in the SAFE vs past safe/all the way up position. Thanks for the advice and link.
FWIW, I'm installing a cylinder and slide lightened sear spring. I'll report out on the results when I'm done.

tg4360 · Mar 27, 2011

The safety will only come out at an intermediate point between full on and full off if the parts are true to JMB's design.

H Richard · Mar 27, 2011

tg4360 is correct. With the hammer cocked, move the safety from full on up towards full off while at the same time gently pulling out. It will disengage and come out about half way in between.

Wee Hooker · Mar 27, 2011

It's all good now. The video's I watched had me trying to pull the safety out at the top of the stroke vs position described here.
DOH!
( Yea, I've been Utubed ":-()

Just did my second one on a second SW1911. Smooth as butter!

Removing safety on 1911. Help Please

Wee Hooker

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dickttx

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Bruce51

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Wee Hooker

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Big Cholla

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Wee Hooker

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tg4360

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H Richard

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Wee Hooker

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