S&W ambi safety issue

oldman45 · Apr 25, 2011

As many here know, I carry a S&W 1911 in .45acp 100% of the time I am awake.

When I am driving, the 1911 is in my door panel.

Last night when I got out of my truck, I pulled the gun out to bring it inside with me. Being the observant person I am, I noticed the safety on the left side was missing. The right side safety was still firmly in place but was floppy.

I immediately unloaded the gun and was, and still may, carry it to Clark's Custom for replacement of the missing part today.

This morning, I went to my door panel and began searching for the missing part. It was in the bottom.

Using care, I was able to replace it. The safety now works as it should but I have concerns about it.

Should I still carry it to Clark? Why would it come loose to begin with? Is there a way to tighten it so it does not happen again?

Being without the gun for a few days is not an issue since I have another virtually identical to it,as well as having other 1911 guns and other guns suitable for work, carry, etc.

Can anyone settle my feeble mind about this?

oldman45 · Apr 25, 2011

Also just learned that if I pull the trigger with the safety engaged, the hammer will not drop. Yet when I drop the safety, the hammer will fall.

It is now certain the gun will go to Clark this morning.

Still, I wonder why all this happened.

40cal · Apr 25, 2011

If you need to keep the ambi feature on your safety, I would look at a Wilson Combat Bulletproof thumb safety. The BP type has a captive pin that holds the two sides together. The wilson does run about $150but you can be sure it will never fall apart.
If you dont need an ambi just fit a single left side arm.

SW CQB 45 · Apr 26, 2011

The thumb safety is not suppose to fall out. sounds like something on the safety is broke. If under warranty....send back to s & w.

If it allows the hammer to fall when sweeping the thumb safety off....send back!

oldman45 · Apr 26, 2011

SW CQB 45 said:
If it allows the hammer to fall when sweeping the thumb safety off....send back!

That is exactly what it was doing. Took it to Clark's Custom yesterday morning. Jim Clark checked it and said when the custom trigger was put in, the person doing the work shaved too much off the safety. Now what a ambi safety has to do with a trigger job is past my learning. The gun will be ready for me to pick up in a few days.

Funny part is I bought the gun new, knowing it had some custom work done to it. I never had any work of any kind done to it. So I do not know if the work done was by S&W, a sub contractor or who. What I do know is I trust Clarks Custom guns and they will have it fixed before S&W could even look at it.

Not only that but Clark's has a room full of beautiful guns for sale that I have to decide which I want to take home with me.

BUFF · Apr 27, 2011

Ambidextrous thumb safeties, primarily on 1911's but also on many other pistols, are often a greater source of trouble than they are a source of solutions to other problems. On a conventional carry for a right handed shooter, the single, left side thumb safety is somewhat protected from the world while holstered. The right side safety is often exposed to bumps, contacts with hard and soft stuff and the safety sometimes gets bumped or rubbed to the "off safe" position, or it may break in two and disable the trigger mechanism. I think the odds of the safety causing me a problem is a bit bigger than the odds of me absolutely having to have it there to shoot.

None of my serious 1911's have ambi safeties. While it is a bit slower, I can still work the left side safety with my left thumb if I have to shoot with my left hand.

One needs to look at their own habits, their own carry options, their own experiences to decide if it has value for you. If the "Gee whizz, look at this" coolness factory is higher than the true tactical or practical value, it's a good thing to avoid or remove.

Were I forced to carry and shoot left handed for some reason, I would likely install an ambi safety only to then remove the left half of it from the gun.

oldman45 · Apr 27, 2011

Heard from Clark today. They built up and milled the safety to desired specs. However it did nothing for the falling hammer when the safety is released. There was a problem with the custom trigger as well and they are taking care of that problem and I can pick it up the first of next week.

All is good. Gun gets repaired quickly. It is safe and there were no accidental discharges until the problems were discovered. Estimated price to repair was reasonable and I get comfortable carrying it again.

CAJUNLAWYER · Apr 27, 2011

Clark does nice work-years ago ( bet it was close to 20 as the Old man was still alive)I sent a 77/22 up to them and the trigger job they did was nothing short of fantastic.

oldman45 · Apr 28, 2011

CAJUNLAWYER said:
Clark does nice work-years ago ( bet it was close to 20 as the Old man was still alive)I sent a 77/22 up to them and the trigger job they did was nothing short of fantastic.

They do perfect work. I have one of the Jim, Senior's 1911 Long Slide customs from back in 1986.

Saw one in their store the other day. It was used and was priced at $3000.

I would put their custom guns up against any maker. They are well known in the gun world and I have the pleasure of having their place less than 20 minutes from my home.

Punisher102 · Apr 28, 2011

BUFF said:
One needs to look at their own habits, their own carry options, their own experiences to decide if it has value for you. If the "Gee whizz, look at this" coolness factory is higher than the true tactical or practical value, it's a good thing to avoid or remove.

Were I forced to carry and shoot left handed for some reason, I would likely install an ambi safety only to then remove the left half of it from the gun.

I was gonna go off on the top comment, but I'll be nice and just say, If you were a lefty in a righty world, you would think differently.

As for the last part of your reply. Why dont they just come out with a "kit" that would allow us to remove the right handed safety and install a single left handed safety. I totally understand not making a right and left handed gun. That would be silly. But make it an option for us lefties to have just one safety lever on the gun.

BUFF · Apr 29, 2011

Punisher102 said:
I was gonna go off on the top comment, but I'll be nice and just say, If you were a lefty in a righty world, you would think differently.

As for the last part of your reply. Why dont they just come out with a "kit" that would allow us to remove the right handed safety and install a single left handed safety. I totally understand not making a right and left handed gun. That would be silly. But make it an option for us lefties to have just one safety lever on the gun.

That is exactly what I meant, sorry if you misunderstood. Left handed shooters are the true beneficiaries of ambidextrous safeties. I think they cause more problems than they solve for right handed shooters.

oldman45 · Apr 30, 2011

I got the gun out of the shop yesterday afternoon. Everything works as it should EXCEPT.......

The grip safety rattles. I am not talking about when you shake it. The safety raattles in the holster as I walk or even move about in a chair.

Any ideas on how to correct this.

S&W ambi safety issue

oldman45

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oldman45

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40cal

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SW CQB 45

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oldman45

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BUFF

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oldman45

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CAJUNLAWYER

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oldman45

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BUFF

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