[Cimarron]

There seems to be a lot of interest in the ambi-safety on the Taurus PT1911... especially problems with it coming apart. Before you feel that this is a part design error, newbies should know that this design was one of the earliest efforts at putting an ambi-safety on the 1911 guns and is used basically in the same form by a number of manufacturers. With guns that are "decked out" the ambi-safety is a marketing requirement, but unless you are a left hand shooter, they are a visual attraction not a functional demand.

IF you are replacing safety because you are having problems, and IF you have changed grips to make sure that the right side grip isn't binding the leg that rests in an area designed for use with ambi-safeties of the "Swenson" type. Remove the right side grip... if the safety is still operable, check the range of movement required under the grip... replace the right grip... even many of the grips that are sold as having the ambi cutaway... they are not adequate in terms of their angle of clearance. If the safety hasn't suffered metal fatigue from the torque required to move the safety with the right side binding, then you may have solved your problem and installing the right hand is truly an aesthetic interest.

Regardless of the reason, here is the process if you really want to fit all left hand safeties which is the traditional Browning design.

A number of readers have either (1) replaced their own, (2) paid a gun smith since these universally require hand fitting, or (3) are looking for information to explore doing this themselves.

CAVEAT: DO NOT try this is you are not comfortable with small hand jobs, lack the small files necessary or are generally totally uncoordinated. Too much filing can turn a $30 thumb safety into (1) a dangerous addition to your gun, or (2) an interesting curio!

If you are sure you are interested in tackling this job... here are some required reading that might go toward making this a success!

Here is a good clear explanation of the parts of the thumb safety and what parts need to be filed to fit...

http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?p=361760#post361760

This is drawn from a M1911.org forum... the bulk of which is insignificant and long. I apologize for not getting all of the citations correct and I hope this is adequate to give credit to the author.

wichaka29th October 2004, 20:28

Take off the old one, and remove the grip safety. This allows you to see the sear, which is what you're fitting the safety to. Keep all the other parts in place.........i.e., hammer, sear, disconnect, MS housing..etc.

Take the plunger out, to make things easier........we'll fit that later.

Insert the safety into the frame, with just a bit of pressure, now you can see how the lug on the safety fits, or will fit onto the lug of the sear........just above the legs. It most likely won't go all the way in at first, as they leave the lug over sized for proper fitting to your sear.

Flip it on and off a few times to take notice how the parts should fit together. When you flip it on & off a few times, this will leave a small mark on the safety lug, and will give you a guide where you need to start. (blue marker helps here)

You'll need to take a bit off that lug,with a fine cut file, use a #4 or better..........VERY SLOWLY HERE, A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY. Then re-fit. Don't get impatient here, as it will take several fittings to get it right. Be sure you get the lug even across it, so it mates up with the sear lug. When you've got that fitted, so it goes on and off, make sure there's absolutely NO MOVEMENT from the sear when you pull the trigger with the safety engaged

One you have that fully fitted, take the safety back out and insert the plunger, and put the safety back in. Now flip the safety on & off a few times to get the feel of the 'snap'. Adjust as needed for proper tension, and fitting into the notch of the slide.

Happy 'smithing........

Here is a very good explanation of how the thumb safety interfaces with the other parts of the firing system and how to evaluate what is working and what isn't

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=245926

I have ordered something cheaper than the Wilson Combat (although it looks like it) for $20 from Ebay. This sounds like an interesting diversion on a cold winter evening. I will let you know what I learn about "knowing where" to file and learning "how much" to file.

In the mean time, please feel free to share any other links or tips? Especially those who have done this already, PLEASE add your experience!

 

[photofree]

I think I am going to pay someone to do it for me. When and if the need comes up.
Has anyone had problems with the Pachmayr ALS grips?

 

[Czechbikr]

I think I am going to pay someone to do it for me. When and if the need comes up.
Has anyone had problems with the Pachmayr ALS grips?

I put Pachmayr's on my PT1911 SS immediately after I received it, replacing the black plastic stock grips. If it has come with the walnut bulls head grips I probably wouldn't have had the same urgency. The left grip fits perfectly with no modification, the right side needs a judicially applied Dremel. I used a 3/16" x 1/2" round head abrasive bit and studied the plastic grip to get the dimensions right. I laid the ALS next to the stock grip and made a pencil mark to get the longitudinal parameters and kept doing trial fittings to get the depth right so that the ambi safety would move the full distance without binding. Worked well, looks good and always look forward to my range time.

 

[Taurus_Jeeper]

huh.

I must have done something wrong. Each of my 4 1911s I've replaced the safety on has worked perfectly. Simply removed the existing safety and put in the new. :shrug:

 

[Taurus_Jeeper]

... or not....

I read that article that was linked above and found that I have problems with the safeties in my Taurus pistols (I removed the ambi safeties and installed single-siders).

Both Taurus weapons will allow the safety to fall and hammer to fall as well if I have safety on and pull trigger.

This is MY fault, not Taurus'.

Investigating how to fix it, now...

 

[wvdmc]

My Taurus ambi safety fell out at the range. It took 3 range trips to recover it, I eventually found it frozen into a mud puddle. My baby now has an excellent left side safety thanks to this guide.

 

[57jeeper]

I also had an issue with the ambi safety. It was loose so I took it back to the gun shop where I bought it and while the owner was checking it out it fell apart and the safety rolled under the counter and they had to crawl around to find it.
He sent it back to Taurus and whatever they did seemed to fix it.
I don't plan on learning to fire it left hand, so I may try fitting a left side safety. Does anyone have a preference for a good safety?
Now I wish I didn't relieve the new walnut double diamond grips for the right side safety.

 

[cuban]

I had my ambisafety start working it's way loose so I pulled it apart and at first I figured I could squeeze the two prongs closer but I thought that the metal might be brittle and brake one of the prongs, so it all of a sudden came to me I just added a drop of super glue between the prongs and walla 1,200 round later and it's never loosened again. last week I dicided to dismantel my complete PT 1911 and I sliped a thin knife between the right safety and the frame and pride it lose enough to slide a buisness card between so as to not scratch the finish then I slipped a thin flat screw driver next to the shaft and prided it right off no problems after I finished I cleaned the two surfaces and glued them again. I read some times where some PT owner freak out and send there guns back to taurus at there own expence. I think that every PT owner should be familiar with their weapon enough to be able to do the work them self just stay away from files and dremels a 1911 novice can really do some damage and loose your warranty, also the other problem I read about is that the rear sights sit to low and bullet impacts about 4" to 6" low let me tell you how I fixed mine. I took it of and filed metal angle at the rear of the sight enough to raised it and cooked it foward with the set screw now it shoots at 6:00 oclock the sights aren't warrentied anyway. I hope these tips may help some one. I have a real problem sending my gun for who knows how long to Taurus unless my frame or slide crack thats why it's very important for me not to alter anything on those parts do not make the big mistake of changing the angle to the feed ramp light polishging is fine but thats it.

 

[reedtchsrv]

I bought my gun a little over a year ago. On the first trip to the range, the safety broke off of the left side before I could empty the first magazine. I took it home and laid it in the gun safe. Every time I opened the safe, I saw the gun and thought "I have to send this thing back to get it fixed." Like I said, I did that for over a year. Finally, last week, I decided that I didn't want the same safety put back in the gun so that it could fail at the 'perfect' time. I took it to my gunsmith and he replaced it with a Wilson Combat left side safety (plus the detent plunger and spring that I never recovered) for $63. That's probably cheaper than the shipping would have been to get the gun back to Taurus. The safety and plunger alone cost $37 on Midway. So for $26 I got a professional installation. The safety feels solid. I love the gun again as much as the day I brought it home.

 

[Czechbikr]

I love the gun again as much as the day I brought it home.

Welcome to the forum...there is a lot to like about the PT1911 !

 

[midiwall]

{first post, soon-to-be PT1911 owner, _not_ new to things that go BANG! }

I've been wandering the forum for a while and.. when the gun shows up next week, that safety must go. I'm clear on the process, I just wanna be sure I'm ordering the right part.

Depending on if I want an extended or non- part, I trust that this is what we're talking about?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productnumber=670138
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=199895


Thanks all! I look forward to hanging out - a LOT.

 

[stallard]

Midlwall,
those are the correct part.

 

[midiwall]

Midlwall,
those are the correct part.

Excellent! Order going in now! Should get here the same time as the gun. WooHoo!

Thanks!

 

[carlo1776]

Here's an EGW that I fitted and installed.

 

[midiwall]

Here's an EGW that I fitted and installed.

Awesome... I picked up my gun today, the safety made it here last week. I'll be doing mine this sometime this week.

 

[MikeyB]

Glad I found these pictures. Last weekend I was fitting a Fusion tactical safety to my Rock Island .38 Super and got it to the point of it functioning. Let's say it took a lot of filing getting to this point. But still have some friction going into safe mode. I can see the hammer move back just a little when the friction starts. From the pictures I will need to remove a little more metal for the sear engagement on the thumb safety. Hoping this will solve the friction issue and make the safety smooth as butter.

Thanks Cimmaron for posting the pics!

MikeyB

 

[SmokeJumper]

Ya shoulda called NuttnFancy. He coulda hooked ya up with the Dremmel King of Thumb Safety Installation at Imp**t Guns! His favorith song is, "I got me a hammer .. I hammer on the safety ....... when I be done ...... it fits so grand".

 

[lordcliff]

As a lefty, the left ambi safety is a nice option. I'm now thinking about a 1911, but wondering if there is a way to get rid of the safety on the left side of the gun (for right handed shooters). Since I'll be the only one running the gun, no need for it on both sides. Is this mod possible?

 

[tbaylor828]

Good post thanks for the info

 

[GreenWolf70]

Reference the picture: That ain't no left hand safety. Its a righty.

And LordCliff, to my knowledge, there is no left hand only (right side) safety out there. All of the important parts of the safety are still on the left side. The ambi-safety is about the best you can do for a lefty.

As a lefty, I carried a 1911A1 for many years in the Army and I just learned to carry it on half-cock. I could bring it to full-cock quicker than I could reach around and knock the safety off. Even with an ambi-safety I still find myself many times carrying my 1911s at half-cock just out of habit.