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Posted By: Gus Fisher
Date: Monday, 22 May 2000, at 8:44 a.m.
Tip on fitting oversize grip safeties. Part I
OK, think I finally have this correct. This tip is good for both series 70 or series 80 oversize grip safeties. Just note the forward arm of the series 80 grip safety is thinner and needs extra care to keep from snapping it off.
First thing to do is strip the receiver of the grips (so you can see what is going on) and the rest of the parts, including the magazine catch and trigger.
Take a large permanent black ink magic marker and mark all over the inside of the grip safety. Put it and the thumb safety in the receiver. Push the grip safety forward. If it hangs up, stop there and take the parts out.
First check to see if the forward arm of the grip safety hangs up on the receiver. If so, this is one of the few times you must clear the receiver by filing clearance, instead of filing on the part. The forward arm of the grip safety for the Series 80 is so thin already, we DON'T want to make it thinner. After you file a little off the receiver, re-blacken the receiver with magic marker where the forward arm and check/file/check until the forward arm clears the receiver. Warning: if you do not do this first, you will risk snapping off the forward arm of the grip safety. Also, during the rest of the fitting of the grip safety, continue to check to see if the side of this part rubs.
Now, I expect this next thing to be a problem. On most of the aftermarket grip safeties, they don't go all the way forward without filing off some metal inside the receiver.
Next thing is to re-install the grip safety (well blackened on the inside) and thumb safety. Lightly tap the bottom of the grip safety with a leather or rubber mallet or soft wood block. Take the two parts out. Look at the forward top portion of the grip safety that is under the hole for the large mounting pin of the grip safety. Do you see wear spots on the black? I bet you will and if so, look inside the receiver for the black marks.
You will need to file a little clearance on the receiver. Re-black the grip safety and try the test again and file/check until the only place the black is worn is on the forward bottom of the grip safety with no marks on the top. Now you can be sure the grip safety and its forward arm is going forward as far as it should go.
Re-install the trigger, magazine catch, thumb safety and grip safety. When you hold and keep the trigger all the way forward, can you still push the grip safety in as far? If not, check the forward face of the forward arm to see if it is rubbing on the trigger bow. If so, you need to very carefully file just a tiny bit of clearance off the forward face of the follower arm. There are two angles here. You may have to file clearance on both the upper and lower angles, but keep them at the original angle as you work them down. File the upper angle first and make sure you keep the original angle. You will see if the bottom angle must be filed or stoned. You must be very careful not to hog metal off the bottom angle as it controls the safety feature of the grip safety. I usually take metal off here by sliding the part over a fine file or stone, so as not to take too much off. HOWEVER, when you begin the check each time, make sure you hold the trigger is FULLY FORWARD or you will get a false reading that the front face of the forward arm of the grip safety is dragging on the trigger bow. If you don't do this you may possibly file too much off the front face and ruin the grip safety.
OK, if the grip safety moves fully forward with no stops, bumps or catches; push the grip safety all the way in and press the trigger rearward. Did you notice a rubbing or dragging when you pushed the trigger all the way back? If so, the trigger bow is rubbing on the bottom of the forward arm of the grip safety. Carefully use a fine file to take just a little metal off the bottom of this part. Re-blacken and check/file/check until the forward arm of the grip safety just clears the trigger bow.
Now, re-install all the parts on the lower receiver except the grips and slide stop. Without pressing in on the grip safety, cock the hammer and see if the thumb safety now moves freely.
Do this much, then we will go on to the next steps later. HTH
Tip on fitting oversize grip safeties, Part II
Posted By: Gus Fisher
Date: Monday, 22 May 2000, at 9:31 a.m.
If the thumb safety hangs up, you might have to file a little metal off the top of the forward arm of the grip safety. This is pretty rare, but I've seen it a couple of times.
Does the grip safety pop all the way back from the spring tension from the sear spring? If not, the bottom of the grip safety may be rubbing or stuck on the top of the mainspring housing. If so, blacken the bottom of the grip safety to see where it is rubbing. Carefully file just enough clearance so the the mainspring housing doesn't rub.
You may have to file some metal off both edges of the square cut on the bottom of the safety so it can clear the mainspring housing AND go far enough backwards.
Now, put the thumb safety in the downwards or "off safe" position. (If your trigger has an overtravel screw, unscrew it all the way out.) Pull the trigger. Did the hammer fall or did the hammer bump or catch on the way down? If so, you have to file a little clearance on the forward arm of the grip safety so the trigger bow can go back far enough that the sear face will rotate out of the way of the hammer hooks. IMPORTANT NOTE: You DO NOT file on the forward face (with the two angles) for this clearance.
Look about a half inch to the rear of the forward face of the grip safety's arm. There is another downward and rearward angle below the longest portion of the arm of the grip safety. This angle is the same as the angle on the rear of the trigger bow. Carefully file this angle rearwards a little. Put the receiver back together and try pulling the trigger again. If the hammer still bumps or catches, you have to file a little more off the this angle to provide proper clearance. This is a cut/check/cut/check procedure until you have enough clearance.
OK, now it's time to test the safety feature of the grip safety. With the thumb safety off safe, do NOT push in on the grip safety, but pull the trigger. If the hammer falls, the front face of the forward arm of the grip safety is too short. There are a few fixes for this. If you have a series 70 grip safety, you may be able to correct this by peening the bottom angle forward. However, DON'T try this on a series 80 safety as you will almost certainly break off the entire forward arm. (This is the voice of experience folks.) If you have access to a TIG or MIG welder, you could have some metal built up on the forward face. You would have to re-cut the two angles, then case harden the part and that is very difficult.
Probably the best way to fix the problem is to use some low temperature silver solder to solder a shim on the back of the trigger bow. Wouldn't require much, often a .015" shim will do the trick. If you install the shim, expect to have to cut more clearance on the safety so the trigger bow can go back far enough, though. This trick got me out of trouble a few times. HTH
Date: Monday, 22 May 2000, at 8:44 a.m.
Tip on fitting oversize grip safeties. Part I
OK, think I finally have this correct. This tip is good for both series 70 or series 80 oversize grip safeties. Just note the forward arm of the series 80 grip safety is thinner and needs extra care to keep from snapping it off.
First thing to do is strip the receiver of the grips (so you can see what is going on) and the rest of the parts, including the magazine catch and trigger.
Take a large permanent black ink magic marker and mark all over the inside of the grip safety. Put it and the thumb safety in the receiver. Push the grip safety forward. If it hangs up, stop there and take the parts out.
First check to see if the forward arm of the grip safety hangs up on the receiver. If so, this is one of the few times you must clear the receiver by filing clearance, instead of filing on the part. The forward arm of the grip safety for the Series 80 is so thin already, we DON'T want to make it thinner. After you file a little off the receiver, re-blacken the receiver with magic marker where the forward arm and check/file/check until the forward arm clears the receiver. Warning: if you do not do this first, you will risk snapping off the forward arm of the grip safety. Also, during the rest of the fitting of the grip safety, continue to check to see if the side of this part rubs.
Now, I expect this next thing to be a problem. On most of the aftermarket grip safeties, they don't go all the way forward without filing off some metal inside the receiver.
Next thing is to re-install the grip safety (well blackened on the inside) and thumb safety. Lightly tap the bottom of the grip safety with a leather or rubber mallet or soft wood block. Take the two parts out. Look at the forward top portion of the grip safety that is under the hole for the large mounting pin of the grip safety. Do you see wear spots on the black? I bet you will and if so, look inside the receiver for the black marks.
You will need to file a little clearance on the receiver. Re-black the grip safety and try the test again and file/check until the only place the black is worn is on the forward bottom of the grip safety with no marks on the top. Now you can be sure the grip safety and its forward arm is going forward as far as it should go.
Re-install the trigger, magazine catch, thumb safety and grip safety. When you hold and keep the trigger all the way forward, can you still push the grip safety in as far? If not, check the forward face of the forward arm to see if it is rubbing on the trigger bow. If so, you need to very carefully file just a tiny bit of clearance off the forward face of the follower arm. There are two angles here. You may have to file clearance on both the upper and lower angles, but keep them at the original angle as you work them down. File the upper angle first and make sure you keep the original angle. You will see if the bottom angle must be filed or stoned. You must be very careful not to hog metal off the bottom angle as it controls the safety feature of the grip safety. I usually take metal off here by sliding the part over a fine file or stone, so as not to take too much off. HOWEVER, when you begin the check each time, make sure you hold the trigger is FULLY FORWARD or you will get a false reading that the front face of the forward arm of the grip safety is dragging on the trigger bow. If you don't do this you may possibly file too much off the front face and ruin the grip safety.
OK, if the grip safety moves fully forward with no stops, bumps or catches; push the grip safety all the way in and press the trigger rearward. Did you notice a rubbing or dragging when you pushed the trigger all the way back? If so, the trigger bow is rubbing on the bottom of the forward arm of the grip safety. Carefully use a fine file to take just a little metal off the bottom of this part. Re-blacken and check/file/check until the forward arm of the grip safety just clears the trigger bow.
Now, re-install all the parts on the lower receiver except the grips and slide stop. Without pressing in on the grip safety, cock the hammer and see if the thumb safety now moves freely.
Do this much, then we will go on to the next steps later. HTH
Tip on fitting oversize grip safeties, Part II
Posted By: Gus Fisher
Date: Monday, 22 May 2000, at 9:31 a.m.
If the thumb safety hangs up, you might have to file a little metal off the top of the forward arm of the grip safety. This is pretty rare, but I've seen it a couple of times.
Does the grip safety pop all the way back from the spring tension from the sear spring? If not, the bottom of the grip safety may be rubbing or stuck on the top of the mainspring housing. If so, blacken the bottom of the grip safety to see where it is rubbing. Carefully file just enough clearance so the the mainspring housing doesn't rub.
You may have to file some metal off both edges of the square cut on the bottom of the safety so it can clear the mainspring housing AND go far enough backwards.
Now, put the thumb safety in the downwards or "off safe" position. (If your trigger has an overtravel screw, unscrew it all the way out.) Pull the trigger. Did the hammer fall or did the hammer bump or catch on the way down? If so, you have to file a little clearance on the forward arm of the grip safety so the trigger bow can go back far enough that the sear face will rotate out of the way of the hammer hooks. IMPORTANT NOTE: You DO NOT file on the forward face (with the two angles) for this clearance.
Look about a half inch to the rear of the forward face of the grip safety's arm. There is another downward and rearward angle below the longest portion of the arm of the grip safety. This angle is the same as the angle on the rear of the trigger bow. Carefully file this angle rearwards a little. Put the receiver back together and try pulling the trigger again. If the hammer still bumps or catches, you have to file a little more off the this angle to provide proper clearance. This is a cut/check/cut/check procedure until you have enough clearance.
OK, now it's time to test the safety feature of the grip safety. With the thumb safety off safe, do NOT push in on the grip safety, but pull the trigger. If the hammer falls, the front face of the forward arm of the grip safety is too short. There are a few fixes for this. If you have a series 70 grip safety, you may be able to correct this by peening the bottom angle forward. However, DON'T try this on a series 80 safety as you will almost certainly break off the entire forward arm. (This is the voice of experience folks.) If you have access to a TIG or MIG welder, you could have some metal built up on the forward face. You would have to re-cut the two angles, then case harden the part and that is very difficult.
Probably the best way to fix the problem is to use some low temperature silver solder to solder a shim on the back of the trigger bow. Wouldn't require much, often a .015" shim will do the trick. If you install the shim, expect to have to cut more clearance on the safety so the trigger bow can go back far enough, though. This trick got me out of trouble a few times. HTH