Turning Ambi safeties into single safety?

Packin Mama · March 16, 2011, 06:57 PM

I've just gotten my first 1911. It's an RIA 1911A1 full size two-tone Tactical with ambi safeties.
I was told that I should not change anything on the gun till I had shot it quite a bit first. Except the thumb safety should be replaced immediately.
I don't need ambi safeties anyways, and they interfere with my Delta Elite grips. So my question is; If I am replacing the thumb safety, can I just remove the one and just replace the one for the right hand? I don't know anything about it and I would have to replace them myself so I would need a lot of info on how, but first I just want to know if it can be done.
Thanks
Mama A

Dfariswheel · March 16, 2011, 07:19 PM

1911 safeties have to be fitted to the gun.
Usually, this involves stoning the safety lug surface to fit the flat face on the bottom of the sear.

This isn't hard to do, but you DO need to know exactly what needs to be done and exactly how to do it.

Occasionally, you'll get a gun and safety combination that needs more work.
Sometimes the safety is too hard or to easy to get ON or OFF, or the safety wants to move out of the frame.
In those cases, you need to know more.

Best advice, let a gunsmith do it, or buy the Jerry Kuhnhausen book "The Colt .45 Automatic: A Shop Manual, Volume One".
You can buy it from Brownell's or Midway.
This is a gunsmith's training manual that shows just about everything about how to work on the 1911 and fit parts the right way.
This includes all about how to fit and test a safety.

March 16, 2011, 06:57 PM	#1
Packin Mama Junior Member Join Date: March 5, 2011 Posts: 13	Turning Ambi safeties into single safety? I've just gotten my first 1911. It's an RIA 1911A1 full size two-tone Tactical with ambi safeties. I was told that I should not change anything on the gun till I had shot it quite a bit first. Except the thumb safety should be replaced immediately. I don't need ambi safeties anyways, and they interfere with my Delta Elite grips. So my question is; If I am replacing the thumb safety, can I just remove the one and just replace the one for the right hand? I don't know anything about it and I would have to replace them myself so I would need a lot of info on how, but first I just want to know if it can be done. Thanks Mama A __________________ Guns are jewelry that goes BANG! Visit my Jewelry with a Bang blog!

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March 16, 2011, 07:19 PM	#2
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	1911 safeties have to be fitted to the gun. Usually, this involves stoning the safety lug surface to fit the flat face on the bottom of the sear. This isn't hard to do, but you DO need to know exactly what needs to be done and exactly how to do it. Occasionally, you'll get a gun and safety combination that needs more work. Sometimes the safety is too hard or to easy to get ON or OFF, or the safety wants to move out of the frame. In those cases, you need to know more. Best advice, let a gunsmith do it, or buy the Jerry Kuhnhausen book "The Colt .45 Automatic: A Shop Manual, Volume One". You can buy it from Brownell's or Midway. This is a gunsmith's training manual that shows just about everything about how to work on the 1911 and fit parts the right way. This includes all about how to fit and test a safety.