Ed Brown thumb safety, etc

nwgunman · March 11, 2000, 02:22 PM

I have been working on an old Sprinfield Armory 1911 and went to fit a new Brown thumb safety. Having fitted a couple in the past (a Wilson and a Kings), I was prepared to doing a little filing on the stud to fit it but whoa! The stud on the new Brown unit is HUGE in all directions. Is this usual for Ed Brown thumb safeties or is this one a boo-boo? Also, anybody play around with staking on a Trijicon front sight? How's working with that little tube of radioactive gas...do they handle the bangin around? Don't wanna end up like those Hanford ants! Thanks for the input.

George Stringer · March 12, 2000, 07:17 AM

nwgunman, it is normal. Brown safeties that I've installed have all seemed to be a little bigger than some others. For the sight, you either need to get one of the staking jigs for nightsights or like me make one from aluminum. You need a slot wide enough to allow the sight to go down into it and deep enough so the bottom does not touch. That way you're only staking against the bottom plate. I milled a slot 1/4" deep and 1/8" wide then opened the witdth up by .010. So far it's handled every night sight I've tried to stake on. George

March 11, 2000, 02:22 PM	#1
nwgunman Senior Member Join Date: July 16, 1999 Location: Olympia, WA Posts: 312	I have been working on an old Sprinfield Armory 1911 and went to fit a new Brown thumb safety. Having fitted a couple in the past (a Wilson and a Kings), I was prepared to doing a little filing on the stud to fit it but whoa! The stud on the new Brown unit is HUGE in all directions. Is this usual for Ed Brown thumb safeties or is this one a boo-boo? Also, anybody play around with staking on a Trijicon front sight? How's working with that little tube of radioactive gas...do they handle the bangin around? Don't wanna end up like those Hanford ants! Thanks for the input.

March 12, 2000, 07:17 AM	#2
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	nwgunman, it is normal. Brown safeties that I've installed have all seemed to be a little bigger than some others. For the sight, you either need to get one of the staking jigs for nightsights or like me make one from aluminum. You need a slot wide enough to allow the sight to go down into it and deep enough so the bottom does not touch. That way you're only staking against the bottom plate. I milled a slot 1/4" deep and 1/8" wide then opened the witdth up by .010. So far it's handled every night sight I've tried to stake on. George