1911 Safety Installation Question

G3 · September 23, 2001, 02:43 AM

I have installed an Ed Brown ambi saftey on a Kimber. The problem is that the detent on the thumb safety does not align with the safety plunger. Is this a common problem? Is this caused by improper fitting? Can this be fixed?

Thanks for the help.

George Stringer · September 23, 2001, 05:33 AM

G3, if the safety is working properly then it's fit correctly. A new detent can be drilled into the safety. Brownells sells the drill for it. But unless the safety is coming on by itself you may not need to worry about it. I wouldn't say it was common but it's not exactly a rarity either. George

G3 · September 23, 2001, 06:32 AM

Mr. Stringer,

Thanks for the info. I installed the safeties on two Kimbers and neither of the detents align. I also noticed the safeties seem to sit higher than the stock Kimber safeties.

Nevada Fitch · September 26, 2001, 09:33 PM

G3, something is not right. I am not a gunsmith but I have worked on my own 1911's for years and I am also very picky about my safeties. In my opinion I would never be satisified with a safety that did not line up with the detent and plunger meshing together in the fire position. You probably have not fitted them correctly. I couldn't tell what to do without looking at the gun, but I can tell you it is not right. You probably need to remove some more metal on the safety if the safety won't go far enough down to align the detent with the plunger. Getting one installed right can be real easy and take only a few minutes or sometimes it can take a couple of hours to get it right and I have had better luck with some brands of safeties over others. I personally like Wilson Combat safeties the best. I never give up until I get a safety that works perfectly. It should have a definate click both up and down, If it is mushy it is not right or reliable or safe as far as I am concerned. Sometimes you have to change out the plunger also. There is a fine line type relationship between the plunger and the detent. I have paid good gunsmiths to install them before and they sometimes did not get right and I had to make them do it over again, after a while I just decided to do it myself on some gun purchases. I even had to fix the safety on my own Wilson Combat 45 before It worked right. I am lefthanded so I must have a ambi-safety. One word of advice, if you are not left handed stay with a right handed safety only because it is all you need and they are stronger and easier to install. If you have to find a competent gunsmith and have him fix it for you, but if he don't get it right, hold him to the fire until he does.

September 23, 2001, 02:43 AM	#1
G3 Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2000 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 138	1911 Safety Installation Question I have installed an Ed Brown ambi saftey on a Kimber. The problem is that the detent on the thumb safety does not align with the safety plunger. Is this a common problem? Is this caused by improper fitting? Can this be fixed? Thanks for the help.

September 23, 2001, 05:33 AM	#2
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	G3, if the safety is working properly then it's fit correctly. A new detent can be drilled into the safety. Brownells sells the drill for it. But unless the safety is coming on by itself you may not need to worry about it. I wouldn't say it was common but it's not exactly a rarity either. George

September 23, 2001, 06:32 AM	#3
G3 Senior Member Join Date: September 24, 2000 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 138	Mr. Stringer, Thanks for the info. I installed the safeties on two Kimbers and neither of the detents align. I also noticed the safeties seem to sit higher than the stock Kimber safeties.

September 26, 2001, 09:33 PM	#4
Nevada Fitch Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2000 Posts: 261	G3, something is not right. I am not a gunsmith but I have worked on my own 1911's for years and I am also very picky about my safeties. In my opinion I would never be satisified with a safety that did not line up with the detent and plunger meshing together in the fire position. You probably have not fitted them correctly. I couldn't tell what to do without looking at the gun, but I can tell you it is not right. You probably need to remove some more metal on the safety if the safety won't go far enough down to align the detent with the plunger. Getting one installed right can be real easy and take only a few minutes or sometimes it can take a couple of hours to get it right and I have had better luck with some brands of safeties over others. I personally like Wilson Combat safeties the best. I never give up until I get a safety that works perfectly. It should have a definate click both up and down, If it is mushy it is not right or reliable or safe as far as I am concerned. Sometimes you have to change out the plunger also. There is a fine line type relationship between the plunger and the detent. I have paid good gunsmiths to install them before and they sometimes did not get right and I had to make them do it over again, after a while I just decided to do it myself on some gun purchases. I even had to fix the safety on my own Wilson Combat 45 before It worked right. I am lefthanded so I must have a ambi-safety. One word of advice, if you are not left handed stay with a right handed safety only because it is all you need and they are stronger and easier to install. If you have to find a competent gunsmith and have him fix it for you, but if he don't get it right, hold him to the fire until he does.