1911 Grip Safety - is there an aftermarket product that eliminates this?

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Skans

Active member
One of my pet peeves about the 1911 design is the grip safety. I hate the grip safety. IMHO, it's useless. I know what it's function is supposed to be, but the regular safety lever does the exact same thing, if you carry with one in the chamber, locked and cocked. If you don't keep the gun cocked, the grip safety doesn't do anything but add more moving parts and get in your way.

What I would like is a fixed piece that takes the place of a moving grip safety that fits flush and solid with the back of the pistol. Has anyone heard of such a modification to a 1911 style gun?
 
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AirForceShooter

New member
I happen to think just the opposite of you but it's your choice.
The grip safety can be pinned rendering it completely non-fuctional.
Any gun smith can do it.

I don't use the thumb safety.

AFS
 
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VHinch

New member
Skans said:
I know what it's function is supposed to be, but the regular safety lever does the exact same thing
Click to expand...

I know what you're getting at, but for the sake of clarity, the functions aren't exactly the same. The grip safety blocks the trigger, the thumb safety blocks the sear.

Skans said:
What I would like is a fixed piece that takes the place of a moving grip safety that fits flush and solid with the back of the pistol.
Click to expand...

Novak's The Answer-
http://www.gunsandammomag.com/cs/Satellite/IMO_GA/Story_C/The+Answer
http://www.novaksights.com/1911.htm#ANSWER®_Installation
 
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ReNtaPiG

New member
I like the grip safety on the 1911 for novelty purposes only!!! Now if you ask me about the XD's I'll say I hate it!!!
 
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csmsss

New member
For the life of me, I cannot understand the objection to the 1911 grip safety. Take a solid grip of the thing, and you don't even notice it's there.
 
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rduckwor

New member
For the life of me, I cannot understand the objection to the 1911 grip safety. Take a solid grip of the thing, and you don't even notice it's there.
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I have to agree. It was put there for a reason and has worked well for >100 years. You are entitled to your personal opinion and desires, I just cannot understand the objection.

If this is a defensive gun, be careful modifying any manufacturers' safety device. It could be a liability if you have to use the gun for it's intended purpose.
 
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Sarge43

New member
I wouldn't do that to a carry gun. Can you imagine that life takes a downhill turn for a moment and you actually have to use your weapon in self defense and shoot someone? You then have to face a jury who sees the pitiful plaintiff sitting there with his colostomy bag hanging on his chair, or worse, a picture of the now dead plaintiff and you have to explain why you willfully disabled one of the main safety devices on the weapon you used to shoot him? BAD scene.
Just another line of thought on it if it's a carry weapon.
Good luck!
Sarge
 
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Dust Monkey

New member
Novaks "Answer" looks like a good part. Might have to try it.

As far as having to use a modified firearm in self defense, I don't think the fact that you had a professional smith modify it will subject you to smoking a big **** in hades. If it's a good shoot, it's a good shoot. No matter what weapon is used. And don't reply with the 10mm incident of Mr Fish. That had nothing to do with a gun or caliber. That was a case of a lawyer having his head up, well you get the point.
 
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skeezix

New member
What I would like is a fixed piece that takes the place of a moving grip safety that fits flush and solid with the back of the pistol. Has anyone heard of such a modification to a 1911 style gun?
Click to expand...

Duct Tape :)
 
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Sarge43

New member
Fair enough. I agree that a good shoot wouldn't be corrupted by the modification, but it seems it would serve to drag out the process by being one more thing they will bring up that will take time, which in turn is money burning through your pocket. I'm just thinking out loud. I wish you well! I'd love to see pics of the Novak modification if that's the direction you go.
Sarge
 
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Huntergirl

New member
Geez, I love the grip safety on my 1911's and that was a big motivator for me to get an XD45. But I understand that others may not like it.
 
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jeffatus

New member
As far as having to use a modified firearm in self defense, I don't think the fact that you had a professional smith modify it will subject you to smoking a big **** in hades. If it's a good shoot, it's a good shoot. No matter what weapon is used. And don't reply with the 10mm incident of Mr Fish. That had nothing to do with a gun or caliber. That was a case of a lawyer having his head up, well you get the point.
Click to expand...

How many times have you heard the media and ambulance chasers taking things out of context and using them against good people. Just the other day a reporter talked about how a man took his "Semi-Automatic Pistol" and shot someone. The way they said it, I would have thought they were talking about a machine gun. Now, take your modification and it could be reported that it was "altered to remove the manufacturers recommmended safety feature so it could be more deadly and kill people faster". Is any of that untrue? No, but it's rediculous and it's sometimes how it get's portrayed.

That's just me though :D
 
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TenmaNeko

New member
Quote:
"It was put there for a reason and has worked well for >100 years"

"What year are we in again?"

2009. The grip safety existed on the Colt 1903, so that's more than 100 years.
 
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drail

Moderator
In my experience the grip safety is of questionable value since it only blocks the trigger. It can be a real problem for some people when the factory has fitted it in such a way that it requires being fully depressed to disengage. This problem is very easily corrected by a knowledgeable smith. Grip safeties can be adjusted to release with very little movement and many have had this done or had it completely deactivated. If you have a problem getting yours to release the trigger have a 1991 smith adjust it. You should not have to chicken choke your gun to make it fire. When it is adjusted properly you will not even know it is there.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
The grip safety apparently came about because the Army, specifically the cavalry, wanted that extra layer of protection against a trooper putting a round into either his thigh or his mount.

At least that's the story I heard.

JM Browning didn't agree with them, but he added it to keep the gun moving through acceptance testing.

Browning dropped the grip safety on the High Power.

The Soviets, who copied liberally from the 1911, also dropped the grip safety in the TT-30 series of handguns.
 
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TJH3781

New member
arminexbackstrap.jpg


Sometimes available on the various auction sites.

Arminex 1 Piece Backstrap.
 
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Skans

Active member
Thanks Vhinch and TJ - that's exactly what I am looking for. Need to do some reading up on this, but I think this might just be the answer. It would go a long way making it feel a little more like my Hi-Power.
 
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