Essex frame, Remington Rand slide; safety problem

[snowtigger]

If I pull the trigger with the thumb safety on, I hear a little click. Sometimes, not every time, after hearing that "click", I release the thumb safety and the hammer falls to half cock.
Anybody got any ideas?

 

[stevemis]

Sounds like it wouldn't pass at least one of the basic 1911 safety checks:

http://www.cylinder-slide.com/1911safetyck.shtml

Gunsmith time.

 

[Canuck-IL]

The thumb safety is not fulling engaging the sear to prevent any motion. You'll need to peen the safety's lug a little to get full contact or fit a new one. Take off the stocks and you can probably see the subtle motion when it clicks.
/Bryan

 

[Jim K]

The safety on the M1911 blocks the sear. If it allows the sear to move, the result will be what you have.

In the days of GI parts, with things in spec, that kind of thing was rare. But today, with dozens of makers, some of whom treat specs as a silly suggestion, such cases are common.

I would try a new sear first (the cheaper part), then a new safety. I would not try to peen the safety since that will be only a temporary fix. If you can't get GI parts (try www.billricca.com) then get Colt parts.

Jim

 

[Canuck-IL]

Jim,
I have at least one peened McCormick part, probably MIM altho I don't really recall, that is a little past 11k rounds ... a very permanent 'temporary fix.'

Also, I would not try a new sear first as that is likely to drastically alter the trigger. A thumb safety is not that pricey.
/B

 

[snowtigger]

Thanks everyone, I swapped in another safety I had on a parts gun. Fixed it.

 

[Detritus]

just curious

Essex frame, Rem Rand slide, with that particular safety issue.... you wouldn't happen to be somewhere around Houston would you?

that sounds like the one that has/had been sitting in in the used case at Fountain Firearms for at least the past 7 years.
once thought about buying the one at fountain, with intent to use it to learn how to repair/modify 1911s.

 

[snowtigger]

I am in Fairbanks Alaska. I had the Rem Rand slide on a cracked National Ordnance frame. I found the Essex frame complete at a gun show. It seemed like a natural marriage.

 

[Detritus]

figured similar,

just seemed, as i'm sure you can tell, to be a little coincidental. and i wondered if the one in houston had finally found a home.

 

[snowtigger]

Just curious, Why is that one sitting there for seven years? What are they asking for it?

 

[Detritus]

Just curious, Why is that one sitting there for seven years? What are they asking for it?

Ya know i'm not even sure what the exact asking price was any more haven't been in there in well over a year, maybe two (last time i looked at the list of used gun on their website, it was still listed). I THINK it was in the $300s

As for why it was still there, probably in part b/c anyone looking for a budget 1911 would have had to pass the case containing the Rock Island Armory guns and there was less than $150 difference in price. Plus with a RIA there's a warranty, so you know it works properly or you can send it back.

frankly the only difference between this particular gun and a box full of parts, was that it was asembled. My oppinion on it was/is the price wasn't bad for a complete 1911, but was on the high side for a collection of random parts.

Oh and on futher thought i was mistaken last night, i remembered incorrectly, this example wasn't Essex/Rem rand. it was an essex frame with a WW1 era colt "spare parts" (or whatever you'd call em) slide. but the essence of it all is the same.