Quick Beavertail question

[Cheeseybacon]

I'm thinking about putting a beaver tail in my Colt Model 80, but I have a question. If you look at the picture below you can see my 1911 has a "regular" hammer on it, as opposed to one of those rounded hammers. I've seen a lot of 1911s with beaver tails, but I don't think I've seen any beaver tail-equipped 1911 with the regular hammer like I have. Is there a reason for this? Are there clearance issues between a beaver tail and the regular style hammer when the gun is cocked that would require me to go to a rounded hammer? Or does the regular hammer just look stupid along side a beavertail and that's why I'm not seeing them that often?

 

[daysleeprx]

Are there clearance issues between a beaver tail and the regular style hammer when the gun is cocked that would require me to go to a rounded hammer?

Bingo...I believe there are spur hammers out there that work with beavertail grip safeties...another option would be to bob the hammer I think.

 

[johnny blaze]

I added a trigger kit to my 1911, and it was just the opposite.
When I installed the trigger kit (hammer, trigger, etc.) the hammer hit the grip safety that was on the pistol, and would not cock completely back because of the shape of the hammer.
In order to use the new hammer, I had to install a new beaver tail grip safety, as the hammer came down further than the stock hammer.
I went with the beaver tail grip safety that did not require cutting the frame (drop in model).

 

[hksw]

I had a clearance issue when I dropped in an upturned beaver tail safety in my RIA while keeping the stock hammer. (To fix the hammerbite problem I was having with the gun.) The grip prevented the hammer from its full travel which was preventing the slide from going fully to the rear. Dropped in a rowel-type hammer but it also had clearance problems with the beaver tail. Both aftermarket parts were from different manufacturers.

In the end, I ground down the top of the stock grip safety leaving the rowel hammer in place and no more bites.

Keep in mind that most aftermarket beaver tail grips require the rear horn portion of the grip that is on either side of the grip safety to be ground down a little.

 

[saltydog452]

I don't know for sure if this will help answer your guestions, but Kings Gunworks makes/markets several grip safeties and has a web page. Their cataloge is illustrated.

They'll also answer the phone.

salty.

 

[Mjoilner1911]

Best solution for this problem i've found:

Wilson Combat "drop in" beavertail grip safety. (no frame milling required)

Chip McCormick "value line" commander hammer. excellent trigger pull with stock sear.


cost of both parts from brownells under $40.00

 

[Cheeseybacon]

I've definately given the Wilson drop-in Beaver tails a good long hard look. My question is: why is the drop-in beaver tail listed on Wilson's website as being available ONLY for Colts? Why can't you get the drop-in one for any other brand of 1911? Obviously this doesn't really affect me since I do indeed have a Colt, but I'm curious nevertheless what is special about Colts that they get the drop-in treatment but others don't.

 

[mrb302]

First, they are drop in for "Colts Only" because of the radius of the frame tangs. Different manf's have a slightly different radius or shape, so there is a drop in for most brand of 1911's.

If you look at a custom installed beavertail there is a thin uniformed gap between the safety and the frame tangs. With a drop in, the gap will be a little larger and more noticable. Kinda like body lines on a car; you can tell how much time was spent on panel to panel alignment. That being said, the drop ins are much easier and unless you hang out with $2500 custom rare wood gripped 1911 gun snobs, no one will ever notice.

Second, I used the King "drop-in" beavertail on my SA1911 and the stock hammer interfered very badly, as in could not cock the hammer back. I switched to a rounded skeletonized hammer and still had a little interference between the lower visible portion of the hammer and the inside most area of the beavertail. I was able to reshape the curved radius on the beavertail and everything fits well with no intereference, but I did have to refinish the beavertail.

 

[micky692002]

I have your same gun and ordered the drop in beavertail and bob hammer yesterday from wilsoncombat.com. When I receive the parts I'll let you know how they work.

 

[Cheeseybacon]

I have your same gun and ordered the drop in beavertail and bob hammer yesterday from wilsoncombat.com. When I receive the parts I'll let you know how they work.

Please do. I'm anxious to see how they fit.



Also, for anyone who knows. Will hammers for Colt series 70 fit in series 80? I was looking on Brownell's website and couldn't find the Chip McCormick "value line" command hammer anywhere on it as Mjoilner1911 suggested. The only Chip McCormick hammer I saw was for the series 70...

Are most hammers "drop-in" for the most part? And can anyone recomend a good brand?

 

[DogBonz]

It will not work

I am having a 1911 built for me as we speak, and I too wanted the original spur type hammer and the Caspian or Ed Brown Grip Safety. So my smith had some parts lying around and began dishing out the beavertail to make room for the hammer. Well, he ran out of material in the grip safety before the hammer would clear, and ended up with a tunnel in the safety. He suggested bobbing the hammer and dishing the grip safety, but it just didn’t look right, at least to me, so we scrapped that idea.

Then some one here suggested the Kings Gun Works unit, and sure enough, they do make one… But take a good long look at it before you buy one, as it looks nothing like a beavertail that most of us think of when someone says beavertail grip safety. It just didn’t look right, so I said the hell with it and used a combat hammer.

 

[Franco2shoot]

amazes me

Just how many variations on a theme are there?
I love em all. Here's mine:

KKKKFL

 

[micky692002]

This are the parts I ordered:

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/detail.asp?product_id=429BG

http://www.wilsoncombat.com/detail.asp?product_id=455B

 

[ghettofab]

Franco2shoot

Where did you find that safety, I love it, and i want one!!!!