Thumb Safety Too Tight

[brockgl]

Here are a few things I am wondering about my thumb safety.

I have a Springfield Mil-Spec 1911, and I just did some upgrades to it this week. I installed a new Hammer, Sear, Trigger, and Beavertail. All the new parts are working perfectly; in fact, I just got back from the range and I put about 150 rounds through her without a burp.

I have 1 problem, and 1 question.

The problem is, my thumb safety is a LOT harder to turn on and off than it was before I detail stripped it for the first time last week. Turning it off is really tight; turning it on isn't too bad but harder than it use to be.

To test and make sure the lug didn't need filed down more I assembled the whole gun without the plunger in the tube and turned the safety on and off. It practically falls into place. The safety feels like it is rubbing the sear just a tad as I turn the safety on, but definitely not enough to cause the problem I am having. So my first question is, should my thumb safety rub my sear at ALL during its upward travel? Or should it literally just fall freely on and off when the plunger is not installed?

My second question is this: I had never taken the plunger and its spring out of the tube before this week, so my guess is that I didn't put it back in the tube right. Or maybe I put the spring on backwards? Is it designed to go a specific way?

 

[brockgl]

I had the plunger spring on backwards. I had each plunger piece in the right hole, but I had flipped the spring. Once I switched it back it goes on and off easily now. Thanks guys for the help! I didn't realize the spring direction mattered.

 

[rcmodel]

It doesn't matter.

Whatever you did has nothing to do with the direction the spring is installed in the tube.

A mil-spec spring has closed ends that snap over the little dog-knots on the plungers.
And a kink in the middle to keep it from flying out of the tube when the safety is removed.

There is no right end & left end because it is the same on both ends.

rcmodel

 

[brockgl]

rcmodel,

Thanks, there must be a rough spot on the plunger tube then that is catching the spring, because one side always feels gritty while the other is smooth.

 

[krs]

Get a little bit of grease on your fingers and run them over the spring. Shoot a pipe cleaner through the tube, just for fun.