Completely Confused: Drop in Beavertail for Springer Mil Spec?

[loudernhel]

Usually If I do enough forum searching I get a clear answer to my question but I've been researching this for a while now and have grown thourghly confused.

What Beavertail grip safety is a drop in fit on the Springfield Mil-Spec, if I install a commmander hammer?

I'm defining drop in as:

May require minor fitting with common hand tools, such as a file or fine grit sandpaper. Modification should be done to the grip safety ONLY. No filing/sanding/dremeling/milling/blowtorching/plastic explosvies on the frame.

Keep in mind that I will be installing a commander hammer (most likely as part of a Nowling trigger pull kit that replaces all the fire control guts.)

One's that I've looked at are:

Wilson "drop in"
Smith and Alexander
Kings
CMC

IF there is a slight gap between the frame ears and beavertail, I'm not going to be upset.

Any wisdom you might have would be appreciated.

Also: Yes, I know it would probably be cheaper to just buy a 1911 without any MIM parts and a beavertail already installed. But I NEED tinkering projects like this, they lower my stress level. I've always wanted to build up a 1911 up by myself like this. It's either that or a 57 chevy and compared to the Chevy, this is CHEAP. And I don't have a garage.....

 

[Onmilo]

Drop in refers to a beavertail grip safety Wilson markets that is designed to fit on an unaltered USGI/Commercial Colt frame without radius cuts.

Most Springfields have a 220 degree radius cut on the rear tang.

I will take a look at a Mil Spec Springfield when I get to the shop this morning and see which frame cut they are using.

 

[Gunsnrovers]

I know the Kings work with the Springfield .220 radis, but I did not care for the gap and don't have the skills or tools to fit one properly.

The only fitting issue I saw (but didn't do as I returned the part) was that I would have needed to adjust the safety arm as it dragged on the trigger bow.

In the end, I knocked the hard edges off the standard grip safety and bobbed the hammer.

 

[Bill Z]

Current production SA's indeed do have the .220 radius. The radius is the 'circle' that is made around the hole for the Thumb safety/grip safety. On a GI frame, i.e mil-spec, the tangs are elongated at the end as in the pictures below. A 'drop-in' beavertail would have to have material removed from this entire area so it could operate, so you are talking much more than a slight gap. Wilson and Kings both make one that will work.


Springfield left, Colt right


Springfield bottom, Colt top

The drop in's will look like the one on this gun.



Now, if you do want one fit, either the Wilson GS fit or the Smith and Alexander .220 radius will work with some alterations done to the frame. The pivot on the Wilson is eccentric though and will not give as tight and clean a fit as the S&A will, or is capable of giving you depending on the quality of the installation.

 

[loudernhel]

Ok, so I'm getting that a Wilson will work and King's has one that will work, although it may not be as pretty as some would like.

Is the Wilson the one that is marketed as "drop in"? I assume (uh oh) that would be the case.

Which King's safety are we talking about? The 204?

Bill Z, what gun is that in your picture? Colt? Springer? What safety is it?

 

[Bill Z]

I dunno, one I found on the web some time ago that I used as an example in the past. I am not sure of the Kings part number, I've never ordered one, but I'm sure it's on their website.

 

[Onmilo]

The example Bill Z is showing is a Wilson 'drop in fit' and that is what it will look like on your pistol.
I looked at a couple of Mil-Specs at work today and you may get a 250 degree radius safety to fit rather well with very minor gapping.
The rear tang is neither fish nor fowl on these guns.

Buy the Series 70 type beavertail grip safety, it will have the additional material on the trigger bow lug to acheive a perfect fit in this area.

 

[Gunsnrovers]

The one I tried and did not like was the Kings #204.

The Smith & Alexander grip safety is supposedly made for the Springfield frame (.220 radius), but I have no experience with it and have not seen any photos posted.

 

[Bill Z]

Smith and Alexander makes one for the 'standard' .250 and one for the .220. They are seperate and apart from each other, with or without speed-bump, stainless or blue.

A .250 radius grip safety will not drop-in/on the .220 tangs, it too would require filing and then it would look just as bad as the drop in part.

Just out of curiosity, why would you spend the money on the Nowlin parts and then go cheap on the grip safety? It's kind of like putting hubcaps on a racecar. Depending on your reasoning, there may be a plan 'B', but I would like to know what your direction is first to know for sure.

 

[Jake in TX]

I have personally put a Wilson drop in beaver tail grip safety and a Colt commander hammer in a Springfield Armory Mil Spec psitol. No fitting was necessary. It was a drop in fit, no problems.

Jake in TX

 

[loudernhel]

Jake, thanks, that ws exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks to everyone, I think I've got it figured out now.

 

[Bill Z]

The only burning question is, will you be satisfied with the huge gap the drop in's leave behind?

 

[GaryK]

I added a Commander hammer to my Springfield Champion and used a stock grip safety from a Colt Commander. It was one that I already had and I was concerned that it would bite my hand. It turned out that the gun was very comfortable to shoot, even with extended shooting sessions. I kind of like the classic look also.

 

[BluesBear]

I have found that the genuine Colt drop in grip safety designed for the Commander models often work best.

Quite often you need to file them a little bit to get it to clear the rear tang of the frame but that solves the ugly gap problem.

 

[HMdoc]

Here's a milspec with the king's #204

A closer look

 

[Gunsnrovers]

Not bad Doc.

My gap on the same part (#204) on a Milspec was almost twice that.

 

[HMdoc]

Thanks, Gunsnrovers. I initially ordered the #203 but the gap was bigger so i switched to the #204. Eventually, i'll put on the S & A when i get enough courage to mess with the frame. Or maybe when i get really bored (I got bored and put Oxpho-Blue creme. The top picture was the result of the Oxpho and the close up was the before picture.)

 

[loudernhel]

HMDoc, thanks for posting your pics, unfortunately I'm not seeing them!

I'm like you, eventually I get the gumption to start grinding on the frame for a Beavertail but I'm not there yet.

 

[HMdoc]

Thanks, loudernhel (hopefully the pics will show up next time around). I did order the S & A but did not get the jig to go with it. I chickened out and returned it to Brownells. Someday.

 

[loudernhel]

Hey, whaddya know, I can see the pics now!


So that's the Kings 204? I like it. I think I might go that route.

 

[Catalina]

ARISE!


*sigh*

Why do people delete their hosted pictures?