Thumb safety help please

[TheActor]

I searched and found some good info but I want to be sure. I alos posted this on a couple other forums and was directed to try here.

I took the plunge and bought my first 1911 style pistol. I got a Springfield EMP for a few reasons. One, I'm lefty and I must have an Ambi safety. I shot standard 1911's before and wrapping my thumb back and forth is just ridiculous. Plus I wanted a 9mm since I already own a g19.

I took the EMP home and field stripped it. Gave it a good cleaning and lube. Off to the range with 250rds of UMC ball. First couple of mags saw some hiccups. I expected that and sure enough it cleared up and ran fine for 150rds. I moved on to some drills. Load, safety on at low ready, bring the weapon up, safety off and fire. I click off the safety and squeeze the trigger. Click. Hmm, ok. So I tap, rack and... It won't rack. The thumb safety is still partly engaged. Now it won't fire, it won't rack and, well I've never seen anything like it.

I engaged the thumb safety again and packed up then went home. No other choice really. After some reading I figured out how to remove the left side safety so I could rack the slide and remove the live round. I reinstalled the safety but it still will not completely disengage.

Tomorrow it goes back to Springfield. After what I've read on the gun I halfway expected some issues but nothing like this. I know they will make it right I'm just curious as to how it could happen. When I first looked at the weapon after it locked up I noticed the thumb safety was out from the frame a touch. Just enough to slip a credit card under.

I posted over at pistolsmith.com and got some good feedback. Any constructive comments would be much appreciated. I've done trigger jobs on my old sigma and two g-19s that turned out fantastic. I want to learn as much as I can about the 1911 I plan on keeping for a while.

If I can safely fix it myself I'm game so I await your comments.

 

[rcmodel]

First, I would take off the right grip and see if the right-side safety retainer tab is binding on the back of the grip.

Then see if it still does it with the right-side safety removed.

If not that, assemble it without the grip safety in place.
That will allow you to look in there and possibly see what is going on.

If nothing obvious jumps out and smacks you, box it up and send it back to Springfield.

It's a brand new, sorta expensive gun.
It should work.
If it doesn't, let Springfield fix it.

Maybe they will learn something about their quality control.


rcmodel

 

[TheActor]

Ok, got it figured out. The left and right side safeties join with a simple tongue and groove. For whatever reason they had worked apart. I pressed the two together again. Now if I could just ensure they stay fitted.

 

[Jim K]

The left side safety is held in by its plunger in the normal manner. The right side thumbpiece is held in by the right grip. It should not be able to move out far enough for the inner joint to come apart.

Jim

 

[rcmodel]

+1 to what Jim Keenan said.
They where either never assembled correctly from the factory, which is doubtful?

Or someone had the gun apart, and didn't put the safetys back together properly when they re-assembled the gun?

I doubt there is any way possible for them to come apart with the grips in place.


rcmodel