Fitting a grip safety

[jtaylor996]

I'm replacing the stock GS on my kimber with a Brown unit.

Before I start shaving metal, where are the good threads about doing this? I've searched and found tidbits here and there, but I was hoping there was a comprehensive thread on this somewhere. Post it if you got it!

My main questions regard the order of operations in fitting. Should I fit to the trigger bow/swartz timing first, and then blend with the frame, or should I blend it with the frame first?

I could also use a good thread on tuning the GS arm. I'm assuming first you get it to install, then time it with the swartz so that it releases the bow only after the swartz has been lifted high enough to engage, without very much travel in-between those two points. Is this correct?

Blending with the frame should be easy enough, as long as I take my time. I realize the brown GS means removing more material, but that's what I'm looking for here, so it's a good thing Oh, and BTW, I did get the s70 GS.

Thanks in advance!

[log man]

First, it must as you may know, be a Series 70 grip safety. The Sticky on the Swartz safety will help in timing. It should drop in pretty much, I would fit to the frame with all the blending and then fit for the trigger release. If the arm holds the push rod up too high file the stops at the base of the grip safety where it hits the MSH, which can also be filed, until you can get the slide on and off.

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=292229

LOG

[bd713]

I typically use the CMC grip safeties on Kimber frames. It is a similar style to the Brown part, but I have had better results with it. It really fits the Kimber radius well. Be sure to follow Logs advice on the Swartz timing.

[log man]

Originally Posted by bd713

I typically use the CMC grip safeties on Kimber frames. It is a similar style to the Brown part, but I have had better results with it. It really fits the Kimber radius well. Be sure to follow Logs advice on the Swartz timing.

It does in fact, but the arm is cut like a Series 80 and are sold as Series 70. So they would be my choice as adding a weld bump for the push rod would not be a problem for me.
Be aware.

LOG

[jtaylor996]

No CMC for me. First, I need it in stainless, which is just not available anywhere from CMC. Second, the Brown lets you get a little higher than the CMC, according to the pics I've seen online. That's why there's soo much more to remove from the tangs with the Brown (not that I've done it with a CMC yet).

Anyways, ya'll are too slow! I'm already done

Pics shortly.

[jtaylor996]

So how did I do so far?

Who needs a dremel? Or sandpaper? I've got 2 tiny files!! One is flat, the other has a slight radius on it. I use the radius file for 90% of the work. And I only got several blisters in the process! Woohoo!




This is the top blend. I actually didn't file this... I used an oscillating spindle sander and a .5" drum. Went quick, but I'll need to touch it up a hair before I finish.



The bottom. It's smoother than it looks, you can run your fingernail over the seam and not catch on it in any direction.


More pics:




Uhh... need to buff those booboo's out...


And I need to blend this thumb safety a little more... it's still giving me a callus.





Finally, I had another issue with a part I ordered. I got an EGW extractor, series 80 for this gun, and the series 80 cutout seems to be in the wrong place. There was a major burr in it as well, but I had already remove it before I took the pics. This is no good... is this where the S80 stuff normally is, or is this a bad part?

[Jolly Rogers]

Kimber doesn't use series 80 parts. The interlock is Swartz (or some other spelling) and the part will need to be modified to clear. There should be way more metal there to live after the mods to live just fine. Use the original extractor to get the dimensions of the clearance you need.
Joe

[jtaylor996]

Originally Posted by Jolly Rogers

Kimber doesn't use series 80 parts. The interlock is Swartz (or some other spelling) and the part will need to be modified to clear. There should be way more metal there to live after the mods to live just fine. Use the original extractor to get the dimensions of the clearance you need.
Joe

Thanks, Joe. I had no idea the kimber top end wasn't standard S80 fare.

I've got to drop EGW a line anyways about some other parts I need, so I may just see if they can do one with a kimber-specific cut for me.

If not, I guess I'll just return this one, and get a S70 to modify. There may still be enough meat on it to do the kimber cut, but since they are close enough to interfere with each other, it may be easier to clamp and modify one that has no cuts at all (for me, at least).

[jtaylor996]

Ok, so now that I have the material removed, and almost completely smoothed out via the files, what do I need to do to make it look good?

I'm guessing a sandblasting is in order, right? Do I need to manually sand before that?

Right now, I'm not going to get a refinish done on the gun. When I do, I'm thinking about that Atranite stuff or a hard chrome (leaning toward the atranite). If I just sandblast the gun now, will it be ok bare like that for a few months, or should I go ahead and finish up the rest of the work I want to do on the gun now?

Also, when you send a gun out for a finish, how prepped does it need to be when you send it? Would I need to remove the existing kimpro finish first?

Thanks!

[Kruzr]

If not, I guess I'll just return this one, and get a S70 to modify. There may still be enough meat on it to do the kimber cut, but since they are close enough to interfere with each other, it may be easier to clamp and modify one that has no cuts at all (for me, at least).

There is no cut (or any special clearance required) in a Kimber extractor and a Series 80 extractor will work just fine. A normal S70 extractor is what comes in the gun. The "cutout" isn't needed but it doesn't hurt anything. If your Kimber is a 9MM (extractor looks like it) then make sure you get a 9MM extractor.

If you are talking about the FPS fitting into the extractor slot, you need to fit the FPS.

[jtaylor996]

Hmmm, I think that's what I'm getting at. I can see where there's nothing special with the kimber extractor, but then again, since it's the normal style (which is unlike the big hunk rear end of the EGW HD style extractor), it doesn't interfere with the FP safety. But just swapping in a S70 EGW HD extractor isn't going to work for me as is.

From the tests I did last night, the FP safety doesn't operate when the EGW extractor is installed.

I've never pulled the rear sights off to get to the FP safety, but I'm guessing that's what would be required to fit it, as you suggest. In fitting the FP safety, do you just remove material from the side until it doesn't intrude into the extractor tunnel?

The EGW extractor I'm using is for 9mm.

[Jolly Rogers]

I would not modify the interlock on the Kimber slide. Just clearance the extractor to clear the mechanism and you will do OK. If you want you can exchange the part for a series 70 but the thickness of the EGW part in the shaft is where the problem lies. Just notch it out to the clearance of the standard extractor where the Swartz intersects.
Joe

[Kruzr]

Originally Posted by jtaylor996

Hmmm, I think that's what I'm getting at. I can see where there's nothing special with the kimber extractor, but then again, since it's the normal style (which is unlike the big hunk rear end of the EGW HD style extractor), it doesn't interfere with the FP safety. But just swapping in a S70 EGW HD extractor isn't going to work for me as is.

From the tests I did last night, the FP safety doesn't operate when the EGW extractor is installed.

I've never pulled the rear sights off to get to the FP safety, but I'm guessing that's what would be required to fit it, as you suggest. In fitting the FP safety, do you just remove material from the side until it doesn't intrude into the extractor tunnel?

The EGW extractor I'm using is for 9mm.

The FPS I was referring to is the Firing Pin Stop Plate. If you need to use the fat EGW extractor, then you will need to do what Jolly Rogers suggests and make clearance for the safety plunger.

I think it would be easier just to use a normal extractor. If it ain't broke.........

[jtaylor996]

Extractor issue aside....


How do I finish up the metal work on the GS from here? Do I need to sand before blasting it?

[jtaylor996]

[log man]

Originally Posted by jtaylor996

The better the finish before blasting, the better the finish after blasting.

LOG

[jtaylor996]

Thanks LOG.

what grit should I go down to with the paper?

[Dave Berryhill]

You should be ok if you polish up to 320 grit emery cloth. You might only have to go to 220 grit but it depends upon your blast media.

[jtaylor996]

Thanks. I just went out back and checked on what kind of media we have, and it appears to be a worn medium glass bead grit, and the pressure is really high (between 120 and 150 psi).

I've read that pressure has more to do with grit, so I may be able to come in on a Saturday and fiddle with the main regulator on the system (we have a custom factory air system, so describing it is no use here) and get that down if it will help.

I tried a piece of scrap SS we had here, and it finished way too rough compared to what's currently on the gun. Would dropping the pressure fix that while using the same media?

[BigJon]

Originally Posted by Jolly Rogers

Kimber doesn't use series 80 parts. The interlock is Swartz (or some other spelling) and the part will need to be modified to clear. There should be way more metal there to live after the mods to live just fine. Use the original extractor to get the dimensions of the clearance you need.
Joe

And we all need good rules of thumb when we're starting out, so here's a good one: If you have an EGW part that you can't install into your pistol and want to figure out why, start with the assumption that the problem doesn't lie with the part.