Posted: 12/16/2013 1:25:23 PM EDT
| So I just finished installing a wilson ambi safety on my SA operator (what a pain in the ass). And went to function test everything and found that the gun will fire without depressing the grip safety. It did not do this before, I checked and re-checked to make sure everything is installed correctly. I even installed the original GI safety and it still fires. I can feel the tang of the safety moving out of the way as you depress the trigger. I pulled the leaf out further to put more tension on the safety and still no difference. Nothing looks out of the ordinary at the end of the tang or the trigger bow. Any clues? I don't want to replace the grip safety as this gun has a custom cerakote job and am worried that a new black safety wont match. |
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You sure the grip safety is moving all the way back when released? See if you can pull it back and try to see if the trigger will still move back enough to fire. Your grip safety portion of the leaf spring may just not have enough spring left in it to push the GS far enough back so the little nub prevents the trigger bow from moving back. That little nub is blocking the trigger bow isn't it?
Try dry firing it, holding the trigger back, release the grip safety, then while holding the trigger back slowly release the trigger while watching the grip safety. If your grip safety is working correctly, and you have sufficient spring tension on it, you should see it move/snap back to the safe position. Maybe the paint is binding it up enough to not let the GS move smoothly? |
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Quoted:
In that first pic, is that a little dimple to the right of the sear? Is the grip safety causing that? Maybe its getting stuck in the "pushed in" position? Quoted:
In that first pic, is that a little dimple to the right of the sear? Is the grip safety causing that? Maybe its getting stuck in the "pushed in" position? Looks like it, thats why I snapped that pic. I get free movement of the grip safety though, not sure how far back it needs to come so the tang rests over the trigger bow as I can't see it when its installed. This is way out there but is it possible that your hammer is hitting your grip saftey and holding it down enough to disengage it. I think it may, I'm going to try and slide paper to see how much clearance I have. If this keeps the GS from swinging back enough it could explain the dimple to the right of the sear. I'm totally dumbfounded how this just started up though. When I got the gun I did a full function check and it would not fire when the safety was off and GS was not depressed. |
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So after playing with it a bit more, I think this GS has been modified. It almost looks like there was material removed from the bottom of the tang so the trigger bow passes under it.
I filed down the tabs at the top of the MSH and bottom of the GS to allow the GS to swing back more and still the same. Looking inside with the GS installed, there is no way the tang properly engages the bow when the GS is in the proper location, it has to swing outside the back of the frame in order for the tang to hit the bow. This makes me think it was modified. See how "tall" or wide the tang is on this pic I pulled off google? Mine looks narrower which may be allowing the trigger bow to slide under and kick the GS up. You can see it the best comparing my 2 and 3 pictures. 
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I was going to say that you can remove material from the top of the mainspring housing, or the bottom of the beavertail, in order to give you a little more swing out. Seems you already did that. Did it correct the problem?
The problem may have only come about due to the Cerakote wearing away. It might have only just had enough material to engage, and the whole time the Cerakote was wearing, it was getting closer and closer to not working. It might not have worked for a little while now, and you only just realized after installing the thumb safety and doing a safety check. While the hammer can actually keep the beavertail held down, it's a rarity. You will see finish wear at the top front of the beavertail when this happens. It would be on the top surface just forward of the pin for the safety. As far as judging engagement, take you gun apart, leaving off the grips. Install only your trigger, mag release, beavertail, mainspring housing, and thumb safety. Looking from the left side, look through the grip cutout through the mag well, and you will see the stirrup contact with the back of the trigger bow. Don't know who worked on your beavertail, and I hope you don't take offense if it was you, but the stirrup was cut in some weird angles. It looks like it may be too short. You can modify the stirrup somewhat. Not only can you lower it, you can lengthen it too, but not by much. If you have an anvil, or a good sized vice with an anvil on the base, then you can take the stirrup and beat it with a hammer. Turning the GS on its side, stirrup laying on the anvil, you can start pounding the stirrup flat. this will thin it, but will also lengthen it a little. Take care to pad the rest of the safety with some tape to protect the finish. I would advise using a steel punch for the actual contact with the stirrup, as it's easier to control the blows. Same thing can be done to lower it. Place the stirrup with the bottom edge against the anvil and strike from the top. Be careful to go slowly, as it's easy to mangle the stirrup with too heavy a blow. All of this will result in a very ugly looking stirrup, but at least it's concealed when it's put together. If you go this route, make sure to dress the sides with a stone. |