The best modification you can do to a 1911 is to Hi-grip it; of course that is my opinion. It has to work every time and be accurate enough for the application but for me it has to have a beavertail. I can just shoot better with one and more importunity I can draw and shoot faster when my 1911 has a beavertail. Anyway I thought I would show the forum my technique for installing a hi-grip. It is my opinion that anyone that has enough confidence in themselves could do a great job installing a hi-grip even on their first try. You probably already have the few tools it takes. You must take your time though. To do a great job it may even take you all day. It takes me two and a half to three hours to do a nice job.
The basic tools look something like this…simple stuff, lots of sandpaper, some old thumb safeties, magic marker (sorry all I had was pink) etc… I also use a dremel, a belt sander, and my favorite little tool is the two pieces of aluminum you see below. I use them to hold the grip safety in the engaged position while I wittle on it.
When you fit a GS you must have of course the frame, but you also need the MSH and the thumb safety that will stay with the 1911 permanently. If you change any of the parts latter the safety will most likely not fit as good. I will be fitting a SA today. I also like the Brown. Most every safety has its good points and bad. I am sure many good GSs are available.
I begin by putting on a jig and grinding away on the tangs. Don’t go too crazy; you do not want to go down to the buttons. I would also be careful not to over heat the frame. Definitely leave metal for hand fitting.
Now it is time to hand fit the radius. I like to use an ignition file to file the tangs. It is just a little file use to file points in a cars distributor. Use your magic marker on the tangs and put on the GS. I use a machinist scribe (or what ever its’ called) to act as the thumb safeties shaft pin. This works great because it is smaller in diameter that the TSs pin so even after I get the GS on and the scribe though the frame I still have a little metal on the tang for the final fit.
Just keep marking the tangs and trying on the GS. Only file the high marks on the tangs. It will take some time but just be patient. Put the scribe in the hole on both sides of the frame and tap the GS back and forth to mark the tangs.
OK it has taken tons of tries but I finally have the scribe thought the frame and the GS. Next I use old Thumb safeties that I have sanded down so the shaft tapers. I have lots of these with varying degrees of taper. I use vise grips to hold on to the old thumb safeties and just keep marking the tangs and filing them, only on the high spots. Start to try your permanent TS to see if it will start though the hole.
The basic tools look something like this…simple stuff, lots of sandpaper, some old thumb safeties, magic marker (sorry all I had was pink) etc… I also use a dremel, a belt sander, and my favorite little tool is the two pieces of aluminum you see below. I use them to hold the grip safety in the engaged position while I wittle on it.
When you fit a GS you must have of course the frame, but you also need the MSH and the thumb safety that will stay with the 1911 permanently. If you change any of the parts latter the safety will most likely not fit as good. I will be fitting a SA today. I also like the Brown. Most every safety has its good points and bad. I am sure many good GSs are available.
I begin by putting on a jig and grinding away on the tangs. Don’t go too crazy; you do not want to go down to the buttons. I would also be careful not to over heat the frame. Definitely leave metal for hand fitting.
Now it is time to hand fit the radius. I like to use an ignition file to file the tangs. It is just a little file use to file points in a cars distributor. Use your magic marker on the tangs and put on the GS. I use a machinist scribe (or what ever its’ called) to act as the thumb safeties shaft pin. This works great because it is smaller in diameter that the TSs pin so even after I get the GS on and the scribe though the frame I still have a little metal on the tang for the final fit.
Just keep marking the tangs and trying on the GS. Only file the high marks on the tangs. It will take some time but just be patient. Put the scribe in the hole on both sides of the frame and tap the GS back and forth to mark the tangs.
OK it has taken tons of tries but I finally have the scribe thought the frame and the GS. Next I use old Thumb safeties that I have sanded down so the shaft tapers. I have lots of these with varying degrees of taper. I use vise grips to hold on to the old thumb safeties and just keep marking the tangs and filing them, only on the high spots. Start to try your permanent TS to see if it will start though the hole.