[10mmman]

I have switched the thumb safety on a Kimber lightweight compact. The new safety clicks off and on very crisply. If I take it off safe, I do not feel any difference in the trigger pull. If I on safe it, and firmly press the trigger, the hammer does not fall. If I then off safe it, the hammer does not move. The new safety did not require any fitting, or appear to have been fit before. I have not shot it with the new safety. Is there another function test I should perform, or should I take it out and cautiously shoot it?
Thanks,
X

 

[10mmman]

I apologize; I was not clear in my description. The safety/trigger seems to be working perfectly. In fact, the safety seems to be functioning more crisply than my Kimber safety. Newton is correct, there was no uncommanded movement after I pulled the trigger hard with the safety on, then let go of the trigger and pressed the thumb safety down. When I pull the trigger with the safety off, the hammer falls normally, and with the same feel and weight as with the stock Kimber safety. Testing was done with the slide in place. There was no interference between the slide and safety when engaging the safety. The thumb safety did fill the notch in the slide when in the safe position. I had access to a batch of thumb safeties that I tried until I found one that worked. I am trying to replace an ambidextrous safety and use thin WC grips. I was wondering if there is another function test that I should perform on a normal feeling safety beyond “on safe, pull trigger hard, release trigger, off safe.”



[This message has been edited by 10mmman (edited 05-22-2001).]

 

[10mmman]

Originally posted by James P:
Here are the tests I use

1. Remove thumb safety, remove plunger and spring, put safety back into gun without plunger and spring. Check to be sure that thumb safety goes all the way into the slide notch without excessive force. There should be slight friction at the end of engagement but not super tight fit. If fit is too tight, engagement surface needs additional filing.

- Done- I do not feel the "slight friction at the end of engagement" but it does go all the way into the slide.

2. Reassemble plunger and spring. Engage safety, firmly pull trigger, hammer must not fall.

-Done- Passed

3. After doing step 1, take finger off trigger, disengage thumb safety, hammer must not fall

-Done- Passed

4. Operate slide, engage safety, pull trigger firmly, take finger off trigger. Then pull hammer back as if to cock it (even though it is already cocked) and listen very carefully for click. This means that the safety does not fit snugly enough and has allowed the sear to be moved. The gun may pass test 3 and still fail this one.

-Done- I did this many times, I can barely hear a click sometimes, and decern extreemly slight movement by the hammer most times. Is there a fix or is it overfitted? Is this a deal buster?

5. Another way to check for slight sear movement is to engage the safety and after taking up slack, you can feel the sear movement while pulling the trigger.

-Done- Passed (I was not able to feel the sear move via the trigger or by touching the hammer with my finger whatsoever.

Thank you both very much, that is what I needed to know. Unless I hear that my result on test #4 renders it unsafe, I plan to cautiously test fire this weekend. I will load 2s, then 5s first. I will post results (unless it goes full auto & flips 180' on me!)

 

[10mmman]

Originally posted by James P:

#4- How/when do you notice hammer movement during this process? Are you saying that you can see the hammer move while you are pulling the trigger with the safety engaged?

-No, the hammer does not move whatsoever when I pull the trigger with the safety engaged. I am just stating that I can just barely discern by feel the click as I start to move the hammer back. BTW, The click is quite faint, and as I have tested it, become less consistent, several times I have detected no click.

I would summarize the tests as follows:

No friction upon full engagement of the safety on test 1
Passed tests 2 and 3,
Has a faint and inconsistent click on test 4
No noticeable creep on test 5.

DYSLEXICS OF THE WORLD-UNTIE!

 

[10mmman]

James P,

Thank you for your time. I will post an update next week.

 

[10mmman]

I ran 100 rd through it with no problem, engaged & disengaged the safety several times- also ran 200 rds of .22 through a conversion with out a problem. Many thanks James P & Newton. I will however shoot it a lot more before I carry it.

[This message has been edited by 10mmman (edited 06-04-2001).]

[This message has been edited by 10mmman (edited 06-05-2001).]