I can not get the grip safety to function. All the fire control parts fit in and work but the hammer will fall without any pressure on the grip safety. I have tried several safties. I have taken it apart and re-assembled it a few million times! What's going on here?
The tail on the safety is probably too short. It is not always the safety though, it can a the ratio between sear and trigger and safty to cause it. You can try to peen the tail out a little to make it longer but you can't get much that way. You might need to add some material by welding or brazing.
But before you try any of this make sure the grip safty is reseting all the way and not hanging up on the frame or trigger hoop.
Take a look at one that DOES work, put some marks a lot pen ink or Dyekem layout blue on the parts, see which contact where, and then you'll know what needs what.
Quote:
but before you try any of this make sure the grip safty is reseting all the
way and not hanging up on the frame or trigger hoop
This is the most common area for hang up from my exp.
Usually two reasons whey your grip safety will not work.
1. Arm that blocks trigger is too long and will not allow GS to reset properly.
2. Or arm could be too short not extending far enough forward to block rearward movement of your trigger.
It is much more likely to be 1 than 2.
You need to first remove your trigger and re-assemble your pistol and push up your mainspring housing but not quite pin it and mark with a pencil the side of the grip safety when pushed in. Now re-assemble the pistol with all parts and see if when pistol is back together if you still get the same range of motion, if not fix it.
Chris... I think I solved that problem by changing the grip saftey. You may recall that I posted another question about the hammer falling in half cocked position. You posted a diagram and some advice. I opened up the first notch on the hammer a little bit and filed the tip of the sear and it worked perfectly. That project came out great and I wanted you to know that your expertise did the trick.
I just fixed a friend's pistol this weekend that had two problems, one was the hammer not resetting after slide cycled. Two was the BT sticking slightly and intermittently in the area in your photo, easy enough to diagnose though.
First problem was the trigger going too far to the rear, capturing or in other words binding the disconnector.
So what was the solution to the trigger? I'd guess an overtravel set screw? Or was it a new trigger with a smaller bow? I've actually ran into this problem on a few pistol builds recently - must be an epidemic? With one an overtravel screw was the answer, on another it was an new (shorter) disconnector and grinding down the middle leg of the sear spring to cure the ailment.
I beleive I could have set the overtravel screw and fixed it, but since it was that hideous aftermarket trigger that you can see the two rivets I trashed it and fit a Videki.
I hate the look of that rivetted trigger.
Once the trigger was fitted properly and the overtravel fixed it no longer bound the disconnector and pistol worked perfectly. I have seen on at least a half dozen pistols where the trigger goes too far to the rear and binds the disconnector which can cause intermittent problems.
Oh and I broke the McCormick ambi safety taking it apart, I love McCormick parts but hate their ambi safety, the right side broke. Second time I have seen this safety fail in the same place.
I replaced it with a Wilson unit I had laying around, I usually dont use a Wilson only Browns but did not feel like taking the time to shape the Brown like I usually do since I would not charge him for the fitting just the part.