Grip safeties

[03RN]

Shooting a uspsa match today I failed to disengage the grip safety on my Springfield Operator twice during the draw. It's happened sporadically in the past but never twice in one match.

The operator is set up nearly identical to my edc loaded. The grips are a little different but not much.

I do a lot of drawing from concealment with my edc and never have a problem. I've been shooting 1911s since I was 16 and never had a problem.

Driving home I'm wondering if it an issue with my safariland ALS holster, or the Wilson bullet proof sear spring with it's extra tension.

Any ideas?

[willie]

Since the three spring prongs allow bending for custom fit, perhaps the torsion is a tad high on the one controlling the grip safety. That's my guess. Some grip safeties have a pad on the lower end to reduce probability of this occurrence. I've been around 1911's for decades and have never observed one that required more than slight grip pressure to disengage. Since you are participating in realistic practice that will reveal a pistol's idiosyncrasies, you have discovered one more piece of interesting information. Keep us informed.

[Totem Polar]

Weird. The only time I’ve had issues with a 1911 grip safety is in retention shooting.

[Greg]

How far in the grip safeties range of motion does it travel before it clears the trigger bow?

If you have to depress the grip safety more than 50% of its travel you could have that grip safety "sensitized".

I had to adjust one of mine. This one does not have the raised pad and with a high thumb hold + an arched mainspring housing.

Squeezing the @#*€ out of the gun helps too.

[Bucky]

Coincidently, I had the grip safety on my Les Baer jam me up today at a steel challenge match. It was on smoke and hope, which is insult to injury. That grip safety no longer is active.

[Doc_Glock]

This is partly why I no longer own any 1911s.

It can certainly be adjusted and is probably a non issue, but I didn’t care for the drama.

I only noticed it under time pressure. I was also slowly getting it under control by careful filing of the grip safety.

[willie]

Years ago pinning the grip safety in place was in vogue among some shooters.

[03RN]

How far in the grip safeties range of motion does it travel before it clears the trigger bow?

If you have to depress the grip safety more than 50% of its travel you could have that grip safety "sensitized".

I had to adjust one of mine. This one does not have the raised pad and with a high thumb hold + an arched mainspring housing.

Squeezing the @#*€ out of the gun helps too.

I do grip pretty hard. I think with this gun gripping it high and really hard just pulling the safety the wrong way.

[MGW]

I’ve had that issue with my operator but it’s all on me. It has always been because I had a little to high of a grip on the gun when trying to really push my draw speed. My theory is I close my grip before I’ve finished establishing a correct grip. I started running my holster with a little bit of muzzle forward rake and haven’t had the issue since. I think it helps me to get the web of my hand in the correct spot before contacting the beaver tail. I’m using a Blade-tec on a Boss hanger.

[Doc_Glock]

I’ve had that issue with my operator but it’s all on me. It has always been because I had a little to high of a grip on the gun when trying to really push my draw speed.

That exactly describes my issue with the Range Officer.