sperman Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 The last 2 matches I've accidentally engaged the thumb safety at least once on my SP01 shadow. Does anyone know of a way to increase the amount of force it takes to engage the thumb safety. I would prefer to disable it completely, but that would make the gun illegal for competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningsquirrels Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 join the club, lol. it's when i reload and move my thumb up for leverage on the frame. the only thing i can think of is replacing the detent and spring, but i tried that using take-offs from a new gun and it didn't work. i didn't try replacing the safety though. i don't know where to get a stiffer spring or a place that sells a bunch of knick knack springs to try to get a close replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningsquirrels Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 do you have machining experience? maybe since it's an internal part you could cnc something with a sharper point or some other kind of engagement that doesn't disengage easily? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eerw Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 need to increase the friction between the safety pad and the sear arm. either replacing the part or peening an edge up on one of the pieces. maybe replace with a 75B type ambi ( non-extended version) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sperman Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 do you have machining experience? maybe since it's an internal part you could cnc something with a sharper point or some other kind of engagement that doesn't disengage easily? I'm going to try and modify the interface between the plunger and the detent on the safety. I'll let you know how it goes. I figured if anyone had an out of the box solution, it would be you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningsquirrels Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 yeah, swapping the factory spring and detent doesn't so it enough and replacing the safety is $. i have a needle file set that i was going to make the detent in the safety deeper, but i don't like making a change like that in the middle of the shooting season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steel1212 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 What about riding the safety like on a 1911? My hand sits a little higher and the safetys a little lower in the shadow than my 1911s but I haven't had that problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWFAN Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 What about riding the safety like on a 1911? My hand sits a little higher and the safetys a little lower in the shadow than my 1911s but I haven't had that problem. Thats how I do it. I've seen some use the smaller profile thumb safety (the 75b) to avoid the issue though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JorDanO Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 The best bet is to just replace the safeties with the standard 75 safeties. Plus it helps keep your grip a little higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningsquirrels Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/7752/gindianamd.jpg yeah, 75b safeties are the way to go. the SA thumbler safeties are waaay too low to get a high grip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beltjones Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 A lot of people also like the Rami safeties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sperman Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 yeah, swapping the factory spring and detent doesn't so it enough and replacing the safety is $. i have a needle file set that i was going to make the detent in the safety deeper, but i don't like making a change like that in the middle of the shooting season. The next match I shoot will be GA state. It's kind of risky to do it before a big match, but no more risky than having the safety come on unexpectedly. I ride the safety when shooting, but sometimes during a reload I manage to bump the safety, and not get my thumb back on top of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningsquirrels Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 oh, i'll be ROing that match. let's meet up. i'm hard to miss. fat asian with a loud laugh, farmer hat, passing gas with food in one hand, and cigar in the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sperman Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 I'm shooting Friday AM and working the rest of the weekend. I'm sure you'll want to check out the Bowmar rear sight and hard chrome CZ. Are you shooting the match? I don't see you on the squad list (unless you are Competitor #10) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningsquirrels Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Yup, that's me. If you like cigars, work a stage with me. A couple of us will chimney through the day! Only thing is I usually get all the big/long stages haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZinSC Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Same issue here. I've got the Shadow saftey on my SP01 now so I can ride it a little better. My issue was like you Scott, after the reload. I was dragging my thumb up the side of the frame causing the safety to kick on. I've dry fired and practiced making sure it's more of a deliberate motion to pick my thumb up off of the frame and set it down on top of the safety. Sounds like a lot of movement, but it's not, just working on repitions while driving firing has helped. I too wish there was an out of the box fix to my make my safety stiffer. Wait, that sounded bad. By the way, I'm shooting Saturday, and I know you both, so if you haven't bumped into each other by then, and you see me, I can point each of you out to the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sperman Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 Gerard must not remember me. I met him last year at Ga State. And at NC State. I have that effect on people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38superman Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 (edited) I used to have this problem but found a simple solution. During recoil I would occasionally bump the safety and engage it, often without realizing I had done it. The resulting failure to fire would result in all types of time burning gyrations. Tap, rack, reload, and then total brainlock trying to figure out what had gone wrong. Many suggested that I ride the safety with my thumb while shooting. That may work for some, but It changes my grip too much and I just couldn't make myself comfortable with it. I now have the detent pin hole drilled slightly deeper on all my guns with external safeties. You want to make sure that its the safety engagement that it drilled. I need to make it harder to engage the safety, not to disengage it. Tls Edited August 30, 2011 by 38superman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneeboy87 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I've had the same issue with my CTS. I think it has more to do with me having the oversized thumb safety. It's interesting about my safety, if you put a little pressure on the back of the thumb safety (end near the hammer) the safety will engage slightly. The best way I can describe it is as a "loose" thumb safety. I'm also able to engage the safety with the hammer is not cocked back. Could this potentially cause some issues? Sorry went off on a tangent there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningsquirrels Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 the giant safeties on that CTS are kind of liek the giant ones on 2011s that are turned on by rocking them with the middle knuckle of the thumb, that is normal. also, yes, you can engage the safety while the hammer is not cocked - that is no problem or malfunction. mine do it too. it depends on a tiny tolerance internally whether or not it will do it, the method by which they install the comp hammer. it is a non-issue on both counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawneeboy87 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 the giant safeties on that CTS are kind of liek the giant ones on 2011s that are turned on by rocking them with the middle knuckle of the thumb, that is normal. also, yes, you can engage the safety while the hammer is not cocked - that is no problem or malfunction. mine do it too. it depends on a tiny tolerance internally whether or not it will do it, the method by which they install the comp hammer. it is a non-issue on both counts. Yeah my shooting buddy is an open shooter. He has the oversized thumb safety on his 2011, but its much "sturdier." It's either engaged or not engaged, theres no in between. With the CTS if its pushed slightly, it engages. Not a massive problem, but just interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philo_Beddoe Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 What about riding the safety like on a 1911? My hand sits a little higher and the safetys a little lower in the shadow than my 1911s but I haven't had that problem. This solved my problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38superman Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 (edited) This has now become a huge issue for me. I normally have the detent drilled deeper and this does the trick. (See post 18 above) My safety engagement was tight enough that you couldnt engage it with only your thumb. You had to reach over the slide with the weak hand and pull up on both sides of the ambi safety. This worked for me. Then the extractor broke and my 2011 went back to the builder for a replacement extractor. Upon inspection, it was decided that the safety should be replaced as well. I agreed, with the provision that the detent be reset to a comparable condition. At my first match, the safety locked up the gun on every stage. Not wanting to pay another $100 shipping bill drove to Atlanta to give a local guy a shot at fixing it. I got back what I wanted, .... at first, but it quickly loosed up even more. Now thoroughly discouraged, I had another local smith mill the left side paddle down (I'm a lefty) to make it thinner. The thought being that I'm bumping it with the web of my hand during recoil. He says he also put a stronger spring and a deeper detent hole in the safety, but it is still way too loose. I think that because the new safety has a highly polished finish, it simply doesnt proved enough friction on the plunger. At this point, I'm at a loss for what to do. A lot of guys will say ride the safety, but thats not my style and after almost 10 years I'm just not willing to change my grip. It's maddening that this gun ran for me for 8 years and now,..... I can't use it. Tls Edited July 24, 2012 by 38superman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 oh, i'll be ROing that match. let's meet up. i'm hard to miss. fat asian with a loud laugh, farmer hat, passing gas with food in one hand, and cigar in the other. That's the truth! But damn does he know.those CZ's .... Cured the issues with mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ck1 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) IMO, if you've got a CZ where the safety moves too easily and it bugs you, then there's really no other solution that'll really last other than coughing up $30 for the new part, and then fitting it how you want it (new left-side safety for ambi's). On CZ safeties there's a raised, square pad that sits towards the left side of the frame and tucks up and under the sear arm the protrudes out of the top of the sear-cage/ejector-housing... In order to get a the safety/safeties to engage, you have to file off the front corner (or back corner, can't remember exactly without looking at it, just take your slide off and you should be able to see what I'm talking about...) of that pad so the safety can be raised and allow that pad to butt up against that sear-arm, blocking the sear from moving. So if one is patient, and resigns themselves to taking things apart and reassembling as many times as it takes, you can file off just a little each try until you get it to where with a fair amount of muscle you can force it to engage. Voila, stiff safety on and off, maybe stone it real quick to smooth things up (or not and just let it wear in) and that's it, you should be good. (IMPORTANT: make sure the hammer is back with the gun in SA mode as you're checking things out!) Anyone who's installed a competition hammer before probably already knows what I'm talking about here, but to get 'em to snick on and off with authority you've pretty much got to go slow, trying, and re-trying until it's right there. There's a fair amount of room to over file where the safeties will function and do what they should, but engagement won't exactly feel real positive, I've actually had a couple guns (and heard it's fairly common) with competition hammers that were where they allowed the safety to be be engaged with the hammer down in DA or at half-cock... Done as described above, there's no safety movement at all with the hammer down and engaging it has to be totally deliberate with the hammer back in SA mode. It's actually quite easy, but go to far and the part is toast so be aware and try more, and file less, before you go too far. (sorry for the any typos, long posts are a bitch on an iPhone) Hope this helps. Edited July 25, 2012 by ck1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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