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Lefties with 2011s - hand getting pinched between thumb safety and fra


CaptainOverkill

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I'm not left handed but I do get pinched when I am working on weak hand stuff. I especially notice when I am doing lots of dry fire. I have actually had it take off a little skin at the base of my index finger. My safety has an even bigger gap than yours, you can see probably 2/3rds of the pin.

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That's normal for a 2011; I have the same thing on my strong hand - my right hand. After a few thousand rounds it will callous and you'll be fine.

You can modify the gun as others have mentioned, or just go the easy route and slap a band aide on the spot getting pinched or wrap the pinched area with some tape like golfers and basketball players do.

Edited by wmetzler01
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Rangerdug:

Hes getting bit on his left hand in his palm swell from gripping the gun and then clicking the ambi safety off. The Safety pinches the palm swell on your main (left) hand between the Safety and the grip.

It only happens to a lefty because the right side of an ambi safety does not have an area that can pinch your hand against the grip of the gun.

As usual, lefties gotta toughen up and fight thru this right handed world. :)

Edited by cactusbrew
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I have the EXACT same issue. I've decided to remove the safety and grind out a nice little curve from the bottom. This will resolve the pinch.

Sorry, I sold it as having to swap the slide rack became the next issue. However, I now know how to spec a custom 2011 next time.

however, if you look at the bottom curve of your safety, simply reverse that curve to create the needed gap.

If it was simply sliding against the skin a callous would occur. However, this is not the case since, when you have a tight grip there will be 1/8th to 1/4 inch of flesh caught between the safety and the grip. This is exasperated by the leverage used on the trigger finger. The result is a lot of flesh is grabbed when setting the safety off. Quite painful,

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However, this is not the case since, when you have a tight grip there will be 1/8th to 1/4 inch of flesh caught between the safety and the grip. This is exasperated by the leverage used on the trigger finger. The result is a lot of flesh is grabbed when setting the safety off. Quite painful,

Yes indeed. It pinches enough to gather blood up under the skin where the capillaries at the surface are broken. Hasn't drawn blood yet in dry fire, but I can see it happening in live fire when the skin gets pinched then recoil pulls it free...

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Mr.Dremel is, or can be, your friend your friend.

Put a radius on the square edges that are creating the pinch point.

Just remember the first rule of gunsmithing: Always destroy the cheapest part first.

Excellent point. I had to be reminded of that as my first question to Keigan was to cut the grip. (go ahead laugh at me).

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  • 4 weeks later...

CaptainOverkill....I think the thread others were referencing was my thread from a couple month's back. I had the EXACT same problem with an STI Eagle I bought. It was pinching the web of my left hand when I disengaged the safety. Before investing in another safety (and having to fit it), I took the original and I filed and sanded down the bottom radius to create more space between the bottom of the safety and the grip. I'll see if I can get some pic's to post up tomorrow...don't have any "before" pics, but you can see the "after". Seems to work. I still get a little pinch, and I may file it down a bit more, but it's comfortable enough for me for now.

z-

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