ksteele1 Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Experienced IDPA shooter new to the 1911 platform. My problem is that as I ride on top of the thumb safety with my thumb I occasionally lose a tight enough hold on the grip resulting in FTF. I have read about some shooters with this issue taping the grip safety. My question is twofold ---is the IDPA legal and if so any particular tape and/or method to do this effectively. Thanks is advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHAVEGAS Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 It is a no no - 8.1.7.5. Those that do it in other sports tend to have the gun modified so the safety is pinned back. I think of the issue as a very beneficial feature that helps you train yourself to get a good grip. That is not a universal opinion though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MemphisMechanic Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 Since a "very good grip" tends to be as high as possible, which means on some guns you don't consistently hit the grip safety, I'd certainly say that it isn't a universal opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHAVEGAS Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 8 minutes ago, MemphisMechanic said: consistently . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g.willikers Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 It's surprising that with all the manufacturers making 1911s, someone hasn't offered a no grip safety option by now. If memory serves, Mr. Browning's original design didn't have one. The army insisted on one as substitute for poor training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancejoshlin Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 You could always put in a grip safety that has a larger palm activator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mhall Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 On November 24, 2016 at 10:06 AM, ksteele1 said: Experienced IDPA shooter new to the 1911 platform. My problem is that as I ride on top of the thumb safety with my thumb I occasionally lose a tight enough hold on the grip resulting in FTF. I have read about some shooters with this issue taping the grip safety. My question is twofold ---is the IDPA legal and if so any particular tape and/or method to do this effectively. Thanks is advance. So are you asking if you should tape the safety and grip lower? It it sounds to me, you need to pin the grip safety and get a thumb shield to prevent the FTFs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHAVEGAS Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 4 minutes ago, Mhall said: It it sounds to me, you need to pin the grip safety and get a thumb shield to prevent the FTFs. Idpa. Not allowed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mhall Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 1 hour ago, IHAVEGAS said: Idpa. Not allowed. I have shown my IDPA ignorance. I'll show myself out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHAVEGAS Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 32 minutes ago, Mhall said: I have shown my IDPA ignorance. I'll show myself out. They change the rules every 3 weeks or so, you are probably just ahead of your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfisher Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 I don't shoot IDPA, but most people who have that issue in USPSA (of which I am one) pin or deactivate the grip safety, I much prefer to pin so the safety doesn't move which then maintains the smooth transition between the safety and the frame. jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mhall Posted November 30, 2016 Share Posted November 30, 2016 47 minutes ago, IHAVEGAS said: They change the rules every 3 weeks or so, you are probably just ahead of your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joerenew Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 On Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at 8:32 PM, IHAVEGAS said: They change the rules every 3 weeks or so, you are probably just ahead of your time. I have noticed sight to sight changes in rules and was wondering about that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkrumme Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 Unfortunately not legal to deactivate the grip safety in IDPA. Does your grip safety have a raised activation pad? If not, I would recommend replacing it with one that does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanttolearn Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 (edited) Bruce Gray (Grayguns.com) does a magnificent hard tail grip safety that really facilitates safety activation with high grips...and its absolutely gorgeous. I'm not sure about competition rules or how this would affect them. Mr. Gray would know. I hope it's ok to post a link to another forum that shows the modification, if not please delete: https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=220916 Edited December 5, 2016 by wanttolearn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWprotected Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 I recently had this issue get me for the first time. I shoot 2011s for USPSA and IDPA. I pin the safety on my limited and open guns, I never had an issue with my IDPA gun until I put a wider thumb safety on the gun. I think a set of smaller tactical safeties help prevent this I went back to the slimmer safety and have not had this problem again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeti Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 (edited) Like the others have already said, IDPA says no. Tune it for better effect while still leaving it fully operational. Too much spring tension? Bend the right leg/leaf of the sear spring to lessen the effort of fully engaging the grip safety. Do this slowly and creep up on the result. If the disengagement point is too far inward? You can remove material from the grip safety tang where it meets the back of the trigger bow. Slooooowly and carefully creep up on the result! You will ruin the GS if you get too aggro. Edited December 5, 2016 by Yeti Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikieM Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 On 11/29/2016 at 8:09 AM, g.willikers said: It's surprising that with all the manufacturers making 1911s, someone hasn't offered a no grip safety option by now. If memory serves, Mr. Browning's original design didn't have one. The army insisted on one as substitute for poor training. Correct. And, Jeff Cooper thought the grip safety to be as worthless as you what's on a you know what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHAVEGAS Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 1 hour ago, MikieM said: And, Jeff Cooper thought the grip safety to be as worthless as you what's on a you know what. Not sure that Mr.Browning or J.Cooper were concerned with fast draws (dropped guns) and competition tuned trigger jobs and the multitude of options for firing system components. They might feel the same way regardless, or completely opposite, who knows? If the momentum of the trigger assembly on a particular gun is not enough to overcome what is required to move the sear, from a reasonable drop height, then it seems like the only benefit to the grip safety is to prevent 'bump firing' from recoil. I only know of one person who pinned a safety and then had it unpinned due to doubling, but I have seen guns hit the ground at a match (and dropped mine more than once during practice ) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikieM Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 2 minutes ago, IHAVEGAS said: Not sure that Mr.Browning or J.Cooper were concerned with fast draws (dropped guns) and competition tuned trigger jobs and the multitude of options for firing system components. They might feel the same way regardless, or completely opposite, who knows? If the momentum of the trigger assembly on a particular gun is not enough to overcome what is required to move the sear, from a reasonable drop height, then it seems like the only benefit to the grip safety is to prevent 'bump firing' from recoil. I only know of one person who pinned a safety and then had it unpinned due to doubling, but I have seen guns hit the ground at a match (and dropped mine more than once during practice ) . Mr. Cooper was one of the founders of our sport. I would have quoted him had I took the time to look it up. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of us have pinned safeties with no ill effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHAVEGAS Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 (edited) 24 minutes ago, MikieM said: Mr. Cooper was one of the founders of our sport. I would have quoted him had I took the time to look it up. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of us have pinned safeties with no ill effects. No debate here, as you noted a lot of folks have pinned safeties. My only real point is that, if it was me, I would want to know that when /if I dropped my particular gun from a reasonable height the mass-velocity of the trigger assembly on impact was not enough to overcome the resistance to motion of the sear/spring. Edited December 13, 2016 by IHAVEGAS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikieM Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 1 hour ago, IHAVEGAS said: No debate here, as you noted a lot of folks have pinned safeties. My only real point is that, if it was me, I would want to know that when /if I dropped my particular gun from a reasonable height the mass-velocity of the trigger assembly on impact was not enough to overcome the resistance to motion of the sear/spring. Absolutely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tylerradke Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 My wife and father in law have this same issue. I have no problem shooting thumb high but I have meatier hands then both of them. Looking at it I think either a larger bump on the grip safety or/also thinner grip panels should help with the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Watson Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 A bump on the grip safety is a help. I know two people who found the regular Beavertail Bump too low and had their bumps built up. One by welding and filing, the other with a piece of hard rubber cemented on. The grip safety can be "sensitized" to disengage with less movement. In my OPINION, the source of this problem is an Unintended Consequence of the modern fad for the high hand hole grip, first seen with the Ed Brown beavertail which rides high and requires the frame to be swamped out for contour. It puts your hand a bit higher on the gun, giving it more leverage as it presses up on the beavertail. No point channeling Cooper or Browning. I don't think Cooper used the "ducktail" and Mr Browning seemed to be a Condition 3 type of guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cas Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 The beaver tail on my guns are buried in the web if my hand, while the bottom of my hand still sticks down well below the magwell. "Fads" have nothing to do with the size of one's hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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