Would you remove the 1980 safety from your auto?

[AzShooter]

I've read that removing the 1980 safety parts will help reduce trigger pull, less parts to get in the way.   I don't like eliminating safeties but what is the real gain in doing so on your 1911?

 

 

[ltdmstr]

Only gain really is fewer parts means less chance of a problem.  But having said that, chances of a problem related to the S80 parts are close to zero.  Most people remove them so they can get a smoother trigger.  But if you polish all the parts and contact surfaces, you won't even know they're there.

[Dranoel]

I do not remove or disable ANY safety devices on guns. If a gun has a device I don't like, I don't buy it.

 

[zzt]

11 hours ago, ltdmstr said:

 But if you polish all the parts and contact surfaces, you won't even know they're there.

 

That's what I did, and you really cannot tell the difference.  Also, if you disable the firing pin block you will not be able to shoot IDPA, plus some others.

[Jim Watson]

My FLG is a S80 Deleter  but when IDPA started checking, I had to have him put the lawyer levers back in.  With everything polished up, it makes no discernible difference in trigger weight or feel. 

[Dranoel]

12 hours ago, ltdmstr said:

  But if you polish all the parts and contact surfaces, you won't even know they're there.

 

Believe it or not, polishing EVERYTHING in your 1911 is one of the best upgrades you can do. It improves EVERYTHING. Just bring the parts to a nice shine and don't remove metal.

[NickAument]

a lot of folks remove the parts and put a spacer block in the frame

                                    BUT

the dumb shits don't realize the 80 hammers do NOT have a half cock notch

   IF you have to do it get a series 70 hammer

OR just sell it and buy an original design model.

 

[zzt]

Better yet, just put a 70 series hammer in and polish everything else.

[cas]

I have a Series 80 gun with a great trigger. That said, it's miles easier to NOT do all the extra work just to have it not be as good as it could be if those parts weren't in there. 

 

Yes, I have removed them and added a filler blank in other guns. Better end result for the guns intended purpose. 

[Salsantini]

I also have a SS series 80 that I had a Trigger job don to.  The trigger is nice and crisp.  I think the little gained by removing the safety in negligible.    Plus you are putting liability on yourself by removing the safety

[45 Raven]

I'm not opposed to removing Series 80 safety parts from a pistol, as long as some of the precautions listed in earlier posts in this thread are kept in mind.

 

I only own two 1911's that are Series 80 pistols.  I bought them both used and both of them had extensive custom gunsmithing work done to them back in the early 90's when they were new. 

 

All the original safety parts were left in the pistols when they were tuned and modified.  Both have excellent triggers, and I have never felt the need to modify them any further.

 

 

[M1A4ME]

My Colt Series 80 (1991A1 Stainless) does indeed have a half cock notch on the hammer.  Just unloaded it and checked it.

 

I took the stuff out of mine years ago (bought in about 89 or 90, just before the first time Colt announced they were going to stop selling guns to the public - handguns that time, then deal with CZ to make them fell through and Colt went back to business as usual).

 

Not because of the trigger pull, it has a pretty nice trigger.  Every bit as good as many of my CZs and better than any factory Glock, XDM, M&P or FNS trigger I've pulled.  I had to buy an Apex trigger kit for my M&P 2.0 to get a reset like the 1991A1 came from the factory with.

 

Now, since it's been zipped up in the soft cast for about 8 years without being cleaned/shot I think I'll field strip it and lube it up.  I need to make a range trip date for it and the 5" XD Tactical .45 and see which one shoots the best groups.

 

Oh, didn't remove the oops I dropped it from 8 feet muzzle down on the concrete stuff for any reason other than I used the extractor and firing pin in another Colt that was having some issues and just never swapped the parts back.  Thought about it awhile back but couldn't find the little levers.  I'll run across them some day while cleaning/organizing stuff.

[robertg5322]

Had a Kimber with it's version. Never had an issue, though the Schwartz system doesn't affect trigger pull.

 

Converted the gun to .40S&W, using an STI slide so had to disable the FPS. I don't feel less safe with the gun in it's current configuration.

[TimHawkins]

Hello,

 If you ever intend to carry the gun or use it for self defense I wouldn't disable the safety or modify it in any way. Lawyers would have a field day with why you changed the gun.

 Tim

[robertg5322]

I'll add; I don't remove them unless it cannot be detected. Not for some nebulous liability or gamer reason, but because my OCD won't let me leave empty holes on parts where there was once a part sticking through if it can be avoided. 

 

On the Kimber I converted to .40S&W, I had no choice as the .40 S&W slide was Series 70 configuration (no provision for FPS). The gun could never be converted back to its original configuration unless I got a ramped barrel in .45ACP. so it has a small hole where the Kimber FPS activator comes up, just in front of the disconnector. I trimmed the nib off the activator, had to keep it in the gun as a spacer. 

 

I did end up finding a ramped .45 barrel (wasn't looking, someone had one for sale at a good price so I got it) and bought a replacement FPS activator so if I wanted to I could change the gun back to .45 by changing the ejector and putting the .45 top end on it. Nice to have options, and nice to sooth the OCD with low cost stuff.

[NickAument]

M1A4Me you DO NOT have a half cock "NOTCH" you have a ledge which will not hold the hammer if it slips.....

 

https://www.hoopergunworks.com/tag/hammer/

 

the above link will explain the difference.

[NumberWords879]

On ‎10‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 7:45 PM, TimHawkins said:

Hello,

 If you ever intend to carry the gun or use it for self defense I wouldn't disable the safety or modify it in any way. Lawyers would have a field day with why you changed the gun.

 Tim

Have you ever seen this happen in an actual court case? Ive heard this argument made time and time again on forums, but never actually heard of it happening in actual proceedings. Whether or not a shoot was good is completely independent of what type of gun was used or what was done to it, so long as its not anything ridiculously egregious such as the cop a few years ago who was involved in an already bad shoot, and had a dust cover on his AR which said "Youre f*****d", and even then they didn't convict on anything. 

 

[NumberWords879]

https://blog.lonewolfdist.com/index.php/2018/07/13/tactical-mythbusting-you-shouldnt-carry-a-modified-gun/

 

Link to a good article on the subject mentioned in my last post.

[ltdmstr]

Any smart prosecutor who's bringing charges related to a shooting is going question the fact that a safety feature was modified or removed.  Maybe the fact that you removed those series 80 parts doesn't make one bit of difference in what went down.  The problem is, once the prosecutor argues that it does, the burden shifts to the shooter to show otherwise.  And then it's up to the jury, most or all of which probably know little or nothing about firearms, to decide which argument is credible.  Do you really want to be in that position?  Same goes for those who think it's a good idea to shoot reload for self defense.  The best thing you can do is use a stock gun with factory ammo.  That removes the entire scenario from the equation.  If you don't believe me, ask a lawyer.  Don't go by what the gun writers/bloggers have to say.  

[shootin-blanks]

+1       If a gun has a device I don't like, I don't buy it.

 

Don't own any 80 series 1911's or post safety marlin lever guns    

 

All my 1911/2011's ( but one) have the grip safety pinned or disabled,  My high grip pushes it/them the wrong way. The only one I activate is a DW bobtail, must be the relieved MSH shifts my grip down, just enough.

 

+1  Same goes for those who think it's a good idea to shoot reload for self defense.  The best thing you can do is use a stock gun with factory ammo

 

My carry pieces are stock guns with factory business loads.

 

[TimHawkins]

You may not lose a criminal case from altering a gun but today people take you to civil court if they lose the criminal case and want to take everything you have worked for all of your life.

It is much easier to win a civil case and you're gambling life savings on the outcome. I carry a stock firearm with factory ammo and eliminate some of the headaches if a problem arises.

 Tim

[RIIID]

It doesn't matter if you convert series 80 to 70 or go bone stock the law suits are going to come if used in self defense. If the series 80 bothers you sell it and buy a series 70 gun much easier to get the trigger you want.

If you are just using it for target/competition pull the series 80 parts and convert to 70 and get the trigger you want. If you want a trigger below 2# you will dump the 80 parts to get it.

Rich

[HCH]

Sooooo... let’s say you have a series 80 gun that you yanked the series 80 guts out of. You shoot bad guy that was hitting you with a crowbar at the ATM with said gun. What are the chances of the police/lawyers taking the gun apart to inspect if you had removed the unnecessary safety in the slide, unless you specifically said, “Hey, I shot the bad guy with reloaded ammunition and a gun that I modified?”

 

I have a hard time believing a verdict would hinge on reloads being used or a firearm being modified.  

 

 

Back on topic: I pulled the series 80 stuff out of my Para and it helped a lot. Granted, I have not done any trigger work other than over travel adjustment and leaf spring tuning. 

[Absocold]

I dealt with many dropped 1911's during my time as a military rangemaster, none ever "just went off". CAN it happen? Sure. It happened in testing under very narrow circumstances. Figure the odds. I've never heard of a 1911 drop firing happening in the field where the hammer didn't fall. You might have a better chance of getting struck by lightning while being bitten by a cobra than dropping your 1911 and having it go bang because of a lack of a firing pin block.

 

Can I get a 1911 trigger down to two pounds with Series 80 guts in it? Sure. But I charge almost double to do it because it's unnecessary work. I always advise to ditch that garbage, especially in carry guns as it means fewer possible failure points.

[Aspeed]

On 9/10/2019 at 10:13 PM, AzShooter said:

I've read that removing the 1980 safety parts will help reduce trigger pull, less parts to get in the way.   I don't like eliminating safeties but what is the real gain in doing so on your 1911?

 

 

the trigger feels a little smoother because it doesnt have to engage the safety mechanism that lifts the plunger out of the way to release the firing pin.