Novak Answer - One-piece back strap for the 1911

[buddy_fuentes]

Thanks for the tip on where to find the MS housing, Mr. Jim.

I think someone like Les Baer, Wilson, Kimber, or other manufacturers would have to produce 2,000 pistols with the new design back strap to qualify for IDPA. Novak would qualify if he was a pistol manufacture and produce enough pistols. Anyway, that is my understanding.

Buddy

[Jim Watson]

I hope a Colt MSH fits your S-I.

The 2000 produced requirement only applies to IDPA SSP. The other divisions, are, after all, Custom and Enhanced and there is no reasonable way to have a production requirement for a custom or enhanced gun. I still don't think it would pass inspection. How about that Ballister Molina?

Edited June 20, 2007 by Jim Watson

[Pierruiggi]

How about that Ballister Molina?

Well, you asked for it...

Despite it's ugly looks, which I love , I have actually not outgrown this gun. That is, a reliable, "accurate enough" gun.

This was my first gun, and I intend to keep it.

Note, however, that the backstrap in a stock BM is curved downwards. Do an image search for Ballester Molina (not Ballister).

[Jim Watson]

Mea culpa on the spelling. I know what a Ballester looks like. I think the solid backstrap guys ought to put some sights and a trigger job on one and go for it.

[buddy_fuentes]

Mr. Jim, thanks for clearing up the 2000 unit deal. Hmm, my 9 mm Kimber or EGW Custom Springfield would fall into that group.

If the MS Housing doesn't fit that won't be a problem. The part is cheap and I have other guns I could use it on.

That looks like one serious pistol. I have a pistol with over a 100,000 rounds through it and it can't match that one.

Thanks, Buddy

[Irishlad]

It would be a interesting if the next 1911 manufacturer that comes to market, probably the 50th , designed one without a "working" grip safety...instead of just copying the other 49 manufactuers.

Done properly, they might be surprised at how many people would buy one. Easy to do IMHO.

Novak's idea is nice, but "typically" 1911ish... very expensive. I'd bet the liability is still "yours", so I'm not sure of the advantage over pinning.

[eric nielsen]

Dlask used to make a 1-piece MSH, years ago. If you want one, you might bug him about making them again. He still makes triggers & hammers that are very cool to look at:

Dlask Arms Corp.

[elenius]

Unfortunately, not everyone is as fortunate as you guys that always make a perfect grip and activate the safety. I use a high grip with right thumb on the safety and the other thumb pointing down range. I miss activating the grip safety very often. Sometimes I grab so high that the web of my hand is too high on the beaver tail and has to slide down as I go to the target or shoot.

A pinned grip safety does fine for me, but I would consider "The Answer" if it were not too expensive and I could install it myself. The cost of shipping the frame to Novak and cost of return shipping runs up an already pricey modification.

Does anyone know who makes a polymer arched checkered mainspring housing? I would like to put one on my Edge.

Buddy

Where did you find the pricing info?

[buddy_fuentes]

At the SHOT Show one of Novak's guys quoted me the price.

Buddy

[MBaneACP]

Wayne put an "answer" on my GUNSITE S&W 1911, and considering I have girly-man hands and a high grip, it is just wonderful.

I do wonder what would be the final ruling for IDPA and USPSA/SS...as some of you may remember, I got my butt handed to me after filming an IDPA Nationals a few years back when I mentioned that most of the 1911s I saw had disabled grip safeties. I'd like to have my competiton 1911s fitted with the Novak fix.

Michael B

[dglock9]

I just checked the novak website. No pricing or availability info posted. I may call them after the holidays. I guess it's illegal for single stack USPSA but I bought my 9mm 1911 primarily as a steel gun. I may just have to start shooting IDPA. I love the 1911 but I can't stand the grip safety. Novak has definitely got the answer.

[scirocco38s]

I have always left mine intact, but do like the idea of really blending it up high.

Seems like I saw this part from, maybe Resomp or CR back about five years ago.

You are correct, they had the part for several years and the interest wasnt there so they dropped it. It was also made for sti/svi guns as well as singlestacks.

[G-ManBart]

I just checked the novak website. No pricing or availability info posted. I may call them after the holidays. I guess it's illegal for single stack USPSA but I bought my 9mm 1911 primarily as a steel gun. I may just have to start shooting IDPA. I love the 1911 but I can't stand the grip safety. Novak has definitely got the answer.

I sent Novak an e-mail about the Answer many months ago asking about availability. Back then they predicted late 2007. I guess they didn't make that prediction, but maybe next year.

You could use an Answer on a USPSA Single Stack gun as there is no rule that says the grip safety has to be active. R,

[warpspeed]

Here is the info off their site:

http://www.novaksights.com/1911.htm#ANSWER%AE_Installation

@ $ 730.00 I too think I'll continue the pin

[Irishlad]

Might be able to justify the cost if you had a "GI" gun that you were going to install a beavertail, new trigger components, trigger job, refinish, mainspring housing, etc.

Very expensive if you already have a gun with a beavertail and good "triggers".

[buddy_fuentes]

Are there really people out there that are that stupid, to pay that kind of money to have a mainspring housing/grip-safety installed? I pin my grip-safety two different ways and both cost less than a quarter.

Buddy

[sperman]

I heard (I think on Michael Bane's podcast) about this integral mainspring/grip safety that Novak makes. There isn't any info on it yet and I had to search around to find these pictures on their website.

Supposedly it removes the grip safety. As I recall, Bane was talking about how some competition shooters disconnect the grip safetly anyway, so a system like this makes sense especially since you still have the thumb saftey.

Anyway, I was curious what everyone thought about it.

Darren

Can someone who has one of these explain how it is installed? Since the grip safety is wider than the main spring housing, you cant just slide the main spring housing up the slots. Is it held in place just by the thumb safety and the MSH pin?

[mpolans]

My guess is that it doesn't have the rails to "slide" like a grip safety and is held in only by the pin-section of the thumbsafety at the top and the mainspring housing retaining pin at the bottom.

[STIGUY]

I'm sure using this product would be considered "disabling a safety" and would be illegal in most shooting sports.

Edited November 20, 2009 by STIGUY

[sperman]

I'm sure using this product would be considered "disabling a safety" and would be illegal in most shooting sports.

Legal in USPSA, Illegal in IDPA.  Not sure about anything else.

[G-ManBart]

I'm sure using this product would be considered "disabling a safety" and would be illegal in most shooting sports.

Legal in USPSA, Illegal in IDPA.  Not sure about anything else.

I wonder if anybody has floated the question of whether it would be legal for Single Stack since, JMB's original design clearly had two distinct parts there rather than one. Functionally, I don't think it makes any difference compared with a pinned GS, but somebody could make that argument. R,

[oldtrooper]

I recall reading one version that stated that since the US Army still had horse calvary at that time they required that JMB add a grip safety so that in the event the rider had to drop the pistol to control the horse after the thumb safety was disengaged it would not fire while swinging around on the lanyard.

[G-ManBart]

I recall reading one version that stated that since the US Army still had horse calvary at that time they required that JMB add a grip safety so that in the event the rider had to drop the pistol to control the horse after the thumb safety was disengaged it would not fire while swinging around on the lanyard.

I think that's generally accepted as true. JMB did not include a GS in his first version supplied to the Army, but the Calvary demanded one. If I recall, the Calvary didn't really want to go to an auto and sort of did this as a foot stomping measure to show they held sway in the Army of the day. R,

[Alan Meek]

Actually the first design the predates the 1911 had a grip safety and no thumb safety. The thumb safety was added at the request of the US Govt.

I will post a link in a few.

[G-ManBart]

Actually the first design the predates the 1911 had a grip safety and no thumb safety. The thumb safety was added at the request of the US Govt.

I will post a link in a few.

I guess it depends on how far back you want to go.

I know the first 1900s had a safety that was integral with the rear sight...it blocked the hammer/firing pin, and no grip safety. The Army didn't like this and had them altered to a standard rear sight, with no thumb safety (still no grip safety). The 1902 which was a refinement of the 1900 didn't have any kind of safety at all (they would manual lower it to half-cock) and neither did the 1905 (first model in .45) which was yet a further refinement. The 1907 had a grip safety which was added because the Army asked for an "automatic safety" as did the later 1909 and 1910.

I think the confusion is that it started out with a manual safety, had it taken away, then had the grip safety added when the Army asked for an "automatic safety" and finally both GS and thumb safety ended up on the 1911.