WB Legal 1911 Grip Safety for GI Style Hammer Spur?

[July Smith]

I would like to give Wild Bunch a try and am interested in shooting in the Traditional category.  I once had a nice Colt series 70, but sold it off because the large hammer spur combined with the small grip safety always drew blood.  Are there any grip safety options that are legal for WB traditional category that will eliminate hammer bite?

[Deacon KC]

I too suffer from 1911s chewing on my hands [and have the scars on the web of my hand to prove it]. Sometimes the wider Target Style hammers do not come as far back, so maybe look at those.

[Jack Spade]

Try a flat mainspring housing instead of an arched one.  This lowered my grip just a little and took out most of the bite. 

[Eyesa]

The things I get to look forward to as a newbie WB shooter. 🤠

[Garrison Joe]

Thinning the back side of the hammer spur so that at full recoil of the slide it only comes to within 1/2" of touching the grip safety usually eliminates most of that problem.  As well, some metal can be shaved off the top surface of the grip safety itself, right at the contact point.  Combine that with the aforementioned flat mainspring housing, and that is what works for me.

Looking for a "traditional" grip safety that will protect your web of hand is like looking for a "steam bucket."   The reason that beavertail safeties are so long/large is they try to do that protection job solely by shielding the hammer.   That is fixing the symptom, not the cause.

good luck, GJ

Edited March 31 by Garrison Joe