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, 2024 by Garrison Joe

[Garrison Joe]

14 hours ago, Boggus Deal said:

I’m not sure how you can get 1/2” of clearance

One can't unless bending parts is in the plan. The reply was written without actually measuring a gun I had worked over.

I have now measured my standard match gun and there's a gap of 0.140" between hammer and grip safety at full slide travel.   THAT clearance is enough for my average size hand to avoid web pinching when firing.  I do know the fellow who tuned this gun and relieved the fit on the hammer spur - I see him every morning.

good luck, GJ

[Boomstick Bruce]

My problem is the edge of the safety below where the hammer would be when cocked, (See pic) digs into my hand drawing blood (other pic is of the scab right now). this happened at the WV state shoot weekend before last and I'm certain it was causing me to flinch every time i shot since it literally hurt to shoot.  I found one on ebay that was more rounded so i replaced the factory one with that since i cant file or grind on the original since its hrome plated and will cuase i bigger issue later down the road when it starts to peel. Hopefully this elevates the issue...

[Garrison Joe]

Yes, having to replace plated parts (actually nickel on almost all silvery-colored plated guns, not chrome) when you need to do some fitting is the normal thing to have to do.  

Two ways to avoid this - buy stainless guns, or use blued guns and touch up your work with some cold blue.   Are you sure this 1911 is plated, not a stainless gun?  From the picture, looks stainless.

The pinch spot is between the top of the grip safety and the bottom of the hammer spur.   Relieving some of the grip safety or some of the spur of the hammer are things that are feasible.  Learning to hold a grip that puts your hand lower on the frame also works, but I do not feel the same control of the gun as when I grip high (right up under the grip safety spur), and of course, a low grip lets the gun pivot more during recoil.

[Deacon KC]

As someone with big paws I have a scar on my hand from shooting 1911s and getting bitten like that GJ has covered the steps you need to look at. The original 1911 [not A1] grip safety was smaller and used when Colt brought out the Commander. You can look for one of those too.