Strange Occurance @ The Range Today

[RunningOnMT]

I took my new RIA 1911 A2 (14 rd) to the range for the first time today, and had something strange happen (at least it was strange to me). I fired one magazine with no problems, then let my friend shoot. After a half dozen rds or so he stops firing. I asked him what was wrong. He said he didn't know, it just stopped shooting when he pulled the trigger. Turns out the manual safety was on. I told him he had pushed it up with his thumb, or that's what I thought. After it happened several more times I got a little irritated with him, and changed his grip a bit so he couldn't push the safety up any more. Then I fired again. Guess what..I had the same problem. Except my thumb was nowhere near the safety. It just seemed to go on by itself. I have never in my life seen this happen with any gun let alone a 1911. Does anyone have any idea what's going on here?

[aa1911]

if it's really not accidentally bumping it, could be recoil? still shouldn't do that. check the plunger spring and make sure it's working properly and then look at where it contacts the safety and see if there's a detent.

My guess is whatever the issue, probably the plunger/safety contact area as opposed to the internals. wierd.

[Double D]

I have had it happen on a poly gun once but never a 1911. Dont know why.

[Helix_FR]

I see that problem every now and then. The guns recoil is bumping the safety up. Sometimes adding some spring tension to the plunger tube spring helps but if its persistent, a small divot in the safety were the plunger rests with the safety off will cure it. Nothing too deep or the safety will be hard to set.

[ozo]

[maybe it's a ploy to render it a single shot....]

[RunningOnMT]

The plunger and spring seem to have good tension. There is a firm crisp click when pushing the safety up or down. It does appear that there is just the slightest downward bend where the plunger protrudes. So slight it could be an optical illusion. Didn't tear it down so I could tell for sure, but even if there is, it still puts a fair amount of tension on the safety. I've had other 1911's with a soft mushy feel to the safety but still never had this happen before.

[aa1911]

My slide stop sometimes creeps out a tad and locks up the slide but only during dry fire and cleaning sessions, never while actually shooting. I cut a small vertical detent in the end to help hold it in it's correct position and seems to be working fine. I imagine doing the same (only not vertical!) on the safety would help if not eliminate the problem.

if that still doesn't fix the issue, you could always get a new plunger spring assembly and/or even a different safety lever but you would need to have the safety fitted if you don't know how to do it properly. I would start with a new plunger spring at least.

hope you get her fixed up, that's gotta be annoying and isn't a great thing to have happen in a tight situation!

[Shooter45]

This is a simple fix.

With a Dremal tool, grind a small teardrop shape where the plunger rests on the safety. Not TOO deep as you only want the plunger to rest there.

Remove the plunger spring and stretch slightly then twist gently to make a small kink. Not too much. The kink is to keep the plunger spring from flying out when disassembled.

And aa1911, you need to fit an oversized slide stop to your pistol to correct that problem.

[aa1911]

If I get any more creep issues with the slide stop (this only started this year, owned it for 10 years) so maybe it's time for a new one. probably would do an Ed Brown or similar, whatever has a good price on it. Would be an easy fitment and fix for sure. I have an extended stop (wilson combat) that I shelved, I could run that for a bit and see. I don't like the extended SS's though anymore.

Agreed on the safety detent also, go slow until you get it where you want. and the kink in the plunger spring is a cool trick that will come in handy when you are dissassembling/assembling your gun.

[RunningOnMT]

Originally Posted by Shooter45

This is a simple fix.

With a Dremal tool, grind a small teardrop shape where the plunger rests on the safety. Not TOO deep as you only want the plunger to rest there.

Remove the plunger spring and stretch slightly then twist gently to make a small kink. Not too much. The kink is to keep the plunger spring from flying out when disassembled.

And aa1911, you need to fit an oversized slide stop to your pistol to correct that problem.

There is already a little dimple there. I'm taking it to a pistol smith next week to have Novak style dovetails machined in and night sights installed. I'll ask him about this problem then.