1911 Thumb Safety help

[Old Moss]

Good days all,

I am rebuilding my Springfield GI Champion.  New trigger new hammer, sear, grip safety all is done everything works nice, everything is smooth a bit tight, but all functions as it should - fully functional.

My problem and question is  about my "Stock" thumb Safety. It is really tight and takes a lot of force to activate and deactivate.  I cannot figure where it is too tight at.  Trigger and sear all work, the safeties all work.  The plunger for the thumb safety seems to be more difficult to overcome when taking it off safety but it is the stock plunger and I would think it should work the same as before.

I like the "Stock Safety" but do I need to look at getting a new one?  Can some one help me with where I should be looking for where it is to tight at?  I would rather have it solid rather than sloppy and loose but shifting my grip and using a second finger to put on and off safe is not good either.  Any Help would be appreciated - Please!!!  Thanks Old Moss   

[Ranger99]

you might try to take a magic marker and color
the bearing surfaces to see if there is something
rubbing that isn't supposed to.


or as on my last colt i bought years back, the surface
that bears against the plunger was ill shaped and
had to be redone. after it was silky smooth.


good luck

[Frank46]

If I remember right the thumb safety has to be cleaned and lubricated as well as the rails and slide. Some of the crud from the fired cartridge I would always find in the firing pin channel. Disassemble and clean and see what happens. Frank

[spruce]

If you are using the same plunger and thumb safety you had in it before and it worked okay then, I would suspect something else - the fit of the safety to the parts you changed, specifically the sear.
 
Although it's often thought parts for a 1911 are a "drop in" fit that's not always the case, especially when aftermarket parts and/or a non- mil spec gun are involved. 
When the safety is put to the on position the tail end of the sear fits into a notch on the safety which prevents movement of the sear, hence rendering the gun safe.  The specs of the aftermarket sear may be slightly different than the original causing the "binding" when you try to move the safety to the off position.
First thing I'd do is compare the two safetys to see if there is any difference that can be seen.  Also look closely at the safety to see if there is any evidence of rubbing of the sear to the safety.
 
The aftermarket safetys I've installed (extended models) have came oversize in this area and had to be fitted to the sear.  This requires very SLOWLY removing a TINY amount of metal from the safety so it will clear the sear to move from on/off or off/on positions.  Of course if too much metal is removed the gun is unsafe and you have to start over again with a new safety (how would I know this???).
Don't know if that's the cause, but it's something to check out.

[spruce]

Forgot to mention - put your old sear back in and see if it works okay.  Replacing the orignal parts one by one should tell you where the problem is.
Also, IIRC the plungers for the safety and slide stop are slightly different, make sure you didn't get the two mixed up when you put it back together.

[Old Moss]

Spruce, Frank46, Ranger99

Thanks, disassembled, fitted each piece to their respective counter part - polished each surface  where sear and safety matched.  Also found a burr in the frame hole for the safety, cleared it and polished the edge of the safety where it engages the plunger.  Went back together and functions perfect.  Thanks every one and I can't wait to shoot it!!!  have a great weekend  Old Moss   

[Ranger99]

good deal.
glad it wasn't one of those lip-biting,
cain't see straight deals.