Thumb safety pops off of Sig 1911c3 frame during holstering

[agarzola]

Hey, all. I’d like to consult a rather bizarre experience I had with my gun earlier today.

 

I was at a location where firearms are not allowed this afternoon, so I left my Sig Sauer 1911c3 in a lock box in my car. When I got back to the car, I took the gun out of the box and as I holstered the weapon, the thumb safety popped right off of the frame far enough to release the plunger assembly. I somehow didn’t quite notice it because I was busy getting the thumb break on my holster to snap on.

 

I usually have no problem getting the thumb break on that holster (a Galco Silhouette High Ride) to snap on, but this time the button wouldn’t latch. It was as if the gun wasn’t fully seated in the holster all the way, so the button couldn’t line up properly. I pushed the gun down further into the holster, but it wouldn’t budge. Then I notice that the thumb safety plunger and its spring are sitting on my sleeve… and that’s when I realize the thumb safety is visibly separated from the frame of the gun.

 

Naturally, I pulled the gun away from me, released the magazine, cleared the chamber, locked the slide back, and —after taking a few seconds to breathe— started trying to piece together what the hell had just happened.

 

I’ve never had an issue with this gun. I’ve put at least a couple thousand rounds through it in the ~3 years I’ve owned it without major malfunctions. I got it brand new as a gift from my wife and I haven’t replaced any parts pertaining to the thumb safety, the plungers, or the plunger spring. By the time I saw the thumb safety plunger and spring sitting on my sleeve, the slide stop plunger was already nowhere to be found. I can’t find it anywhere in the car or in my clothes (and I’m sure I’ll never find it), so I’m fixing to buy a new one online (unless I manage to find it locally somewhere). I’ll probably buy a new spring and thumb safety plunger for good measure.

 

I’ve inspected the safety itself and see no indication it is damaged. I’ve also put the gun back together (sans slide stop plunger) and, aside from an excessively loose thumb safety and slide stop (due to the missing plunger), everything else seems fine with the gun. The thumb safety doesn’t come out when the hammer is forward. With the hammer back, the safety cannot be pulled off of the frame when it is fully engaged or fully disengaged, but only when it is half-way in between (as it’s supposed to be). An engaged thumb safety prevents the trigger from moving back fully, and when I disengage the safety the trigger can be squeezed and the hammer falls, as expected.

 

Trying to piece the event back together, it would seem that I somehow managed to:

1. Push the thumb safety downward with enough force to get it at least half-way down, but not enough force to push it all the way to the disengaged position. This is not difficult to imagine, as I was fiddling with a thumb break strap that happens to wrap around and sit right on the thumb safety when it is in the engaged position. I have in the past accidentally disengaged the thumb safety while strapping the gun onto this holster.
2. Push the thumb safety cylinder from the right side of the frame inward, just enough to get it to pop off the frame and cause the plunger spring to fly out, but not enough to cause the thumb safety to completely fall off the gun. This is more difficult to imagine, but I guess it is plausible that I managed to press down on the holster’s thumb break strap hard enough that it, in turn, pressed down on the safety’s cross bar on the right side of the frame at just the right time.

I’ve thought about this all evening long, and it’s the only explanation I can think of yet, however far fetched it may seem. Any other 1911 owners here experience something similar? Is there something else I should be looking for? Signs of wear on other internal parts? Should take the gun to a gunsmith even if the thumb safety seems to be working as expected?

[DMark]

Without any pictures I'm just taking a wild-ass guess here.......

 

Is it possible that the thumb break area of the holster had enough pressure on the right side to push the tip of the thumb safety shaft toward the inside of the frame?  That could have moved the safety out away from the frame on the left side just enough to allow the plunger and its spring to "depart."  Would also need to know if you were carrying in condition 1 (cocked & locked). 

 

I have seen tight fitting holsters press the slide release in this matter..., that is why many 1911 gunsmiths will countersink the right side frame holes and bob the end of the shafts. 

[agarzola]

Without any pictures I'm just taking a wild-ass guess here.......

 

Is it possible that the thumb break area of the holster had enough pressure on the right side to push the tip of the thumb safety shaft toward the inside of the frame?  That could have moved the safety out away from the frame on the left side just enough to allow the plunger and its spring to "depart."  Would also need to know if you were carrying in condition 1 (cocked & locked). 

 

I have seen tight fitting holsters press the slide release in this matter..., that is why many 1911 gunsmiths will countersink the right side frame holes and bob the end of the shafts. 

 

I suspect that’s what happened, DMark. Yes, I do carry condition 1. Do you know a gunsmith in the Chattanooga area that you recommend for that kind of work? In any case, is flattening the end of the shaft something I should try myself?

Edited January 31, 2016 by agarzola

[Sidecarist]

It's not hard to flatten the end of the shaft, the hard part is making it look nice, touching up the finish, etc. If you're handy use a brand new 6" or 8" single cut file. Remove a bit at a time and trial fit. Go SLOW. You can use a new sharp multi flute countersnk on the hole, again go SLOW! Then there are finish touch up issues to deal with.

Do not use power tools for this, throw your Dremel in the trash.

If you are unsure about any of this then please please have a gunsmith do the work. It's a shame to botch a job on a nice weapon...

[agarzola]

It's not hard to flatten the end of the shaft, the hard part is making it look nice, touching up the finish, etc. If you're handy use a brand new 6" or 8" single cut file. Remove a bit at a time and trial fit. Go SLOW. You can use a new sharp multi flute countersnk on the hole, again go SLOW! Then there are finish touch up issues to deal with.

Do not use power tools for this, throw your Dremel in the trash.

If you are unsure about any of this then please please have a gunsmith do the work. It's a shame to botch a job on a nice weapon...

 

Thanks, Sidecarist. I wouldn’t dare modify the frame myself. Thumb safety is easier and less expensive to replace if (when?) I botch it up. I think filing the end of the shaft down a bit should help.

 

Do you recommend a gunsmith in the Chattanooga area?

[Sidecarist]

I'm new to the area myself. Others here will have better advise for you.

I'm familiar with the process but I retired from gunsmithing 10 years ago.

Use caution on the safety because if it needs to be replaced properly fitting the new one is important. The are NOT drop in parts.

[DMark]

Sidecarist has given some very good insight on how to flatten the shaft and countersink the hole - - - the most important advice being Go SLOW!

 

But, before cutting into any metal...., I would give a different holster a try.  You state that you had a problem getting the holster's button to latch.  

 

Appears to me that the holster that you are using places pressure in a couple of areas that might have an impact on the issue that you had.