1911 grip safety movement v/s hammer fall????

[Eric F]

Long story short, My 38 super 1911 was stolen 1 year and 6 months ago was recovered and returned today!!!!!!

I was running through the gun and find the trigger to be still in great shape, I will be replacing the recoil spring as its been in slidelock for that same amount of time.

The grip safety though, with the gun at full cock the safety off and pressure on the trigger if the grip safety moves about 2-3 millimeters measuring from the bottom of the grip safety the hammer falls.
Is this normal? I seem to remember more travel from before it was stolen.

after lubing the trigger pull is 2.5 lbs when it was stolen the trigger was 1.25 pounds(yes I know all the safety issues with light triggers thanks) asside from some minimal rust in the corners it looks gerat just have the question on the grip safety though.

 

[Red Cent]

After the safety drill, cock the hammer. Hold the gun in the strong hand with finger on trigger and not touching the grip safety. Put pressure on the trigger while touching the bottom of the grip safety with the weak forefinger. Control the weak hand pressure. The grip safety should travel as you said and at that point will be "pulled in" by the trigger just before it snaps.

I thought my Commander at 2#s was light.

 

[1911Tuner]

Sounds like somebody was playing with the gun and pulled the trigger hard with the hammer down and bent the trigger stirrup inward against the built-in overtravel stop in the grip safety. That would reduce the movement necessary to disengage the safety.

 

[Eric F]

Ahhh! good thought, maybe the over travel screw needs to be readjusted? I droped the gun off to a local 1911 mechanic for a once over perhaps he will find somthing.

But what do you think about the screw adjstment being moved?

Oh wait maybe I just read that all wrong, new trigger then? or maybe new grip safety? or both?

 

[1911Tuner]

An overtravel screw wouldn't have any effect on where the grip safety releases. If the trigger stirrup is bent forward due to somebody pulling hard on the trigger, forcing the stirrup against the trigger stop that's built into the grip safety...the grip safety will release the trigger with less movement. In an extreme case, it might not block the trigger at all.

Two different points for limiting trigger overtravel. The screw hits the mag release. The built-in stop hits the stirrup.

 

[Cemetery21]

Congrats on getting a fine pistol back.
You might check the shelf on the top of the mainspring housing for debris/rust. That shelf limits how far the grip safety pivots outward. So, if it can't pivot outward as far as before, it will appear to release earlier. Of course, that shelf or stop can be relieved to allow the safety to pivot outward a little more and give the safety a little longer to stop the trigger.
If the rear of the trigger stirrup has been bent, as Tuner described, it maybe can be straightened by a smiff with a trigger stirrup anvil.