Another 1911 thumb safety question.

[ontarget]

First off, yes I did use the search feature and didn't find what I was looking for.

Ok, now that that's out of the way.

I have a Colt Commander that is new to me a few weeks ago. It was bought new in 2018. It's not my first 1911, but it is the first one I'm actually digging in to.

My problem is that the TS feels tight and less than crisp when I engage it.
It is crisp and has a positive click when I disengage it.
I took the safety out and checked it. I even had my other 2 1911s close by for reference and comparison.
I could not figure out the problem.

I got the gun from a friend and I KNOW he never messed with it, and quite possibly never even cleaned it.

What am I missing?
As a side note, both my Taurus, and RIA 1911s seem to be as good or better than this Colt in the fit and finish dept.

 

[Jim Watson]

Look at the surface where the rear plunger bears on the safety. An abrupt corner and a definite detent divot make it "crisp."

 

[BBBBill]

You've got to fit a thumb safety for both the fit to the sear with the hammer cocked and also with the frame stripped of the fire control parts leaving you with just the bare frame, thumb safety, and safety detent plunger with spring.
First check fit to the sear. Verify that there is no movement of the hammer and sear with the safety engaged.
Now remove the detent plunger and examne the condition of the tip. It should be smooth and well rounded. Some are rough with ridges. Some are too soft and gouge easily. Replace with a quality part if yours is not able to be cleaned up with minimal work. Remove the hammer, sear, disconnector, etc and reinstall the thumb safety with the detent punger in place. This will allow you to feel the safety interacting with the detent plunger with nothing else to muddle the process. Move the safety up and down slowly while observing the point of contact between the plunger and the face of the safety. You can feel the resistance and its characteristics and relate to the curve of the front of the safety where the plunger rides. You can tune the feel by slightly altering the curve along the front to make it easier (softer feel) or more firm. The detent at the top where the plunger rests with the gun off safe can be tuned the same way deeper for more firm feel or gentle ramp out at the bottom edge for easier swipe up to on safe.

 

[Bazoo]

Did you try cleaning the plunger tube? Some junk in there will cause symptoms like you describe. So will a long spring or plunger. You could swap spring assemblies from one of the others to see if it changes it. I had to tune my Springfield armory in this area.

It is also possible that the detent in the safety isn't deep enough but it wouldn't make it tight, just not snap on.

 

[Steve in Allentown]

This post has a couple of pictures that may be of some help.

 

[ontarget]

Yes, great post.
I read that one before I posted my question.
Great info.

 

[brickeyee]

For final fitting to the sear use a fine ceramic 'file' to make the last bit of shaping.

 

[AzShooter1]

I had the same problem with my Colt 1911 22. YOUTUBE is your friend. It was so simple, just a few passes with my file and everything was fixed.

 

[ontarget]

UPDATE:
I took the TS out of my RIA and swapped them. The Colt safety worked in the RIA but not vice versa. This showed me that the Colt TS was at least not bent or otherwise flawed.
I looked at the engagement surface and noticed it was not filed flat but was higher on the side closer to the frame.
I decided that I should try to fit it better cause at that point I didn't have much to lose.
A few passes with a file and it was much better, a couple more passes and, perfect!
Click, on, Click, off. No slop at all.
Passes all of the safety checks.
Apparently the factory was in a hurry that day, and it worked, so, good enough, ship it!
Great learning experience.
Thanks for the replies and guidance folks,
THR rules!

 

[Slamfire]

This post has a couple of pictures that may be of some help.

Thank you for the time and effort you took in creating that post. I have copied to my computer and I am sure I will be using it in the future.