Extra 1911 internal safety development

[Plate plinker]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pFYFfEWigcg

Thought this was cool and he is a friend to me. Truly a brilliant mind.

[DougGuy]

I guess if 1911 makers are going to use sear pins made in China of the same brittle steel that they make those horrid Harbor Freight drill bits from, then this anti hammer fall safety would be well received.

Personally I have YET to see a sear pin bend or snap in normal or hard use. I have seen bad trigger jobs done where the hammer follows because there isn't enough sear engagement or the hammer hooks have been filed at the wrong angle. I have seen broken sears that only partially engaged the hammer hook, should the last little bit of sear nose fail this anti hammer fall safety would indeed stop the hammer from contacting the firing pin only if the thumb safety was already engaged.

The chances of this hammerfall safety preventing a properly fitted 1911 from firing is pretty remote and this is a good thing. There are already safety features built in that are very effective and have worked properly for over 100 years, I thought the series 80 firing pin block was a needed improvement in that it prevents firing pin movement which the firing pin is the last moving part in line to the primer, this does wonders for preventing firing due to dropping the pistol on it's muzzle, but the same thing can be achieved with a lightweight firing pin and a stronger than stock firing pin spring.

Your friend's design is clever indeed, but will almost never be used as it guards against a situation so uncommon, it hardly warrants re-engineering JMB's original design. It's most practical use would be a fourth line of defense against hammer fall from a badly done "Bubba" trigger job.

[Plate plinker]

My thoughts were that people whodo not like the idea of carrying a loaded 1911 might entertain this idea the most.

[35remington]

I would mildly suggest that those who do not like the idea of carrying a cocked and locked 1911 either give their overactive imagination a rest (doing so is quite safe IMO as I do it myself) or carry something else.

Problem solved with no additional widgets needed. I am anti modification when it comes to firearm "improvements" for the most part.

[Char-Gar]

An ingenious solution to an almost non-existent problem. I doubt is he will ever recover the value of his time and development cost. Before a fellow invents something, he should be sure there is a market for his creative invention.

[376Steyr]

I like it because it doesn't add any more parts to the 1911, and looks like it would be any easy retrofit or factory install. Good luck to your friend, as I suspect somebody may have already patented this idea in the last 106 years. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if there is already one on file, with the name John Moses Browning at the bottom.

[35remington]

I am wondering what problem that is occurring justifies its invention? Have there been some rash of accidents that would have been prevented lately?

I am with Chargar on this one, obviously. First determine the necessity of an addition by looking at actual occurances.....or lack thereof. If it ain't happening, it is likely unneeded.

Ned is a clever guy, no doubt. But the Cylinder and Slide addition that made the hammer pop to full cock when the slide safety was depressed did not become widely adopted either. If you want one on your gun have at it.

[HeavyMetal]

the best safety is between your ears!

it really amazes me how many shooters, afraid to carry a 1911 Cocked and locked, will go afield with a Remington 870 or 1100 with a live round in the chamber and the stupid little safety button on safe and think there OK??

Does no one realize that only blocks the trigger and the same possibility of a discharge exists, although I have never heard of one, because the hammer / sear is not blocked by this safety system!!

It all about being able to see the hammer, you can on a 1911 you can't on the 870 / 1100 so that makes it OK? Out of sight out of mind!

I think the OP friend has a great feel for engineering but he needs to develop a feel for sales, this product will never move and he may sink a lot of money into it before he knows it.

My opinion is he needs to go tinker with Lee stuff, lots of improvements to be made there that can be real practical for instance making a new head for the pro 1000 with enough room to allow a case feeder to run 308's through the machine.

I have already loaded 308's on my pro 1000 but need to feed case by hand, a groove, or better yet a turret ring with a thinner front section would allow the case feeder to work with no other mod's to the machine!

Just my thoughts on this.

HM

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I watched the video. Very interesting. I agree that your friend is a smart guy. I must add, though, that I've never heard of the sear pin breaking or falling out. The original design, with the thumb, grip, and half-cock safeties was always considered to be adequate if the operator was sufficiently trained, and then along came the Series 80 firing pin safety. I guess it can be argued that because something hasn't happened, or doesn't happen commonly, that there still is no reason not to anticipate it happening and that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; but one must always weigh the probability vs. the practicality. One could prevent the pin from breaking by using only high quality parts, and the possibility of the pin coming out could be addressed by grips that cover it. So....I feel kind of neutral about the invention. If the sear pin "problem" worries you, then buy it. But the 1911 has a long, long history of success just as designed. It is a pretty straight forward design, and this is another complication and violates the KISS Principle. What if this part breaks?

[CHeatermk3]

I think the series 80 firing pin block is overkill--if the pistol is dropped on the muzzle on a surface hard enough to cause the firing pin to travel into and set off the primer, where is the bullet gonna go?

[bob208]

i have a 1911 made in 1916 by colt. another 1911a1 made by remington rand an argintine made on colt machinery . and a 70 searies i bought new in 78. also had a combat comander. none of them ever malfuctioned. or needed any added safety.

[Plate plinker]

I think the series 80 firing pin block is overkill--if the pistol is dropped on the muzzle on a surface hard enough to cause the firing pin to travel into and set off the primer, where is the bullet gonna go?

Possibly in your head or you kids head? It happened here a few years ago with a cheap Norinco model. Bad stuff happens.....my BIL was the first PO on the scene.

[Char-Gar]

I think the series 80 firing pin block is overkill--if the pistol is dropped on the muzzle on a surface hard enough to cause the firing pin to travel into and set off the primer, where is the bullet gonna go?

Ruger got around the Series 80 issue by the use of a titanium firing pin. Not a bad idea.

[Char-Gar]

Possibly in your head or you kids head? It happened here a few years ago with a cheap Norinco model. Bad stuff happens.....my BIL was the first PO on the scene.

Anybody get hurt?

[Plate plinker]

Yeah the child died right there when my BIL arrived on the scene. Very sad.

[5Shot]

Ned has built guns that see lots of use...like 100,000+ rounds, so he gets to see failures that most people don't. He's is one of the best 1911 smiths on the planet, and a true master of the gunsmithing art. I don't think he ever implied that it is a must have, just a insurance policy that requires nothing other than a hammer and safety swap. His market is his customers (with a waiting list of like 7 years), or those who are wanting to swap out the production parts anyway.

[5Shot]

the best safety is between your ears!

it really amazes me how many shooters, afraid to carry a 1911 Cocked and locked, will go afield with a Remington 870 or 1100 with a live round in the chamber and the stupid little safety button on safe and think there OK??

Does no one realize that only blocks the trigger and the same possibility of a discharge exists, although I have never heard of one, because the hammer / sear is not blocked by this safety system!!

It all about being able to see the hammer, you can on a 1911 you can't on the 870 / 1100 so that makes it OK? Out of sight out of mind!

I think the OP friend has a great feel for engineering but he needs to develop a feel for sales, this product will never move and he may sink a lot of money into it before he knows it.

My opinion is he needs to go tinker with Lee stuff, lots of improvements to be made there that can be real practical for instance making a new head for the pro 1000 with enough room to allow a case feeder to run 308's through the machine.

I have already loaded 308's on my pro 1000 but need to feed case by hand, a groove, or better yet a turret ring with a thinner front section would allow the case feeder to work with no other mod's to the machine!

Just my thoughts on this.

HM

You might want to do your own research on Ned, before insulting him...

[CHeatermk3]

I stand corrected...