need advice on 1911 beavertail

[doubleactiononly]

Okay .. here's a lesson for all of you - if you want to install a beavertail grip safety, just pay a gunsmith to do it for you!

I bought an Ed Brown grip safety for my Colt Gold Cup Trophy. I tried to save some $$ and have my brother start it out for me, but this is turning into a pain in the rear.

As you can see, the frame needs to be cut - a lot, and then there is still a lot of blending to do. What do you guys think. Should I just keep going with this, or can anyone recommend a different grip safety that has more "meat" that would still work with this .250" radius cut (and the bit of tang that's been removed)?

I took it to Bruce Jackson at the Marksman .. he said he'd have to remove too much material, and so I don't think made much changes.. And Dane Burns just flat out wasn't interested in working on it. Anyone got any ideas? I can't be the first one to have done this..

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[PhysicsGuy]

I would consider cutting the beavertail, or getting a different one before ever thinking of cutting the frame.

 

[SDR]

Absolutely, PG...
Buy a beavertail that fits or make the beavertail fit the gun,Don't butcher the gun too fit the beavertail...

 

[Doc In UPlace]

Call John Larson in Redmond, (425) 869-1855 or email him at [email protected]

He will give you the best possible advice and won't take the job or make something up just to have something to do.

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[wichaka]

I hate to break the news to you guys, but any beavertail except a drop-in style, will need to have the frame cut.

It's just that an Ed Brown beavertail sits up higher than any other, so the frame needs to be cut respectively.

There's nothing wrong with that. There are many Brown beavertails installed every year, and all look and work just fine.

It just depends on what you're wanting.

As long as you have the proper jig to do the initial fitting, there should be no problem.

 

[doubleactiononly]

Just met with John Larson today.. he basically said what Wichaka said. It just needs more finishing and frame cutting. The radius was done with the proper jig, so it should just be a matter of blending the rest. Hopefully I'll be able to show off the finished product in a month or two when John gets to it!

 

[tuckerha]

It will be worth it when you get it back. A nice sigh of relief and yet another trip to the range.

 

[Southridge]

I'd tell you to start withe a new beavertail have the frame cut so it
can be blended correctly, when you do one there is plenty of material that
gets removed in the process,