I got bit

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • dfitzs1

    Member
    Mar 24, 2020
    61
    I shot the RIA 1911 yesterday and adjusted my grip to ride the safety. My shots were more accurate I felt but I got gnarly hammer bite. Any recommendations on a beavertail safety? Also, how easy would it be to install myself without buying a ton of tools?
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    The best ones, that look the best are the ones that require you to reshape the original frame shape.

    But they take the most work. They do make a jig to DIY the reshaping with a file.
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,564
    Harford County, Maryland
    If you opt for a beavertail stay away from the ‘drop in’ type. There are pinch points and your newly developed higher grip will get you pinched. So that means fitting the safety which involves altering the frame. When you do this you will need to bob or change the hammer. I personally prefer the Ed Brown. It will give you a high hold which will compliment the way your grip is evolving. The RIA pistols with the beavertails use a very similarly profiled grip safety.

    Things you can do which do not require frame alteration are:
    1.) Bob the hammer;
    2.) Switch to a flat mainspring housing. This will move the web of your hand more under instead of over the spur of the grip safety;
    3.) Slightly shorten and upsweep the bottom of the grip safety spur. Also blend the area of the grip safety from the vertical hand web contact area up through the spur. Done in conjunction with 1 and 2 will give you a high grip, never touch the frame, and give the pistol a different character with your thumb over thumb safety hold. It works.

    Pics attached. This is a Tisas SDS US Army. It was configured like your RI. Even the contour of the top of the grip safety fell off fast like your Rock. I use the same grip you do. The right side of my hand covers at least half of the thumb safety pin. My hands are large palm and medium sized fingers...at least that’s what trying on gloves has determined. This hammer is minimally bobbed, I wanted to keep the wide spur as close to production as possible. When I push the hammer down manually it will touch the hairs on the web of my hand. This pistol does not even nibble the web of my hand. Also note the section under the curve of the frame has not been blended inward as I suggested. This frame is more svelte than a RI so I wanted to keep that part of the grip safety intact.

    Your hammer is a straight spur type and could be bobbed another 1/16”, keep cocking leverage, look good and NOT BITE. A Springfield takeoff donor grip safety will give an ever better feel and will cost you $10.
     

    Attachments

    • 1056D182-D029-4F76-A536-DCAE075525E3.jpg
      1056D182-D029-4F76-A536-DCAE075525E3.jpg
      79.7 KB · Views: 699
    • 542EE98A-A5DD-40FD-8731-F835CA5D26EE.jpg
      542EE98A-A5DD-40FD-8731-F835CA5D26EE.jpg
      73.3 KB · Views: 710
    Last edited:

    dfitzs1

    Member
    Mar 24, 2020
    61
    If you opt for a beavertail stay away from the ‘drop in’ type. There are pinch points and your newly developed higher grip will get you pinched. So that means fitting the safety which involves altering the frame. When you do this you will need to bob or change the hammer. I personally prefer the Ed Brown. It will give you a high hold which will compliment the way your grip is evolving. The RIA pistols with the beavertails use a very similarly profiled grip safety.

    Things you can do which do not require frame alteration are:
    1.) Bob the hammer;
    2.) Switch to a flat mainspring housing. This will move the web of your hand more under instead of over the spur of the grip safety;
    3.) Slightly shorten and upsweep the bottom of the grip safety spur. Also blend the area of the grip safety from the vertical hand web contact area up through the spur. Done in conjunction with 1 and 2 will give you a high grip, never touch the frame, and give the pistol a different character with your thumb over thumb safety hold. It works.

    Pics attached. This is a Tisas SDS US Army. It was configured like your RI. Even the contour of the top of the grip safety fell off fast like your Rock. I use the same grip you do. The right side of my hand covers at least half of the thumb safety pin. My hands are large palm and medium sized fingers...at least that’s what trying on gloves has determined. This hammer is minimally bobbed, I wanted to keep the wide spur as close to production as possible. When I push the hammer down manually it will touch the hairs on the web of my hand. This pistol does not even nibble the web of my hand. Also note the section under the curve of the frame has not been blended inward as I suggested. This frame is more svelte than a RI so I wanted to keep that part of the grip safety intact.

    Your hammer is a straight spur type and could be bobbed another 1/16”, keep cocking leverage, look good and NOT BITE. A Springfield takeoff donor grip safety will give an ever better feel and will cost you $10.


    How would your advice change if this is the RIA 1911 I bought off of you last summer? Super happy with it BTW, but I'm learning how to shoot it better, and maybe I'm just holding it wrong?
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,564
    Harford County, Maryland
    Glad you are happy with it. I was just thinking of that pistol the other day. Did I recontour that grip safety and bob the hammer?

    If I did those mods and you are getting hammer bite you are probably getting the grip high further back. When one rides the thumb safety the thumb tends to push the web up and back a little. The bottom of the contour is right because the grip safety is remaining disengaged.

    Try holding the pistol in your left hand and putting the web of the hand high and forward on the pistol.Do it so you get a good point with the pistol. Then put your thumb over the thumb safety. That helps to develop some muscle memory. I believe I configured that thumb safety like the GI part which helps keep the hand high on the frame. You may need to just bob the hammer a little more.

    There is more I do to the pistol to work for me. Attached are pics of a Baer framed pistol. You can see where I took the grip safety curve forward under the thumb safety. Shooting this pistol you wouldn't know it doesn’t have a beavertail. The forst pic is with the grip safety depressed. The next two are of the gs undepressed.
     

    Attachments

    • 2B916C33-2ECF-46F4-BB77-B536BFAA4869.jpeg
      2B916C33-2ECF-46F4-BB77-B536BFAA4869.jpeg
      88.1 KB · Views: 514
    • E320AD8D-34EE-4E40-88BD-FC888DABFD2F.jpeg
      E320AD8D-34EE-4E40-88BD-FC888DABFD2F.jpeg
      103.3 KB · Views: 501
    • EFD75C10-7124-45CE-AFFC-4E15D65CC86F.jpeg
      EFD75C10-7124-45CE-AFFC-4E15D65CC86F.jpeg
      65.3 KB · Views: 492

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,564
    Harford County, Maryland
    Yours was made in Turkey? How much does it go for?





    Which movie are these from?

    It is Turkish made. I got mine for $500. I didn’t haggle. To choose between this one and a RIA GI, I would opt for the SDS. But my perspective is different than most. They make the two models, US Army and Service. The Service will have a ramped and most likely serrated front sight. The US Army has the rounded smooth sight...at least mine did and for older eyes not so friendly. I back cut mine so now I am a happy camper.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,884
    The 645, 456, 4506, 4516, etc were fine handguns , but the only connection with 1911 was being single stack .45acp .

    The closest thing to a DA 1911 was the Colt Double Eagle .
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I like Jeff Cooper's comment on DA handguns.

    "An elegant solution to a non-existent problem."

    :D
     

    dfitzs1

    Member
    Mar 24, 2020
    61
    Glad you are happy with it. I was just thinking of that pistol the other day. Did I recontour that grip safety and bob the hammer?

    If I did those mods and you are getting hammer bite you are probably getting the grip high further back. When one rides the thumb safety the thumb tends to push the web up and back a little. The bottom of the contour is right because the grip safety is remaining disengaged.

    Try holding the pistol in your left hand and putting the web of the hand high and forward on the pistol.Do it so you get a good point with the pistol. Then put your thumb over the thumb safety. That helps to develop some muscle memory. I believe I configured that thumb safety like the GI part which helps keep the hand high on the frame. You may need to just bob the hammer a little more.

    There is more I do to the pistol to work for me. Attached are pics of a Baer framed pistol. You can see where I took the grip safety curve forward under the thumb safety. Shooting this pistol you wouldn't know it doesn’t have a beavertail. The forst pic is with the grip safety depressed. The next two are of the gs undepressed.

    I was finally able to take it to the range the other day. I adjusted my grip and kind of scoop the gun to make sure my web doesnt get up in there. It seemed to work, I was also wearing gloves this time.
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,934
    Messages
    7,259,590
    Members
    33,350
    Latest member
    Rotorboater

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom