Grip safety question

Steve600

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Back in 1978, I was home on leave and bought a new 1977 Goldcup that I still have. I have shot that pistol for all these years, having it rebuilt and tuned back in the early 2000’s by Karl Sokol. Again it needed some work so I decided to install a Wilson oversized lightweight trigger and a standard 70 series sear and spur hammer I got from John Anderson and removing the depressor and depressor spring. My problem is the grip safety must be pressed in 100% or the trigger will not function. At some point I would like to have the original sear and hammer re-surfaced and reassemble the gun using the original parts so I am hesitant to file the grip safety. So my question is, have you ever filed the trigger bow to set the grip engagement or is the grip safety alway filed for proper fit? I don’t need much of an adjustment, but if I am not squeezing the grip safety 100% in, it is actually doing its job, just a bit to much.
 
Back in 1978, I was home on leave and bought a new 1977 Goldcup that I still have. I have shot that pistol for all these years, having it rebuilt and tuned back in the early 2000’s by Karl Sokol.
RIP.
He did some great work on a few of my J frames.
 
Before moving to VT, Karl live right down the street from me when he opened his shop in S. Deerfield. That was back in the 80’s I think. I remember buying a S&W 686 at his place. Karl was one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, yet always had time for a phone call or answer an email question. If you had the opportunity to go to his house in VT, you could see how “off the land” he lived. One in a million….
 
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Back in 1978, I was home on leave and bought a new 1977 Goldcup that I still have. I have shot that pistol for all these years, having it rebuilt and tuned back in the early 2000’s by Karl Sokol. Again it needed some work so I decided to install a Wilson oversized lightweight trigger and a standard 70 series sear and spur hammer I got from John Anderson and removing the depressor and depressor spring. My problem is the grip safety must be pressed in 100% or the trigger will not function. At some point I would like to have the original sear and hammer re-surfaced and reassemble the gun using the original parts so I am hesitant to file the grip safety. So my question is, have you ever filed the trigger bow to set the grip engagement or is the grip safety alway filed for proper fit? I don’t need much of an adjustment, but if I am not squeezing the grip safety 100% in, it is actually doing its job, just a bit to much.

I file mine right off, it is useless and not needed
 
Yes, I trimmed mine to make it easier to engage the grip safety. My advice is go slow, file just a little at a time because it's easy to go too far.
 
My goal is to make it into a carry pistol, so the grip safety is something I want to keep.
Be very cautious filing these parts .
Some of them are only surface hardened and if you file that off , eventually you might end up with premature wearing .
Depending on the part it might lead to a bad surprise .
Better off to go to a pro or at least ask one before getting file happy.
 
If you intend to keep the grip safety but just want it to engage easier wouldn't the first place to start be the leaf/sear spring?

You could adjust it to be quite spongy and light for the grip safety without effecting the sear and disconnectors.
 
Could you pin the grip safety for now (very common in uspsa) and the un-pin it later when you change back to the original parts
 
Be very cautious filing these parts .
Some of them are only surface hardened and if you file that off , eventually you might end up with premature wearing .
Depending on the part it might lead to a bad surprise .
Better off to go to a pro or at least ask one before getting file happy.
Especially on a carry piece.
Especially in MA‼️
 
To be fair, there have been court cases (not in MA specifically) where "hair triggers" were brought into question so personally I wouldn't mess with any safety mechanisms on a defensive gun.

See Vouldrie v Alabama, New York v Magliato, State Farm v Partridge, etc.
 
To be fair, there have been court cases (not in MA specifically) where "hair triggers" were brought into question so personally I wouldn't mess with any safety mechanisms on a defensive gun.

See Vouldrie v Alabama, New York v Magliato, State Farm v Partridge, etc.
 
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