Gunsmith recommendation for a 1911 thumb safety

[facialhairtuesday]

Hello friendly NES-ers-

I have a S&W 1911 with an ambi safety, and the left thumb pad (the one I usually use as a right handed shooter) just snapped off while I was shooting, right in front of the hinge tube (see attached pictures for an idea). I obviously need to replace the safety, which isn't a huge deal, so I'm looking for a recommendation for a good 1911 smith, but also, if possible, I'd like to be around when he replaces it, as I'd just like to watch him do it and learn how to do it myself.

Also, something in the Boston metro area would be greatly preferred (inside 128) as that's what I am.

Thanks everyone

 

[piman]

Greg Derr comes to mind. He hasn't done this exact same work on my guns but he's a great guy & an expert on 1911s...

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk

 

[FREDDY401]

Greg Derr comes to mind.

Not from MA and have no personal experience with him, but his name gets thrown around a lot here and I hear nothing but good things about him.

 

[facialhairtuesday]

Awesome, I'll definitely contact him.

If there are any other recommendations, that would be great too.

Thanks guys (and potentially gals)

 

[Moderator]

Call S&W up, they'll make things right.

 

[M1911]

That looks to me that more is wrong than just a broken safety - that hole in the frame isn't right. Send it back to Smith & Wesson.

 

[CRSIII]

That looks to me that more is wrong than just a broken safety - that hole in the frame isn't right. Send it back to Smith & Wesson.

+1

 

[facialhairtuesday]

Sad trombone

I called S&W originally and they only gave me a price to replace the safety, but I'll figure out of this is a bigger problem than just a cheap cast safety

Thanks for the heads up

 

[Moderator]

Call back and talk to someone else. This should be a warranty fix unless the parts are not original.

 

[Sir_Macadoo]

John at Remsport will do it while you watch. A bit of a haul for you.

Fitting a thumb safety is pretty darn easy though - there is only one small contact point you may have to file down - one file stroke at a time until it fits and works. You may just want to try it yourself.

 

[Wendell]

This is why people are leery of MIM.

 

[Acme.Armament]

Call back and talk to someone else. This should be a warranty fix unless the parts are not original.

Yep. Should be covered by warrenty. You'll pay to ship it only.

 

[M1911]

Yep. Should be covered by warrenty. You'll pay to ship it only.

I thought S&W will send you a UPS label?

 

[bdarg]

Lou at Business End does great work and is not far from Boston. Also second Greg Derr.

 

[JimB]

That looks to me that more is wrong than just a broken safety - that hole in the frame isn't right. Send it back to Smith & Wesson.

i noticed the same hole, S&W warranties these, call them first

before looking for a gunsmith, this looks like metal failure.

 

[JimB]

I thought S&W will send you a UPS label?

i would guess that S&W will cover shipping... they have for me,...

 

[99si/mass]

Same dam thing happened to mine. Just replaced it myself with a Ed brown extend.

 

[TheRoland]

Greg Derr or get S&W to fix it for free.

 

[PATRON]

Sad trombone

I called S&W originally and they only gave me a price to replace the safety, but I'll figure out of this is a bigger problem than just a cheap cast safety

Thanks for the heads up

They gave you a price to fix it ! Hell, how old is that gun ? The S&W 1911 has not been around that long they should be telling you how sorry they are, for selling you such a piece of shit and begging that you do not go buy a real firearm like a SIG OR GLOCK.

 

[Rico13]

Call Lou check out his web sight business end .com does excellent 1911 work.

 

[houdini]

larocca in worcester

 

[shotgunwilly870]

I'd go to Greg but it should be under warranty and you don't have to pay a dime,my slide release on my m&p .40 broke off, s&w mailed me a prepaid postage slip then you mail it thru fed ex overnight .

 

[jshooter]

They gave you a price to fix it ! Hell, how old is that gun ? The S&W 1911 has not been around that long they should be telling you how sorry they are, for selling you such a piece of shit and begging that you do not go buy a real firearm like a SIG OR GLOCK.

Yeah Sigs never break, and those Glocks, well maybe the 9MM models don't break much. As far as someone to fix it Lou at Business End Customs is great.

 

[MajesticUSA]

S&W has a lifetime warranty on all their firearms, they will fix it for free and pay for shipping both ways. It's pretty easy to replace the safety if you know how to detail strip a 1911 and I'm sure they will send you a new ambi thumb safety if you ask.

 

[Independence Arms]

If you want, I have a bran new take off ambi thumb safety from mine. If you can get S&W to mail you out a new part, you can have mine to borrow to keep you running while you wait

 

[facialhairtuesday]

I talked to Greg who said the whole in the frame (which had some people concerned early on in the thread) was normal, and that he'd be happy to do the fix, but I've also talked to some other people who agree that S&W will probably fix it for free, and that the guy I spoke to probably didn't realize it should be a warranty fix. On the one hand, it would be nice to just have S&W do it for free, on the other, it would be cool to have Greg Derr (or someone similar, I've also had recommendations for Mike Larocca outside of this thread too) do it, because 1) I'm all for supporting my local independent businessmen, and also, I could watch him do it and learn how to do it myself in the future, which would be cool....