Firing Pin Block Safety Systems

WELCOME TO THE NO BS ZONE OF TEDDY JACOBSON


I have thought a great deal about what to write tonite as the more forums I periodically scan, I am amazed at all the incompetance of the working Smiths. I just can not believe a fraction of what I read and I am constantly getting calls from very nice Smiths and I always try and help them. I am on very good terms with some very qualified Smiths but most are totally confused about the American favorite 1911 pistol. This John Browning design is not as simple as people would have you believe. There is so much conversation about every single part and these people still do not get it after almost 100 years. I do admire some of the photos I have seen of some of these well known Smiths and I really do not dislike them. What I do not like is when a wannabbeeee tries to pass him self off as a pro when you can tell by what they write that they are unsure of what they are doing and that just bothers me no end to realize they are playing with some ones life when they just do not know.


Everyone must start to learn some where at one point and that is fact. I was the same way, but the difference is that I had HUMILTY to admit I did not know 30 years ago, I would have never taken in any handgun and take a chance of jepardizing your life or anyone elses life. Even today people are in a panic over McCormick triggers that are not available as they need the bendable tabs. Let me clue you in to reality. If a trigger has dual bendable tabs that does not mean you are going to be able to adjust these tabs so that they are both making contact within the frame. All you really need is one tab on one side. No one in this country can fool me with internal work on any of the 100 models I have become so very familiar with. You may think that both these tabs are making exact contact in a 1911 frame but you do not know as internal machining varies as well as you bending them with a pair of needle nose pliers.


I can cut a tab using my personal methods and it is every good as any bendable tab on any trigger you can buy. I do not teach my methods because of the way I have been treated on forums for years. I can install my rivet and silver solder it using a special industrial flux that is superb and a good quality silver solder that will last forever, it has a strength rating of 28,000 pounds per square inch. That is super stong as compared to a loctite product called an anaerobic adhesive with a strength of 3000 pounds per square inch. I do know what I am talking about. All these years I used Videki triggers until they went out of business and there was no bendable tabs on these triggers but I never had any problems adjusting the take up.


I want to get on topic now and talk about all the various firing pin block safety systems on many semi auto pistols that are available today. This does not only pertain to the 1911 pistol but most of the pistols you now buy have these systems incorporated in them. There is no doubt that there are lawyers behind many of these pistol designs. Whether we talk about my favorite Beretta 92F or the Sig Sauer pistols or the HK USP pistols or what ever, most have some kind of firing pin block safety system. Do I personally like them ?? NO, Do I ever remove them ?? NO, Do they effect the trigger pull ?? YES , Can you get a good trigger pull while retaining these systems ?? YES.....


BEFORE any Smith can understand what to do to the internals in order to make a pistol better, he or she must understand how the action works and they must understand the geometry of each different design. IS THIS THE CASE, DO THEY UNDERSTAND, ANSWER IS NO. Now this does not apply to every Smith, some are better with one particular gun than others. Its very difficult to make a living in the gunsmithing business and many Smiths do not want to turn work down because they must live and pay bills like all of us. I am playing it straight with everyone, I am sure there are many pissed off people that are quite upset with what I write. DO I CARE, ANSWER IS NO, if I cared about it, I would not reveal the truth. In a Colt series 80 pistol with the firing pin block safety system, many ignorant Smiths take the parts out and throw them away and replace the plunger lever in the frame with a solid plate. Why they do this is because they DO NOT KNOW HOW TO ACHIEVE RELIABILITY AND OR A GOOD TRIGGER PULL WITH THIS SAFETY SYSTEM IN PLACE. THAT IS THE TRUTH. This is a very bad thing to do, I can get just as good a trigger pull using the Colt series 80 firing pin block safety system intact and it will be totally reliable. It does require more extensive understanding and work on my part.


These other handguns like the Beretta and the Sigs and HK's etc, etc, have similar problems. Many Smiths are cutting the spings in the slide plunger assembly. This is not a good idea, it would be better if they must, to use a reduced power spring at the exact same length and the same amount of coils. Each and every design is very different. For example getting back to the 1911 pistol the SW 1911 uses a different design firing pin block safety system than the Kimber Series II or the Sig 1911 or any of the others including Para Ordnance. The geometry is different in every one of these designs and when you change one key part such as a hammer and a sear or disconnector many things will change. The 1911 is NOT the simple design they would have you believe. Had Colt been able to make a good reliable 1911 pistol all these years with good frame to slide fit and good quality control they would have had the 1911 market all to themselves and there would be no other clones for them to compete with now.


HK just came out with a new mini handgun in the USP design known as the model HK 2000SK. This is a very expensive mini pistol and you could buy 2.5 Glock pistols for what this HK will cost you. It also has a firing pin block safety system and its not an easy design to refine. I liked it but I have no desire to own one.
The key ingredient in these pistols that must be evaluated that incorporate a firing pin block safety system is how high the plunger lever rises in the frame when the trigger is sqeezed. This is absolutely critical and many times I use a dial indicator made for this type of measurement. It is not the dial caliber you all use. Every handgun is different. When evaluating the plunger lever of the Colt series 80 you must first understand that originally Colt offered 4 different levers, a number 1, which is in every factory pistol. They used to offer a number 2 plunger lever and a number 3 plunger lever and a number "N" plunger lever, all of which I believe are obsolete now except the number 1. Each lever elevated at a different height, and of couse depended on the trigger that was installed. THERE IS NO REASON TO THROW AWAY THE OVER TRAVEL AJUSTMENT SCREW OF AN AFTER MARKET TRIGGER AS MANY SMITHS WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE, THEY DO THIS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS THE CORRECT WAY TO SET THIS SCREW WITH THE FIRING PIN BLOCK SAFETY SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR RELIABILITY. DO NOT GET SUCKERED INTO LETTING ANYONE THROW AWAY THIS SCREW AND LEAVING IT OUT.
I am sure going to make more friends with this commentary.


Many Smiths charge more for working on a series 80 1911 pistol, in fact they used to add a charge for stainless steel pistols also. I can understand that Stainless is harder on their tools. I never charged more for anything like this.
If you want to check and make sure your series 80 firing pin block system is working properly, remove the firing pin in the slide and remove the slide plunger and inspect both carefully where they interface. You can use a magnifier and look for chatter marks that will be on the plunger edge or on the firing pin. If you do see these chatter marks that look like tiny teeth, you then know you have a real problem that must be remedied. If you do not see any of these marks you should be fine providing you are getting a good solid primer hit. You can always email me and I will point you in the right direction.


Many years ago in Brownells catalog number 51, I had 7 parts listed under ACTIONS BY "T" and one of those parts was a plunger lever for the Colt series 80 designated as Plunger Lever "N" . The letter "N" stands for National Match if I remember right. I did sell quite a few parts through the Brownells catalog but it was basically too much trouble for me as always refinished each and every part by hand by myself. That is part of history that is gone but the memories are still there. I think it was in the late 80's or early 90's. Now its just something reflect upon as I have easier days and do much less work. Many of these Colt parts are very difficult to get at this point in time. In some cases they have been discontinued forever. Try buying an extractor for a Colt Mustang.


All in all I wanted to touch base with you on this subject of firing pin block safety systems and it will not be very comfortable if you have to go before a Grand Jury after a shooting if they see the safety system parts removed from your favorite pistol. They are not going to have any sympathy for you when you tell them your Smith said you did not need them so he threw them away. Whether you are charged or not, you will be sued in civil court. Having holes in your slide where your slide plunger used to be will be very difficult for you to explain. I would have your Smith put it in writing that he recommended that you remove them as he felt they were worthless, put the heat on him or her. THEY ARE GOING TO LOVE ME FOR THIS PARAGRAPH. I am only concerned about doing what is right for you, I am not concerned about a Wannabbeee Smith that just does not know what to do, its your life I care about.


Thank you all for coming to my world of reality. To see oposing views of confusion just go to you local gun chat room where you ask them the time and they tell you how to make a watch.
ALWAYS REMEMBER BULLETS GO BOTH WAYS AND SEAL YOUR PRIMERS AND KEEP YOUR BIBLE IN A VERY SAFE PLACE. 2005 and 2006 are going to be a rough ride.


AUTHORS PERSONAL NOTATION:
This commentary as well as all my previous commentaries are my personal opinion and my personal viewpoint only. "IT IS WHAT IT IS" ----- PLEASE NOTE THAT I LOST ALL MY EMAIL ON MY LAP TOP, IF I DID NOT ANSWER YOU PLEASE RESEND ME YOUR EMAIL.


Teddy Jacobson / Pistolsmith (semi retired)
www.actionsbyt.com
281 277 4008
tjacobson@houston.rr.com
jaj45f@alltel.net
www.actionsbyt.blogspot.com/