...make that four.

I've read Jerry's 1911 books, watched many videos and I still think I'm doing something wrong when fitting a safety lever.

After disassembling to make sure the safety gets a full swing before filing, I put the frame back together without the grip safety and without the plunger spring assembly. With the gun assembled without the grip safety and the hammer fully cocked, I insert a new safety lever. Lightly tap with a plastic hammer, sharpie on the stud, scribe a line, I've done all three to make sure I'm going to file in the right place and at the correct angle. Each time I go to fit a safety, I have to file all the way down to the parallel ledge of the stud, and the safety passes all the tests. Why am I having to file down so much? The only thing I can come up with is that when prepping the hammer and sear, I did not do them properly or to within spec. This would cause the sear to rotate more counter clockwise in a fully cocked position in my mind.

Obviously, you are not safe.

Report to DHS for processing.

DHS won't accept me. They looked over my Army records saw I was marked "unfit for duty" at MEPS in Tampa. Something about being "stolen property".

Okay, wrong agency - report for duty to the CIA. Or, the NSA.

They like stolen property. Just look at everything they let ISIS steal in the Middle East recently.

CIA would not even acknowledge me even though I gave them a reference from Benjamin L. Willard. Actually I'm not even supposed to be talking about that. First rule of applying for the CIA, don't tell people you're applying for the CIA.

OK, let's start from the beginning. Do you know exactly HOW the safety lock works? I have a reason for asking, I have no intention of being a smart ass, and I hope to help.

The safer works by blocking the sear from moving and preventing the slide from moving.

Here are some resources:

https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html ... 9&t=147957
https://www.1911addicts.com/threads/how ... ety.10505/

Follow these threads carefully.

When I was a complete 1911 noob, I ruined a safety. Then I realized I was doing it all wrong. If you are filing down too much, something is wrong.

File, check
File, check
File check.
If you go file, file, file, file, file, check you'll mutilate safety levers. ;)

Give yourself a good 60-90 min and go slow. As the saying goes, you can always take off more metal, but you can't put it back.

Oh yeah, and make sure you use a headlamp or a good work light so you can see exactly where the safety is contacting.

Yes, this is true. But HOW does the safety do it?

First, make sure the gun is clear. Now remove the grip safety. You should have an unobstructed view into the back of the pistol.

Replace the mainspring housing; you'll need some tension.

After you ensure that the safety actually fits within the frame, re-insert it. Try to rotate it forward. You will see a "shelf" rotate forward, and it will hit the bottom of the sear. THAT is the part to concentrate on.

Remove the safety, and use a 6x1/2x1/2 medium India stone. This is the coarsest thing you should use to fit the safety lock.

Load the stone with good oil, and take about four or five even strokes. Re-insert the safety, and try to rotate it forward. It might not rotate.

Repeat the steps above until the safety BARELY clears the sear and rotates into position. STOP.

Now, concentrate on what the safety FEELS like when you engage it. Does it rotate into position VERY tightly--but smoothly? Take a look at the small "shelf" that is right next to the safety. Chances are it is rubbing. A little bit of attention with the stone--being VERY careful to follow contours--should clear this up.

Does it click into position, but it goes with a HARD stop, right before it moves upward? Take a look at the FRONT of the outer part of the safety--this is the part that bears against the detent. It might be rough--a little bit of attention there should clear it up.

If the safety seems to be moving OK, but feels sticky--take just a little bit off of the engagement surface again.

Above all--be CAREFUL. Do NOT remove too much. Take your time, and you should be just fine.

So---you have the safety installed, and it moves freely, clicking into and out of engagement with a nice, solid click? Good! Now test it.

Fully reassemble the pistol. Ensure that it is clear. Now point it in a safe direction, engage the safety and now try to pull that trigger with a hard, HARD pull. Do it about four or five times. The hammer should NOT fall.

Now, disengage the safety. It should drop easily into place. Again, point in a safe direction and pull the trigger.

You're not out of the woods yet, though.

Get thee to a range. Load with two rounds of suitable ammunition, point the pistol at a target, and do the same test again. This time, fire one round at a time. If that is good, load one full magazine and rapid-fire it down range. Take a two rounder, insert and load. Safety on--should not fire. Safety off--both rounds fire like they are supposed to.

I hope all of this helps! Please post your results.

I've done all the tests and the safety works. It even shoots great. But this look of this safety still have me asking, why I have to take off so much to get it to fit. I'll take a look at the those links.

OK. You said that the safety works...does it pass all the checks? If so, you're good to go. No, it doesn't look too pretty, but if it works it will be fine.

Next time, use those India stones--you'll get much cleaner results and a better finish.

Yes, it does pass all the checks as outlined here. http://www.cylinder-slide.com/1911safetyck.shtml

I'm still wondering why I had to take it down so much though. I've taken note of the use of stones. Why does Wilson Combat show themselves using files instead of stones?