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How to Change the Grip Safety on a Colt 1911 Pistol

The grip safety on a pistol is the piece that juts out below the trigger hammer and protects your hand from being struck by it. The Colt 1911 went through a variety of style changes to the grip safety used on the m1911 model, from the long, downward-curving beaver tail to the upturned duck tail and the standard GI grip safety, which is little more than a bump. Many owners want to change the grip safety on a Colt 1911 pistol to the GI style for appearances and shooting comfort. You can modify the grip safety at home with a few tools and an afternoon of time.

Things You'll Need

Duct tape
Gun vise
Wood blocks (if needed)
Rubbing alcohol
Clean cloth
White china marker (if desired)
Grinder (hobby size)
Carbide grinding wheel
400-grit sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Place duct tape around the hammer, grip and rear of the slide to protect it should your hand slip while using the grinder.
- 2
  Wipe the grip safety clean with some rubbing alcohol and a clean cloth. This removes any remaining powder residue and machine oil and prevents the gun from sparking when you grind the metal.
- 3
  Place the gun in a gun vise so it is held in place but you can work on the grip safety easily. If you do not have a gun vise, use a regular vice but place a block of wood on each side of the pistol to protect the finish from the metal jaws of the vise.
- 4
  Mount your carbide grinding wheel on your hobby grinder following the instructions included with the grinder.
- 5
  Grind the grip safety to the size and shape that you want it to be.
- 6
  Rub the grip safety briskly with 400-grit sandpaper to remove the the grinder marks from the metal.

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