Extended grip safety

[NMshooter]

I sometimes have a hard time fully depressing the grip safety while trying to fire . I'd like to hear if any others have experienced this, and if you have any suggestions on making some modifications that are a reliable remedy to this problem.

Thanks,
Matt

[wJAKE19]

this topic came up at the group shoot this weekend, scott said someone makes an extention that sticks on the grip saftey, maybe he will reply and tell you who makes this item,

[BigGun97B]

ajames has a little device on his website specifically for your problem.

www.xd-hs2000.com

[Don]

Just a normal grip should be more than enough. If you are having a problem, I would suggest looking at the root of the problem (your grip) rather than some secondary problem. On the other hand, a chunk of 3M grip/tread product could add some thickness to this safety, but that may have aproblem with the adhesive shifting in the heat and being a liablility.
Something that you are doing is not right, work to fix that.

[Eric_Oh]

Originally Posted by Don

Just a normal grip should be more than enough. If you are having a problem, I would suggest looking at the root of the problem (your grip) rather than some secondary problem. On the other hand, a chunk of 3M grip/tread product could add some thickness to this safety, but that may have aproblem with the adhesive shifting in the heat and being a liablility.
Something that you are doing is not right, work to fix that.

I'm inclined to agree with don on this one. I've put through almost 2000 rounds through my service xd40 and never had a problem with it. I found that my normal shooting grip with my strong hand high up on the backstrap for better control never failed to fully depress the grip safety.

I'm not sure what xd-hs2000.com is offering as a solution to that, but i would venture to say that if it is indeed a problem that cannot be fixed by adjusting how you handle the gun, that the best possible alternative would be an aftermarket replacement grip safety that extended a little farther back out of the grip. Or perhaps some would prefer the lip that we find in grip safeties on many 1911 style pistols.

As personal comment, i actually like the fact that the grip safety is flush with the frame grip when i'm holding the gun.

[JimLongley]

I am disinclined to agree with Don on this one. I am a long time 1911 shooter and used to my high grip. Although I suppose I could be at fault with my high grip, because I have replaced the grip safeties on all of my 1911s so that I get positive results with my grip. My large hands have something to do with this though, if I grip lower it gets really uncomfortable. http://www.hs2000talk.com/viewtopic....ight=hand+size

My choices were limited, either change my grip on all of my guns, or find a solution that applied to the only one that was giving me problems. Voila! Grip safety extension.

I have not had a problem with glue shifting in Texas heat and am very satisfied with the product except for its roughness, which is easily remedied with a Dremel tool.

I don't believe that something I am doing is the problem, I believe the gun was not designed to take into account the possibility that someone with hands as large as mine and a grip as high as mine might want to shoot one.

After all, why is there such a large market for extended beaver tail grip safeties with "memory bumps?" And for that matter why is there such a large market for Don's Guide Rods? Could it be that even good designs sometimes can be improved upon?

[NMshooter]

Something that you are doing is not right, work to fix that.[/quote]

A blanket statement such as this does not take into consideration the individual differences between hands. I have never had this problem with my Kimber, but it does happen occasionally with the XD. It's just something that I don't want to have to think about while I'm shooting. A few years ago I broke both of my wrisits in a motorcycle accident, and they do not function like "normal". So this may be the "something" that may not be right, as opposed to something that I am not doing right. I am just interested in finding out if anyone else has had the same type of problem and what they've done to try to correct it. I appreciate those who have replied without jumping to the conclusion that there is something inherently wrong in my technique or ability; in fact it may be that we all have physical limitations of some sort or another. My original question was simply, is there a modification that can be made to actuate the grip safety for those of us who find it a problem.

[JimLongley]

I am sorry I did not get back top you sooner, I had surgery on my shoulder on the 20th and am just gettign to where I can use the computer much, and typing left handed is a chore.

The grip saferty extension that I use is available at: http://www.smartlock.com/products.htm Just scroll down the page until you see the recoil thumb rest for the XD, it's in the same set of pics and I like mine plenty, except for the roughness.

[Don]

Originally Posted by NMshooter

A blanket statement such as this does not take into consideration the individual differences between hands.... A few years ago I broke both of my wrisits in a motorcycle accident, and they do not function like "normal". So this may be the "something" that may not be right, as opposed to something that I am not doing right.

I am sorry for sounding harsh. I was jumping to the assumption that "it failed for me therefore it was a poor design" statement was at hand, and quite simply was tiring of that notion. You seem to have a legit need, so go for it.

I have some 3M product on my KelTec grip and it shifts and creeps on a hot day, so I do not trust that particular adhesive much. It may be too rough of a surface below it so there is too little contact surface, but in my experience I would use it with caution.

[Bob Hostetter]

Actually they can be modified to disengage with less depression. They can also be pinned as is common on 1911's.............