Just bought my first M1 and the safety is STIFF as all get out.

Hey guys,

First off let me apologize if this has been asked or addressed before. I searched the forums but did not see an answer.

I just purchased an M1 and it is such a wonderful rifle. I took it out and fired a few rounds this past weekend and noticed that the safety is very hard to engage/disengage. When I say hard I mean, pushing with enough force that I need to use my thumb. Not only do i need to use my thumb but i need to push so hard that my thumb is now black and blue :lol: I took it home, i stripped and lubricated the trigger group and all areas that i thought might be causing resistance. I was just wondering if anyone has come across this or if anyone has a solution i can try out.

Thank you

The M1's safety is kind of stiff anyway. It's a mechanical safety that blocks the hammer, but you may have brand new parts in the trigger group. Do a visual inspection, without disassembling the trigger group, for burrs. Look to see if the safety is binding on the trigger guard too. If it does, you need a new safety as yours is bent. Can't be straightened due to it being hardened steel.
Go here and download the free .pdf manuals. FM-23-5 and TM-9-1275. There are exploded drawings and where to apply grease.
Biggerhammer.net - Miscellaneous Firearms Technical and Training Manuals
Buy a copy of Hatcher's Book of the Garand too. About $30 on Amazon or your local gun shop. Has a trouble shooting chapter that's right out of the TM/FM. Easier to find that rooting through the on-line versions.
Oh and it's 150, 155, 165 grain hunting bullets or 168 or 175 grain match bullet$ with IMR4064(more consistently accurate than the 4895's) . Or Varget or either of the 4895's. None of these powders are the only ones though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lcgivz12

the safety is very hard to engage/disengage.

---

Yes, they can be. Don't mess with it...unless you just change it to see if another as new part is easier.

You guys know WAY more than i do, so if you guys tell me that its just the way it is..... that's the way it is. Ill take your advice and leave it alone. Hopefully it will break in with use.

No, it should not be THAT hard. They are meant to be applied with your thumb but it should only take moderate pressure before it clicks on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bob seijas

it should not be THAT hard.

---

Our problem is, we don't know how hard his actually is.

I understand Jim. But its hard. Moderate pressure may be 20lbs, even a bit more. This is way more than moderate. It is not an exaggeration to say that my thumb is bruised with the amount of force needed to engage/disengage the safety.

Replace it, just get another...

Grease the wear surfaces

I didn't read in detail all the posts above but when someone tells me the safety is really hard to set I have them check the hammer spring housing. Normally if the safety is not really bent from trying to apply the safety to an uncocked rifle the hammer spring housing is in backwards. Sure there are other causes but that an a bad hammer will be the culprit. Just something to check.