Convert to push safety?

[imarangemaster]

It's real. I posted pics awhile back and the grand pooh-bahs here gave it the nod! I listed it on CMP for $40+ $2 postage. I also listed my extra GI bolt tool $40+$3 . (After I ordered the bolt tool because I lent mine out and thought it wasn't returned...well I found it in a box of AR stuff in the safe last week. I feel like an *** because all this time I figured the guy kept it!)

[imarangemaster]

Nope, this one was Audi Murphy's spare he kept in his wallet!!!! HAHAHAHA

[Harlan (Deceased)]

I don't particularly like the flip safety and would prefer a push safety. Are all the repro push safeties interchangeable from a fit/function perspective? What's a good source for a repro safety?

Ammodave,

No, all the repro push safeties do not fit/function properly.

'Quality control' for function isn't high on the list for some of these repro parts.

A few years ago my son saw a carbine in a local pawn shop that was in a repro M1A1 stock and he really wanted it to use for his WWII impressions weapon. (I mean he really wanted it)
He seldom ever asks for anything and if I say no he doesn't sulk or pout.
Makes it hard to say no.
I knew the pawn shop owner and long story short, I got it for cheap after I showed the owner the barrel was shot out completely with a 'bullet test' and it had a huge ARLINGTON import stamp on the barrel. I bought it for my son's Christmas and told him I'd refinish the stock and get a repro Type I band and repro push safety to complete the M1A1 'impression' he wanted.
(He didn't plan to use it for anything else because he had a very good carbine for actual shooting and I had several more he could shoot anytime)

I've never cared to try to make any of my carbines 'correct'.
Most were too far from restoring anyway! (Truth)
I'd never bought parts from the internet to make one correct, but knew there were some dealers on eBay who sold repro parts as what they are, so I purchased a repro Type I band and a repro push saftey to 'dress up' his fake M1A1. $20 each, plus shipping. ($45)
eBay - 'folcmote' but I don't blame him. He said they were fake parts in his ad and we all know where they're made. I wasn't trying to get a part to fool a collector, just make it look a little more 'period' for a WWII impression.

First, the Type I band had a bright blue finish that looked like a turd in a punch bowl next to all the other metal. Took some time with emery cloth to rough it up, cold blue, and got it to 'sort of' not look so noticeable - (Crap)

Second, the band didn't fit properly when I went to install it. I had a couple of authentic type I bands on two carbines and never had a problem with them, but the repro didn't want to seat properly. ("Crap!")

Also, I already had an authentic screw for it to replace the bogus looking screw that came with it. The threads in the fake band were different than a real band. ("Crapola!")

OK, after a little work 're-forming' (Bending) I got the band on tight enough that it wouldn't let the hand guard fall off while just carrying it around - not too impressed, even as a fake for appearance sake.

Next, I went to the repro push safety thinking it would be a breeze....
As Jimb said, they aren't 'that' difficult to replace. Even for me.
I put a little grease on it, installed it and the push safety looked pretty cool to complete the 'impression' -
I checked it out for function and it worked OK a few times with some force, but then would hang up and not go all the way back to SAFE unless you messed with it and pressed very hard. It would go 'almost back', but the trigger would still pull through.
(The carbine worked fine with the original USGI flip saftey)

I took the repro safety back out and checked for a burr on the detents or something but didn't see anything. So I put it lengthwise in my vise and carefully polished the detent area with a fine wire wheel on my dremmel tool, cleaned it up and greased it again before reinstalling (again) -

It still had a problem with not going back to SAFE all the way.

Not to be deterred, I took it out again and buffed the whole thing with the wire wheel on my bench grinder. The park(?) finish was rough and I thought it might have been the problem. Then I polished it all over with a polishing disk on the Dremmel tool, greased and re-installed.

It worked! Back and forth, back and forth. Cool!
I was about to take it back inside the house to show to my son, still playing with the safety on the way, and it HUNG UP AGAIN.
I knew that eventually my son or someone else would have live ammo in the repro M1A1 that "wouldn't be shot", and I couldn't leave the POS repro "safety" in it.

Back to the garage, installed the flip safety and threw the fake push safety in the trash.
The USGI flip worked perfectly.

$45 lesson!

OK Ammodave,
If you've made it through this painfully long dissertation, imagine what you 'could' go through buying a repro part as I did. (At least you didn't have to spend $45 for a lesson!)

Repro parts are more for appearance than function.
I made my mistake and will never knowingly buy any repro part again for any reason.

On top of sponsoring the repro business, even if in a small way by purchasing a small bogus part (that was made with the wonderful workmanship, quality of material, attention to detail and tolerances of any product made in a Chinese sweatshop) - I think a "safety" is the last item I'd save a few bucks on.

Spend a few extra dollars for an authentic USGI safety. JMHO

~ Harlan

[ammodave]

Thanks to all who responded. I'll keep my eyes open for the real McCoy. I still think I could make one if I had the specs or a real one to compare to.