SD grips often sit too low causing a big gap with the TM frame. As a result, the sear can get caught with the middle leaf while the magazine sitting too low will have gas efficiency issue. On top of sanding the trigger and magazine release areas, where else do you have to sand so it can fit higher up?

Depending on what receiver you're using, and how the production of your SD grip was, you may also have to modify the area where the beavertail sits, as well as the tops of all external edges and all internal features that contact the bottom of the receiver. It's not so cut and dry to identify the specific areas. There were certain runs of the grips that required ZERO modification at all, but I suppose the dies used for moulding the grips began to wear down with time and is causing these tolerance issues.

Ive got a NOVA ambi safety in my TM 5.1 but it is very loose when installed. Ive spoken with Jamuke and he had the same problem. Any ideas on how to make it stiffer? Can u stick some stuff inside?

Brian, do you usually use white lithium grease or silicon oil for the sear/hammer/disconnector?

The only thing I can suggest is to put in a stiffer plunger spring so that the safety has to work the detent harder.
Neither. I use any of the following:
- Molybdenum Grease
- Modify PTFE Lubricant
- Systema Gear Grease
- Prometheus Gear Grease
- Super Lube (with PTFE)
- Phoenix Gear Grease

Using silicone oil on ANY metal-on-metal application is a waste in effort and material. It won't stick, and does nothing to actually lubricate the parts. It'll also make a mess as it creeps everywhere.

For the Nova safety, you can try to make the "gap" for the joint between the left and right lever tighter. Its like a dowel-in-a-slot joint, you can either make the dowel side(I believe its the left one "thicker", by maybe staking it or hammer on it to deform it a tad so the fit becomes tighter, or take a plier and squeeze the slot side's gap smaller. Though be careful for the latter as it does not take much to break it(I've broken 2...)...

Can i wrap like tape around the dowel of both the left and right side so that its stiffer inside the hole? I tried using tape or duct tape but its too thick and it comes right off when i insert the safety into the hole.

Its not the hole you are worry about. Its the connection between the 2 side.

You have - and = on the left and right side, you need to make the fit between the key and the slot tighter...

Tape didn't work for me either. I'll give the deforming method a try.

You could try applying a thin layer of superglue on the " - " part. Let it dry and try fitting it. If its too thick, gently sand it. I've done that on other things, but on a slightly larger scale.

Yep, probably lower risk too....

T1 mount question - not sure if it fits here, but I figure someone here might have a solution/answer.

Got the "Big Dragon" T1-specific mount from eHobby with the G&P T1 - the mount holes do NOT line up with the mount itself. The longitudinal distance between the mount holes is shorter than the mount holes on the T1. It seems to hold securely enough with just two bolts... but I haven't had the mount mounted to my Hi-Capa yet and test fired it to see if the T1 will hold a zero as is.

Any ideas if I should a) modify the mount to accommodate the T1, b) modify the T1 to accommodate the mount, or c) screw it - 2 bolts will do? By modify, I mean drill new holes.

Speaking of drilling holes, I'm going to get a friend to do the drilling/fitting and all that, as he has access to the proper equipment. Are there any things I should let him know about in terms of mounting the mount? AFAIK, the mount should be attached level with the frame... but short of that, I don't know anything else, and I don't know if there are any tricks/hints out there for that.

My personal opinion on the T1, is that while it's small in size, it's quite heavy and the thick-walled tubular design makes it a bit more difficult to use as a pistol sight versus other options. I find I develop tunnel-vision easier with tubed red dot sights versus an "open" sight, such as CMore or Doctersight type systems.

But that's off topic.

My suggestion is to properly mark out the hole locations of the T1 on to the mount, and re-drill it. Ideally, you'd try to get as secure a mount as possible, and that means attaching with as many holes as you can. What I'm saying is, modify the mount to fit.


As for attaching the mount to your frame, try to use as large a thread as possible. Fine threads will quickly destroy die cast metal. And yes, of course the mount should be level with the frame. More advanced gunsmiths will actually put a very slight downward angle to the mount to compensate for short range parallax, UNLESS your mount already has a tilt machined to it.
Because of the height over bore issues, and the limited elevation adjustment of most sights, it's better off to compensate for short range parallax differences in the mount to allow greater room for elevation adjustments.

You'll also want the mount as low as possible without interfering with the top of the slide.

As a side note from a machining POV, the softer the metal the more coarse the thread needs to be....as from a stress stand point while fine thread is supposed to be stronger, the base material may not be able to withstand it....

Exactly. If you were using a higher quality material for your frame, then I could suggest a fine thread, as it has greater holding power.

Generally I'd only use fine thread on steel. Even with higher grade aluminum its probably still not advisable to use fine thread.