Safety Lever Detent Pin

[farwest]

New to the board and this is my first post. . I needed to change the Safety and this leads to my question. The original factory small safety as good looking as it is doesn't really lend itself to a good purchase plus the machining of the grooves is so sharp it wears a hole in the side of my thumb. Installed an orig. factory ambi with the long lever as fitted to newer pieces. It came with no detent pin or spring. I'm sure I can locate the parts somewhere and if not manufacture them but, and this is my delama, the old safety pin and spring are held in place with a through pin. The newer lever type has no hole for a through pin to secure the detent pin and spring. Does this mean I just need to hold the pin in place whilst installing the newer lever safety?

[CXM]

First welcome to our board... we are glad you joined us and hope you will visit often and join in the fun.

Now as to parts, as you may know FN has recently stopped making the High Power (FN also makes the Browning labeled HPs too.) Browning here in the U.S. still has many parts on hand for the HP, though stocks are running down... so first suggestion is contact Browning customer service at:

www.browning.com/support/parts-service.html

Numrich Arms/Gun Parts Corp also has quite a few HP parts on hand

Brownell's also stocks HP parts.

You should find what you want from one of them... I'd go to Browning first, if they have what you want they will be a lot cheaper,.

Again welcome

V/r

Chuck

Sept 2, 2018 22:30:03 GMT -5 farwest said:

New to the board and this is my first post. . I needed to change the Safety and this leads to my question. The original factory small safety as good looking as it is doesn't really lend itself to a good purchase plus the machining of the grooves is so sharp it wears a hole in the side of my thumb. Installed an orig. factory ambi with the long lever as fitted to newer pieces. It came with no detent pin or spring. I'm sure I can locate the parts somewhere and if not manufacture them but, and this is my delama, the old safety pin and spring are held in place with a through pin. The newer lever type has no hole for a through pin to secure the detent pin and spring. Does this mean I just need to hold the pin in place whilst installing the newer lever safety?

[farwest]

Thanks for your welcome Chuck also the info. I was not completely clear I'm afraid so I'l give it another shot but shorter. How does the Safety Lever Detent Pin & spring stay within the safety lever? Still referring to the newer type as seen on the most recent pistols.

[Bob Reed]

Hello,

The plunger is retained by a closed coil at the end of it's spring, and the spring is retained in the lever by having a larger, oblong coil at the other end. The spring is tapered (small coil to large) and is retained by friction from the larger, oblong coil. The plunger & spring isn't sold separately.

Good Luck and Welcome Aboard,

[farwest]

Excellent description, thank you. I can visualize what this combination part looks like. Now then, would  anyone know where I might find one of these? I have done some looking around and have seen the older style which has the cutout on the side of the detent pin where the locking through-pin (sorry, no idea of correct nomenclature) would retain the pin & spring assy. however I haven't come across anything as described by Bob Reed (thanks Bob).

[CXM]

Did you try calling Browning?

FWIW

Chuck

Sept 9, 2018 7:45:22 GMT -5 farwest said:

Excellent description, thank you. I can visualize what this combination part looks like. Now then, would  anyone know where I might find one of these? I have done some looking around and have seen the older style which has the cutout on the side of the detent pin where the locking through-pin (sorry, no idea of correct nomenclature) would retain the pin & spring assy. however I haven't come across anything as described by Bob Reed (thanks Bob).

[farwest]

Sept 4, 2018 5:52:26 GMT -5 Bob Reed said:

Hello,

The plunger is retained by a closed coil at the end of it's spring, and the spring is retained in the lever by having a larger, oblong coil at the other end. The spring is tapered (small coil to large) and is retained by friction from the larger, oblong coil. The plunger & spring isn't sold separately.

Good Luck and Welcome Aboard,

Now, I wonder if anyone might have a picture of this plunger/spring unit once it is removed from the lever? Browning suggest that I contact the suppliers they list on their website however none of those list the plunger/spring assy. for the factory lever style safety. If I am not able to locate the needed parts I'm left wondering if the plunger and spring from the earlier short safety might fit. Of course I could remove the one from the original but I'd rather not have to remove the retaining pin from that unit because I'm not sure if that pin is installed from top to bottom or the reverse. A bit of a challenge for me on locating this.

[Bob Reed]

Hello,

FN Factory Mk2/Mk3 Safety Lever Plunger Dimensions:

O.A.L. .2765" (Note: .2765" Includes the Stem) 
Diameter .137"
Point Angle 59*
Stem Diameter .0875"
Stem Length .078"

BH Spring Solutions show the plunger spring in some of their spring kits - Mark and Slav (BH) are good guys, so give them a shout for springs. bhspringsolutions.com/

Good Luck,

[farwest]

Sept 14, 2018 9:29:11 GMT -5 Bob Reed said:

Hello,

FN Factory Mk2/Mk3 Safety Lever Plunger Dimensions:

O.A.L. .2765" (Note: .2765" Includes the Stem) 
Diameter .137"
Point Angle 59*
Stem Diameter .0875"
Stem Length .078"

BH Spring Solutions show the plunger spring in some of their spring kits - Mark and Slav (BH) are good guys, so give them a shout for springs. bhspringsolutions.com/

Good Luck,

Good Lord Bob, this information is most appreciated. I did contact BH Spring Solutions a couple of days ago and they did let me know I could acquire the spring from them. I then went on to consider manufacturing the plunger at home as it became clear I might never find one on the market any time soon. I just today in fact used the back end of drill bits to measure the hole. I took into account the need for some slight slack and came up with 9/64" (0.1406"). Then I pondered where I would get the length from and you have just answered that for me. Now, I suppose that I could actually fashion a pin from a drill bit but I'm not sure if that hard of a steel might have a damaging effect on the softer steel of the frame. Also considered that a milder steel might wear out. Then of course I will have to locate a roll pin for the right side lever but I think I saw someone did have that pin listed on their website. As a side note, I did discover that a little time to bring the shaft of the safety to a mirror finish did ease up the action of engaging and releasing it. I do so prefer the original safety that came with this 1962 manufactured pistol but do like the more "user friendly" lever type of later dated pieces. I will keep the forum updated on progress and final work around results just on the off chance someone else ever come looking for the same challenge. Can't thank you and Chuck enough for all the help here on this. 'Till later .........

[Bob Reed]

Thanks, I was glad to help.