Why Did They Do Away With Grip Safetys
 

starting in 1908

The "german" military did not want them, so it was dropped.

The civilians did not mind and thus they kept selling old stock for several years.

Some military's did like them, the dutch for instance, Brazilians and Portuguese.


Ed

Not to mention the Swiss, who continued to make the grip safety until 1946. I've heard of functioning problems due to debris build up or broken springs, but the primary reason was probably cost reduction. TH

Most importantly it was a matter of cost.

The stock lug, grip safety and the holdopen were eliminated as a cost saving measure when the German Army adopted the Luger in 1908. The grip safety wasn't missed, but the eliminating the holdopen was a false economy whose error was soon realized. It was reinstated in 1913 and many of the earlier guns were retrofitted with the holdopen. The stock lug also reappeared in late 1913 primarily due to the advent of the LP08. The grip safety never returned in the German military, but survived in the Swiss, Dutch, Brazilian and Portuguese Lugers.

Doing away with the grip safety not also cut costs, but also sped up production.

Doug

It was one less mechanical device to f%&* up!!

It was a good safety device!!
 

All of that may be true but a grip safety is a very good Safety device on a single action only auto pistol!

I like the one on my Interarms Swiss Pattern 6" Mauser Luger. It's always been present on the 1911 .45 Auto.

I find the grip safety akward on my Interarms imported .30 Luger. You sort of have to reach around the grip with your strong side hand to depress the grip safety in order to keep it from binding. Hugh Clark's modification of the grips helps a lot but I still do not like it. I find the military version much more comfortable, although I do understand that the Swiss pattern grip adds to the awkwardness (at least for me) of the firing position, I can see why it was omitted from the military version besides reducing the number of parts.

The 1911 grip safety bites pretty hard if you do not watch your grip on the weapon, and even the lengthened 1911 A1 grip safety which I put on my Colt 1911 bites me once in a while. Still, they are both great fun to shoot.

Regards,
Doug

Need a #23 side plate and toggle axle and a #01 hold open latch.