ltwguns.com

http://www.novaksights.com/what's_new.h ... RAP_ANSWER

I realize there is an issue regarding potential liability.

I would appreciate hearing any thoughts about this item.

thank you

Richard

Richard:
I have one of only a dozen or so done in steel that are out in the public's hands. The first ones (and the ones on the s/s guns on the website) were aluminum.

The fit is extremely precise. It does allow a slightly smaller grip, and the beavertail shape reminds me of the CMC beavertail. All of my other guns have Wilson hi-rides (I just like the feel better than Brown's), and I prefer a speed bump. No need for that here !

The grip safety doesn't really provide that much safety. It only blocks the trigger movement, not the sear/hammer engagement. I guess if liability was a concern, but you still wanted to use it, you could do it on a Series 80 (mine is on a NRM Series 70). I also suspect that there are large numbers of guns with grip safeties that apear to function, but really don't do a thing.

Sorry, but right now my digital camera doesn't want to let me get close enough for a good picture or two.

Mr. Novak showed me one last year at SHOT, and I thought it was cool as hell. When I first met Austin Behlert in 1980, he mentioned that he was working on a molded one but that tooling for it was way expensive (I'd say that today, a mold for such a piece would be in the 'hood of $50,000, depending on many variables).

It is my understanding that the first small batch of them are machined (mine certainly is), not molded. I'm sure that they would have to be cast if produced in larger numbers to lower the cost.

I think they are all machined.

help me out here... what is "one piece" ? we are talking about the mainspring housing right?..fill me in a little please..

It replaces both the mainspring housing and the grip safety. The mainspring, the end pin, cup and crosspin are the same. It is reatined by the mainspringhousing pin at the bottom of the frame and the thumb safety pin (along with the excellent, precise fitting).
There was a company that made a similar unit in the 1980s; however, it did not have the beavertail, and instead looked like a regular long Govt. model grip safety. I don't think they ever sold it seperately, and they went out of business a long time ago.