doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Modifying the MF Ideal Safety?

I have a 20 ga Ideal and my safety is worse than most. The tab is broken off the right side so having only the left tab is awkward for a right hander. I generally hunt alone and I just don't use the safety. I also hunt with my hammer guns cocked just like Greener advised in "The gun and it's development". If I hunt with others I just don't use the Ideal or a hammer gun.

Aside from the awkward tab and position, the fact that it is reversed in terms of direction really throws me. Unlike Wingshooter, I hunt with other guns. If I was trying to use the safety, I would be blowing every second shot as I would have to first consciously remember which direction to move it. By the time I get that sorted out, I can see the sharptail disappearing over the hill.

If you are so inclined, an NOS safety is readily available, though it requires a little "cut and file" to be fitted. I'm not a metal guy, and it took me a couple leisurely hours to fit a new one to my 314 (not including disassembly time).

At the end of the day, we employ the guns and procedures that we and those around us are comfortable with.

Mike

Only if you haven't dropped your glasses again.

Thanks everyone who's commented on this thread. I guess there's so idea so dumb that someone hasn't already gone and tried it. Mike, you can rest assured I'm not going to do anything rash with that gun. Have a 3-week trip planned to northeast NY and New England this fall that will feature what promises to be pretty good grouse hunting on private land (including a 125-acre abandoned apple orchard in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom). It will be my cocker Gilley's first season. The Ideal will definitely come along, funky safety intact and en origine.

From where is a NOS safety available?

If you hang out here: http://www.naturabuy.fr/Pieces-detachees-armes-Manufrance-critere-498828.html long enough, one might turn up. A quick look turned up no boutons de s�ret�, but there are two listings right now for 16/70 Ideal barrels en blanc--never blued or assigned serial numbers. I'm a bit tempted to pick a set up just in case...

It worked well for Mike (not cheap) but when I picked up a beautiful set of 5 palm barrels for my 12 gauge, they were too narrow across the breech. Despite being made in the same year most likely......1920 or 1919.

Thanks for the info billwolfe. I'll keep an eye out.

I had looked at the site just before typing that post, as the seller jepercute (sp) usually has a couple listed at any one time. One of the great things about these guns is the availability of parts- from the crappy little stamped safety, to barrels and actions in the white. It's not easy or cheap, but our passions seldom are.

Mike