S&W Centennial grip-safety question

[Bitterroot Bob]

Howdy,
I traded for an early Centennial (#4912, four sideplate screws) and was wondering about the grip safety. I took it out and it shot just fine, but the grip safety didn't seem to work, or have much travel. I removed the sideplate (gently) to inspect the guts and sprayed some Rem-oil in there. Suddenly, the grip safety started working as advertised.
I thought it was the oil until I noticed a tiny pin on the white cloth I had been working over. I found the corresponding hole in the frame and the safety and replaced it. No more safety! I noticed another hole below the mainspring that didn't appear to be for anything. I stuck the pin in there, replaced the grips, and it works perfectly.
Did S&W design this revolver with the means of locking down the safety? Did I guess correctly that the spare hole is just for storage of the lock-down pin?
I'm just glad that the whole ball of wax didn't come apart in my lap. How does this thing work?


Bitterroot

[Dan Wesson]

The Mod40/42s Grip safety had the ability as you've descovered to deactivate the grip safety..
The pin that you found came originaly in the extra hole in the frame, It can be put in the safety while depressed & it deactivates the Grip safety..
I Like a Fool Traded My Pre40 for a Colt Gold Cup National Match. I still miss that Little Gem..
Gary/DW/HEADKNOCKER
Contact Me & I'll give you a Huge Diagram of The 40/42 Internal workings
BerettaPistols@Yahoo.Com

[Bitterroot Bob]

Thanks for the reply!
The more I look at it, the better it looks to me. I bought a DiSantis pocket wallet and can slip it in my jeans a whole lot easier than anything else that I've tried to conceal in the summer. What a great little gun it is.
Yeah, the grip safety had me baffled. In these modern times, who'd of thunk that any outfit would have provided the means to disable a safety? The insides were clean as a whistle, so I don't think this one was abused.

Thanks for the help,
Bitterroot