What are your favorite non-Buehler safeties for 98s? Can any be installed by non-smiths?

The best is supplied by Jim Kobe email him at jkob60@MSN.com

it's a two position M-70 style safety that just screws on. IIRC cost is just under $100

I would say the best is provided by either Tom Burgess or Ed Lapour.

Bill,
what are you looking to spend and do you want a lift lever, slide lide, 2 position or 3?
If you are wanting to self install, this runs the full course of prices

(you aren't interested in the buehlers, but)
there's the $14-20$ flag safety replacement types, including the buehlers. generally no gunsmithing

then you have someone's take off FN style shroud. It's a funky/odd safety, which will require gunsmithing

then you have the slide/safeties on a trigger.. from 50-75 bucks, more or less. No gunsmithing required.

next step is the 2 position shroud safeties, like vapo mentions. $90 or so, including the gunsmithing. these are a PIA to MAKE, so the 90 bucks is a bargin

then you get to the dakota and gentry 3 positions. Probably going to require alot of fitting, but may just lap right in. A decent hobbiest can generally install these, but gunsmithing better

then the NECG price point, same story as above, looks some nicer (not the setlever ones)

then the Burgess and Lapour. These are good looking safeties. Nice functions, too. The lapours, except for a series of bad gentries (the threads were 180deg out), were the toughest to install. On the enfields (have done one on a masuer) the fitting is "odd" in that after you install, lap, and final shape (per Ed), AND blue, you install a captive ball on the shroud, over a spring, which is intended to be a permenate install.


jeffe

Jeffe: All I am looking for is an alternative to the flag-type safety. I have a nice clean 24/47 with a very good issue barrel on it, and would like to make it into a respectable little sporter -- bend bolt, drill and tap for mounts, add a safety and restock without spending a lot. So it will take a bit of smithing.
Thanks for the thoughts, guys.

I've settled on the 2 pos. PME unit that a good smith installs on your shroud. They work great, are quiet, look fine. Dennis Olson sells them for $75 with your shroud in exchange (you're unlikely to get your shroud back), Jim Kobe does them for $90 (I think) and I'm not sure if he uses your shroud.

I wouldn't describe Ed's safety as difficult to install.. Rather, I look upon it as an opportunity to properly fit a superior safety. The safety is designed to be individually fitted, with minimal effort I might add, in order to gain superior function. The close tolerances are conducive to attaining that higher level of function.

I had one of Jim Kobe's installed on a Whitworth and have another one sitting here waiting for me to pick up the Whitworth and drop off the next Mark X (an Alaskan in this case).

I have not seen the results yet but the smith did not have any issues. I believe he polished/blued it to match the glossier finish on the Whitworth.

These are some pictures Jim sent me for posting a while back (click to enlarge):

Bill,

Here is one I built along the lines you're thinking of:



I recontoured the military barrel, made the rear peep sight, rust blued it, and hacked about 3/4 lb or more off the obesse Boyds stock. A respectible truck gun that really shoots to boot.

scratch FN, replace that with BRNO.

Ed's are great safeties... just require more work, but then again, they are so nice looking that they let the gunsmith showoff TOO!

Ed's site says that everything is left long and/or oversized for final fitting. Which means lapping in, like we so frequently complain about on gentry/dakota safeties

jeffe

My favorites are
1. 3 position Winchester style. These will probably need to be installed by a gunsmith.

2. The original (not a copy) F.N. left side wing safety. When properly installed these are quick and quite. Thumbing to the fire position is natural and effortless. The only problem is if the scope is mounted low it takes a little more effort to move.

Now here is one you won't see very often. It's a BRNO ZG-47. This one is on a Whitworth .375H&H. I originally had a F.N. safety on it but the scope and the safety were too close to each other to operate fast.

Terry

If your using the FN 300 safety with a scope, bend the lever down so it follows the contour of the shroud. When the safety is on, the tip of the lever sticks out about 90 degrees from the scope.

Dave