Group 2's are generally ground to rough shape, using a template, then filed to fit by hand. The Group 2 products take less work to blend the exterior to the frame than the Group 1 beavertails, but because the frame joint is a compound radius, it's initial installation to the frame tangs is not conducive to machine cutting. This group includes the Wilson #298, the Caspian, Clark and Springfield Armory.
![colt 1911 a1 beavertail colt 1911 a1 beavertail](https://www.gunsamerica.com/userimages/2076/912800855/wm_11683226.jpg)
Group 2 beavertails all use the compound frame radius developed by Wilson Combat. If you have an objection to the hole being exposed, you'd be well advised to select a Group 3 safety, that doesn't raise the hand quite so high. When the shield is reshaped to not overhang, a small portion of the hole in the frame that is beneath the shield may be exposed to view when the safety is raised to the "engaged or up" position. Because the sides of the frame tangs need to be shaped in an arc that matches up to the "tail" part of the grip safety, the lower side of the "shield" part of the thumb safety must be raised to match, otherwise it will overhang the frame's edge (when it's in the "disengaged or down" position). Type 1 beavertails present their own installation challenge. 250" radius, the initial installation can be done on a mill with special tooling and then hand filed to fit. The Group 1 beavertails all require a good bit more external metal removal than the other two groups. Because these safeties all raise the firing hand so high, there are some peculiarities associated with their installation on certain pistols. Group 1 beavertails all share the common trait of raising your hand appreciably higher on the frame of the pistol than most other grip safeties. They all are very close in appearance to the Ed Brown. This first group includes the King's Gun Works #207, the STI competition, the Chip McCormick "Extreme" and one from Enterprise Arms. The first beavertails group was originally made popular by the Ed Brown Memory Groove beavertail.
![colt 1911 a1 beavertail colt 1911 a1 beavertail](https://www.nighthawkcustom.com/media/catalog/product/cache/ca627c4a781385e06551e52add27aa14/c/o/colts22.jpg)
![colt 1911 a1 beavertail colt 1911 a1 beavertail](https://www.gunsamerica.com/userimages/5588/906588733/wm_1014200.jpg)
I'm glad to know it's replaceable, at least.
![colt 1911 a1 beavertail colt 1911 a1 beavertail](https://images.guns.com/prod/2021/09/04/613380d74d4bfd945a75f860fcc02ce571bc4f6ffc36c.jpg)
If not I'll proceed to cut away on this one. I'll go see if Wilson or Ed Brown has images of their products taken from the angle I need to be able to know if by buying one it'll fix it up. The cut angle of each grip safety they offer, what they call a "Caspian/Wilson" format is apparently doable with a Wilson jig and some file work, but my problem is to find a different safety that will fill the gaps without my needing to add metal to the underside cuts. Their available grip safeties look identical to this one, unfortunately all with the same appendage. Yeah, shorter and less pointed but that's not where I am. I'm hoping that there's an answer different than the one I may use, which is to reshape the existing GS into a more Hill friendly shape. Is there anyone using this "gunsmithing" section who's gunsmithed this part of a Colt and knows of another grip safety that'll fit this not-to-ordnance standard Colt frame? It looks like I'd need to add some metal to the lugs because there's a gap when the Wilson jig is installed. The topside of the Wilson jig follows the pistol frame lug pretty closely but I'm not sure of the bottom portion. What I need to know is the version Colt used to fit that thing. The frame of the pistol IS modified, but to what standard? Does Colt have their own jig form? Apparently it is a known version sold by one of the aftermarket suppliers with a long vertical raised surface to aid in squeezing. The GC is modified for it's beavertail in the same shape as is the CCO although it has a normal flat operating surface on it's grip safety, but the CCO has one that I don't much like. I have two Colt pistols with factory installed "duckbill" beavertails - the new Gold Cup, and the new to me CCO of about 1998.