IIRC, the change in the Auto-5 from the front of the trigger guard mounted safety to the cross bolt safety took place sometime in 1951. The early style safeties in the Auto-5's I have handled moved very easily, not like the postive movement of a Garand safety.

One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others.
Archibald Rutledge