[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Carrying a 1911 (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 12/4/2009 3:59:57 PM EDT
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So I'm going to pick up a new concealed carry pistol for myself and I held a 1911 for the first time the other day. WOW! That's all I can say. The trigger was amazing, I like the safety features, the feel of it in my hand is amazing and it's such a beautiful gun. My question is, what do people think of it for concealed carry? I'm not worried about the safeties or anything seeing as how training could overcome the extra step of turning off a manual safety, but what about the single action pull? Are they comfortable to carry? I'd plan on getting one of the smaller 3 or 4 inch barrel models (and commander too? Is that the one with the shorter grip?) I'm just a little unsure about carrying it. I was also wanting to get a 9mm for concealed carry due to costs and recoil but now that I'm getting a good job I was thinking of .45, but am still unsure of the recoil (i've only shot a .45 once, and that was a few years ago). I'm a smaller guy so it's hard for me to carry a bigger gun. I'm really just curious as to the thoughts of those that do/don't carry a 1911 and your reasons why.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated! Thanks! |
| I love the 1911 and carry one. I prefer leather holsters so it doesn't scratch up the nice finish on my 1911. I use a Galco side snap scabbard (SSS) holster, easy on and off. For pistols you won't find a better trigger than the 1911. Some people aren't comfortable with the single action trigger because the hammer has to be cocked back during carry, but it's the only way to carry a 1911. So those people either need to carry something else that isn't a single action only pistol, or get some training and get used to it. A standard commander is a 4.25" barrel length. But there are also 4" models and still considered commanders. There is also a 3.5" or 3" barrel models which are called Officer models and have the shorter grip. One big thing people don't like about 1911's is the weight, however if you get a compact model with an aluminum frame, then it can be very lightweight. For conceal carry it's great because it is so thin and conceals easy. |
5'11 180lbs worn IWB blue jeans and button down shirt tucked. Pictured is my daily carry.
I was all paranoid and shit about carrying a 1911 for years... Would only carry ocasionally. So long as your thumb safety is fitted properly and the de'tente deep enough to allow the thumb safety plunger to " dig in " and hold it securely. You've nothing to worry about. |
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This is my every day carry. Colt commander, BN-55 holster. In answer to your question about carrying with a single action trigger pull, it doesn't get any better than a 1911 single action trigger pull. Manipulation of the thumb safety becomes automatic with training, and practice, it's not an extra step, it's part of a sequence in drawing the gun. With a proper grip and stance, recoil is not an issue.  |
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5'11 180lbs worn IWB blue jeans and button down shirt tucked. Pictured is my daily carry. http://s660.photobucket.com/albums/uu324/daclark1911/bobtail2004.jpg I was all paranoid and shit about carrying a 1911 for years... Would only carry ocasionally. So long as your thumb safety is fitted properly and the de'tente deep enough to allow the thumb safety plunger to " dig in " and hold it securely. You've nothing to worry about. Would you give some advice to someone who has never handled/worked with a 1911 as to how to make sure of that? |
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Quoted: if you are referring to the thumb safety you just want to feel a solid discernable click when wiping it off. You also have the grip safety in case it ends up wiping itself off- carry a 1911 long enough and one day you'll probably discovered it was wiped off without knowing it. It is ok, remember that if you ever think disabling the grip safety is a good ideaQuoted: 5'11 180lbs worn IWB blue jeans and button down shirt tucked. Pictured is my daily carry. http://s660.photobucket.com/albums/uu324/daclark1911/bobtail2004.jpg I was all paranoid and shit about carrying a 1911 for years... Would only carry ocasionally. So long as your thumb safety is fitted properly and the de'tente deep enough to allow the thumb safety plunger to " dig in " and hold it securely. You've nothing to worry about. Would you give some advice to someone who has never handled/worked with a 1911 as to how to make sure of that?Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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I was thinking of .45, but am still unsure of the recoil (i've only shot a .45 once, and that was a few years ago). I think the recoil on a 1911 tends to be pretty mild. There's a lot more to it than just the ammo. For instance, my .380 Walther PPKs has a very sharp, snappy recoil that actually feels pretty uncomfortable, but a 1911 with 230 grain ball has a recoil that feels more like a slow push than a quick snap. Try it with 180 grain ammo. It's milder than a lot of .40 guns out there, IMO. |
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I was thinking of .45, but am still unsure of the recoil (i've only shot a .45 once, and that was a few years ago).
I think the recoil on a 1911 tends to be pretty mild. There's a lot more to it than just the ammo. For instance, my .380 Walther PPKs has a very sharp, snappy recoil that actually feels pretty uncomfortable, but a 1911 with 230 grain ball has a recoil that feels more like a slow push than a quick snap. Try it with 180 grain ammo. It's milder than a lot of .40 guns out there, IMO. I thought I was the only one who thought that.... 
5" Kimber SIS for over a year now. Switched from a G26 to it and didnt look back. Carry it year round, summer with shorts or winter with jeans. |
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My ever day carry is a 5" mil spec in a VM2. BTW I am 5'11" 190lbs.
Here is a pic. 
this is my first everyday carry weapon and I have no issues. It is a little heavy but I will not change. The government models are more reliable then the shorter barrel 1911's that is enough reason to carry a full size I think when carrying a weapon there should be 3 things to consider, 1. Reliabilty 2. skill with the firearms 3. comfort of carrying and my VM2 is the best. save the money and get a good holster... |
| i too was hesitant to carry my 1911. it was just unfamiliar territory. but the more you do it the more comfortable it feels. i now carry my ultra raptor exclusively. i like my 1911 because of the trigger! it has a more natural point than my XD. it simply feels like it belongs in my hand! in a high stress situation, that is imperative! it was over the first time i shot a 1911. i went out and bought one as soon as i could! |
Not, so much to be able to carry a self defense weapon, but just to be able to carry a 5" 1911 everyday
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I carry a Baer or Yost 1* 5" 1911 everyday in a VM II.
Nothing better. There are times in the summer when I switch off to my FNP-45 in a Raven Concealment Phantom. But that's usually when building fences or doing something where I'm going to sweat and potentially beat my firearm around a bit. Other than that it's a 5" 1911 every day... After 2 years that VM II still looks like new. |
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Man try out a smaller 1911. Dropping from a 5" barrel to a 4.25" commander or a 3" officer (which also has a shorter frame) gives you the same great trigger with a much lighter package (28 oz or so).
Save $100 and buy a good holster made for your gun. You will have no trouple packing any of these. I've been looking at the STI Guardian hard, Check that one out. Kimber Carry. Smith and Wesson PD or SC. Everybody has one these days. |
| I love carrying the 1911. I don't carry one as much as I would like to (I have 3) only because I carry a glock at work and in a high stress situation I'm afraid I won't remember to take the safety off. I've been hopeing that one day my department will authorize the 1911 for on duty use but am not holding my breath! |
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I love carrying the 1911. I don't carry one as much as I would like to (I have 3) only because I carry a glock at work and in a high stress situation I'm afraid I won't remember to take the safety off. I've been hopeing that one day my department will authorize the 1911 for on duty use but am not holding my breath! Seems unlikely that it would happen. After all when you draw a 1911 your thumb falls directly on the safety... Understand your concern just don't believe it could really be an issue. |
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I love carrying the 1911. I don't carry one as much as I would like to (I have 3) only because I carry a glock at work and in a high stress situation I'm afraid I won't remember to take the safety off. I've been hopeing that one day my department will authorize the 1911 for on duty use but am not holding my breath! Seems unlikely that it would happen. After all when you draw a 1911 your thumb falls directly on the safety... Understand your concern just don't believe it could really be an issue. I know what you're saying but reading all of the studies at work, in a high stress situation you lose your fine motor skills, which disengauging a safety would be one unless there is numerous hours of training involved. My answer to that is try to get work to authorize a 1911 (not likely) then I'd be a happy camper!!!! I'd trade my 15 round mag in for a 8 round 1911 mag any day!!! (I'll just carry more 1911 mags!!! lol) |
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I know what you're saying but reading all of the studies at work, in a high stress situation you lose your fine motor skills, which disengauging a safety would be one unless there is numerous hours of training involved. This is a myth that I wish would hurry up and die. |
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I know what you're saying but reading all of the studies at work, in a high stress situation you lose your fine motor skills, which disengauging a safety would be one unless there is numerous hours of training involved. This is a myth that I wish would hurry up and die. I second that USA military carries pistols with manual safeties and I carried one myself/used it also never had an issue with losing my fine motor skills to where I could not work my pistol. Myth it is.... That is why you train and it becomes second nature. When I draw a 1911 it is habit due to my training to drop the safety because if I am drawing their is a reason I am drawing. It becomes so second nature it become fluid and any of the 1911 carriers will tell you the same. |
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I know what you're saying but reading all of the studies at work, in a high stress situation you lose your fine motor skills, which disengauging a safety would be one unless there is numerous hours of training involved. This is a myth that I wish would hurry up and die. I second that USA military carries pistols with manual safeties and I carried one myself/used it also never had an issue with losing my fine motor skills to where I could not work my pistol. Myth it is.... That is why you train and it becomes second nature. When I draw a 1911 it is habit due to my training to drop the safety because if I am drawing their is a reason I am drawing. It becomes so second nature it become fluid and any of the 1911 carriers will tell you the same. You both are saying what I am.... You have trained with a 1911 and it is second nature to disengauge your safety when you draw. I've trained the last 10 years without a safety. Every firearm that my agency authorizes has to be double action with the safety disabled. I have never trained with a safety therefore it would not be second nature for me and would be considered a fine motor skill in a high stress situation. I am not saying that it is a fine motor skill for everyone out there but in my situation i've trained with a glock my whole career and am not used to a safety. Hopefully one day my agency will allow these awesome guns to be carried and I will train with it, but in the mean time, I'm alittle hesitant carrying a system that I am not use to ....... |
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I owe my life to carrying a pistol CCW and that pistol just happened to be a Dan Wesson CBOB 1911. FWIW, I had no problem flipping the safety when it was go time and I've had no formal training. I don't know when I'm getting that one back, as the legal process can be really drawn out. In the meantime, I'm having to make due with an XD9SC until my new holster, custom made and donated by the_naked_prophet http://www.kelloggcustomleather.com/ gets in and then I'll be carrying my new DW Valor which was so generously given to me by the truly awesome people in this thread. http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=942759 |
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I owe my life to carrying a pistol CCW and that pistol just happened to be a Dan Wesson CBOB 1911. FWIW, I had no problem flipping the safety when it was go time and I've had no formal training. I don't know when I'm getting that one back, as the legal process can be really drawn out. In the meantime, I'm having to make due with an XD9SC until my new holster, custom made and donated by the_naked_prophet http://www.kelloggcustomleather.com/ gets in and then I'll be carrying my new DW Valor which was so generously given to me by the truly awesome people in this thread. http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=942759 I wish that i had read your story sooner, i would have gladly donated what little i have for your cause. I am glad that you were able to "physically" recover from that ordeal. |
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Quoted:+I was also wanting to get a 9mm for concealed carry due to costs and recoil but now that I'm getting a good job I was thinking of .45, but am still unsure of the recoil (i've only shot a .45 once, and that was a few years ago).
Recoil is not a big issue. It's not snappy like a .40. My woman shoots a 1911 twice as well as a 9mm glock. I'm really just curious as to the thoughts of those that do/don't carry a 1911 and your reasons why.
I no longer carry a 1911 for 3 reasons. 1. It's heavy. Pounds for rounds don't equate for me. 2. Low capacity - kinda with point #1... there's much lighter and higher cap pistols to be had. and... 3. The platform is inherently unreliable. Stories of hicup free 1911s are annecdotal to me. I've had some very reliable 1911s over the years, but even the best of them will take a shit on you sooner or later... And It's always some mystery malf. I was testing some rifle rounds one day against auto glass. So I whipped out my 1911 loaded with carry ammo for the final shot through the glass. The fucker fired the first round and malfed right there. (FTE) I was pissed. Had I needed this relic to fucking fight with, I'd have been clearing a malf or dying after only 1 round. We need to get over the romance of the 1911. |
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Thanks A_P I appreciate the sentiment. To receive that kind of support, not just the donations but the verbal support, care and concern, is truly humbling, overwhelming and demonstrates what kind of people we really do have on this site. Some of the people that gave support, whether monetary or verbal, were people that I'd never had the pleasure of conversing with on here, others were long time friends/acquaintances, still others were people that I'd openly disagreed with or had heated arguments with on the boards. The thing is, when I needed you all, you had my back. Sorry for the hijack. Didn't mean to derail this thread.  |
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Not trying to be confrontational here but arent many of the FTF, FTE cause by improper grip or loose grip?
I carry a Kimber Ultra Carry II in an MTAC everyday. I train with it this way as one should and have never had a problem. Other then the obvious low round availability I would highly recommend this package to anyone. 
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the low round count is my only gripe with the 1911 pistol. Even so, it is still my carry piece the 1911's ergonomics are what i like the most. It just has that natural feel and pointability FOR ME . I recognize that every person is not going to have the same sized hands. I like polymer pistols for their advantages as well but I happen to like Steel more than I do plastic. If i cant pistol whip a pos into submission or until a considerable amount of blood has been lost then whats the point ?  lol
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Thanks A_P I appreciate the sentiment. To receive that kind of support, not just the donations but the verbal support, care and concern, is truly humbling, overwhelming and demonstrates what kind of people we really do have on this site. Some of the people that gave support, whether monetary or verbal, were people that I'd never had the pleasure of conversing with on here, others were long time friends/acquaintances, still others were people that I'd openly disagreed with or had heated arguments with on the boards. The thing is, when I needed you all, you had my back. Sorry for the hijack. Didn't mean to derail this thread. I'm also glad to see that you made it out ok and have a speedy recovery!!! I understand what you are saying, however, I am new to 1911's I've only just started buying them and don't shoot them as much as I would like to. My point is this... the last ten years ive shot a glock for work, I've probably put 20,000 plus rounds through it (mostly dept issued) and hundreds of hours in training from drawing and shooting the glock. This has made shooting my glock second nature therefore, when the shit hits the fan, I don't think I am going to remember to take the safety off of a 1911 when I draw it. Like I said, I just started expanding my hand gun collection past glock about a year ago. Once I fire them alittle more, I may be alittle more comfortable. It's like giving someone who has shot a wheel gun their whole life a 1911 with a safety and expect them to remember the safety when they have never used one...... I'm not saying it can't be done but when there is alot of training involved and the shit hits the fan, you usually revert back to training...... |
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I owe my life to carrying a pistol CCW and that pistol just happened to be a Dan Wesson CBOB 1911. FWIW, I had no problem flipping the safety when it was go time and I've had no formal training. Wow. I think you just won ALL the internets. Glad to see you back here. |
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bso, Thank You Ahh, I get what you're saying. After that many rounds, you've definitely got the muscle memory with the Glock going for you. I can understand that as I made the transition from an XD45 to the 1911 myself, although I don't think I've put half that many rounds down range out of a pistol, period. The only thing that made me kind of reconsider going back to a 1911 for carry is actually the grip safety, not the manual safety. When I was hit in the hands, I got two shots off but then must not have had as firm a grip as what I needed. Thought I had a jam, dropped behind the conference table for cover, cleared the chamber, realized that I was kicking out a live round, saw my hands and kind of had an instant revelation as to the problem and made sure I had a firm grip when I came back up for the last two shots. The way I kind of rationalized it in the time since then, is that with a hand injury that could happen but so could limp wristing any other pistol as well, possibly causing an FTE or FTF. The ultimate conclusion I came to, is that I really like the 1911, it fits me and has a natural pointability for me. Best of luck with whatever you choose and stay safe. |
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Quoted: Thanks Ken. I've read a lot of your posts and really respect your opinion. You and SGB and several others have had a world more experience than I'll ever have and I try to learn from that.Quoted: I owe my life to carrying a pistol CCW and that pistol just happened to be a Dan Wesson CBOB 1911. FWIW, I had no problem flipping the safety when it was go time and I've had no formal training. Wow. I think you just won ALL the internets. Glad to see you back here. |
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Quoted:+I was also wanting to get a 9mm for concealed carry due to costs and recoil but now that I'm getting a good job I was thinking of .45, but am still unsure of the recoil (i've only shot a .45 once, and that was a few years ago).
Recoil is not a big issue. It's not snappy like a .40. My woman shoots a 1911 twice as well as a 9mm glock. I'm really just curious as to the thoughts of those that do/don't carry a 1911 and your reasons why.
I no longer carry a 1911 for 3 reasons. 1. It's heavy. Pounds for rounds don't equate for me. 2. Low capacity - kinda with point #1... there's much lighter and higher cap pistols to be had. and... 3. The platform is inherently unreliable. Stories of hicup free 1911s are annecdotal to me. I've had some very reliable 1911s over the years, but even the best of them will take a shit on you sooner or later... And It's always some mystery malf. I was testing some rifle rounds one day against auto glass. So I whipped out my 1911 loaded with carry ammo for the final shot through the glass. The fucker fired the first round and malfed right there. (FTE) I was pissed. Had I needed this relic to fucking fight with, I'd have been clearing a malf or dying after only 1 round. We need to get over the romance of the 1911. Yes, I'd agree YOU should not carry a 1911 for three reasons... 1. You like light plastic guns 2. You need lots of bullets to protect yourself 3. You are unable to effectively use the platform At least you know your limitations. My love life with the 1911 is just fine. |
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Quoted: blitz, where is your story told? I read the threads noted here; have you described the scenario more fully elsewhere? Good luck in any case! I don't have any more details than that posted. Legal proceedings still haven't taken place and I don't want to give the defense any more to work with than necessary. After this is all over, and that may be late next year for all I know, I'll post the whole scenario to be picked apart. I'm sure that there were things that I could have done better, then again, maybe not. Important thing to me is that my friends and I are still alive and the dirt bag is back in prison. |
My carry gun is a Colt Defender in a crossbreed supertuck holster:
This is the most comfortable carry setup I've found to date for me. I carry it just forward of my right hip. Easily concealable, not too uncomfortable while driving a car, fine for walking around. I could also carry my commander or fullsize 1911's in the same holster, but haven't. The defender handles nicely, recoil isn't bad at all, shoots just as easy as a full size, I actually like it more since you've got less slide mass recoiling with each round. This setup doesn't print badly even with just a t-shirt for cover. |
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blitz, where is your story told? I read the threads noted here; have you described the scenario more fully elsewhere? Good luck in any case! I don't have any more details than that posted. Legal proceedings still haven't taken place and I don't want to give the defense any more to work with than necessary. After this is all over, and that may be late next year for all I know, I'll post the whole scenario to be picked apart. I'm sure that there were things that I could have done better, then again, maybe not. Important thing to me is that my friends and I are still alive and the dirt bag is back in prison. You are exacly right!!!! People can Monday morning quarterback all they want..... bottom line is YOU were there and they weren't. Don't let anyone say you did anything wrong. You did what you had to do, didn't give up even after being hit and took care of business! Sh*t I work with alot of cops that don't have the balls or mindset that you had to take care of business!! |