I will not be carrying my 1911's any longer.

[PlayboyPenguin]

I love my 1911's and think they are one of the most perfect platforms that has ever existed. I often carry my Colt Officer's Model and love it, but I have decided that I will no longer carry a 1911 as my EDC.

The reason? It might seem a bit rash and lazy, but I feel I just do not practice enough with them and I do not see myself changing that any time soon. I used to be so much better with them but my reflexes have rusted a bit since I have started shooting more DA autos.

I came to this conclusion the other night when doing some quick draw and fire exercises with my Officer's model and found myself failing to properly disengage the manual safety. I was failing to do so about 20% of the time. I just do not think that is acceptable. It is in no way the gun's fault. It is all my fault. I just have not been practicing.

I am going to stick to guns that are just pull and shoot platforms. No manual safeties for me in the near future.

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[WhyteCheddar]

That sounds like a very wise decision.

Hope you get the time you need to get back to the gun you love sooner rather than later.

 

[jordanvraptor]

That's okay, I've gone back to shooting revolvers so I don't have to pick up brass...

Seriously though, probably a wise choice because in that one crisis moment you will do what you have trained to do. If you forget to disengage the safety, that second may cost you dearly.

 

[revjen45]

I could carry an abbreviated .45 with the same safety as a 1911 but I choose to carry a point and shoot
Tupperware 9mm for the reason that there is nothing to do but aim and pull the trigger. If I ever do have to
use it for serious social work (God forbid) simplicity of operation is a great factor in the survival equation.
The 1911 is a great gun but as noted, it requires more of its user.

 

[teflon6string]

Playboy, you're certainly not wallowing in denial by pretending this will somehow just "fix" itself. Congrats for that.

A couple of 1911's I traded into a long time ago came to me with extended slide releases and safeties that were much easier to to operate, especially in a rush.

One was a target queen that I converted into a carry piece with sturdier compact sights, etc. Using narrower levers on the left, I had to pay a lot more attention to what my thumb was doing to handle it efficiently. More than a bit counter-intuitive for a combat piece that should operate transparently.

The narrower releases seemed harder to depress as well. While my comparison tests were not scientific, I'm satisfied this was more a matter of feel, not added mechanical resistance.

You probably considered all of this already. And I'd never attempt to influence such a personal and important decision for anyone. Choosing custom parts (or a weapon itself) will encompass certain compromises, some favorable, some not.

I was just surprised that two really simple changes made such a big difference in how I felt about the gun and its potential usefulness.

 

[pioneer461]

Your description is one reason I seldom carry a 1911. Like you, I think the 1911 platform is as good as it gets. I learned to shoot in the military using the 1911, and later became the base range master, instructing and qualifying Navy Aviators on the care and feeding of the Browning masterpiece. When I began my police career (1971), it was revolvers only. No exceptions. I had to learn a whole new concept in shooting, the double action revolver. Later when the brass decided to allow semi-autos, the S&W Wonder-Nines (9mm) pistols were all the rage (Nineteen-elevens need not apply), so that is what I went to, learning the double / single S&W platform. It became second nature in short order. I retired 30 years later, carrying a S&W 4006.

Now in retirement, I can carry what I want. Nostalgia got to me, so I bought another (my 3rd) 1911a1, and began practicing with it. I discovered rather quickly that I tended to forget, or fumble the thumb safety. Lots of practice and drills later, much to my dismay, I still fumble the safety. I try to remember the Clint Smith advice that "slow is fast," but for some reason I can't seem to get over that hurdle.

To celebrate the gun's 100th anniversary I really want to carry it, but it is just not working for me 100%. Very frustrating. In the mean time I carry either my S&W 457 (DA/SA) or XD sub compact, with no thumb safety to worry about. I call them my "Kodak" guns. Just point and shoot.

My wife is convinced it is the "old dogs, new tricks" factor, but I don't know how that could be.

 

[HollisOR]

The rules of KISS does come back to haunt use. The 1911 is a great pistol, but it does has it's draw back.

 

[Velzey]

Was this with live ammunition?

I to have had hesitations, especially when going from sig to glock to colt to kahr to etc etc etc!

 

[Dave Workman]

Hey...uhhhh....you can certainly give them to me.

 

[Coolbreeze8804]

If you would like, I can offer my services as a baby sitter/trainer for the offending 1911's. I have a course of training developed by my wife and I, (both certified instructors by the way) that I can put the guns through which makes them make more amenable and cooperative when involved in defense work, and then when you are ready I will send them back to you.

Feel free to PM me and I will forward shipping instructions.

 

[raftman]

Meh, you're not missing out. Don't understand the 1911 worshippers whatsoever; I'd sooner carry a stamped-steel Polish P-83 than a 1911. There, I said it!

 

[techieguy]

PP there must be something defective with your 1911... Please send it down to me and I will test it thoughly! I love carrying this very slim pistol... Now I must admit the only pistol that I shoot with any frequency is of the 1911 platform so it is muscle memory that puts my thumb on the safety from the draw and rides it down the whole time. Good luck with your DA pistols! And it better to realize the 1911 isn't for you as a carry gun at the range or during dry fire drill than in emergency situation.

 

[gaijinsamurai]

I love my 1911A1s, but Glocks are my choice for carry.

 

[Chipperxd]

I have been shooting Glocks for awhile and decided to go back to the 1911 platform for my carry gun. I do still carry my Glock on occasion but never had an issue with not being able to disengage the safety on my 1911. my strong hand thumb always rides on the safety when I grip the gun so never had an issue. I can see how it can be a determining factor in this case though.

 

[mjbskwim]

I don't have a 1911 any more,but I would feel very confident carrying one anyway.
But I shoot them pretty well.They fit me great.
I get used to the feel of a certain gun and when I pick it up,it's just like I've been shooting it all the time.
Never had a problem with loosing touch with one of my guns.

 

[CVMustang]

I did the same thing awhile back. After a long search I chose a Kahr PM45, couldn't be happier with it, it's lighter and smaller and you just grab it and point and shoot. I still love the 1911's for stepping out in the backyard and knocking over some steel targets, but the Kahr is a much better carry gun.

 

[SteelyDan]

Ahh there it is: The Glocks rear their ugly heads. The ubiquitous "Gun for Dummies"! No thinking require!. Say, did you forget and leave your gun out in the yard while you were slopping the hogs?! No worries, it can fire after being immersed in mud and sludge! Hooray for dumbed down weapons! I think I will pick up a large stick today because it would be much easier than those pesky safeties!

Disclaimer: If this article seemed to be dripping with sarcasm it is because it was meant to.

 

[orygun]

Hmmm, flipping off the safety is that tough? I currently have 2 1911s and have practiced some with one (stock Colt safety) and more with the other (DW with extended safety). Neither one's difficult to do....for me. Maybe my hand is proportioned differently than others and that has something to do with it. Whatever, if it doesn't work for you then you have made a wise decision.
I can only assume that raftman has neither owned a 1911, or just doesn't like like them for the same reason as the "Ford vs Chevy" debate. Being an assumption, I certainly can be wrong.
I recently shot a Glock for the first time, and while I see why many people would think they are the "cat's meow", I'm not inclined to think so. Very good gun, but not for me.
As far as a 1911 requiring more of it's owner, that statement I can't understand. Even though most 1911 users carry them "cocked and locked" because of the redundant grip safety the thumb safety wouldn't actually have to be used. (I do use mine) I also believe the single action trigger the easiest to master. But then, I grew up shooting single action autos that had a similar, but much more difficult to manipulate thumb safety.
I, too, find that my hands seem to know what gun I'm holding and I don't have a problem when it comes to making one work.

Hey SteelyDan.......

 

[Will]

I sort of came to the same conclusion several years back when I first shot a S&W M&P 45. It has the attributes I enjoy in a 1911 with out some of the things I may forget/stumble with in a stres situation. I've carried the M&P for the past several years and pretty happy with the pistol overall.

 

[spider]

I still carry the good ole government model in a crossbreed supertuck, maybe you'll come back one day.