My thoughts on 1911 carry

[Ksail101]

I wrote this as a reply to a topic lastweek and I dont know how many people read it, so I wanted to put it up here as a topic and get some of your thoughts about what I wrote. I know that the big arguement that will be brought up is that the military has taught PVT's how to use the 1911 for years.  I just want to respond to this by saying yes the have "Taught" how to use the 191. They take a week of waking up at 0600 and pound and drill how to use this pistol in to your head till 1700. Everyday. So you are not just picking it up and walking to a range shooting a few rounds out of it and saying that it is good enough to carry. So here is my response to the question of what is a good 1911 to carry.-

        I will probably be struck by lightening for saying this, but if you dont know what 1911 is good for ccw, than I suggest carrying something besides it. Glock, XD, M&P. This is no diss on you, but 1911's are heavy, more uncomfortable, (realize I put more, nothing is comfortable.) and really unless you are really familiar with a 1911 and shot one a million times it is not the best for someone who isn't a gun expert. It is my opinion that like a J-frame S&W that a 1911 should only be carried for ccw by people who shoot alot and shoot 1911's.

But look this is all my opinion. 1911 is the all time greatest gun, but it is a gun that shout be respected. It is not a dummy gun. And most times, unlike a Glock\polymer wondergun, the 1911 doesnt run better the more you beat it up. You need to maintain it, understand it, love it.

This is all for ccw only. If you want one to shoot and have fun with then great buy a 100 of them, but you must remember you are trusting your life to this if you will be carrying it. I would never buy a backhoe to dig a hole cause I cant operate one, but i will buy a shovel.

So I would love to hear your thoughts.

[ismram]

I wrote this as a reply to a topic lastweek and I dont know how many people read it, so I wanted to put it up here as a topic and get some of your thoughts about what I wrote. I know that the big arguement that will be brought up is that the military has taught PVT's how to use the 1911 for years.  I just want to respond to this by saying yes the have "Taught" how to use the 191. They take a week of waking up at 0600 and pound and drill how to use this pistol in to your head till 1700. Everyday. So you are not just picking it up and walking to a range shooting a few rounds out of it and saying that it is good enough to carry. So here is my response to the question of what is a good 1911 to carry.-

        I will probably be struck by lightening for saying this, but if you dont know what 1911 is good for ccw, than I suggest carrying something besides it. Glock, XD, M&P. This is no diss on you, but 1911's are heavy, more uncomfortable, (realize I put more, nothing is comfortable.) and really unless you are really familiar with a 1911 and shot one a million times it is not the best for someone who isn't a gun expert. It is my opinion that like a J-frame S&W that a 1911 should only be carried for ccw by people who shoot alot and shoot 1911's.

But look this is all my opinion. 1911 is the all time greatest gun, but it is a gun that shout be respected. It is not a dummy gun. And most times, unlike a Glock\polymer wondergun, the 1911 doesnt run better the more you beat it up. You need to maintain it, understand it, love it.

This is all for ccw only. If you want one to shoot and have fun with then great buy a 100 of them, but you must remember you are trusting your life to this if you will be carrying it. I would never buy a backhoe to dig a hole cause I cant operate one, but i will buy a shovel.

So I would love to hear your thoughts.

What you say about the 1911 is true. It is not a dummy gun, and should only be a CCW for someone that knows how to use it. But isn't that true about ANY CCW gun? I would not advise anyone too carry a gun that he or she has not put many hours of pracitice and 100's to 1000's of rounds thru at the range. Practice, practice, practice, Training, training, training!!! You should know your gun inside and out. I don't think I can say that enough.

[Galeth005]

all the years ago when i took my handgun safety course in order to get my ccw... the instructor who taught the class said at the end that he would pay for all of us (it was only 5) to go out to the range and fire 500 rounds through the firearm that they intended on carrying... he even brought several of his own firearms to let the individuals who lacked the knowledge of firearms to try in order to determine the best gun for them... i thought that was really cool of this guy, after the 500 rounds were up he strongly suggested that we all join a gun club or gun range in order to continue to train in order to better know the firearm... so while it is true that 1911's require alot of respect and maintinance, it is the same for all firearms... they are literaly "deadly efficient" at what they do so i dont think that just any one should be able to conceal carry, i think that people NEED to put the time into the training, whether it is going to be a 1911 a glock or a wheel gun

[tombogan03884]

These replies are both true enough but there is NO WAY that you can say a revolver is as complex to operate and maintain as a 1911. Same with striker fired pistols. Remember, we have had experianced shooters on here asking about the safety of carrying a 1911 "Cocked and locked"

[2HOW]

I agree John Browning made a great pistol,  but it is as dangerous to the operator as it is to the threat. It dosent matter what maker, star, RIA, colt or the hundreds of others that build on the design. It takes more training and dedication than ANY other carry gun.

[Sponsor]

[darwin-t]

I started out with a KelTec P11. I wanted a foolproof pistol and the long, heavy trigger pull was just the ticket, or so I thought. They are pretty hard to shoot accurately BECAUSE of the trigger pull.The internal parts broke so often I lost trust in it.

I eventually switched to 1911s. I think they are very safe because of the multiple  safeties. I would never carry a Glock or similar pistol. They are too easy to have a negligent or accidental discharge, IMHO.

I have ingrained myself with the habits of never placing my finger in the trigger guard unless/until I am sighted on a target. My thumb always goes on the top of the thumb safety as I draw it.

If I handle a pistol to move it, etc I don't grip it normally. I grasp it around the center. This way nothing is going to press the trigger or deactivate the grip safety.

For full disclosure, I've gotten much more aware of safety since I shot myself in the leg in January.

[dj454]

I eventually switched to 1911s. I think they are very safe because of the multiple  safeties. I would never carry a Glock or similar pistol. They are too easy to have a negligent or accidental discharge, IMHO.
You can't be serious Glocks are one of the safest pistols to carry. They won't fire when dropped a 1911 will unless it is of the newer style with a firing pin block and glock has a half inch of trigger travel before it will fire. An accidental or negligent discharge is much more likely with a 1911. Don't get me wrong I love the 1911 but to say a Glock is not safe is crazy. A revolver doesn't have a safety either the safety is the user and the long trigger travel. If Glocks were not safe to carry so many police and sherrif departments wouldn't issue them. Just my .02 cents worth.

[tombogan03884]

I started out with a KelTec P11. I wanted a foolproof pistol and the long, heavy trigger pull was just the ticket, or so I thought. They are pretty hard to shoot accurately BECAUSE of the trigger pull.The internal parts broke so often I lost trust in it.

I eventually switched to 1911s. I think they are very safe because of the multiple  safeties. I would never carry a Glock or similar pistol. They are too easy to have a negligent or accidental discharge, IMHO.

I have ingrained myself with the habits of never placing my finger in the trigger guard unless/until I am sighted on a target. My thumb always goes on the top of the thumb safety as I draw it.

If I handle a pistol to move it, etc I don't grip it normally. I grasp it around the center. This way nothing is going to press the trigger or deactivate the grip safety.

For full disclosure, I've gotten much more aware of safety since I shot myself in the leg in January.

That will do it The two loudest sounds on earth are a click when you expect a bang and a bang when you expect a click.

[JohnJacobH]

This is all for ccw only. If you want one to shoot and have fun with then great buy a 100 of them, but you must remember you are trusting your life to this if you will be carrying it. I would never buy a backhoe to dig a hole cause I cant operate one, but i will buy a shovel.[/color]

So I would love to hear your thoughts.

The 1911 was primarily designed and used as a military combat pistol carried openly in a holster for most of it's history. When I use a 1911 design that is how I carry it.

Since I personally think it unlikely I will have occasion to fire more than four or five shots in an urban setting before I can resupply with a rifle or bigger pistol the 1911 style is not my first choice for routine everyday defense. 

Yes, in an ideal world I would like to have the comfort of my Series 70 with me in a hip holster as it was designed to be carried, but for now that argument has been rendered moot by the knuckleheads of yesteryear and it will take a level 5 divine intervention to alter the current circumstances.

So until then, no 1911 daily defense pistol for me.

[Ron J]

Are there "better" guns and more “modern” guns to carry?  Sure. 

“Can” a 1911 be a great defense and carry gun?  You bet. 

You practice and train with it (or any gun) and you are confident that it will go “boom” and place rounds on the target where you want them, then you have a gun to carry.