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Guys,

I'm sure this question's been asked before, but never by me. I don't own a 1911, but I am curious anyway. Does anyone carry a 1911 equipped with a grip safety cocked and unlocked? Theoretically, it seems safe to me. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't it be difficult, if not impossible for the grip safety to be engaged and the trigger pulled while in the holster? Is it a matter of the thumb safety being more reliable than a grip safety, or is it just tradition?

Embalmo

1911's should be carried cocked and locked (with a round in the chamber).

I can almost bet that if you carried it cocked and unlocked you would end up shooting yourself in the leg during the draw with all the confusion of a necessary shot to protect yourself or others.

It takes a lot of training to NOT put your finger on the trigger until you are on target and ready to shoot. It takes no training to stick your finger in the trigger hole while drawing the pistol and if it was cocked and unlocked you have a bad situation.

The multiple safeties might seem to be redundant, but I wouldn't carry in Condition Zero. HItting the thumb safety is no big deal, even in a speed rock. I also wouldn't pin the grip safety, as some folks used to advocate.

I would not trust the grip safety alone.
The manual safety physically blocks (locks) the hammer and I would trust that for carrying the gun.
I have seen grip safeties fail - in fact it is one of the things you should test after reassembling any 1911.
I once saw a brand new Colt Gold-cup with a bad grip safety - right from the factory.

If the 1911s we carry today were like John M. Browning first designed them there would be no thumb safety. When the gun was presented to the Army the know it alls in the ordnance board insisted there had to be a thumb safety. Since the thumb safety is part of the gun now I wouldn't try to circumvent it. Liability issues and all.

I carry a colt commander cocked and locked every day. I use IWB, OWB and shoulder holsters and have never had any kind of problem. With a little practice, dropping the safety with your thumb as you raise the weapon is a very smooth and natural movement. I really don't think it would slow you down a bit in a defense situation. I would not recommend carrying "cocked and unlocked". While the grip safety is there, the trigger is a very light single action and an accidental discharge upon drawing, especially in a stressful situation would seem highly probable to me. Shooters who don't want to deal with a safety would be wise to stay away from the 1911 design in my opinion.

Embalmo wrote:Guys,
I'm sure this question's been asked before, but never by me. I don't own a 1911, but I am curious anyway. Does anyone carry a 1911 equipped with a grip safety cocked and unlocked? Theoretically, it seems safe to me. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't it be difficult, if not impossible for the grip safety to be engaged and the trigger pulled while in the holster? Is it a matter of the thumb safety being more reliable than a grip safety, or is it just tradition? Embalmo

There is nothing to be gained from bypassing either safety so why do it?

C&L is the way JMB designed it & he got it right the 1st time.

WildBill wrote:

Embalmo wrote:Guys,
I'm sure this question's been asked before, but never by me. I don't own a 1911, but I am curious anyway. Does anyone carry a 1911 equipped with a grip safety cocked and unlocked? Theoretically, it seems safe to me. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't it be difficult, if not impossible for the grip safety to be engaged and the trigger pulled while in the holster? Is it a matter of the thumb safety being more reliable than a grip safety, or is it just tradition? Embalmo

There is nothing to be gained from bypassing either safety so why do it?

time, convenience, accuracy...

I've never owned a 1911 because cost and size have been too restrictive to even bother with worrying about the trigger. Still, I love a SA/DA trigger that I can draw and shoot with nothing to touch but the trigger; or I can click the hammer back if I have that extra 1/2 second to take aim.

Embalmo

I carry 1911s more than anything else, and I love mine. I would also be crazy to holster the gun, cocked and unlocked.

Embalmo wrote:Guys,

I'm sure this question's been asked before, but never by me. I don't own a 1911, but I am curious anyway. Does anyone carry a 1911 equipped with a grip safety cocked and unlocked? Theoretically, it seems safe to me. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't it be difficult, if not impossible for the grip safety to be engaged and the trigger pulled while in the holster? Is it a matter of the thumb safety being more reliable than a grip safety, or is it just tradition?

Embalmo

If you're just standing there, you can be pretty sure it's not going to go off if the gun is in good condition.

Real life is more complex though, and it's not a good idea.

Most instructors would probably toss you out of a class if you just refused to use the safety on a 1911, or the decocker on a DA/SA gun.

Cocked and locked. Carrying cocked and unlocked might give you a severe case of "Glock leg".

Safeties are there for a reason. I think Andy C's sig line is accurate. Amateurs skip safety checks, pros don't.

Embalmo wrote:

WildBill wrote:There is nothing to be gained from bypassing either safety so why do it?

time, convenience, accuracy...

WIth training and practice, you lose none of those with Condition One.

The 1911 might be a dinosaur, but it's a very effective dinosaur.

I keep hearing safety off is foolish when holstering a 1911, so the the grip safety is useless; or at best a redundancy? I seriously don't expect to be a 1911 owner anytime soon-The only one I've seen so far that I could conceal is a Colt with a short barrel that cost $899 @ Academy.

Sooo-If the grip safety is so unreliable and useless, I think I would prefer having one without a grip safety. Given the choice between a Bersa UC 9 with a grip safety and a Bersa UC9 without a grip safety I'd choose the latter; that is, of course, unless the grip safety afforded me the luxury of leaving the gun cocked in my holster.

I guess my question is: What good is a grip safety? Maybe it keeps the gun from discharging when dropped. I've just Googled everywhere and I can't find a good answer.

Embalmo