1911 Mil Spec: how to shoot comfortably?

[led4thehed2]

I have almost no 1911 experience, and only own GLOCKs. I rented a Colt 1911A1 and shot 50 rounds - totally painful. I've read a lot online about "hammer bite", but I don't think that's what it was. It just felt like a painful recoil impulse into the webbing between my thumb and index finger. Below is what my hand looked like afterward- a perfect imprint of the grip safety and frame.

I've read about several schools of though on gripping 1911s; some preach "high hold", some say put your thumbs on top of the grip safety, some recommend a lower hold to avoid this sort of injury. I held the Colt like my GLOCKs- a high hold with my hand shoved up and as much into the frame as I could, thumbs forward, but not on top of the grip safety.

I'd be very glad to hear from experienced 1911 shooters if my discomfort is simply due to improper grip, or if this is just a fact of life shooting a 1911 with a GI-style grip safety.

 

[churchmouse]

I have gotten this from Glocks but in the 58 years I have been shooting the 1911 never have I injured myself in this manner. If you are tucked into the grip safety you should be free of any injury.

 

[gmcttr]

I have no idea what happened to you. Been shooting 1911's since the 70's and never had any discomfort at all. Have always thought a 1911 in .45ACP had a soft recoil impulse.

I get as high of a grip as I can for better control and thumbs forward.

 

[WebSnyper]

Can you show a pic of how you actually grip the gun? That may be helpful for folks.

 

[led4thehed2]

Can you show a pic of how you actually grip the gun? That may be helpful for folks.

I now wish I had taken a picture of myself holding the gun while I was at the range. Unfortunately, I did not do so.

 

[2A_Tom]

That sure looks like a hammer bite to me. I shoot a 1911A1 GI model exclusively, and have never had any type of soreness afterward.

The first time I ever shot a pistol in my life, was a 1911A1 in the Army. I had 5000 rounds for 5 guys and shot my share. The only pain I had was in my fingers from loading all of those 7 round GI mags.

If you are letting the web ride up over the grip safety you will have a lot of pain. this is why modern iterations of the 1911 platform have extended beaver tail grip safeties.

 

[NHT3]

That sure looks like a hammer bite to me. I shoot a 1911A1 GI model exclusively, and have never had any type of soreness afterward.

The first time I ever shot a pistol in my life, was a 1911A1 in the Army. I had 5000 rounds for 5 guys and shot my share. The only pain I had was in my fingers from loading all of those 7 round GI mags.

If you are letting the web ride up over the grip safety you will have a lot of pain. this is why modern iterations of the 1911 platform have extended beaver tail grip safeties.

Ditto, or bobbed hammers..

 

[2A_Tom]

Of all the gunsI have ever had my wife try out she loves my GI model because it is so soft shooting and accurate. The only problem is it is a bit unwieldy for her to carry.

 

[led4thehed2]

That sure looks like a hammer bite to me. I shoot a 1911A1 GI model exclusively, and have never had any type of soreness afterward.

The first time I ever shot a pistol in my life, was a 1911A1 in the Army. I had 5000 rounds for 5 guys and shot my share. The only pain I had was in my fingers from loading all of those 7 round GI mags.

If you are letting the web ride up over the grip safety you will have a lot of pain. this is why modern iterations of the 1911 platform have extended beaver tail grip safeties.

Of all the gunsI have ever had my wife try out she loves my GI model because it is so soft shooting and accurate. The only problem is it is a bit unwieldy for her to carry.

Sounds like my grip on the gun may be the culprit. In the past I carried a number of guns with fairly short or small grips that really didn't allow for a full purchase, and my grip on the gun would slip and move between shots. I found this terribly irksome, and started to "choke up" on handguns quite a bit. I'd shove the webbing between my thumb and index finger up as high and as far into the backstrap of a semi-automatic as I could. I felt this gave me more control on a small gun with a short grip, and kept my grip from slipping between shots, so I basically adopted it as my grip on all handguns.

It seems this same approach may press the webbing of my hand right up to the rear edge of the grip safety and cause it to get pinched by the hammer spur. I may need to approach a less extreme version of this, and adopted a lower grip and not smash the webbing of my hand into the underside of the frame/grip safety area. I suppose all I need to do would be go back to the range and rent the gun again and see what happens.

Thanks for everyone's feedback - I really like the idea of having something like a Springfield Armory Mil Spec or a Colt 1911 'Classic' to complement my M1/M1903 rifles for "old-school" shooting. It is encouraging to hear others shoot this firearm with no discomfort.

 

[ashby koss]

Get a modern 1911 that has a bobbed or covered hammer and beaver tail. Much better.

 

[ACC]

This is the exact reason I got rid of my GI model 1911 years ago and have only bought beavertail models since.

 

[2A_Tom]

Get a modern 1911 that has a bobbed or covered hammer and beaver tail. Much better.

That irritates the purist in me, but to each his own.

 

[churchmouse]

That irritates the purist in me, but to each his own.

Then you must truly be irritated by me....

 

[2A_Tom]

Not at all. Not everyone has an inbred sense of propriety.

It is only my hope that by my presence and example here, that I may be able; G-d willing, to usher some into the fold.

 

[johny5]

That irritates the purist in me, but to each his own.

Same here, but for me, replace the word 'purist' with 'cheepskate'

 

[2A_Tom]

Same here, but for me, replace the word 'purist' with 'cheepskate'

That works for me too, but the real reason isI am so used to it, nothing elsefeels good to me.

I like the curved main spring housing. When I shoot one with a flat back strap I have to think about it. At my age building habituation would be problematic. Ole dog and all that.

I am actually an heretic. I reccommend that new shooters get a high capacity 9mm. That is before the cost of ammo skyrocketed.

 

[bobzilla]

I’m on 1911’s 3 and 4 since 1998. Thousands of rounds and it’s all I choose to carry. I just bring more mags now.

 

[johny5]

That works for me too, but the real reason isI am so used to it, nothing elsefeels good to me.

I like the curved main spring housing. When I shoot one with a flat back strap I have to think about it. At my age building habituation would be problematic. Ole dog and all that.

I am actually an heretic. I reccommend that new shooters get a high capacity 9mm. That is before the cost of ammo skyrocketed.

I'm a fairly recent 1911 convert. Flat backstrap is what feels right to me. I tried a v-grip and it was a hard 'no' for me.

Were I pressed, I would likely choose a 92fs over the 1911 - its where the majority of my trigger-time has been spent.

 

[Drail]

As an NRA Instructor I would say the mark on the OP's web is the mark of a GI grip safety. Why his hand reacts the way it does is beyond me but that is definitely the outline of a GI grip safety. I've seen it happen to many new shooters. If the grip safety has sharp square corners it will eat your hand. The reason it has sharp corners is because the maker didn't want to spend time or money radiusing those corners. Colt especially LOVES sharp square corners. People have complained for decades but Colt doesn't listen to anyone. Grinding a small radius on those corners will help - it will still be painful but not as bad and it won't leave the mark. This is precisely the reason upswept beavertails were developed back in the day. With one you can shoot a 1911 all day in comfort. Try to shoot a 1911 with a beavertail and see. You can get a "drop in" that will stop the pain but will be kind of ugly - or you can shell out a couple hundred pesos and have a nice one fiitted to your frame.

 

[drillsgt]

Sounds like my grip on the gun may be the culprit. In the past I carried a number of guns with fairly short or small grips that really didn't allow for a full purchase, and my grip on the gun would slip and move between shots. I found this terribly irksome, and started to "choke up" on handguns quite a bit. I'd shove the webbing between my thumb and index finger up as high and as far into the backstrap of a semi-automatic as I could. I felt this gave me more control on a small gun with a short grip, and kept my grip from slipping between shots, so I basically adopted it as my grip on all handguns.

It seems this same approach may press the webbing of my hand right up to the rear edge of the grip safety and cause it to get pinched by the hammer spur. I may need to approach a less extreme version of this, and adopted a lower grip and not smash the webbing of my hand into the underside of the frame/grip safety area. I suppose all I need to do would be go back to the range and rent the gun again and see what happens.

Thanks for everyone's feedback - I really like the idea of having something like a Springfield Armory Mil Spec or a Colt 1911 'Classic' to complement my M1/M1903 rifles for "old-school" shooting. It is encouraging to hear others shoot this firearm with no discomfort.

I have a Colt Series 70 repro that I shoot a lot and I haven't had any discomfort issues.