Who carries a 1911 and how?

[printcraft]

4" 1911 - Condition 1 in a Galco leather paddle holster, open top.

The thumb breaks are for empty chamber, hammer down carry only.

 

[Mr. Habib]

5" Kimber custom or 3" Kimber Ultra Carry both in condition 1 either IWB in an MTAC or OWB in a Fobus paddle or Hellwig belt slide.

 

[88GT]

The thumb breaks are for empty chamber, hammer down carry only.

You don't happen to have the IC for that, do you?

 

[kingnereli]

I carry a Colt gold cup cocked and locked in a Kirkpatrick crossdraw holster.

the mid size is a 4" and it is called a commander , the 5" is a government model.
There is no need to ride the hammer forward , the gun was designed to be carried "cocked and locked" and is perfectly safe to do so.

Sorry to nitpick but an true commander size is 4.25 inches. Several companies, such as Kimber, make four inch guns but a commander is four and a quarter.

Just curious, but why?

Do you have a thumb break for retention of the gun when you open carry?

There are actually 3 safeties on a modern 1911 because there is a firing pin safety in the slide in addition to the thumb safety and the grip safety.

I don't know anyone who thinks a shoulder holster is either particularly safe or very comfortable.

I'm also curious why shoulder holsters aren't safe or comfortable. I'm quite fond of them.

 

[DaKruiser]

Springfield Govt. Model stainless, cocked and locked, crossbreed supertuck, and it's awsome.

 

[6birds]

I carry a Govt. model in a Galco shoulder holster all day long in the fall and winter months , and love it.

I have a Mernickle shoulder rig, great for a day in the car (I do that often) or an afternoon in the motorcycle. I modified a Kilpatrick that hooks on my mountain pack too, so it rides like a shoulder rig when I'm using a heavy waistbelt with the big pack, and a waist rig cannot be used.

 

[printcraft]

You don't happen to have the IC for that, do you?

What's an IC? Is that like and Icee? Cuz I luv those.



Might depend on manufacturer but you don't want a strap going
over your grip safety on a 1911 when it is cocked.
You would have just deactivated one of the passive safeties.

Also if you have a thumb break over a cocked hammer I would think
you would run the risk of getting the strap snagged in the notch between
the hammer and the slide when you are trying to draw.

All Galco holsters with safety straps and thumb breaks are designed to carry the 1911 with the "hammer down, chamber empty". Galco 1911 fit holsters that are "open top" (no safety strap and no thumbreak)are designed to accommodate 1911's in all safe "conditions" specified by the firearm manufacture.

 

[dross]

I had mine converted to a double action only with a decocker.

C'mon, you guys all bought that?

 

[melensdad]

Shoulder holsters:
SAFETY ISSUE, if you fall or if you are hit, the odds of breaking a rib are pretty high. Similar complaints are issued against SOB holsters, where a fall or a hit to the back can create a cracked spine. Hip carry, cross draw, or 4o'clock carry tend to have the gun in a place where there is soft tissue that may bruise but probably won't cause a break in a fall.
COMFORT ISSUE, most people who try them find them binding and also find them to be hot. The most comfortable ones I've tried have wide leather straps/strap pads and those tend to be 'sweating' points.

C'mon, you guys all bought that?

No

 

[oldfb]

Shoulder holsters.LOL. I need to use one most of the time because of physical limitations.

Most people that feel they are the bane of guns and all that is unholy.
Are the very same ones that are just sure that it is going to mystically shoot someone from behind while holsterd. Or that you will sweep yourself and everyone else during a draw.

Some fine folks are so uptight about them that it becomes a form of bigotry over the topic.

People have probably been shot or had a nd while holstering or on the draw. Fuzzy coordination due to adrenaline overload would be my guess in most cases.

Tom Clancy parrots what some gunwriter wrote by saying they are useless, dangerous and slow.
A few holster makers refuse to make them again out of bigotry or convictions.

Safe practice and repetition with your gear should cover all but Murphy's law, negligence and pure stupidity.

Try to borrow before you buy because some like skinny straps others like the big scalloped angel wings.

I have a elpasso for my 5" Taurus which rides very nice but gets hot under the straps. I gave my wife my fn galco jackass rig that has thin suede straps that rode awful on me.

I also have a nice elpasso strongside thumbreak for those times when I need it.

I have also carried other fullsized guns on fobus paddle holsters all day with nary a hiccup and no one shredding my holster in a vicious gungrab.

Find what the best tool for your toolbelt is based on your budget and start saving because you will need a few extra holsters for each 1911 u buy. It is not an addiction. LOL

Good luck.

 

[oldfb]

Oops

 

[MarkM]

You guys have given me some good info. Except dross. I think the holster I'm looking at is a Milt Sparks summer special IWB. Are those anygood.And what's a decent price to pay for one?

 

[kingnereli]

Shoulder holsters:
SAFETY ISSUE, if you fall or if you are hit, the odds of breaking a rib are pretty high. Similar complaints are issued against SOB holsters, where a fall or a hit to the back can create a cracked spine. Hip carry, cross draw, or 4o'clock carry tend to have the gun in a place where there is soft tissue that may bruise but probably won't cause a break in a fall.
COMFORT ISSUE, most people who try them find them binding and also find them to be hot. The most comfortable ones I've tried have wide leather straps/strap pads and those tend to be 'sweating' points.


No

Ah, those seem to be valid points. I'm curious as to exactly how likely breaking a rib is. I'm sure there is no test data on it but it seems like it would fall in the risk management category.

 

[wtfd661]

C'mon, you guys all bought that?

Nope just choose to ignore it

 

[IndyGunSafety]

Full size 1911 in a crossbread super tuck, cocked and locked.

 

[savageayape]

You guys have given me some good info. Except dross. I think the holster I'm looking at is a Milt Sparks summer special IWB. Are those anygood.And what's a decent price to pay for one?

Milt Sparks makes very good holsters based on everything I've read about them. I open carry a 1911 in an Axiom and I love it. A good sturdy gun belt is as important as a good quality holster, so make sure you have one. MIlt Sparks makes those too, as well as other companies. The Summer Special is priced at $87 through Milt Sparks and the Summer Special 2 is a little more. The Versa Max 2 seems to be in high demand right now and if you try to buy one of those used, you'll probably have to pay more than retail unless you order through Milt Sparks. I'd just order one and wait a few months. In fact that's what I did. I love my Axiom and belt. I do not currently have an IWB holster so I can't give my opinion on how comfortable one is.

 

[ol' poke]

1911 cocked and locked - as DESIGNED. I use a Galco "Fletch" holster. It has a thumb-break strap that blocks the hammer when holstered and releases easily when drawn.

ol' poke.

 

[johenz]

I'm seriously considering selling my Glock 23 to my son and carrying a Government 1911 for my EDC weapon. As much as I like the Glock, I find that i just shoot the 1911 (I have a RIA officer model) so much better.

I have a Cross Breed Supertuck for the Glock which will go with the gun. I'll get another for the 1911.

Looking at the Para GI Expert, or the RIA Government model as the 1911.

 

[BloodEclipse]

I had mine converted to a double action only with a decocker.

Blasphemy.

 

[BloodEclipse]

I carry a Colt gold cup cocked and locked in a Kirkpatrick crossdraw holster.




Sorry to nitpick but an true commander size is 4.25 inches. Several companies, such as Kimber, make four inch guns but a commander is four and a quarter.



I'm also curious why shoulder holsters aren't safe or comfortable. I'm quite fond of them.

I think they are talking about the cross draw. It is easier to sweep people with that style of holster.
Maybe they have other reasons for thinking they are unsafe, but that is my guess.