Who carries a 1911 and how?

[TopDog]

All I have to say is " forget about that single action sissy pistol and get yourself a KAHR"

Although I would never call the venerable 1911 a "single action sissy pistol" I have to agree Kahr's are superb guns.

 

[jjohnisme]

I inherited a 3.5 inch bull barrel 1911 lightweight Colt Defender from my dad. IWB leather holster uncocked, strong side hip. I really don't want to waste my expensive ass hornady hollowpoint ammo, so i hope the slide does all the work for me lol. The holster took some breaking in, but eventually i didn't even notice it was there. Just bought a new one that'll fit my 1911 Commander, gonna break it in ASAP.

Sure, if it's a bad neighborhood, i'll chamber a round and flip the safety on, but i'll clear it as soon as i'm out of there and have a free minute. Safeties are mechanical, and mechanical parts eventually fail, even with proper maintenance.

 

[ultraspec]

I inherited a 3.5 inch bull barrel 1911 lightweight Colt Defender from my dad. IWB leather holster uncocked, strong side hip. I really don't want to waste my expensive ass hornady hollowpoint ammo, so i hope the slide does all the work for me lol. The holster took some breaking in, but eventually i didn't even notice it was there. Just bought a new one that'll fit my 1911 Commander, gonna break it in ASAP.

Sure, if it's a bad neighborhood, i'll chamber a round and flip the safety on, but i'll clear it as soon as i'm out of there and have a free minute. Safeties are mechanical, and mechanical parts eventually fail, even with proper maintenance.

1911's have two safeties that have to be deactivated before it would fire so why would you take the round back out of the chamber? Not to mention chambering and unchambering a round over and over will set the bullet back in the case causing a danger to shoot those rounds.

 

[Claddagh]

I've carried some sort of 1911 ever since The Blessed Armand (Swenson) gave us the ambi thumb safety and made that practical for us southpaws. For the past several years it's been a stainless "Loaded" model Springfield Champion (4" bbl.) in a Sparks Summer Special or VM II. No "safety rub-off" issues, no AD/ND's.

Since the idea of Condition 1 carry seems to bother you so much, I'd suggest what (to me) seems to be the most obvious solution in a 1911 platform: the Para LDA.

I had a C7.45 (OM-sized) LDA for several years and it was a fine little weapon. I sold it in a weak moment to someone who waved a large wad of green paper at me. IMO, they have the best LDA system ever seen on a 1911-based pistol. Light, smooth and no "decocker" to mess with.

 

[Benjamin]

Me! Cocked, locked, and ready to rock! IWB

 

[ultraspec]

I have three 1911's I leave them cocked and locked in between carrying them....I dont unload them hardly at all except maybe once a month to clean them and inspect stuff...carry is usually in a desantis mini slide with thumb break as I am limited on my carry options

 

[jackhandy]

This is what I carry.....MTAC from Comp-Tac....love it. Gets to the point you forget its there.

 

[HICKMAN]

Had a super-tuck in the past, but I've been impressed by my Comp-Tac competition gear, so I got an MTAC and gun belt in from them today. I liked the quick change shells for my carry guns.

Will give more feedback as I put these to use.

 

[misconfig]

I carry one, round in the chamber, hammer back, safety clicked on.

Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you drop the hammer on a live round in a 1911. NEVER ride the hammer down with your thumb, sooner or later your thumb will slip and you will fire a round.

The 'middle size' gun is called a Commander size.

For IWB, I strongly recommend the CrossBreed Super Tuck.

For OWB, I have several. A simple Don Hume "JIT" is my most used holster for OWB. I do NOT like paddle holsters for daily carry. They are fine for range use, but I don't think they carry well, I've got 3 or 4 of them, rarely do I use them for daily carry and always do I regret it by the end of the day.

QFT

I carry a Kimber Tactical Ultra II in a CrossBreed SuperTuck, it's a "micro 1911" I only carry it locked in cocked, honestly I'm not comfortable with any other method of carry.

 

[sj kahr k40]

Mexican carry, condition zero, one in the chamber no safety, and now everyone knows why I really limp

 

[jjohnisme]

1911's have two safeties that have to be deactivated before it would fire so why would you take the round back out of the chamber? Not to mention chambering and unchambering a round over and over will set the bullet back in the case causing a danger to shoot those rounds.

Well i'll keep that in mind, but in the three years i've owned the firearm, i've only needed to do that cycle like 4 times, and twice it was with different magazines. I try to stay out of bad neighborhoods

I'll kindly take your advice, however. But like i said in my post: safeties are mechanical, and parts fail, plus i'm a bit paranoid.

 

[EPD1102]

I carry a Para P14-45 cocked and locked in a Galco HALO holster with a SureFire X300 attached everywhere that I'm allowed to carry.

 

[BurninBrass]

I use one of these: H710 [H710] - $28.95 : Don Hume Leathergoods, manufactures high quality leather and nylon goods.

 

[ATF Consumer]

Me! Cocked, locked, and ready to rock! IWB

You're not ready to rock unless you're in condition 0

I don't own a 1911, but I carry a Beretta M9 cocked and unlocked...the only way to really be ready to rock. My holster is my safety.

 

[Garb]

You're not ready to rock unless you're in condition 0

I don't own a 1911, but I carry a Beretta M9 cocked and unlocked...the only way to really be ready to rock. My holster is my safety.

To each his own lol. I carry mine cocked and locked OWB.

 

[1911 mike]

I carry a full size 1911, cocked and locked in a Galco Phoenex PHN212, it's a right handed carry at 3 o/clock and it can also be carried as a cross draw. I carry it every day and being full size 5 inch, no one knows I carry.

 

[Ram-jac]

Carry a Rock Island compact.....cocked and locked with no problems ever. If you're not comfortable, then practice until you are. good luck.

 

[RHurt919]

When I carry my TLE/RL without a light, it’s in an Uncle Mikes in-the-pants holster. Picked up a Don Hume's in-the-pants holster at the Indy 1500 but I haven’t tried it out yet.
When the light is attached, it’s in a Blackhawk paddle holster.

No matter what, she is always Cocked and Locked.

 

[88E30M50]

I carry a Kimber Compact in a Kramer OWB Scabbard holster in horsehide. It's in condition 1 all of the time and I have never found the safety clicked off unintentionally with this holster. I've carried with a Galco OWB and regularly found the safety would be clicked off. I have an MTAC IWB holster that's comforable, but have found the safety off twice. With the Kramer holster, it protects the safety better and has never clicked it off. I've found this setup to be very comfortable and can carry from the time I get dressed in the morning to the time I get undressed at bedtime with no problems. If you get the Kramer holster, order the horsehide. It's a bit thinner but is hard molded and waterproof. It's like the best possible combination of Kydex and leather. Kind of like Kydex that looks like leather with a leather surface on the gun side.

 

[1LuvGuns]

I carry a commander size (the honest to goodness 4.25" type) 1911 in a Milt Sparks VMII - cocked and locked. The VMII makes it vanish...