Riding the safety on a 1911

[Speederlander]

Hello, first post on these forums.

I have previously shot mostly glocks and revolvers but recently acquired a Wilson Combat 1911.

I find that when I firmly ride the safety with my thumb I can gain better control over muzzle flip. My problem is that my thumb splays out when I press down and it is pretty easy for some portion of my thumb to then contact the slide over the course of several shots.

Wilson doesn't offer safeties with thumb shields, so it really comes down to technique on my part. Either don't ride the safety at all or find way to rest my thumb (perhaps just along the edge and not on top?) on the safety in such a way the contacting the slide is not possible.

What do the 1911 folks here do?


Thanks!

[Redhat]

Hello, first post on these forums.

I have previously shot mostly glocks and revolvers but recently acquired a Wilson Combat 1911.

I find that when I firmly ride the safety with my thumb I can gain better control over muzzle flip. My problem is that my thumb splays out when I press down and it is pretty easy for some portion of my thumb to then contact the slide over the course of several shots.

Wilson doesn't offer safeties with thumb shields, so it really comes down to technique on my part. Either don't ride the safety at all or find way to rest my thumb (perhaps just along the edge and not on top?) on the safety in such a way the contacting the slide is not possible.

What do the 1911 folks here do?


Thanks!

Have you had any stoppages due to your thumb rubbing against the slide?

[45dotACP]

I have my thumb on the safety usually, but not for the purpose of recoil control. That is usually accomplished via my support hand.

Some liken the thumb safety to a "gas pedal" and press firmly into it for recoil control. I personally don't like excess tension in my firing hand.

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[Gadfly]

I ride the safety, but I don’t crush the safety. I also make sure to not rub the slide... ed brown extended narrow safety is my jam.


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[Robinson]

I ride the thumb safety when shooting. But recoil control comes through the grip and upper body, not from riding the thumb safety.

[TOTS]

Agree with all above; ride it! And don’t touch the slide.

[Drifting Fate]

Riding the safety is the correct technique, IMHO.

But, it also comes from an era where the left thumb rode above the right thumb (in a right handed shooter), instead of the "thumbs forward" style typical today.

This older technique helped pull the strong hand thumb away from the slide. Some today call this a "revolver" grip or a "hammer fist." Back in the day it was just how one held a pistol.

There are good arguments for both in all honesty, and I don't want to start a "grip war." I recall hearing of staff members of Gunsite having heated discussions with Colt reps about riding the safety, so some do and some don't. I believe the WWII generation was mixed due to the unit one was in, but that's based on literally decades of varied reports, so I can't support it with references.

Riding the safety in a single-action pistol has more advantages than disadvantages, so find out how you can do that without impinging the slide with however you wish to hold your thumbs.

[Redhat]

Riding the safety is the correct technique, IMHO.

But, it also comes from an era where the left thumb rode above the right thumb (in a right handed shooter), instead of the "thumbs forward" style typical today.

This older technique helped pull the strong hand thumb away from the slide. Some today call this a "revolver" grip or a "hammer fist." Back in the day it was just how one held a pistol.

There are good arguments for both in all honesty, and I don't want to start a "grip war." I recall hearing of staff members of Gunsite having heated discussions with Colt reps about riding the safety, so some do and some don't. I believe the WWII generation was mixed due to the unit one was in, but that's based on literally decades of varied reports, so I can't support it with references.

Riding the safety in a single-action pistol has more advantages than disadvantages, so find out how you can do that without impinging the slide with however you wish to hold your thumbs.

It might also help prevent sweeping the safety up under recoil. I ride the safety as well but I don't consider it a large part of recoil control.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Carried a 1911 on-duty and off for over twenty years, and M&Ps with thumb safetys for another four years (never mind the 3+ years of Glocks). Being aware 1911/stoppage amnesia, I can't recall a stoppage that obviosly stemmed from interupting the cycle of operation based on in-board pressure from my thumbs.

When I draw, my thumb goes atop the thumb safety and stays there - whether on or off safe. when I need to put the safety back on, it goes under & raises it up before back atop. It does flatten out, spread out some.

Checked a couple 1911s and a couple M&Ps to see if I could retard the slides' rearward travel when cycling it manually. Given the M&Ps frame/slide size and my handsize I could not get enough pressure on the slide to retard it. However, with the 1911s - with enough focused effort - I could generate enough in-board pressure to slow the slide.

Is your thumb's presence impeding the slide's travel? Has it induced any stoppages? If not, you may not need to worry about it at all.

[ViniVidivici]

Welcome to the forum.

Ex-1911 guy here, carried and shot them for years.

I always rode the safety with the thumb. I was taught this was correct, it's a natural ectension, if you will, of a proper draw that begins with a firm grip in the holster, thumb over safety, ready to disengage at the right moment.

Thumb over safety, no matter whether G.I. or extended, seema like the most natural way to shoot a 1911, and is conducive to a high grip.