1911 Thumb Safety and Big Hands

[Leroy]

I have been shooting a 1911 occasionally. It has what appears to be what some may call a high grip thumb safety (the lever is at the top of the safety). The way I grip the pistol the weak hand completely covers the safety when it is in the off position. So much so that if I have a firing grip I cannot disengage the safety without removing my weak hand. I am using thick grips that are as wide or wider than the safety so I don't have issues bumping the safety on. Is this a common issue with the 1911? Do most 1911 shooters change their grip to address this? I have no interest in riding the safety I just think it would be best if I was able to disengage the safety with a full firing grip.

[Erick Gelhaus]

My hands are the opposite of yours apparently - tiny. Was not an issue for me to shoot high thumbs - atop the safety for one and parallel to that with the other.

When I carried, used, one etc I rode the thumb safety. Both when it was in the On and Off Safe positions. The only time I didn't ride was when I was physically putting it back On Safe. Now, carrying a M&P with a thumb safety I manage the thumb safety the same way.

HTH.

[Poconnor]

One grip does not work on every gun. My Dept issued 1911s. I was an instructor and I stressed the same grip for every one from 100 lb females to 300 lb big guys. Dominate hand thumb rides the safety, grip squeeze like a framing hammer. Not loose, don’t crush it. Fit the off hand under the dominate hand. Thumbs forward towards target. You want to surround the grip with solid meat of your hands. No spaces. Every officer that refused to ride the safety - I witnessed them fail to deactivate the safety during speed drills from the holster. Not every time, maybe once out of ten. But every officer. Usually they would just shrug and smile . I likened it to the campaign hat. It doesn’t fit anyone when it’s new. Wear it long enough and your head will change to fit it.

[BK14]

Same issue, but I don’t have big hands. I’ve carried a Springfield Operator off and on for about a year at work.

For me, if I hold it as high with my support hand as I do my Glock, and have the gun pressed out, I’ll pinch my thumb. My solution is to shift my support hand slightly more forward (I prefer this anyways, but if I do this with a Glock then I hold the slide stop lever down).

I generally don’t search with my arms fully extended unless I’m being very intentional, like pie-ing a deep cofber, so I’ll take that second to make sure my support hand is positioned properly.

What I really want is a higher riding safety, currently using the Wilson Bulletproof.

[Leroy]

I was messing around with the grip and basically I have to rotate my weak hand wrist down to get the base of my weak hand thumb lower. It feels odd and the grip less secure. I'll try this and rotating the weak hand even further foward to see if I can make it work in live fire.

[TheNewbie]

My hands are the opposite of yours apparently - tiny. Was not an issue for me to shoot high thumbs - atop the safety for one and parallel to that with the other.

When I carried, used, one etc I rode the thumb safety. Both when it was in the On and Off Safe positions. The only time I didn't ride was when I was physically putting it back On Safe. Now, carrying a M&P with a thumb safety I manage the thumb safety the same way.

HTH.

How do you like the M&P manual safety vs the 1911 manual safety?

[Robinson]

Most 1911 shooters do ride the thumb safety.

I grip a 1911 pretty much the same as any other pistol, and it places the thumb of my shooting hand in a perfect position to manipulate the thumb safety. Can you move your support hand forward and down just a little so it doesn't cover the thumb safety?

[FNFAN]

Most 1911 shooters do ride the thumb safety.

I grip a 1911 pretty much the same as any other pistol, and it places the thumb of my shooting hand in a perfect position to manipulate the thumb safety. Can you move your support hand forward and down just a little so it doesn't cover the thumb safety?

I have big hands as well and have always ridden the thumb safety. One of my buddies was having problems with his X-tac and was not riding it and was bumping it up into engagement during recoil. His statement was that that's the way the USMC trained him. Well, OkyDoky! Personally I couldn't imagine fiddling around 'finding' the safety when working. I want it right there under my thumb!

[Erick Gelhaus]

How do you like the M&P manual safety vs the 1911 manual safety?

The M&P versions aren't as positive, crisp as a good 1911 thumb safety. Though the 2.0 is noticably better than the first version. I feel and can hear the snick of the safety engaging, disengaging on the 2.0.

[Bucky]

Do most 1911 shooters change their grip to address this? I have no interest in riding the safety I just think it would be best if I was able to disengage the safety with a full firing grip.

Most (proficient) 1911 shooters ride the thumb safety. What aren’t you interested in trying this?