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Thread: 1911 Thumb Safety and Big Hands

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Angus McFee View Post
    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.
    Kind of my take as well. I just wish the M&P safety was a tad more positive and a tad bit lower. Still it’s an excellent option compared to what else is out there.

  2. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Bucky View Post
    Most (proficient) 1911 shooters ride the thumb safety. What aren’t you interested in trying this?
    It is simply not neccessary that is all. If the safety is available with the room to do it my thumb will ride it but my priority is to be able to have a full firing grip and be able to disengage the safety.

    I cannot ride the safety on a CZ, Tanfo, USP, or a P30 because my weak hand covers it same with a 1911. But those other guns are DA/SA and I don't use the safety with a 1911 I have to use the safety.

    My question is if it is normal to change the grip to a slightly less effective grip to be able to properly use a 1911 safety. My other option is to disengage the safety at the draw or low ready before acquiring a full grip.

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leroy View Post
    My question is if it is normal to change the grip to a slightly less effective grip to be able to properly use a 1911 safety.
    Nope, not in my experience.

  4. #14
    Site Supporter Erick Gelhaus's Avatar
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    Jun 2011
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    The Wasatch Front
    Quote Originally Posted by Leroy View Post
    My question is if it is normal to change the grip to a slightly less effective grip to be able to properly use a 1911 safety. My other option is to disengage the safety at the draw or low ready before acquiring a full grip.
    What is taught at Gunsite - when drawing to a ready position prior to clearing/searching a structuree, etc or covering someone or when getting the thumb safety equipped pistol into play but not shooting is that the safety stays on with the thumb atop. If the decision to shoot is made, as the pistol comes on to the target, threat the safety is taken off. If one is drawing to shoot, then safety is taken off at the point the muzzle rotates from vertical onto the threat, target. That portion of the presentation used to be called Click for the safety coming off, now it is rotate given the predominance of striker fired, non thumb safety equipped guns.

  5. #15
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    Apr 2020
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    Louisville area
    Bringing up an old thread but…

    Is there any consensus on this for people with large hands?

    It seems like people either suggest moving the support hand down or forward to accommodate riding the safety, or reiterate the established best practice of leaving the safety on when off target and manipulating it when bringing the gun to target.

    I’m looking into switching over to TS M&Ps, but like OP in this thread, my hands are large enough that unless I sweep the safety off before completing my grip on the gun, I can’t reliably un-safe the gun because the meat of my support hand interferes with depressing the safety.

    So what’s the proper procedure for drawing to low ready? Do I off safe the gun and then just have an normal striker fired gun? Do I draw to a low ready with my support hand not fully on the gun, and then complete my grip as I come onto target after sweeping the safety off? Or do I really need to grip guns with manual safeties differently than those without? I’m a neophyte here, so all of these questions are genuine and none are rhetorical.

  6. #16
    Site Supporter 1911Nut's Avatar
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    Jul 2011
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    I received my initial pistol training at Gunsite in 1981. My instructors were Clint Smith and Jeff Cooper. I was shooting a Colt Government 1911 in .45 ACP caliber. We were taught to shoot with the strong hand riding the safety as described in Erick's post above. The "click" position is when the safety comes off.

    When presenting the pistol to the ready position, the safety is off, the strong hand thumb is on top of the safety, and the trigger finger is off the trigger, outside the trigger guard, and alongside the frame of the pistol.

    I still shoot pistols pretty regularly that have thumb safeties . . . 1911's, 2011's, and CZ75's. I have large hands . . . . size 12 glove. I haven't found a methodology that works better for me than the one those esteemed gentlemen taught me 40 years ago.

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