Back in the 80's with GI A1 pattern pistols incl the left side only safety I shot with my thumb locked down but since returning to working with 1911s more recently I adopted the thumb on the safety and found I liked it much more. And this is more modern format pistols re ambi-safeties etc.Originally Posted by theJanitor
It complimented (or so I think) my dual use of Glocks with high thumbs. It did not play well with the USP I briefly owned though, I'd re-safe during strings of fire.
“Remember, being healthy is basically just dying as slowly as possible,” Ricky Gervais
Yep, I've thought of that and even worried a bit about it, but so far it hasn't happened. I'll have to take a close look at my grip to see if I can pinpoint a reason why. It may be that my support hand is also far forward enough that it's really not likely to happen. It could also help that I run thin extended levers.
I'm part of that % of the population whose finger joints bend backwards.
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If were expecting or preparing to shoot my thumb would get on top of the safety . . . waiting.
“Remember, being healthy is basically just dying as slowly as possible,” Ricky Gervais
Same here. Support hand interference, compromises my strong hand placement a bit, and is rather slow for me. As I mentioned in original thread, shaping thumb safeties into a smaller profile helps me substantially with premature disengagement.
I do use ambi safety for reholstrering control.
Doesn't read posts longer than two paragraphs.
Being left handed, my support hand, mainly my right thumb, tends to be very close to the ejection port of a 1911.
So much so, that I have devised a system for myself that my thumb finds the nub of the slide stop that protrudes from the ejection port side, and rests upon it, making very sure that I don't apply pressure to said nub.... Ask me how I know not to...
"... And miles to go before I sleep".
I really shouldn't post in this thread, having no 1911s anymore. However, I have to point out that the tongue-and-groove joint in the Swenson style ambi safety is a common point of failure. I had one break and lock up the gun, and I wasn't even applying pressure to it.
“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”--Jocko Willink
"You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
... Also, and it may just be something with me, and my medium sized hands, but I have found a better, more natural placement of my left shooting hand by going to a thin grip on the 1911.
A set of thins and an ambi safety, and my left thumb naturally finds purchase under the safety at the top of the grip.
"... And miles to go before I sleep".
I think I am doing some kind of hybrid of what all is described here? In the past when I was competing, and if I was moving from target to target, and even when in training classes, what I am 100% sure of is my thumb safety is up. I am switched on and hear the "snick" on and off of my thumb safety every time I actuate it up or down. When it goes up I am *assuming* that my thumb goes back on top for the presentation to the target to then wipe it off to break the shot. I also take a high register position for the most part and keep my trigger finger in the ejection port.
Like others have said with ambis, I know if that safety comes off because if I am not bringing my finger from the ejection port to the trigger, I have had a tendency to get bit. I think a good amount for me is the size of my paws (which are pretty meaty). I will have to be more observant and report back.
For historical purposes, I believe this thread grew out of the "Thumb safety pro/con's" thread ( https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....awsuit-thread) ), and much of the discussion in that thread involved failure to disengage a safety in a stressful circumstance.
To avoid this problem, riding the thumb safety of a 1911 needs to become part of your grip and not something you do on your way to getting your grip. Getting a "full firing grip" should be done when the gun is in the holster, and that means getting to the thumb safety.
Gunsite's Ed Head demonstrates the drawstroke early in this GunTalkTV video. Notice when he gets to the thumb safety at about the :40 mark in the video.
It has been mentioned some sweat shields prevent access to the thumb safety (I'll note Todd Green's pistol-training "Basic Holster Development 101" http://pistol-training.com/archives/9692 ) and that should be something to consider if you are choosing a holster for a 1911. If you have a Glock or SIG P226 (DA/SA version) it doesn't really matter how tall your sweat shield is, but if you need to get to a thumb safety, you need to find it while the gun is holstered, and how big or tall the holster sweat shield is should be a consideration.
If you look at the "old school" holster makers like Sparks, Rosen, Del Fatti, Kramer, etc., you'll notice most of their holsters don't have sweat shields, and the models that have sweat shields stop at the back of the slide. If you can't actually put your thumb on the thumb safety on these models, you can put your thumb on the top of the sweat shield and use it to push off as you draw and your thumb will naturally end up on the thumb safety.
I'm having a hard time picturing this....can you post a picture? Does the meat at the base of your thumb actually "swallow" the safety?
"Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll."- Last words of Todd Beamer
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