Those that carry 1911s, two questions

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ruffinit

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Ok, I bought a 1911 because I wanted a .45 and I have wanted a 1911 since childhood. I have two questions for those of you that carry your 1911 concealed.

First, do you have a single sided or ambi safety on your carry piece? I would like to hear the pros and cons that folks have run into with either style.

Second, what holster rig are you using with your 1911? I am a big guy, so I can get away with waist carry, but am also considering a shoulder rig for motorcycle or car trip carry. Thoughts and experiences are appreciated.

Thanks for your time!

Ruffinit
 
You didn't say the barrel length of your 1911. I have two 1911's that I use for carry with 4.25-inch barrels. Both guns have a single safety as it makes the pistol thinner and there is no right side lever to potentially snag on clothing.

I carry one in a Wilson Combat leather holster, and the other has a Brigade Gunleather custom holster. The Wilson holster is OWB and the Brigade is a convertible IWB / OWB holster.

The Wilson holsters are a terrific value for the money if you want to carry OWB and like leather holsters. The Brigade holster is one of the nicest and best fitting holsters I have for any gun of any type. It is stiff, yet fits the gun's contours perfectly, and has adjustable tension so that you can fine tune the retention to your preference.
 
I have a full size and a compact. Both have a single safety. I am small with a 30 inch waist and have no problem with concealed carry using a Fobus paddle holster for both.
 
You didn't say the barrel length of your 1911. I have two 1911's that I use for carry with 4.25-inch barrels. Both guns have a single safety as it makes the pistol thinner and there is no right side lever to potentially snag on clothing.

I carry one in a Wilson Combat leather holster, and the other has a Brigade Gunleather custom holster. The Wilson holster is OWB and the Brigade is a convertible IWB / OWB holster.

The Wilson holsters are a terrific value for the money if you want to carry OWB and like leather holsters. The Brigade holster is one of the nicest and best fitting holsters I have for any gun of any type. It is stiff, yet fits the gun's contours perfectly, and has adjustable tension so that you can fine tune the retention to your preference.
My 1911 is a full size 5 incher. I am, as I said, a big guy and I think I can get away with carrying it.

My usual preferred method of carry is IWB.
 
I carry a Kimber Ultra CDP II outside waist. I changed the safety to single strong side and switched the grips to a "slim" version It hides under a tee shirt pretty well
 
Single sided safety, but then I'm a righty. if I was a lefty, I'd probably have an ambi safety.

Tom Selleck has a line in one of the Jesse Stone movies where he is on the shooting range with his deputy after getting shot in his right arm and is practicing shooting with his left arm. "Suit" says suggests he could get an ambi safety on his 1911. Stone (Selleck) says he doesn't like them, saying they are weak, and tend to break.
 
Single sided safety, no need for Ambi in my home.....
Gear is wilderness tactical belt, Milt Sparks VMII or Summer Special.
 
Single side safety and either a pancake/speed-scabbard OWB holster or a tuckable IWB.

No shoulder holsters here.
 
I have a Commander sized that I carry in a CQC-S, and a 5" that I carry in a nice IWB. Depends on the mood.

The Alloy framed small one is my most frequent carry however.

Both have ambi safeties, but I'm a lefty.
 
5" Colt Government IWB Panther Concealment kydex holster.
Ambi safety since I'm a southpaw.
 
I have the ambidextrous safety employed on my examples of the 1911 series pistols. That said I have yet to have one break in four plus decades but under all things possible it could fail/break thus the nature of mechanical devices. I use the Milt Sparks Summer Special holster
 
I carry both Commander length and 5" 1911's in an Alessi "Bodyguard" shoulder holster (holsters are length specific), if weather/dress allows.
Also carry same in Sparks VMll (IWB) and Alessi's version of "Askin Avenger" (OWB).
The Commander length guns are single side safety, most of the 5" guns are ambi.
 
Most of my 1911s have the single right hand safety. I have a couple with the extended ambi safety and find no difference in using either one. For an OWB holster I have an old Bianchi Askins Avenger that I like very much and a DeSanitis Sof-Tuk for IWB carry.
 
Single sided safety, no real wisdom to impart as to the pros and cons, it's just my preference. I carry a government model, all steel 1911 in a Milt Sparks Summer Special II. This is the most comfortable set up I have, including lighter subcompact style guns. You need a good belt if you don't have one though.
 
Single sided safety. If you don't need the left handed safety, then don't get it. It makes the gun fatter. The nice thing about 1911's is that they're thin. I routinely grind extended safeties thinner.

Crossbreed Supertuck for IWB, Ravens Concealment Phantom for OWB.
 
I did at one time, "in my youth" carry a full sized 1911 Para, P14, "I still wanted those extra rounds", and the gun was Alloy, not a lot around. A Bikini OWB, or pancake worked the best for me in FL.
I have a shoulder rig for my Glock 30S, but honestly, it's too darn bulky and requires a heavy cover garment which you can't just take off, unless you wear 2 holsters. Especially when it gets hot indoors. They work better up north, but are easier to have an accident with "depending on the type" especially the inverted ones. I had a PPK fall out of one in a parking lot, full of people, bending to enter my car. I just picked it up and no one gave it a second look. Relying on a snap to hold the gun upside down while bending sitting and moving in general is asking for trouble. And IWB, didn't work for me with a 5 inch barrel.
 
Milt sparks SS or Mexican carry. Just stick it in your belt. I'm a big boy too and it stays where I put it. Single safety full size and two extra mags.
 
I am a lefty and find that if I am not careful, the safety on the left side will hang on my knuckle when I am trying to disengage it. I would have a single side if possible. I might send it (them) back to mfg. or a competent gunsmith and have the left side reduced and polished smooth.
 
I have a one sided safety. I don't care for ambi safeties on a 1911. I want the lever jammed up against a holster to help keep it engaged, and don't want another lever hanging out there. Just my preference.

I open carry mine in a cross draw hip holster, from El Paso Saddlery.
 
The 1911s I carry have standard single sided safeties. My house gun is a Springfield MC Operator and it came with an ambi safety from the factory, since I don't carry it I haven't bothered to change it. I'm right handed.

I carry OWB on my right, about 3-330. I have 5", 4.25", and 3.5" 1911s that I carry, the holsters are different makes but they're all vertical (zero cant) and I don't like them too high. My favorite is a Garret Silent Thunder STX 2.0, the one I have is for 5" guns but I'm going to order two more to fit the shorter guns.

I prefer a 1.75" wide belt, I have them in both leather and nylon with stiffeners.


I've used shoulder holsters before but don't really like them.
 
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