Considering Concealed carrying 1911

[Deion Valdes]

Hey everyone, I've been concealed carrying for a few years now but have never carried a caliber larger than 9mm, but in the summer I'll be taking a trip to Montana for a camping trip and I am considering carrying a 1911 in 45 that I just purchased in case we run into bear or any other dangerous wild life. My issue however is that I have always been a polymer gun guy and have never dwelled into the world of 1911s or revolvers mostly because I don't fully trust them Mainly because I just see them as antiquated styles of fire arms. my main questions are if I carry the 1911 with one in the chamber and the hammer locked backed ready to fire, off safety, is it any less safe than a glock that's loaded with one in the chamber? Also, is the 45. Acp a sufficient load to stop bear or other large animals given it has a good round in it? (Buffalo bore) etc. Finally if the 1911 can suffice for everyday carry

 

[GRIZ22]

If you feel 1911s and revolvers are antiquated designs you will not have confidence in them. You've already demonstrated you don't really know how you handle them or know how they work.

Swiping a safety off is not rocket science but it is something that needs to be learned and practiced. I think you should carry something you are more familiar with if you want to rely on it.

 

[jeepnik]

I can't understand why the whole condition one thing keeps coming up. It's worked for over a century. You'd think by now the word would be out.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

Why on earth would you carry a 1911 with the hammer cocked and not use the safety? If you do that you may not have to worry about the bear killing you! If you do decide to carry the 1911 FOR SURE use the safety. It's good you posted your question otherwise you may have put yourself in a very bad, unsafe and potentially fatal position. Revolvers and the 1911 are around because they work. For bear protection pepper spray has been shown to be very effective. Don't forget your bullet of any caliber is a very small object and a bear is a very big object, but under intense fear with a bear on the move coming at you it would be very easy to miss the very small area of the bear you would need to hit. Consider this: the muzzle energy of a 44 magnum is about the same as a 30-30 at 100 yds. I know I wouldn't hunt a grizz with a 30-30.

 

[RPRNY]

For bear protection in Montana, I would not choose a pistol of any description as my primary means of protection and would not choose 45 ACP as my first choice in a pistol caliber.

A rifle of 35 Cal or larger, in a rifle cartridge, or a 12 ga with Brenekke slugs would be my preferred means of protection. 44 Mag, "Ruger-only" level 45 LC,or 454/460, with very large meplat hard lead boolits would be my choice in pistol cartridges.

Griz hit the nail on the head regarding the 1911. I love the 1911. I carry a heavy 45 Colt revolver in the mountains in Colorado.

 

[zb338]

If you decide on a 1911. At least get it in 10MM. As far as carrying a 1911 with the safety
off there is no need. The safety comes off with your thumb as you are pulling it out of the
holster. It happens in an instant.
Zeke

 

[Ironicaintit]

If you go the 1911 route, please use the safety. Doesn't take much practice to train your thumb to swipe the safety off, and the act itself takes zero time to perform.

I agree too, with zb338. If you really are concerned about bears, a 10mm would be a better choice.
(I have zero experience with charging bears.... But I'd want the bullet to be traveling faster than the 45acp can muster)

 

[Frank Ettin]

....if I carry the 1911 with one in the chamber and the hammer locked backed ready to fire, off safety,...

Why would you consider carrying a 1911 off-safe? Carry it in condition 1, i. e., with the safety engaged, and learn to sweep off the safety as you draw the gun.

I've spent a lot of time carrying a 1911 as I've travelled around Nevada and Arizona, and I always carried it with a round in the chamber, cocked, safety engaged. Of course I've also trained a good deal with a 1911 carried condition 1.

 

[bullzeye8]

Once you get a 1911 and shoot it some you may learn that the thumb safety isn't really an issue at all. With a normal grip you easily and naturally disengage it since most people rest their thumb on the safety. If you really wanted to carry it without the safety on you should be fine, still has a grip safety and a half cock notch, but I would recommend getting a series 80 that has a firing pin block for extra security if not using the thumb safety. That really isn't necessary most likely but would make it just as safe as any striker fired gun when not using the thumb safety.

 

[Drail]

In Montana bear country I wouldn't carry anything less than a .41 or .44 mag revolver at the very minimum. If I didn't have to hump a heavy pack I would also sling some type of big bore long gun or shotgun. A .45 ACP is kind of light for a Rocky Mountain bear. Make lots of noise - you REALLY don't want to surprise a bear - or find yourself between a sow and her cub. Tie a cowbell to your pack (you know can never have enough cowbell). Bring all of your friends with cowbells.

 

[Ramone]

I answered yes, only because I have carried cocked-but-not-locked a few times when I discovered the thumb safety had swiped itself off while I was holstered. The Grip safety, and a proper holster, back up the thumb safety. add to that my habit of blocking the hammer with my thumb when holstering or un holstering (that is, not drawing, but removing from the holster for 'administrative' handling), and it's a pretty safe pistol.

HOWEVER, I was raised on the 1911, and the habits are thoroughly ingrained. YMMV.

I swipe the thumb safety as the weapon comes on target so unconsciously that a trainer who asked me about it fouled up my draw for the rest of the day. On a later day, he determined that I thumbed the safety off at about 2:00, and back on at about the same level. To me, the idea of not swiping the safety is as strange as shifting without clutching ( which again, is a life long habit).

If I was worried about bears, I'd pick up some .45super, and practice with it (I'm under the impression most 1911s today will handle it, I know both of mine will, YMMV). I've shot it in the past, and it didn't take much adjustment. It comes right up against the 10mm Auto in terms of performance, which IMO is the minimum for bear- and really, I'd rather something bigger. and friends with something bigger.

 

[Coyote3855]

Given your concerns, I think you will be safer to carry the firearm you are familiar with and a large can of bear spray. Make sure you know how the bear spray works and practice using it. Won't do you any good if it's in the bottom of your pack when you need it, and you haven't figured out how to deploy the spray.

 

[bannockburn]

Deion Valdes

Just use the thumb safety...on a 1911 that's what it's there for.

As to your "distrusting" the 1911 and revolvers because you see them as being "antiquated styles of firearms", consider the fact that the 1911 has been around for over 100 years (and revolvers a bit longer than that), and both types of handguns have proven themselves to be reliable and effective weapons right up to the present day.

They wouldn't still be making them if they weren't getting the job done.

 

[gotboostvr]

I'd stick with the gun you're practiced with and do best on "movers" with.

I can shoot small groups with glocks on a slow fire target, but have trouble with transitions and sight acquisition "on the clock"

Maybe if you shoot glocks well, try a G20 or G40 in 10mm before trying something more alien.

 

[Yo Mama]

I love my 1911s (have twins), I mean I fricking love them.

That said, I ccw them only when I wear jeans and it's cooler outside. During the hotter season, it weights to much, and sticks out like a brick. Vs. my Springfield XD Mod2 in .45, I carry the xd everyday. Sooooooo much lighter, more rounds, and options for larger magazines if you are not ccw for the day.

Camping I normally sleep with a .357 as it's the only magnum caliber I have, no real interest in moving up in revolvers yet.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

The 1911 is safe in Condition 1,2, and 3. It is less safe putting it into Condition 2 however*. The ergonomics of cocking the hammer with the strong hand without shifting it are not very good however, reducing any speed benefit of Condition 2 over Condition 3. It is really meant for Condition 1.

*-Lowering the hammer on a live round is like a revolver at first blush. However start with an older revolver that does not have transfer bar or trigger block, then make the hammer smaller and harder to hold and then add a much shorter trigger and it's easy to see it can be a bit tricky.

Mike

 

[Arizona_Mike]

There have been two historical inventions to modernize the 1911. Both keep the gun Single Action while still dropping the hammer to Condition 2. Both are only curiosities today because the problem they were meant to solve (Condition 1 being unsafe) is really not a problem.

The SFS system allowed you to push the hammer forward against a second weaker spring opposed to the hammer spring but not controlled by the sear. Engaging the safety then locked the hammer down. When you disengaged the safety, the hammer instantly pops back to the cocked position (the hammer spring being cocked the whole time).

The Caravelle Device turned the grip safety into grip cocker. Go from Condition 2 to Condition 1 by squeezing the grip firmly. I have not seen one but I believed that it allowed the slide to cock the hammer as long as it was held down and decocked when released.

Mike

 

[Stubert]

I have 2 primary carry pistols, One is a .45 Colt Defender, the other is a .380 Colt Pocketlite. Both are carried cocked and locked. Taking the safety off is automatic to me. If you are not 100% familiar with your pistol, leave it home

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I never would have guessed anyone would carry a cocked 1911 without the safety on until I saw the poll results.

 

[Kleanbore]

my main questions are if I carry the 1911 with one in the chamber and the hammer locked backed ready to fire, off safety, is it any less safe than a glock that's loaded with one in the chamber? Also, is the 45. Acp a sufficient load to stop bear or other large animals given it has a good round in it? (Buffalo bore) etc. Finally if the 1911 can suffice for everyday carry

(1) Yes it is and greatly so, because of the short, light trigger pull; (2)Not in my opinion; (3) Yes

 

[DennisE]

Yes, no, and yes!

 

[DownInTheDark]

I don't know if I would carry a 45 acp for bear defense. I have been known to carry a 460 Rowland though. 230 gr XTP at 1330 fps.




PS use the damn safety on a 1911

 

[ChuckCas]

Thumb safety is there for a reason, as others have said it's really a natural move to disengage it on the draw. I would opt for a cartridge with "magnum" and preferably and number 44 before that.

 

[Blacksmoke]

I would not expect a .45 ACP to stop a determined Grizzly Bear.

3 inch 12 gauge slug or a .45-70 Buffalo Bore or such out of a Marlin would be my choice.

 

[johnmcl]

1) Carrying a 1911 without the safety engaged is like driving without the seat belt on. Its ok most of the time, but when the collision comes you will wish it was on. 2) No, in my opinion even the 230 grain 825 fps version is not a bear load. 3) Every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Be smart and use all safety tools provided.