chaim
Member
OK, as many of you know by now I am probably going to graduate school next semester and there is at least a 50/50 chance that I'll be in a carry state. Getting realistically closer to being in a carry situation I have been thinking alot lately about carry guns.
Since I planned to carry a revolver most of the time and lately I've been thinking about keeping the manual of arms as close as possible I have been mostly thinking about DAO or DA/SA guns with the first shot decocked but with the safety disabled to keep the manual of arms as close to a revolver as possible. However, I do love the 1911 and last night I spent some time with it and it got me thinking.
While I am not in a carry state I do carry concealed around the house from time to time (to some degree, it is in case of break-in, but mostly it is for practice and familiarization) and last night I spent a few hours with my 1911.
Anyway, on to the reasons that I think it may be out and out the perfect auto for carry:
-Most carry guns are a compromise. Most people find a full sized gun to be too big to comfortably carry but if you go with a smaller gun you have one with less shootability and a shorter sight radius.
The 1911, however, is a single stack design so it is very thin for a full sized service auto. This means it isn't too hard to conceal (I had this thing in an Uncle Mike's IWB holster with my shirt tucked around it while around anti-gun family members and they didn't have a clue that I was armed). In an IWB holster this thing would practially disappear and it would probably still conceal pretty well OWB as well. However, this is still a full sized auto so you have enough heft that it is very controllable for fast follow-up shots, and you have a long sight radius for relatively easy accuracy. Being a single stack you lose a little in capacity v. a double stack full-size but it is far easier to conceal than the full-sized double stack (and even many compact double stacks) and 8+1 rounds of .45acp (most modern 1911 mags hold 8 and fit flush or nearly flush) is certainly respectable and 10rnd mags are available for reloads if needed.
-Also, despite not having a problem with DA/SA or DAO autos, I certainly see an advantage to the SA only (the way I see it they all have advantages, which is more important to you, or me, is what is important). With a SA auto one does need to keep the safety engaged and one must disengage it in a self defense situation (a potential drawback), however having a consistent trigger pull is a large advantage as it is simply easier to have almost the same POI which you lose with a DA/SA and the shorter faster trigger pull v. a DAO means quicker follow-up shots (that fraction of a second could be the difference between being shot or not being shot). So, I do see disadvantages of each (the use of a safety does cost a fraction of a second on the first shot) but they all have real advantages over each other as well. For me, if it wasn't for the desire to keep a fairly consistent manual of arms and my desire to mainly use a revolver I would prefer the advantages of condition one carry (part of why I got my CZ 75 at first and part of why I like the Taurus safety design so much).
I spent a couple hours sitting in front of a computer with my 1911 on and I found that the 5" barrel was acceptable IWB while sitting, however I wouldn't mind a shorter barrel. For those who don't need, or want, a full length gun the 1911 design is available in many barrel lengths (most manufacturers offer a 4" version and a 3 1/2" version, many offer a 3" and I think one or two have 4 1/2" versions though I'd have to double check that one). For me, I don't think the weight of the gun would be an issue, though just wearing it around the house I haven't been that active with it on. For those who do want lighter guns there are plenty of options as well depending upon how much weight they want to shave off- the steel framed 3, 3.5 and 4" guns shave a few oz off, and most manufacturers who make 1911s also have aluminum alloy models (some at affordable prices) that cut the weight down to 24 or 25oz up to about 31oz depending upon the barrel length. So even for someone who wants a small light gun a 1911 can be had in a 3" or 3.5" barrel and as light as 24oz, we are getting close to pocket gun size/weight here.
So, even in its steel framed variations, and certainly when getting into the short barrels and aluminum frames, the 1911 offers a very attractive carry package. Easy to conceal, powerful, in steel frames or full-size aluminum frames it is easy to control, they tend to be very accurate, and most people can carry them comfortably (the thinness adds to comfort and for those who need it one can go aluminum alloy for weight).
What do those of you think who are already carrying?
Since I planned to carry a revolver most of the time and lately I've been thinking about keeping the manual of arms as close as possible I have been mostly thinking about DAO or DA/SA guns with the first shot decocked but with the safety disabled to keep the manual of arms as close to a revolver as possible. However, I do love the 1911 and last night I spent some time with it and it got me thinking.
While I am not in a carry state I do carry concealed around the house from time to time (to some degree, it is in case of break-in, but mostly it is for practice and familiarization) and last night I spent a few hours with my 1911.
Anyway, on to the reasons that I think it may be out and out the perfect auto for carry:
-Most carry guns are a compromise. Most people find a full sized gun to be too big to comfortably carry but if you go with a smaller gun you have one with less shootability and a shorter sight radius.
The 1911, however, is a single stack design so it is very thin for a full sized service auto. This means it isn't too hard to conceal (I had this thing in an Uncle Mike's IWB holster with my shirt tucked around it while around anti-gun family members and they didn't have a clue that I was armed). In an IWB holster this thing would practially disappear and it would probably still conceal pretty well OWB as well. However, this is still a full sized auto so you have enough heft that it is very controllable for fast follow-up shots, and you have a long sight radius for relatively easy accuracy. Being a single stack you lose a little in capacity v. a double stack full-size but it is far easier to conceal than the full-sized double stack (and even many compact double stacks) and 8+1 rounds of .45acp (most modern 1911 mags hold 8 and fit flush or nearly flush) is certainly respectable and 10rnd mags are available for reloads if needed.
-Also, despite not having a problem with DA/SA or DAO autos, I certainly see an advantage to the SA only (the way I see it they all have advantages, which is more important to you, or me, is what is important). With a SA auto one does need to keep the safety engaged and one must disengage it in a self defense situation (a potential drawback), however having a consistent trigger pull is a large advantage as it is simply easier to have almost the same POI which you lose with a DA/SA and the shorter faster trigger pull v. a DAO means quicker follow-up shots (that fraction of a second could be the difference between being shot or not being shot). So, I do see disadvantages of each (the use of a safety does cost a fraction of a second on the first shot) but they all have real advantages over each other as well. For me, if it wasn't for the desire to keep a fairly consistent manual of arms and my desire to mainly use a revolver I would prefer the advantages of condition one carry (part of why I got my CZ 75 at first and part of why I like the Taurus safety design so much).
I spent a couple hours sitting in front of a computer with my 1911 on and I found that the 5" barrel was acceptable IWB while sitting, however I wouldn't mind a shorter barrel. For those who don't need, or want, a full length gun the 1911 design is available in many barrel lengths (most manufacturers offer a 4" version and a 3 1/2" version, many offer a 3" and I think one or two have 4 1/2" versions though I'd have to double check that one). For me, I don't think the weight of the gun would be an issue, though just wearing it around the house I haven't been that active with it on. For those who do want lighter guns there are plenty of options as well depending upon how much weight they want to shave off- the steel framed 3, 3.5 and 4" guns shave a few oz off, and most manufacturers who make 1911s also have aluminum alloy models (some at affordable prices) that cut the weight down to 24 or 25oz up to about 31oz depending upon the barrel length. So even for someone who wants a small light gun a 1911 can be had in a 3" or 3.5" barrel and as light as 24oz, we are getting close to pocket gun size/weight here.
So, even in its steel framed variations, and certainly when getting into the short barrels and aluminum frames, the 1911 offers a very attractive carry package. Easy to conceal, powerful, in steel frames or full-size aluminum frames it is easy to control, they tend to be very accurate, and most people can carry them comfortably (the thinness adds to comfort and for those who need it one can go aluminum alloy for weight).
What do those of you think who are already carrying?
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