1911 holster condition question

This is the place to discuss shooting-related gear: LBV's, Tac, BDU's, etc...
User avatar
Pro2a
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 926
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 4:21 pm
Reputation: 12
Location: Buckeye

1911 holster condition question

#1

Post by Pro2a »

Since taking quite a shine to a recent purchase of a RIA 1911, I had WPT2 make me a custom holster that I couldn't find in production anywhere.
It takes me a while to take in the design of things, and I discovered after getting home, that the holster was molded with safety in the off position.
I have somewhat recently learned :oops: :oops: , that the 1911 was specifically designed to be held, fired, operated with the thumb riding the safety. Keeping that specific technique in mind, isn't the preferred carry method condition one?, even though it's well surrounded by kydex.
I do realize that the original intent of the design was to draw with the finger on the trigger, and drop the safety when ready.
Does this really come down to preference?, I'm looking for the safest preference opinion.
Pictured is the current setup.
How hard would it be to warm this up and remold it into a postition with the safety on?

Image

Image


User avatar
smithers599
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 4363
Joined: June 29th, 2018, 6:58 am
Reputation: 23
Location: East side

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#2

Post by smithers599 »

Cocked and unlocked is dangerous, negligent, stupid. Do not carry your gun that way.

Very easy to fix. Warm up that part of the holster with a hair dryer until it gets soft, then put the gun into the holster, and remold. Nothing to it.
User avatar
mstoffoguns
New to ArizonaShooting.org
New to ArizonaShooting.org
Posts: 6
Joined: February 5th, 2019, 5:11 pm
Reputation: 0
Location: sierra vista

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#3

Post by mstoffoguns »

Im not sure that the 1911 should be shot the way you describe. Safety rules dictate that trigger finger is off the trigger until ready to shoot. Most often that's after the safety comes off but that's now what this is about.

To your question about the holster, as above, you should modify the holster or send it back and ask that it be made for safety engaged. Hair dryer, heat gun, even a carefully moved about bic lighter to soften the kydex up is easy enough but reforming it in the right space with proper pressure and fit/finish is slightly more difficult. Its a nice looking holster and I think Id rather have the mfg make it right so you don't accidentally damage it.
User avatar
knockonit
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 3542
Joined: May 23rd, 2018, 3:23 pm
Reputation: 23
Location: Phoenix,

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#4

Post by knockonit »

yaqui slide or similar. and don;'t look back
User avatar
Pro2a
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 926
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 4:21 pm
Reputation: 12
Location: Buckeye

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#5

Post by Pro2a »

knockonit wrote: February 16th, 2019, 8:11 pm yaqui slide or similar. and don;'t look back
While I can respect your extensive experience on this, the one thing that concerns me with a yaqui, is the the safety isn't covered/retained and could become disengaged during a certain amount of bending or contorting....have you ever had this happen?

So far based on you and smithers' input, I will call WPT2 back and ask them if I can heat it and try to reform, if not would he just reform it himself professionally.
I messed around with a kydex mag holster and a heat gun once, and found that when kydex gets to a certain temperature, it just totally collapses. fortunately it was just a mag holster, and was no big deal.
But then again, a hair dryer and a heat gun are two totally different ball games.
It's just a pain in the ass to go all the way back there for this... Maybe he will do it while I wait.
User avatar
Pro2a
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 926
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 4:21 pm
Reputation: 12
Location: Buckeye

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#6

Post by Pro2a »

smithers599 wrote: February 16th, 2019, 2:39 pm Cocked and unlocked is dangerous, negligent, stupid. Do not carry your gun that way.
That's exactly what I was thinking.
TBH, There's so many options, and I cant think of everything when he's going down the list.
The guy there seems nice enough, I'm willing to bet he will redo it to the safe position, just a PITA going to Tempe from Goodyear for a small job
User avatar
WyoGunner
New to ArizonaShooting.org
New to ArizonaShooting.org
Posts: 20
Joined: October 24th, 2018, 9:39 am
Reputation: 0
Location: Tucson

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#7

Post by WyoGunner »

That ambi thumb safety has been an issue, at least for me. I found the right side thumb lever was easily bumped and taken off safe in everyday carry. I only had one with this feature and promptly removed it and put in a left side only version. I've always trained to use the left side even if shooting left handed so it was no loss for me. And yes, DO NOT carry a 1911 cocked and "unlocked", unsafe particularly when drawing from the holster.
User avatar
Flash
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 2497
Joined: May 16th, 2018, 1:56 pm
Reputation: 5

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#8

Post by Flash »

Pro2a wrote: February 16th, 2019, 11:21 pm
knockonit wrote: February 16th, 2019, 8:11 pm yaqui slide or similar. and don;'t look back
While I can respect your extensive experience on this, the one thing that concerns me with a yaqui, is the the safety isn't covered/retained and could become disengaged during a certain amount of bending or contorting....have you ever had this happen?
I don't like or carry 1911s, but I do like and carry Sig P220 Single Action Only .45 ACP Single Stack pistols with ambi safeties.

I don't use a Yaqui slide but I do use an Alien Gear IWB hybrid and occasionally a Hogue OWB and the safety isn't covered or retained at all by either one.

This doesn't represent a problem.
User avatar
Boriqua
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 3424
Joined: June 4th, 2018, 7:31 am
Reputation: 16
Location: East Mesa

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#9

Post by Boriqua »

On the Blue guns that I have the safety is indeed in the fire position and that is likely why yours is that way. I have never had a single side safety flip off in years of carry but did have a jacket take an ambi off safe.
Me I would cut off the piece to just below the safety and call it a day. I dont put body shields on owb unless specically asked and then I try and disuade people. My holsters never come up to the safety and if a body shield is added I dont mold around the safety
User avatar
Pro2a
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 926
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 4:21 pm
Reputation: 12
Location: Buckeye

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#10

Post by Pro2a »

I see.
The lack of tightness on that makes me think the safety could be easily disengaged on the body side, but it seems that the prevailing experience says no.
I think I may try to heat it up in the safe position, and then if I totally screw it up (very possible,) I'll just whack it off.
The only belt attachments they offer now are the pancake loops, they do bring the holster in pretty tight.
User avatar
smithers599
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 4363
Joined: June 29th, 2018, 6:58 am
Reputation: 23
Location: East side

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#11

Post by smithers599 »

Boriqua wrote: February 17th, 2019, 4:49 pm On the Blue guns that I have the safety is indeed in the fire position and that is likely why yours is that way. I have never had a single side safety flip off in years of carry but did have a jacket take an ambi off safe.
Me I would cut off the piece to just below the safety and call it a day. I dont put body shields on owb unless specically asked and then I try and disuade people. My holsters never come up to the safety and if a body shield is added I dont mold around the safety
Listen to Boriqua. He knows whereof he speaks. If you were to mold that piece to fit the thumb safety in the engaged position, it would disengage the safety when you drew the pistol. Bad juju.
Take a lesson in drawing at Scottsdale Gun Club or Shooters World, or just find a Youtube video about the Five Steps of the Draw. Step One is to get a full firing grip on the weapon while it is still in the holster. In a full firing grip, your thumb will be resting on top of the thumb safety. If the holster prevents you from doing that, fix it or replace it.
User avatar
Pro2a
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 926
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 4:21 pm
Reputation: 12
Location: Buckeye

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#12

Post by Pro2a »

Boriqua wrote: February 17th, 2019, 4:49 pm On the Blue guns that I have the safety is indeed in the fire position and that is likely why yours is that way. I have never had a single side safety flip off in years of carry but did have a jacket take an ambi off safe.
Me I would cut off the piece to just below the safety and call it a day. I dont put body shields on owb unless specically asked and then I try and disuade people. My holsters never come up to the safety and if a body shield is added I dont mold around the safety
Boriqua has never led me wrong yet, so I gave it a snip and polish job, GTG.
I would commission him to make a leather work of art for it, but this 2.7lb piece isn't conducive to carrying, at least for an extended period.
Now to find a smith to switch out the ambi for a single....

Image
User avatar
Boriqua
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 3424
Joined: June 4th, 2018, 7:31 am
Reputation: 16
Location: East Mesa

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#13

Post by Boriqua »

Pro2a wrote: March 7th, 2019, 3:12 pm
Boriqua wrote: February 17th, 2019, 4:49 pm On the Blue guns that I have the safety is indeed in the fire position and that is likely why yours is that way. I have never had a single side safety flip off in years of carry but did have a jacket take an ambi off safe.
Me I would cut off the piece to just below the safety and call it a day. I dont put body shields on owb unless specically asked and then I try and disuade people. My holsters never come up to the safety and if a body shield is added I dont mold around the safety
Boriqua has never led me wrong yet, so I gave it a snip and polish job, GTG.
I would commission him to make a leather work of art for it, but this 2.7lb piece isn't conducive to carrying, at least for an extended period.
Now to find a smith to switch out the ambi for a single....

Image
I bought this for my last rocky and will be buying and installing one on the Rocky I have now. If memory serves it was a pretty easy install and in my case didnt need a smith

https://advancedtactical.com/products/p ... umb-safety

Ever since I had my jacket flip off the ambi on my TRP I only go single sided but everyone is different.
User avatar
Pro2a
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 926
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 4:21 pm
Reputation: 12
Location: Buckeye

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#14

Post by Pro2a »

Boriqua wrote: March 7th, 2019, 3:27 pm
I bought this for my last rocky and will be buying and installing one on the Rocky I have now. If memory serves it was a pretty easy install and in my case didnt need a smith

One worry, it requires a sear pin and that’s getting a little technical, I don’t wanna do it wrong and screw something up.
One bother, that’s not a full size safety, it’s like a small or medium.
I like riding the full safety when shooting, as was the original intent of the design.
User avatar
Pro2a
ArizonaShooting.org Member
ArizonaShooting.org Member
Posts: 926
Joined: May 14th, 2018, 4:21 pm
Reputation: 12
Location: Buckeye

Re: 1911 holster condition question

#15

Post by Pro2a »

Question
Is it possible to just cut the lever off the right side, and file and polish the end?
Or would that make it not retain properly, hence the need for a sear pin?
I’m guessing the sear pin is grooved, with something to retain it from working its way out. I don’t know a 1911 trigger like I know an AR trigger.
Post Reply