[dairycreek]

I have carried my 1911 C&L for years. My son-in-law loves his 1911 but is really uncomfortable with carrying C&L in a regular holster. He wants to get a holster with thumb release retention straps and place the strap between the cocked hammer and the firing pin in the C&L position and carry it that way. While I don't think it is necessary I sure would like to know if this is a valid and safe way to carry a 1911 C&L. What say you all?

 

[sarhog]

My son-in-law loves his 1911 but is really uncomfortable with carrying C&L in a regular holster. He wants to get a holster with thumb release retention straps and place the strap between the cocked hammer and the firing pin in the C&L position and carry it that way.

IMHO, that's a hardware solution to a training problem.
My suggestion is to get him some training with the gun, or recommend another type of pistol.
Good luck.

 

[Tim K]

Retention straps will just slow you down the one time you need it. A good molded holster will retain the gun securely without the strap. The safety is what keeps the hammer off the pin, the strap is superfluous.

I've been carrying for years C&L with an open top holster with nary a problem.

Just my $.02

 

[RickB]

All thumb-break holsters for the 1911 put the strap between the cocked hammer and the firing pin.
I have to agree that someone who doesn't feel confident in their weapon should probably choose something that they trust. If your s-i-l thinks his gun will spontaneously fire itself in the holster, he should carry something else.

 

[Custom-guy]

Not valid to me at all, nor does it make sense to potentially sabotage yourself from defending yourself.

I agree with sarhog he definitely needs some more training. A 1911 C&L is probably the safest gun's out there. Thousand's and thousand's of people carry this way everyday without any problems. I carry this way as well everyday with a 3 1/4 # trigger pull.

CG.

 

[Flashpoint]

I haven't had my 1911 long enough to run enough rounds through it to call in carry worthy yet, though I don't foresee a problem. I have an IWB holster ordered without a retention strap that I plan to use for carry. I also have a OWB holster that I bought on one of the forums that does have a strap, but I mainly bought it to use at the range.

All thumb-break holsters for the 1911 put the strap between the cocked hammer and the firing pin.

That's what I thought until I got the OWB and the strap actually goes behind the c0cked hammer :scratch:

I sure would like to know if this is a valid and safe way to carry a 1911 C&L.

Yes I think that it is a valid and safe way to carry a 1911. It's certainly not unsafe, but I agree with you, it's not necessary.

 

[vallopez2000]

It certainly is a training issue. If you've trained correctly, then you have developed the reflex to flip down the safety upon presentation and flip up the safety before you reholster. If you have built that habit and you no longer have to think about it, there is no safer way to carry the 1911.

 

[Black Majik]

What you can also have him do is to carry his gun, unloaded around the house C&L'ed to show him that 1) the manual safety wont disengaged if in a quality holster 2) the hammer isn't gonna fall on its own 3) the gun is safe to carry.

Maybe then he'll see that its just a psychological thing seeing an exposed hammer cocked.

I'd rather carry a C&L'ed 1911 w/ a manual safety & grip safety than a Glock without any manual safeties. See that hammer is reassuring to me vs a striker fired pistol.

 

[RickB]

That's what I thought until I got the OWB and the strap actually goes behind the c0cked hammer :scratch

Now that you mention it, I have seen a thumb break holster that runs the strap around the grip frame; not a very good design. The thumb break SHOULD go between the hammer and the FP.

 

[Automatix]

The shoulder rigs have retention straps

I carry in a shoulder rig when I use my motorcycle. These rigs or at least the ones I have looked at and the one I own have retention straps. Its is also a molded holster and holds the weapon nicely. But I am still glad that it has this snap strap as extra hold. It does not hinder my draw one wee bit. I put into my practice the unsnapping as I take a grip.

My IWB holsters do not have the snap.....just a good holster that is molded to the gun.

Saying the above I do believe its a comfort and practice thing to have a retention type strap securing a firearm into a holster. I practice to keep the draw smooth. Sure its a quicker draw w/o the retention device. Staying vigilante will in most cases give you that added split second you need to unsnap or get the heck out of there.

Protect you and your family. With practice, proficient response times are there when you need them.

gobble,gobble all;

 

[Flashpoint]

Now that you mention it, I have seen a thumb break holster that runs the strap around the grip frame; not a very good design.

That's goofy. Are you sure it was for a 1911?

 

[RickB]

As I recall, the holster with the frame thumb break was illustrated with a PPK inserted; don't even know if it was available for the 1911, but I originally thought I'd NEVER seen a holster that didn't but the strap over the back of the slide, and there clearly are such holsters.

 

[flaman]

Try this one. I like mine...
http://www.bianchi-intl.com/product/Prod.php?TxtModelID=6D

 

[jmorrow]

Hundreds of thousands of police officers carry guns off duty with retention straps because they have to. I do. I own a few holsters without and my draw is just as fast either way. All of it takes practice. The c&l and the draw, no matter what type holster. It has never hindered me in any way.

 

[Monkeyleg]

I agree that it's a training problem. When I started carrying my 1911, I carried it C&L, but with an empty chamber for a few days, just to get comfortable with the idea.

My shoulder rig has a thumb-break strap, but I consider that a necessity, since it's a horizontal rig.