[Mike_Fontenot]

i make my own holsters and design them with high leather backing. I sew a leather button or cam to the backing which forces the safety lock into engagement as the gun is holstered.

Bravo!

 

[samuse]

The thumb safety is good. If it was an advanced level class, the instructor may not have seen a safety issue with you reholstering without the safety engaged as it's really not a safety concern if all other practices are sound and in place. I've been to a few advanced classes that are fast paced, no b.s. affairs where the instructor is not there to critique the little administrative type stuff.

I strongly recommend getting into the habit of thumbing the hammer on the reholster. Hold the hammer back to the grip safety until you're holstered and ease it forward until it catches on the sear.

 

[jjfitch]

samuse:

"I strongly recommend getting into the habit of thumbing the hammer on the re-holster. Hold the hammer back to the grip safety until you're holstered and ease it forward until it catches on the sear."

This, instead of the thumb safety, where is this being taught?

Never heard of this in over thirty five years of training and competing with the 1911!

 

[Mike_Fontenot]

Hold the hammer back to the grip safety until you're holstered and ease it forward until it catches on the sear.

I wouldn't ever want to do that. I ALWAYS have the thumb safety engaged when reholstering, and I ALWAYS stay off the grip lever also (and finger out of the trigger guard, of course).

 

[Cappi]

do you guys really look at your holster the whole time while re-holstering??

..L.T.A.

 

[Mike_Fontenot]

do you guys really look at your holster the whole time while re-holstering??

Yeah, but for me, reholstering is a very slow thing ... I carry full time in a homemade, under-the-shirt vertical shoulder holster, and reholstering is not an easy maneuver. It is especially difficult when carrying my S&W69 .44mag ... its holster is made out of cloth ("cotton duck"), and has no "shape" of its own. My 10mm 1911's holster is made out of leather, but it's very soft and pliable leather, and needs to be held open when inserting the front end of the gun. Neither one allows a one-handed operation during reholstering.

 

[Blaster3094]

do you guys really look at your holster the whole time while re-holstering??

..L.T.A.

Never, the only exception would be if there is some sort of perceived problem. Holstering should always be a slow deliberate operation. There are very few reasons to put a gun away quickly.

 

[Rastoff]

I have no issue with a trigger finger indexed in such a way that it cannot be seen, exhibiting as you say "good trigger discipline". However it is inconsistant with NRA, USPSA and IDPA. The rules state outside the trigger guard and off the trigger.

It is not inconsistent with NRA teachings or any competition rules.

As an aside I was merely pointing out that there is a conflict between some trainers and competition rules. I have seen some inexperienced RO's try to call a trigger finger violation when in fact it was not. The trigger finger was properly indexed but not pointing "upward"!

OK, now I understand why you said that. I completely agree. As long as the trigger finger is outside of the trigger guard, it does meet the minimum of the NRA standards and is not a violation of competition rules.

Not being able to see the trigger finger from the opposite side isn't necessary, it's just one benefit. It is a safer methodology. Even so, I've met some shooters who physically can't get their finger up on the reference point. That's OK, we all have different physical makeup. I still will continue to teach to use the reference point. I would not give someone a safety violation if they didn't have their finger on the reference point as long as it's out of the trigger guard.

samuse:

"I strongly recommend getting into the habit of thumbing the hammer on the re-holster. Hold the hammer back to the grip safety until you're holstered and ease it forward until it catches on the sear."

This, instead of the thumb safety, where is this being taught?

The only place this is being taught is on the internet where gun mythology can reach a larger audience.

As long as the thumb safety is engaged, this is not an unsafe practice. However, it is completely unnecessary for a 1911 or any other gun with a thumb safety. Neither does it make reholstering any safer if the thumb safety is being used.

If a person chooses to not use the thumb safety, this actually makes the gun less safe. This is so because while holding the hammer against the beaver tail of the grip safety, that safety is defeated. Should the hammer slip away from the thumb, the thumb will land on the grip safety and keep it defeated. This leaves only the half-cock to prevent the gun from firing.

 

[Eight_is_enough]

It is a safety issue. Since you never reholster until you are sure you are done using the gun, it is perfectly reasonable to pause at the retention position, make sure that you are done engaging targets, make sure that your finger is out of the trigger guard and indexed, and make sure that the safety is engaged. Then you holster. In fact, Scotty Reitz teaches it just this way. I think that speed reholstering is a sign of not taking the training seriously. OTOH, when I see someone that consistently reholsters carefully with the above procedure, I think it is an indication that the shooter has been well trained.

Very well put. OP, I would listen to Tim. If somebody else doesn't have a safety, well, that's their problem and their excuse. You have one. I would make certain it is on before you do anything with the gun except immediately shoot it.

 

[jjfitch]

Rastoff:

We're on the same page!

All the best,

 

[samuse]

samuse:

"I strongly recommend getting into the habit of thumbing the hammer on the re-holster. Hold the hammer back to the grip safety until you're holstered and ease it forward until it catches on the sear."

This, instead of the thumb safety, where is this being taught?

Never heard of this in over thirty five years of training and competing with the 1911!

I'm not saying to use it instead of the thumb saftey, use it in addition to it.

You've seriously never heard of thumbing a hammer??

 

[Mike_Fontenot]

I'm not saying to use it instead of the thumb safety, use it in addition to it.

You've seriously never heard of thumbing a hammer??

I've heard of people putting their thumb between the hammer and firing-pin. But what I wouldn't do is press the hammer aft against the beaver-tail, because that disables the grip safety. I specifically stay OFF the grip safety when I'm reholstering (and during any other not-ready-to-fire handling), because I WANT that safety on also.

 

[wccountryboy]

I'm not saying to use it instead of the thumb saftey, use it in addition to it.

You've seriously never heard of thumbing a hammer??

As a 'safety' measure...? No, not in my 39 years of shooting 1911s have I heard that suggestion made.

 

[jjfitch]

Samuse:

"I'm not saying to use it instead of the thumb saftey, use it in addition to it.

You've seriously never heard of thumbing a hammer??"

I just can't get my head wrapped around "thumbing the hammer" once the thumb safety is engaged.

Where is this being taught as a safety option? I don't get it, I tried it and it's awkward and doesn't make sense!

(I have always read your posts with great respect)

All the best,

 

[samuse]

It's no different than thumbing the hammer on anything else. Same 'Hard Break' before reholstering. Works especially well with a pinned grip safety.

Not strange to me at all, I've done it thousands of times with g.i. and beaver tail safeties.

 

[dakota1911]

Not all instructors are created equal. There are good, mediocre, and bad ones.

 

[samuse]

Whatever. They have these things called DA/SA pistols now. Crazy mew modern techniques all over the place.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

And there I'm inclined to agree with Jeff Cooper, "A poor solution to a non-existent problem."