What Holster Do You Guys Carry Your 1911?

[Pig Hunter]

IWB my copy of Spark's summer special II. OWB a pancake with a thumb brake. Condition I always.

 

[flip flappy]

That strap actually exists to do two things: hold the gun in the holster, and prevent a discharge. The former is obvious, the latter will become so.

The 1911-pattern pistol features a grip safety, and a manual thumb-activated safety. It's also got a short, relatively light single-action trigger pull (even a conservative carry gun might have a trigger as light as 5#, and some match pistols go to 2# or less!).

In carry, the grip safety is easily deactivated unintentionally. It's powered by a relatively light leaf spring, and typically deactivates when pushed in ~2/3rds of the way in most setups.

The thumb safety, if you note, is not only located on the body side, it's also a fairly large paddle. This means it's very easy to deactivate it unintentionally, just moving around. That's why you frequently see standard or even under-sized thumb safeties on defensive pistols. The standard-sized thumb safety is quite easy to operate for most hands, and some even use it as a thumb-rest.

Most 1911 pistols sold today are what's called "Series 70". This means that they have no firing pin block. A Series 80 pistol does have a firing pin block, but they're almost universally maligned.

Now, it's quite easy, as well, to booger up a 1911 trigger. If you damage the sear/hammer engagement surfaces, or bend your sear spring the wrong way when adjusting it, or even during assembly, you can have a situation where the hammer can fall right off the sear.

The half-cock notch is actually designed to "catch" the hammer slightly. In other words, if the hammer falls off the full-cock notch, it catches and stops on the half-cock notch, or the half-cock notch slows the hammer down enough to prevent a discharge.

But, if you have a Series 70 pistol with no firing pin block or a disabled/malfunctioning Series 80, and the thumb safety is disengaged, and the hammer is jarred off the sear, and the half-cock notch fails to do its job, you can have a completely unintended, mechanically-induced discharge. Since so many people monkey around with their 1911s (Lord knows I tinker with mine), or build their own (working on it), these aren't exactly completely unknown events.

Alternatively, if your trigger is light, your holster is way too soft, or your trigger shoe is way too wide for carry, you can simply accidentally pull the trigger with the gun holstered. Remember, most 1911s have a clean-break trigger--minimal take-up, and no movement during the pull itself. For that to happen, all you'd need is to have the thumb and grip safeties deactivated, which is easy to do.

Bad news if the gun happens to be holstered when you do this!

Hence, the thumb strap. It physically sits in between the hammer and the firing pin, putting an end to all that badness while securely holding the gun in the holster.

Now, in a normally-functioning gun that's suitable for carry (i.e.--not the SA Range Officer with the sub-2# "cheater" trigger you use in Bullseye), having such a mechanical failure is extremely unlikely. With a carry-friendly trigger pull, it's simply difficult to do mechanically. That's because the trigger pull weight is mostly dependent on the pressure that the sear spring puts on the sear and disconnector. If you've got a moderate-to-heavy trigger pull, then its more difficult to jar the hammer off a worn sear/hammer engagement surface. If it's going to slip, it's more likely to slip when you chamber a round. And that moderate-to-heavy trigger pull means there's sufficient pressure for the half-cock notch to "catch" the hammer on the way down, and break its fall.

Welcome to 1911s.

Were I to carry my 1911, I'd frankly be fine with anything. If I could get it, the thumbstrap style is quite nice. I actually pack mine around the range with one regularly--can you imagine telling the officer, "Yes, I got robbed of all my guns and ammo, because they were all on the bench?" I like the security, and I like the hammer-blocking nature of it.

I wouldn't dismiss a Kydex, or something else that gave decent retention. But my gun is a full-size, all-steel Gov't model. It's heavy enough to bounce out if not secured.

The one caveat I would place on the thumbstrap is that it's not the best thing in the world to be shooting out of. It functions fine, but the snap button hits the gun every time you draw and holster.

You can get thumbstraps that can be buttoned around the front for shooting. Or you can get a Threepersons-style holster, which has a hammer thong--literally a thing like a leather shoelace that serves the same purpose. I would probably not carry with a Threepersons, but they were designed for that, and I have never used one, nor looked too closely at one for a 1911.

Thank you Wise! This is the education I needed. Very valuable info you provided a 1911 novice. You have certainly got me leaning towards a thumb- break.

 

[flip flappy]

I carry my 1911s in Garrett Silent Thunder holsters almost exclusively, the one exception being a nice Black Hills Leather rig that I've had for a number of years and wear on occasion. I like the Garrett holsters because they a kydex lined with smooth leather, you get the fit, retention, and adjustability of kydex and the smooth leather lining protects your gun's finish. I have several of them that I use for OWB and IWB concealed carry and competition, I like the Silent Thunder STX 2.0 for OWB carry, it is comfortable, conceals well, and you can adjust the cant as well as the tension.

My Garrett holsters do not have retention straps, guns 'bouncing out' of properly fit holsters has never been an issue for me, even with full size steel 1911s, and, as I said, you can adjust the tension on them to hold the gun as tight as you want. If you buy quality leather, the holsters are often tight enough that it takes some breaking in to achieve a smooth draw. I have a thumb break on my Black Hills holster because I occasionally wore it on duty and a retention device was mandated.

Your SIG is a quality pistol, I would not be concerned about carrying it cocked and locked with out a strap blocking the hammer. As Wise A's lengthy bit of fear mongering points out, multiple stars and planets must align for your 1911 to discharge on it's own in the holster, I've never heard of it happening in 30+ years of carrying 1911s. Also, quality holsters won't disengage properly functioning thumb safeties, though ambi safeties can and do sometimes get disengaged if the outside safety lever isn't protected.


Garrett Silent Thunder STX 2.0 and Garrett double mag carrier, this is my regular carry set up-

Garrett Silent Thunder Champion & triple mag carrier (the gun is a Springfield EMP4, it's my 14 y/o's action pistol rig) this would also make a good concealed carry rig-

Black Hills Leather rig-

Thanks WC. I like the looks and features of all your holsters but the basket-weave on the Black Hills holster is really what I like! Beautiful for sure.

 

[Leatherman-Cowboy]

I also have a wide range of holster I use for my 1911. This one get's a lot of look's where ever I go.

Thank you,

 

[flip flappy]

I also have a wide range of holster I use for my 1911. This one get's a lot of look's where ever I go.

Thank you,

No wonder it gets a lot of looks! Very nice. The one in your avatar is not bad either. Do you like the retention strap like you have versus a thumb break?

 

[speedyquad]

I have a Alien gear cloak tuck 3.0. I just got my 1911 at the end of October and I really have no intentions on carrying other than at the range, so it won't be in locked and loaded.

The nice thing about the Cloak tuck, and really the main reaosn that I bought this, is that I also use the same holster for my shield that I carry everyday. Just removing 4 small bolts allows me to switch out the kydex shells from one to the other.

 

[Leatherman-Cowboy]

No wonder it gets a lot of looks! Very nice. The one in your avatar is not bad either. Do you like the retention strap like you have versus a thumb break?

I prefer the retention strap. When I made it, I was trying both applications, and choose the strap. I did make sure the holster is a bit tight when the 1911 is inserted in to the holster.

Thank you,

 

[AJ]

Generally, I carry my M1911's to the range in a gun bag of some sorts. Was taught to carry Condition One in a M1916 holster when working for the MCSF Bn. Sometimes will use a holster when shooting IPSC, but that is not often anymore.

 

[beardeddog]

Cross Breed I have been carrying for 5 years with their holsters. Several types of weapons. The 1911 commander in the photo is typically my EDC. The recommendation on the topic was at a minimum the HOSTER portion be made of KYDEX.

 

[Wise_A]

As Wise A's lengthy bit of fear mongering points out, multiple stars and planets must align for your 1911 to discharge on it's own in the holster, I've never heard of it happening in 30+ years of carrying 1911s. Also, quality holsters won't disengage properly functioning thumb safeties, though ambi safeties can and do sometimes get disengaged if the outside safety lever isn't protected.

Get over yourself, and read the second half of my post. Particular the part where:

Now, in a normally-functioning gun that's suitable for carry (i.e.--not the SA Range Officer with the sub-2# "cheater" trigger you use in Bullseye), having such a mechanical failure is extremely unlikely.

I wouldn't dismiss a Kydex, or something else that gave decent retention.

Oh, and it's not the holster that disengages the thumb safety. It's usually the shooter's love handles. This is made worse by a cheap holster or a cheap belt that allows too much movement.

 

[Rpg]

I use a Matt Del Fatti iwb holster for my Colt Commander.

I use a Milt Sparks owb holster for full size Colt 1911's: the same model Ross Seifried used as the international IPSC champ. It's not listed now, but if you call them they'll make one for you.

Neither have a thumb snap, but one isn't necessary with these.

They both pass the old IPSC test: you have to be able to do a forward roll with the pistol staying in place. These do.

Don't worry about security of the thumb safety: Colt 1911 thumb safeties are very positive and good holsters are designed to avoid such issues.

Good holsters aren't cheap: but they're well worth the money.

I wouldn't buy a kydex holster.

 

[Jamie]

My 1911 gets carried in a Milt Sparks Criterion. I have a Milt Sparks VMII for my Sigma. Both are about as comfortable as can be to carry.

 

[TAROMAN]

Only 1911 I carry regularly is a Colt Lightweight Defender 45.
It rides IWB in a Lobo belt loop.
Sorry, no image on file, maybe tomorrow.

 

[Targets Guy]

 

[WC145]

Get over yourself, and read the second half of my post. Particular the part where:

Originally Posted by Wise_A
Now, in a normally-functioning gun that's suitable for carry (i.e.--not the SA Range Officer with the sub-2# "cheater" trigger you use in Bullseye), having such a mechanical failure is extremely unlikely.

I read your disclaimer. Of course, you added it after going on about the many ways a 1911 can fail after it's been tampered with and other issues with the design. For whatever reason, you were trying to scare the OP, who's new to the platform, with your diatribe and it worked. Sorry it bothers you that someone noticed.

 

[Wise_A]

Hmm, I don't think that's what I was doing at all. OP asked about the thumbstrap. I described why thumbstraps are used--rather clever little things--as it pertains to the 1911 platform.

In fact, I went out of my way to describe all of the ways that the 1911 is designed to prevent such a thing--the half-cock notch on the hammer, the way the sear spring works, and so on. I suppose I forgot about the design of the firing pin and its spring. And I could have mentioned Ned Christiansen's exhaustive drop test, where he couldn't get a primer to discharge until he dropped one, hammer-first, from 10 feet.

And then there was how I described the "perfect storm" of failures that would be required--a literal trifecta of malfunctions--complete with italics to emphasize how tiny the overlap area actually is. So I feel I explained just how many safety features are designed into a rather simple mechanism.

But--there are a lot of guns out there. And a lot of them have been tinkered with by owners. Owners who don't know why reducing the sear leg pressure to next-to-nothing is a bad idea, even if the gun functions fine on the range. So I feel I explained how an easy-to-work-on gun like the 1911-pattern pistol can be easily boogered into unsafety (and without tools, to boot!).

Sorry it bothers you.

 

[bruce5781]

For regular carry, I like the old Bianchi Cross Draw holsters.

For weekends, just piddlin' around out here in the country, I go a more traditional route.

Regards,
Bruce

 

[Ranger98]

Cross Breed also

 

[keithherrington]

Milt Sparks and Thad Rybka are my choices

Post removed due to Photobucket's new policy.

Keith

 

[just plain joe]

What "WC145" said in post #13 is GTG.

I have carried a Springfield Pro LR for the past eight years on-duty as well as off-duty. You may wish to consider Kramer Handgun Leather's Number 2 holster. It has no thumb-strap and I don't believe that, when carrying concealed, it is needed. You must remember the four firearm safety rules however when carrying it, or for that matter, any firearm. Primarily, keep your finger off of the bang switch when drawing or holstering.

Kramer Number 2 works for me. A little expensive, but when going in harms way, well worth it.

Others may know more, though.

HTH.

Joe