any info grip safeties on 1911s

Mackenzie4856

Mackenzie4856

Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Messages
385
Hey all. I am a devoted 1911 fan, looking to make his first purchase fairly soon. Had a question for you all. A lot of the models I'm looking at come with grip safeties. I've never fired or handled a gun with a grip safety, I will before I purchase. In the mean time, I was wondering what you all thought of them. Do they affect the grip? Are they noticeable when firing? Likes, dislikes, whatever. Thanks in advance.
 
All 1911's come with a grip safety. The "speed bump" option is more standard now than an option. Either way, you won't even know its there when you take your firing grip.
 
If you grip the gun properly, the grip safety will not be noticable in my experience (been shooting 1911s for nearly 30 years). I noticed when I was shooting IPSC that others had pinned the grip safety on their guns, but the only reason any of them could give me was "because". I suppose if you got a really high grip with a wide beavertail safety, it might be possible that you wouldn't depress the safety enough to let the piece fire, but I have never had it happen, nor have I ever seen it happen to anyone else.
 
yablanowitz said:
If you grip the gun properly, the grip safety will not be noticable in my experience (been shooting 1911s for nearly 30 years). I noticed when I was shooting IPSC that others had pinned the grip safety on their guns, but the only reason any of them could give me was "because". I suppose if you got a really high grip with a wide beavertail safety, it might be possible that you wouldn't depress the safety enough to let the piece fire, but I have never had it happen, nor have I ever seen it happen to anyone else.
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I have a lot of trouble with the grip safeties on 1911s. I have them de-activated on my 1911 and 2011.

You hit on the problem about the grip. I use a high-hand, thumbs forward grip and this serves to re-activate the grip safety because of the amount of pressure I put on the bottom of the beaver tail.

If I grip harder with my shooting hand to prevent this, then I end up over-gripping, which causes its own problems.

Better to just de-activate the safety, IMO.

Or shoot a Glock! :D

Andy
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
Or shoot a Glock! :D

Andy
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I'm risking trolls and flames on this one, but no. I cannot and will not fault glocks on performance, but I can on aesthetics. Pure matter of personal taste, but I can't stand how they look or feel.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go hide before Glockman sees this.
 
Mackenzie4856 said:
I'm risking trolls and flames on this one, but no. I cannot and will not fault glocks on performance, but I can on aesthetics. Pure matter of personal taste, but I can't stand how they look or feel.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go hide before Glockman sees this.
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Too late...I've already seen it. Now you are on my "list".:D.
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I have owned MANY 1911-style .45's, and I have never seen a need to de-activate a grip safety, (and that includes many models with "beavertails"). Browning put grip-safeties there for a REASON. Also, if you ever have to use a .45 pistol with a de-activated grip-safety in a defensive shooting situation, that could bring you legal problems.
 
I've never had any trouble with the safety on mine, and I also use a high-hand, thumbs-forward grip. Most people don't even notice it's there while firing the pistol, that's the way it was designed to be. Good choice on the 1911, it's an absolutely fantastic pistol design. It's not the simplest or the newest, but it still works very well.
 
knzn said:
All 1911's come with a grip safety. The "speed bump" option is more standard now than an option. Either way, you won't even know its there when you take your firing grip.
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False on the first two counts.

Not all 1911 style handguns come with grip safeties or the ability to be fitted with a grip safety. Star 1911 clones are one key example. Also, some custom pistolsmiths will make 1911 pistols for their customers that have the grip safeties disconnected effectively creating a pistol without a grip safety.

There are also plenty of 1911 style hadguns that still offer a traditional grip safety over the modernized speed bump safety.

The OP was correct in stating that you more likely than not will not notice the presence (or absense) of a grip safety when firing the weapon.
 
Another question: could someone post pictures of the two types of grip safeties (traditional & 'speed bump') for comparison?

Thanks for all your help, everyone. I'm horrible at researching things like this; besides, you guys are primary sources.
 
glockman99 said:
I have owned MANY 1911-style .45's, and I have never seen a need to de-activate a grip safety, (and that includes many models with "beavertails"). Browning put grip-safeties there for a REASON. Also, if you ever have to use a .45 pistol with a de-activated grip-safety in a defensive shooting situation, that could bring you legal problems.
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I can't think of a single reason a deactivated grip safety could bring any legal problems, if I shot somebody because I meant to.

If I shot them and DIDN'T mean to, I have a feeling that not having the thumb safety on will cause me more problems.

And BTW, Browning put the grip safety on the 1911 style pistols because the Army wanted him to, not because he thought it was a good idea.

;)

Andy
 
Dog Man said:
Pray you never have to shoot someone with that grip safety pinned 1911, or you may find yourself in a world of legal hurt.
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Tell me how?

If I shot them and meant to , it is a non-issue. If I shot them and DIDN'T mean to, the de-activated grip safety will be the least of my problems.

An active grip safety won't make you any less liable in an accidental shooting.

:yawn:

Andy
 
Yeh, I bet you cut the ground prong off cords too.:rolleyes:

Use it as designed. It is called a "safety" for a reason.
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
Tell me how?

If I shot them and meant to , it is a non-issue. If I shot them and DIDN'T mean to, the de-activated grip safety will be the least of my problems.

An active grip safety won't make you any less liable in an accidental shooting.

:yawn:

Andy
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Yeah, keeping :yawn: . Being naive can be so tiring.

In the real world, whether a shooting is morally justified or not is not as important as whether the police, the local District Attorney, and the jury think it's justified. If your local DA happens to be a politically motivated politician, as many are, and you live in a jurisdiction that frowns on people shooting anyone, even criminals (there are a lot of areas like that), then you may be prosecuted despite your protestations of justification. And your deactivated grip safety adds weight to the prosecution case. As would handloaded ammo, but you don't understand that one, either, huh?

Don't want a grip safety? Buy a firearm that is designed without one.
 
thatmguy said:
Yeh, I bet you cut the ground prong off cords too.:rolleyes:

Use it as designed. It is called a "safety" for a reason.
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Oh, yes, it was put on the gun for a reason... but as I don't engage in pell mell cavalry charges, firing my pistol at the natives, during which charge I might lose control of my pistol, I don't worry about the grip safety too much.

You see, the Army wanted the grip safety on there in case the pistol was dropped while riding, in which case the grip safety would engage and prevent the pistol from discharging, which would endanger horse and/or rider.

Or if, perchance the pistol was simply dropped, it would help prevent a discharge upon hitting the ground.

John Browning didn't WANT to put the safety on the pistol, but the Army wouldn't buy it without.

Since most modern 1911 pistols are manufactured with a hammer block safety, which prevents the pistol from firing when dropped anyway, I no longer see any use for the grip safety.

It really just served the same purpose as a parking brake. A parking brake is to prevent a car from rolling when not under the control of the driver.

Now, tell me; if a driver is involved in an accident while driving down the street, do you suppose he will be found to be more, or less liable for the accident, if the parking brake was NOT engaged?

The grip safety serves no purpose on a modern 1911/2011.

Andy
 
Dog Man said:
Yeah, keeping :yawn: . Being naive can be so tiring.

In the real world, whether a shooting is morally justified or not is not as important as whether the police, the local District Attorney, and the jury think it's justified. If your local DA happens to be a politically motivated politician, as many are, and you live in a jurisdiction that frowns on people shooting anyone, even criminals (there are a lot of areas like that), then you may be prosecuted despite your protestations of justification. And your deactivated grip safety adds weight to the prosecution case. As would handloaded ammo, but you don't understand that one, either, huh?

Don't want a grip safety? Buy a firearm that is designed without one.
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Whoa. Now you are straying into an arena much written about, but poorly understood.

I would welcome, truly, as a defense attorney, an attempt by a prosecuter to try and bring irrelevant or immaterial evidence before a jury. Because it would really not make the judge happy that the prosecuter was wasting his time with frivolous, time-wasting attempts to confuse the jury.

So, I would make a motion to suppress any such evidence. And I would win that motion. And that evidence would not be heard by a jury.

Guys, it just isn't an issue.

Just take some time and think about it for a minute.

Andy
 
Andrew Colglazier said:
Whoa. Now you are straying into an arena much written about, but poorly understood.
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As you are well and truly demonstrating.
I would welcome, truly, as a defense attorney, an attempt by a prosecuter to try and bring irrelevant or immaterial evidence before a jury. Because it would really not make the judge happy that the prosecuter was wasting his time with frivolous, time-wasting attempts to confuse the jury.

So, I would make a motion to suppress any such evidence. And I would win that motion. And that evidence would not be heard by a jury.
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You know as much about trial law as you know about firearms safeties. You're a teenager, aren't you? Thought so. My apologies. You already know everything.
 
Colt 1911A1 is possibly the world's most popular automatic pistol. Many people modify stock 1911A1s to suit their needs & preferences. Hundreds of custom accessories for the 1911A1 are available.

A brother of mine kept a 1911A1 beside his bed. ALL safeties were removed. Weapon was stored with a round in the chamber and the hammer down. He'd owned that weapon for well over 10 years and never had an accidental discharge.

Safeties are good for "cocked & locked" carry, but not everyone likes to carry a weapon that way. Weapon is "safe" enough when decocked.
 
Question: Who designed the 1911 Government model .45 pistol?

Question: Who designed many of the world's best pocket pistols in the early 20th century?

Question: Who was the greatest firearms designer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and probably of all time?

Question: Don't you think John Moses Browning knew what he was doing?
 
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