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knkali
07-05-2011, 03:18 PM
When drawing your guns with a thumb safety (think 1911) do you go safety off when pulling from the holster or when extending forward? Seems my body/mind wants to do it when I get my grip while in the holster but seems dangerous to me if something should go wrong with the draw. What do you guys do or how were you taught?

bonjorno2
07-05-2011, 03:46 PM
do whatever muscle memory you have already established.... don't try to change it now... chances are good if you keep your finger off the trigger you won't have a issue at all.... I sweep the safety upon drawing, but that's just me.

JFootin
07-05-2011, 04:14 PM
do whatever muscle memory you have already established.... don't try to change it now... chances are good if you keep your finger off the trigger you won't have a issue at all.... I sweep the safety upon drawing, but that's just me.

He's a LEO, so this is good advice. I am a lefty, so if I am carrying a gun cocked and locked, such as a 1911, I will sweep it with my index finger upon drawing. (Especially if it doesn't have an ambidextrous safety.)

knkali
07-05-2011, 04:21 PM
roger that guys. Seems more natural at the holster for me. Thanks

CJB
07-05-2011, 04:21 PM
This may be a bit simplistic, but the situation is probably going to tell you, or not tell you what to do. That is - should you feel the need to grab your pistol in preparation for a threat, you may have presence of mind to leave the safety on for the time being, until such time that the threat is more immanent and requires further action. If faced with immediate immanent danger, you're not even going to think about it. The pistol comes out, the safety comes off and you're concentration is on the BG and your surroundings.

Become intimately familiar with your 1911, and trust yourself to do the right thing.

knkali
07-05-2011, 04:48 PM
Thanks CJB, but I know my mind body connection, if I dont practice it,it aint gonna happen. So if I dont remove the saftey at some point when I deploy, it wont be off at bang time. I changed it up at the range this weekend because I thought it might be a safer deployment. The draw was smoother for me but the extension felt awkward with my small hands.

CJB
07-05-2011, 05:17 PM
Practice, practice.... and practice. Thats the intimately familiar part of it all.

Rainman48314
07-05-2011, 05:49 PM
When drawing your guns with a thumb safety (think 1911) do you go safety off when pulling from the holster or when extending forward? Seems my body/mind wants to do it when I get my grip while in the holster but seems dangerous to me if something should go wrong with the draw. What do you guys do or how were you taught?I practice moving the safety as soon as the muzzle clears my lower body and is pointing forward. If you have good habits re finger postion, it matter little when you release the safety. The sooner the better, but never too soon.

knkali
07-05-2011, 06:54 PM
I am going to have a draw party this friday. Me my holster my 1911 and the radio. No rnds of course.

BuckeyeBlast
07-05-2011, 06:59 PM
I shoot my 1911 in IDPA and instinctively drop my safety when my gun is pointed at the threat/target, but not necessarily when I'm completely sighted in. It gets dropped (w/ my right thumb) as my left hand is making contact w/ the grip, while the pistol is still close to my body, before my arms extend. I do not drop it while un-holstering.

Bawanna
07-05-2011, 08:56 PM
For my 2 bits and one of the reasons I love the 1911 safety setup as opposed to others is I ride the safety with my thumb. I can drop it any where in the draw cycle from leather to actually sighted it.
I tend to leave it on safe till I'm close to looking for the sights but I practice everywhere in between.

At the draw, part way, on target and squeezing almost simaltaneously with dropping the safety.

My weak area is remembering to put it back on safe when I don't want to shoot anymore especially in a high adreneline situation.

I'm improving but I still have to think about it which isn't all together a good thing.

knkali
07-05-2011, 10:32 PM
Bawanna,

There was something about your post that scared the snot out of me---real deal.

Some others here also evoke the same thoughts.

I ask questions here and the replies I get are from people That know what they are talking about. They take/took risks everyday and a bad day with your gun is a very bad thing.:eek:

Rainman48314
07-05-2011, 11:03 PM
This may be a bit simplistic, but the situation is probably going to tell you, or not tell you what to do. That is - should you feel the need to grab your pistol in preparation for a threat, you may have presence of mind to leave the safety on for the time being, until such time that the threat is more immanent and requires further action. If faced with immediate immanent danger, you're not even going to think about it. The pistol comes out, the safety comes off and you're concentration is on the BG and your surroundings.

Become intimately familiar with your 1911, and trust yourself to do the right thing.I'm trying to get my head around your notion of unholstering with apparently an option about whether you will need to fire. I was taught NOT to unholster unless I was going to shoot. This is for non LEO situations. Is this too restrictive or conservative?

As far as WHEN that safety comes off, it's really a case of it MUST come off before you can shoot, therefore the sooner the better BUT there is no reason for it to come off when your own limbs are the only targets within sight of the muzzle. I phrased it, "the sooner the better, but not too soon". Those who don't have a 1911 manual of arms need to remember that triggers are SA and generally shorter and lighter that Kahrs.

This is a good discussion topic and even a better item to practice.

Rainman48314
07-05-2011, 11:06 PM
Bawanna,

There was something about your post that scared the snot out of me---real deal.

Some others here also evoke the same thoughts.

I ask questions here and the replies I get are from people That know what they are talking about. They take/took risks everyday and a bad day with your gun is a very bad thing.:eek: I'm curious about your concerns. Care to amplify?

knkali
07-06-2011, 08:46 AM
I'm curious about your concerns. Care to amplify?

First, this forum consists of a great group of people that know what they are talking about and I appreciate this very much.

Second, what I(we) discuss here is ultimately linked to the possibility of using our rigs, with outcomes that are very real and life changing. Sure it is sights, slides and safeties ect on one level, but I also think some posts, for unknown reasons, strike a synapse that reminds me of the bigger picture more than others.

knkali
07-06-2011, 08:58 AM
I'm trying to get my head around your notion of unholstering with apparently an option about whether you will need to fire. I was taught NOT to unholster unless I was going to shoot. This is for non LEO situations. Is this too restrictive or conservative?

As far as WHEN that safety comes off, it's really a case of it MUST come off before you can shoot, therefore the sooner the better BUT there is no reason for it to come off when your own limbs are the only targets within sight of the muzzle. I phrased it, "the sooner the better, but not too soon". Those who don't have a 1911 manual of arms need to remember that triggers are SA and generally shorter and lighter that Kahrs.

This is a good discussion topic and even a better item to practice.

With safe action triggers and decockers, I realize this is a non issue for many but I have to admit I like the 1911 set up.

wayneo1
07-06-2011, 09:25 AM
I train myself to sweep the safety off as I bring the gun on target, and I also train myself to sweep the safety on whenever I come off target. It works for me because putting it back on is just as important.

knkali
07-06-2011, 09:32 AM
I train myself to sweep the safety off as I bring the gun on target, and I also train myself to sweep the safety on whenever I come off target. It works for me because putting it back on is just as important.


Thank you for your post. I repsect your abilities but does this allow you to be ready for firing from retention(guard position)?

paul34
07-06-2011, 10:40 AM
To me, the 1911 thumb safety is primarily for reholstering purposes, so once you clear leather/kydex, you should be fine flipping the safety off, assuming you keep your finger off the trigger as you should.

Alternatively, you could do like XD owners do and try to keep your hand off the grip safety while reholstering. Engaging the thumb safety makes this unnecessary on a 1911, however.

Bawanna
07-06-2011, 10:58 AM
I'm curious about your concerns. Care to amplify?

I too am curious and even reading your responses I'm still curious.

In reading my own post several times I don't see anything scarey at all.

I believe that if I suspect a threat is imminent I don't want to play quick draw. I want the gun in my hand maybe under a my jacket or behind my back or whatever and would keep it in safe mode. If the threat doesn't materialize, back in the holster it goes my bad.

If it does happen it's a natural move to sweep the safety of.

Help me understand the scarey part.

knkali
07-06-2011, 11:17 AM
bad choice of words--sorry. I sent you a pm. I didnt want to clog the thread with my dribble. Nothing you said was "off" in the least.

Rainman48314
07-06-2011, 01:15 PM
To me, the 1911 thumb safety is primarily for reholstering purposes, so once you clear leather/kydex, you should be fine flipping the safety off, assuming you keep your finger off the trigger as you should.

Alternatively, you could do like XD owners do and try to keep your hand off the grip safety while reholstering. Engaging the thumb safety makes this unnecessary on a 1911, however.
Let's not forget that guns which are not strictly 1911s also have the same system. I have an M&P 9 with the thumb safety, had an SR9c with one, Sig P238 and a LC9.

crazymailman
07-06-2011, 01:29 PM
Just a little food for thought:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYvAxLX6OzE&feature=player_embedded


NOTE: If you are sensitive to colorful language, turn volume off

knkali
07-06-2011, 01:38 PM
I cant look

Rainman48314
07-06-2011, 01:43 PM
Just a little food for thought:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYvAxLX6OzE&feature=player_embedded


NOTE: If you are sensitive to colorful language, turn volume offWow! That's one lucky dude. Hit the femeral artery and you bleed out before EMS arrives.

earle8888
07-06-2011, 02:06 PM
Im with Buckeyblast

CarlCyrus
07-06-2011, 07:46 PM
I train myself to sweep the safety off as I bring the gun on target, and I also train myself to sweep the safety on whenever I come off target. It works for me because putting it back on is just as important.

I'm very similar with my Colt Commander. Although my safety goes off when the gun is pointed down at about 45 deg. and on the way up to the target. I've tried hard to train myself to ensure the safety doesn't go off while the muzzle is still pointed down at my leg/foot/knee.

Carl

bonjorno2
07-06-2011, 08:34 PM
just keep your finger out of the trigger guard goes a long way!

Dirt doc
07-06-2011, 08:39 PM
I strive to have the same safety habits with all my firearms, rifle, shotgun or pistol. My safety remains engaged (on) until I am close to my final mount and nearly on target. The safety is engaged again as soon as I come down off target. With my long guns it has become instinctive. On my turkey this year I don't remember working the safety but I shot the bird and when I thought to check my safety before I got up to retrieve the bird the safety was already engaged. Fortunately, the only bad guys I have shot at were 2-10 miles away, many years ago and we were shooting 60-70 lb. bullets. So my safety work with my pistols is mostly at the range and more deliberate especially since I am now shooting both Kahrs and 1911's.

Dirt doc

knkali
07-06-2011, 10:13 PM
I WAS going to remove th saftey at the holster--not sure I am now! During a recent IDPA I tried to remove it during my extension but that messed up getting a quick sight pic. As was said practice practice practice when I find what works for me.