I'm kicking around getting a 1911 for a carry gun and for those of you who have used them for a carry gun what is y'all thoughts? I'm looking for information specifically pertaining to carrying a 1911, please don't give me your thoughts if you've never carried a 1911. I'm considering an officer or Commander size gun, in 45 only. So if you have information directly relating to those that's even better. So if you switched from some other gun to a 1911, let me know what you like better or worse about the 1911 than the one you switched from. And likewise if you switched from a 1911 to a different gun let me know what you didn't like about the 1911 and what you switched to. I've shot tens of thousands of rounds through 1911's , just never carried one, mainly because of price and size. But now I find myself carrying a gun roughly the same size as a commander and although it I have a higher-capacity now , I think I would prefer the shootability of the 1911. So let me know your thoughts, thanks

I carried a Kimber 1911 in 3" for a while. I liked it, but it was heavy in comparison. I changed over to Glock, and never looked back. If you like the 1911 pistols and are disciplined in drawing and clicking the safety off when ready to fire, go for it. I found myself not clicking the safety off on occasion, as I was used to shooting Glocks. Second, I shot some pigs with the 3" 45 ACP. I was very unimpressed with it's ability and stopping power. I reloaded for it and still could only get about 850 to 900 fps max. I switched to 40 cal and never looked back. But I did like having the 1911 and I shot it well.

I've carried all 3 sizes.

I personally do not like the officer size at all, it doesn't fit my hand the grip seems "bunched up" in my hand for lack of a better word.

I carried a full size Springfield Armory Loaded 45 back when I carried at 4:30 position and and it printed a little, but nothing major. Just one word of advice, get a hell of a belt to hold that tank up. I carried in custom leather IWB holster on a reinforced gun belt and could still feel it.

I switch to carrying a Glock 23 for the more capacity and it felt like a feather compared to the 1911. At this point I switched to Appendix Carry and there was no looking back. I can conceal my competition G34 with DP Ice Magwell on it with no printing at all. But didn't love the snap of the 40cal and found a great deal on a Ruger Commander Size in 45 and bought it. I was planning on carrying it AIWB like I did my Glock and it was just not the same. I also remembered why I had gotten rid of my other 1911 for carry. To dang heavy, it was a bear to carry.

So I sold all 1911's and have only Glocks. Well kinda a Glock, I now carry a Shadow Systems MR920 with a red dot and WML carried in a side car holster in the appendix position with extra mag. So that is 31 rounds of 9mm fire power on tap compared to the 8 rounds of 45 with around the same weight, or at least it feels around the same weight to me.

I've always loved 1911's and love shooting them. Just something nostalgic about them. However, when it comes to carry the extra fire power to me outweighs the look and feel of the 1911.

I have a Para-Ordnance P-14 I carry occasionally. I prefer concealed, but the weather can really come into play on that.
I have a shoulder carry I use with a field jacket. I also have an inside the waist holster I can conceal pretty well with a team jersey loosely buttoned.

I have carried a 5" 1911, and still do on rare occasion. Those occasions are usually when I am on my way to the ranch, and plan on carrying the 1911 over the weekend. It is just too big and bulky for everyday city carry. IMO. My everyday carry is a "mini" 1911. Sig p938. If you are a 1911 guy, and you have never checked out a p938, you gotta.

For at least the past 25 years I have carried either a S&W 6906 or a Colt Combat Commander (all steel) on an everyday basis. Now during that time I have "flirted" with everything from Glocks to revolvers but kept going back to one of the two.
I can say "I LIKE A MANUAL SAFETY!" With proper training, a manual safety does not add any time what so ever to getting the gun ready for action. At the same time, with a good "pancake" style holster and a decent belt, I don't even notice the weight difference between those two and a "plastic" pistol. The most important aspect is both off these handguns feel right in my hand and I have NEVER had a failure to feed or fire with the 6906, and only one or two with the Colt. With the Commander the failure were ammo related. I have a lot of faith in these guns and that alone is worth more than gold.
Now, I will admit that between the 6906 and the Commander it was a 50/50 proposition of which one I would choose each day, but lately I have favored the 9 mm more often. At 69 I have started to notice I am slowing up with the .45ACP mainly due to arthritis but it still sees a lot of use.

Have a commander size that I carry when it’s cooler. Biggest downfall is weight. I notice it much more than others.

Hopefully Jeffbird will chime in. He carries a 1911 daily.

Luddite that I am, I began carrying a 1911 (a Colt Gold Cup) back in the '70s. Since then, I've toted a Combat Commander (steel) and an old Kimber Compact Aluminum (also Commander length). A couple of other steel 5" versions have spent time on my hip as well. Currently, I'm carrying a 5" Springfield TRP. All have been .45 ACP.

On the rare occasions that I'm NOT carrying a 1911, I've gone as small as a Sig P365 and as old school as a Colt Detective Special and an S&W Model 25 in .45 Colt.

Between the 5" and the Commander length, I've really never been able to tell that the differing sight radii made one whit of difference...nor could I say that one carried appreciably different than the other.

Like Graycard, I'm a fan of what Clint Smith calls "on/off" guns...those with a manual safety. Four-plus decades of familiarization makes the question of "disengaging the safety" a non-issue...I expect that's exactly the same for you!

Triggers: I think what has kept me with the 1911 platform all these years is the clean, crisp break of the trigger. I can run the other triggers well enough, but I find have to "manage" them...where I can run the 1911s almost without thought.

Several folks have mentioned weight: maybe it's the years spent with one on my hip but frankly I don't notice it (and that's with 2-4 eight round mags on my off side). Of course, I've also worn out several Milt Sparks 1 3/4" gunbelts!

With your experience with 1911s and your experience with their shootability, it kinda sounds like you've got your mind almost made up...and you wouldn't get any argument at all from me!

Good luck!

Mark

Carried a LW Colt Commander I had modified to a bobtail for a few years in a Milt Sparks Versa Max. Even with all that it felt like I was trying to conceal a hockey stick and carried it mostly in the winter. If I ever decided to open carry though, I would get me a Tucker HF1 and start totin’ that Colt everyday.

I’ve carried my Kimber 5” quite a bit in a Bianchi 77 thumb break. I don’t necessarily dislike carrying it, but the size is not fun. It’s tough to really conceal OWB without a jacket or something, and the butt always bangs on car seats, etc.

I carry at 3:00, btw

Thanks for the responses so far. The butt in the car seat is one concern of mine and one of the main reasons i was thinking officer size might be the way to go. I know you give up a round, but it might be worth it. I am still not sure, and may stick with my current carry gun. Probably have to do some looking this weekend.

Also has anyone carried both the officer and the commander and noticed any appreciable difference?

I carry one frequently depending on my attire. I also like pocket pistols and the 1911 isn't a pocket pistol. When not pocket carrying though I have carried both a Colt CCO (Concealed Carry Officer) which is an Officer frame with a Commander slide, or a Colt Defender which is Officer size. They are heavier than some options, but they throw out a 230gr flying ashtray so there is that. I love both guns. I did have Novak night sights put on mine as I prefer night sights on my carry/defense guns. I don't think you'll notice a lot of difference between an Officer or Commander when it comes to weight. Any difference will be in holster selection and concealment options as the Officer size will be smaller.

Earl

I carry owb sometimes

Here you go.

For deciding what to carry, imagine you will be in a gunfight for your life in one second from now, but you have a magic wand and can pick any pistol made and price is not a limiting factor.

That is the gun to buy.

So what if it costs $1,000 or even $3 or $4,000? We sit in trucks that cost $25 - $50,000 and on up.

We spend thousands to go hunting and fishing in a year. Buying one great pistol is a minor cost/benefit analysis in comparison.

Price should not be a limiting factor for what might be the single most important expenditure a person makes in their life - actually trying to save their life.

Factors in order of importance in selection:

1. Reliability.

2. You can shoot it accurately under extreme stress.

Shots may need to be made fast and accurately under extreme stress at distances from body to body contact to 25 yards or more.

For civilians, not LEO's, the majority of engagements occur between 3 - 7 yards, but can go back to 15 yards or more.

With active shooter scenarios, engagements now are longer than suggested by older data.

3. Will you carry it all the time?

I have carried a Les Baer SRP full-size 1911 .45 since 2009.

I have a Commander size also, but only carried it rarely. Why? I cannot shoot it as fast, as far, or as accurately as the full-size.

A full-size set up for full-power defensive loads runs an 18# recoil spring where a Commander size will run a 22# recoil spring.

That difference in spring weights translates to a perceptible difference in felt recoil and harder to rack. The shorter sight distance also makes a difference at longer distances.

Officer size are hard to shoot as fast and accurately as either the full-size or Commander.

Skipping the details, in 2011 a man and woman tried to carjack me. I managed to draw faster than the woman who was by my knocked out truck window.

A full-size 1911 cocked and locked coming up into her face was enough to cause both to turn and run as my pistol came up. Thankfully I did not pull the trigger on her as she was turning.

Since that moment, the Baer goes on when I dress and stays on until I undress. It is within hands' reach 24/7/365 since then unless I am in the shower or a place where concealed carry is not allowed.

If you are going to carry a 1911, buy a high quality well made pistol. Before this pistol, I carried Sigs, Glocks, Kahr, Wilsons, and probably forgetting a few others.

Why do I carry this one? The Baer is utterly reliable, it feels best in my hand, I shoot it the fastest and most accurately. Wilson makes nice pistols, as do Nighthawk, Burton, Alchemy and some others.

It should have a checkered front strap, bump on the grip safety, and comfortable thumb safety preferably an ambi safety and be utterly reliable with defensive carry loads.

Those comments apply equally to everything else too other than the safety for those that do not have them.

If one is going to carry a pistol with a thumb safety, learn to "ride the safety" which avoids a misstep.

Do not go back and forth between a pistol with a thumb safety and one without - that is asking for trouble.

Realistically, pick one pistol that gives you absolute confidence to answer the question at the top and then stick to that pistol.

Sights are easy enough to change on pistols, so don't get all wrapped around the axle if a pistol does not have the sights you like.

If you are in a fight for your life, you're not going to think, "wow, glad I bought the cheapest POS that was on sale at Academy."

At that moment, a person would pay anything for the best and right tool to stay alive.

That also means training, training, taking lessons, and training some more.

A person carries a pistol for one reason - to repel an attack in a life or death fight to the death.

So, keep it keep it cleaned and lubed. Treat an EDC pistol like your life depends on it - some day it may.

A 1911 requires more lube to run than a Glock or M&P, that is a fact. Will you honestly keep it cleaned and lubed? If yes, carry a 1911. If no, carry a M&P or a Glock.

The real difference between carrying a high quality 1911 vs. one of the quality plastic pistols is mag capacity.

How much mag capacity is enough? More is better. Most engagements for civilians are three shots, but many engagements studied after the fact resulted in shooting until slide lock however many the pistol held.

I'd rather have more than 8+1, but back when I carried double stacks, I caught obvious looks on three occasions and have had none carrying the single stack full-size Baer full time for ten years.

More shots are better, bigger bullets are better, but accurate shot placement trumps all other factors.

If you buy a high quality pistol and take care to keep it well maintained, reliability is as good or better than an OEM Glock. My OEM G19 trigger has broken twice. My Baer has never had a part break and has 10's of 1,000's of rounds. I had two Wilsons, one was a flawless work of art, the other was a problem child. I wish I would have kept the good one.

The major benefit of a single stack anything is that it is easier to conceal and the single stack 1911 brings .45 to the table.

Here is how I carry everyday. The Crossbreed holster and belt go against my skin, not on my pants. A spare mag is in the offside pocket in a mag holder. All pistols loaded up pull my pants down, so I came up with this method, which works for me.



Carrying a 1911 means carrying cocked and locked. It is as safe or safer than a Glock, but it if makes you nervous, then try something else.

Also, note the grips. For any EDC pistol, go with something that has coarse texture which provides a secure grip with sweaty hands or worse perhaps blood on your hand if you are shot, stabbed, or caring for someone else.



Will add one additional observation from the single best gathering of defensive pistol instructors I have seen, which was in Tom Givens' instructor class. Every single instructor candidate carried heavily modified pistols whether Glock, M&P, H&K or 1911. There was not a single OEM pistol on the line. Even the G19's were well over $1,000+, some even considerably more.

Just an observation fwiw.

Again, carrying is a decision is making to prepare to fight for your or your family's life. This is not for plinking at the range.

Think about fighting for your life and choose accordingly.

Very informative Jeff!

My Novak Commander is in my carry rotation. It has no grip safety which is my preference on a defensive 1911. I wear it appendix style in a Garrett holster. I heated the holster with a plumber's torch and with a pencil, molded the kydex/leather around the thumb safety. Then put an ice cold, wet towel on it to cool it off. Now the holster is molded around the thumb safety. With the gun holstered and wearing it, I cannot get the thumb safety to disengage. Great 8 + 1 and a spare 8 rounder in the watch pocket of my jeans. I shoot Barnes 160 grain TAC loads. They have great expansion.

I have a Dan Wesson ECO that I also wear in a modified Garrett appendix holster. I only wear it when hiking in the mountains. I have a bit of a high grip naturally and in tactical classes under speed/stress i have missed engaging the grip safety. So, I do not wear it in urban environments. Very accurate pistol.

My other carry options are Boresight Solutions Gen 5 19 w/RMR, worn with a Tier 1 sidecar appendix rig and a P365 w/ RMSc dot worn with a Raven Vanguard trigger guard clip. The 365 gets worn a lot when traveling. It never prints. The Boresight gun gets the most work in tactical classes and the range. Very accurate and very fast.

I have carried the Novak many years and it is a sentimental favorite. It gets the call for date nights with the wife and going to the office.

Thanks for the information everyone, after reading what everybody said and taking my own experiences into account, I believe I'm just going to stick with the carry gun I have now. I realized a lot of my carry philosophy and Jeffbirds seem to mirror each other and that's how I ended up with the gun I have now. After I read his and some of the other comments I realized why I ended up where I did. Thanks again

Thank you Jeff, well articulated and very useful!!

You're welcome.

Same, I love carrying a 1911 they’re so thin compared to a Glock and the lightweight 1911’s aren’t a lot heavier. But I naturally point and shoot a Glock faster and the capacity is a huge deal for me. Which is why I settled where I settled. But 1911’s are still amazing just not for me to carry.

JeffBird pretty much threw it down. BTW, is that a Ganzo Firebird I see in the first pic?