I've been shooting a single stack 1911 lately and I'm finding that all the corners back by the beavertail are quite irritating on the web of my hand by the time I get through 50 rounds. Is this pretty normal? Are some 1911's better shaped around that area with bevels that provide a more blended and rounded shape? Is there a different grip safety that sticks out a little more to hold my hand's web in a way that the corners don't dig in so hard? Am I just being a wuss and need to suck it up and shoot more?
1911 callus?
- Thread starter BCRider
- Start date
Do you have a picture of your gun? Is it a beavertail you have installed or the stock duckbill (I believe that is what it is called but I am open to correction).
I do not have any problems with the beavertails on my 1911's but do find that the stock duckbill can irritate the web of my hand and even give me hammer bite (I have big mitts). The first thing on my list of upgrades with any 1911 I buy is install an Ed Brown beavertail.
Hmm. Well, a standard size grip safety can cause "hammer bite," but that doesn't cause a callus, it draws blood. I speak from experience. You end up with a little scar in the web of the hand between the thumb and first finger where it's been crushed by the hammer. I get hammer bite from my Colt Gold Cup if I shoot it two-handed (but no problem with one-handed bullseye shooting). I rarely shoot it two-handed, but bleed from hammer bite every time I do.
A beavertail grip safety will prevent hammer bite, and you say you have a beavertail. So it ain't that.
My thinking is that you may have a grip safety that presents sharp edges when gripped. That's not good, but it should be possible to soften the sharp edges. And while a firm grip on the gun is desirable, you may be gripping too tightly, so much that you are hurting your hand.
A beavertail grip safety will prevent hammer bite, and you say you have a beavertail. So it ain't that.
My thinking is that you may have a grip safety that presents sharp edges when gripped. That's not good, but it should be possible to soften the sharp edges. And while a firm grip on the gun is desirable, you may be gripping too tightly, so much that you are hurting your hand.
The gun in question is a Tanfoglio Witness 1911. This is a pic from the Tanfoglio website with the usual red arrow pointing to where it is pressing on my thumb to forefinger web. It's not the upper/rear edge that is digging in. Just where the red arrow is pointed.
I'm gripping firmly but it's not a death grip. In fact the gun is extremly comfortable until I pull the trigger and then all the ridges in that area kick back firmly with the wonderfull 45ACP push into the web. It's hardly enough to make me flinch in pain or anything like that but by the end of a couple of boxes of ammo the web is pretty red looking and it feels a bit hurt and irritated for the rest of the evening.
One member PM'ed me suggesting a new beavertail. But as you can see it's not going to help much unless the part in the cove is more rounded. Even then the spots that are irritating me are mostly the ridges of the main frame where the shape goes from the flat sides to the rear face. Perhaps if a new beavertail sticks out more so it provides more support?
EDIT- In the thought that I was getting a bit greedy and riding my grip up higher on the beavertail I tried lowering my grip a bit. Didn't make any difference.
I'm gripping firmly but it's not a death grip. In fact the gun is extremly comfortable until I pull the trigger and then all the ridges in that area kick back firmly with the wonderfull 45ACP push into the web. It's hardly enough to make me flinch in pain or anything like that but by the end of a couple of boxes of ammo the web is pretty red looking and it feels a bit hurt and irritated for the rest of the evening.
One member PM'ed me suggesting a new beavertail. But as you can see it's not going to help much unless the part in the cove is more rounded. Even then the spots that are irritating me are mostly the ridges of the main frame where the shape goes from the flat sides to the rear face. Perhaps if a new beavertail sticks out more so it provides more support?
EDIT- In the thought that I was getting a bit greedy and riding my grip up higher on the beavertail I tried lowering my grip a bit. Didn't make any difference.
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