Concealed Carrying a 1911

If you carry a 1911 in condition 1, make sure that you use a good holster as opposed to sticking in the waistband of your pants (aka the Mexican carry) like Magnum PI. As usual don't believe anything you see regarding firearms from Hollywood.

Or you could just carry a 2" snubby and be worry free, just point and squeeze the trigger.
 
btplus said:
I am hearing that " When canadians obtain this permit that it may or may not be accepted by US officials ". I have heard that it is at their discression. Is there anyone on line that can give an 100% positive answer on this concern????Possibly someone from the legal community.
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I doubt you'll get a 100% correct answere
Well.. I have my Form6NIA right here in front of me and the way I read it it applies to us in that we may temporarily import our firearms for sporting purposes only.
To import your pistol under an approved Form6NIA using a hunting lic. or match invitation and then changing the purpose for which you imported the pistol to CCW..... I dunno. Sounds like you lied to get your F6 approved.

Try attaching a copy of your CCW permit to your F6 application instead of a hunting lic. or match invite and see what the BATFE does

That said... my guess is you'de be 50/50 depending on what state you're in and which police agency questions your CCW credentials.
My homies and I travel regularly to the US.... mostly Michigan and NY. The one thing that I've wondered about is how, as an NIA with no real status in the country I can come and shoot less fettered than at home in my own country where a vote, pay taxes and pay more taxes
:confused:
 
gorky said:
Exactly, why not cocked and locked? 21 feet can be covered fast and I would not want to have to draw, chamber, and fire an accurate shot(s) that fast...
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I heard there are some services (military or police) who actually train like that with whichever weapon they have; it can't be that ineffective, so long as you're well-versed in the actions.
 
Milt Spark Summer Special is the holster I would like the most for conceal carry.
http://www.miltsparks.com/Summer_Spec.htm

geologist said:
If you carry a 1911 in condition 1, make sure that you use a good holster as opposed to sticking in the waistband of your pants (aka the Mexican carry) like Magnum PI. As usual don't believe anything you see regarding firearms from Hollywood.

Or you could just carry a 2" snubby and be worry free, just point and squeeze the trigger.
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Grove said:
I'd stray from 1911 variants as I've had numerous stove pipe factory ammunition (Norc, Colt, Para, SA & S&W). All being in relatively good working order and recently cleaned.
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Sounds like time for some new magazines...
 
1911 Carry

Well I tried alot of holsters to carry a 1911 or HP,the best I found for concealment even in the summer. was a Uncle mikes high ride pancake holster with a heavy wide belt.
nylon holsters wear out fast but dry quick when wet light and cheap to buy.
Depending on the level of threat,level one for me was mag in the weapon no live rd up the spout.Level two cocked and locked. Level three in your hand.
But the best adivse is stay out of places you need to carry a pistol.

And remember never take a Knife to a GUN fight.

IMATT
 
Cocked and locked.

Will the weather be warm at your destination? Get a really good IWB.

Don't skimp on your holster and don't skimp on your belt.

And practice using the exact clothing, belt and holster you will be wearing.

There's no point to CCW if you cannot draw and acquire your target quickly and efficiently, that is, without catching your firearm on your cover.

Anything less that the above advice, and you might be a danger to yourself and to others.
 
I have had several different 1911's over the last 30 years and at now. I don't have ccw permit and unlikely that I ever will. My input is just from using at the range and drawing/firing that first shot, over and over.

I agree with the other members about cocked and locked as the way to go in your situation. empty chamber is just goofy, unless you are going to draw and scare somebody by racking the slide to load a round, only works in the movies

you did not say what 1911, maybe you did, but I do find a factor in whether you have factory thumb safety, or extended/ambi.

over the years, i found some extended / ambi safety too easy to bring down, and if yours is the case, i would have a gunsmith check it over, and get it to a positive click up or down, with right degree of effort. lots of safety features built in, but i don't like a loose safety in an open top holster

i have accepted that most holsters are open top kydex now, but i think for ccw, best way to go is a good leather holster IWB prefered with a thumb break which goes over your cocked and locked. that piece of leather over the cocked and locked is of extra comfort to me.

another option is the shoulder holster, cocked and locked, which covers all switches, but leaves the butt out to grab. if you go this way, don't wear suspenders, even the fashion ones, and no shirts with pockets to get in the way or have your hand or thumb snag up in a draw. i like the spring wire shoulder holsters, but hard to put gun back in. you might like the horizontal holster like the galco miami model which has thumbbreak

congrats on your ccw permit in the states, there is obviously a reason for the govenment to grant such where you are going, it this is justified then so is condition one carry.

so just as important as the gun you will carry, is what you carry it in, and how you dress for the part. lots of good advice from massad ayoob for your further reading and research. regards
 
Regardless of the gun you choose to carry, it must prove itself reliable. DA pistols have their problems as well; not the least of which is a trigger that changes its position and release weight when you are under extreme stress. Complex triggers seem to be in vogue at the moment, but in a fight they are not helpful. The 1911's trigger works the same from the first to the last shot.

Double stack magazines are more prone to failure than single stack. Anytime you load untested ammo, you must shoot enough of it to ensure its reliability. If the gun has a reliability problem, that problem must be addressed before you bet your life on it.
 
I CCW with a full sized 1911, carried in condition 1.

IWB holster from Tucker Gunleather called "The Answer" with a 1 1/2'' gunbelt. The holster is tuckable and conceals the pistol completely. I CCW while riding my Harley in the states and find it is comfortable even while spending 8 hours in the saddle.

The last time I crossed into the states at "Highgate" border crossing, the U.S. Customs officer knew I was CCWing and said, "Have a nice ride". He didn't even ask to see/inspect the pistol. My paperwork was all he requested. It was a non-event.

If you are going to carry a 1911, get yourself a good holster and an even better belt. It makes a world of difference.

As someone has mentioned, to discharge a 1911, you have to release the safety. Press the grip safety and press the trigger. If you manage to shoot yourself in the ass nwith a 1911, maybe you should not be carrying?

If I was to change to another pistol, it would be due to the abolishment of the 12.6 category which then opens up a whole new world of choices for carry guns.
 
Ruger P345, One up the spout, safety off. I would have to be "Ahnold" to accidently pull that DA trigger.
Even if I miss with the first round (will try not to) it will shake the perp up so that his first shot will probably miss as well., IF he gets one off.

Holster is a South African "MavericK" inside the pants one and it hasn't shown any wear in the last three years.

Like the old cowboy said "I would likely go out without my pants before I forgot my gun."

And not bragging, just realizing that I passed 70 last year, so I can't run very well and I sure can't fight some 17 to 30 yr old perp.
 
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The 1911’s were not designed to be carried with the hammer down on a live round. The only safe means of carrying a loaded 1911 are; cocked and locked with a round chambered, or with the magazine full and chamber empty with the hammer down. Because it rests on the firing pin, the hammer down on a live round means that the gun can fire if it is dropped or if the hammer receives a sharp blow, as could happen by a slip and fall on an icy sidewalk.
 
Boomer, that seems to be the consensus...and really I'm not in a position to carry a loaded handgun around with me so I have not spent to much time thinking about carry options.

I think though I'd be happy carrying the pistol hammer down on an empty chamber and just accept that if I can't rack the slide to defend myself I'm s**t out of luck!

I have how ever experimented with my pistol pushing in on the protrusion that the hammer strikes and looking at how far the firing pin sticks out when the end the hammer strikes is pushed flush with the surrounding surfaces and I don't see how the firing pin can contact the primer...

Even looking down the barrel at the firing pin I don't see it moving when the hammer is lowered slowly.

The only danger I can see is letting the hammer slip while de cocking/re cocking the pistol and then having the first notch on the hammer fail and the hammer strikes the pin hard enough to send it forward into the primer.

I'm not really arguing for carrying with the hammer down on a live round and I think if I was in a potetentially dangerous situation and had a 1911 handy it would be cocked and locked.....I've just never had it well explained how the gun could go off with the hammer down on a live round?

I guess I could imagine smashing the gun directly down on the muzzle with enough force to fling the pin forward with enertia(seems difficult) but wouldn't that cause a problem with a cocked and locked pistol as well?

edit, OK just tried seeing how far a bic pen launches from a regular shot straight up and it's about 30 inches with my pistol...cocking the gun to the first catch on the hammer and letting it fly from there I could get it about 10 inches max.
I don't know if that is enough to ignite the primer but I could see where if you were carryin hammer down on a loaded round and something caught on your hammer and pulled it back and then released cleanly you could get a negligent discharge.
 
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