[Skunkabilly]

Of the few 1911s I shot, I dind't get hammer bite...does it take a while, and how often does it occur? If I have 100 rds thru a standard plain-Jane 1911, will it be safe to assume I won't get smitten in the future?

[HSMITH]

Depends on your particular method of holding the gun really. If you run a high hand as I do it will bite you badly. I have had blood running off of both elbows in competitions before when I had to use stock GI pistols. Some people never get bit, some people get eaten. Under a stressful situation it will have really good odds of biting everyone.

[Bergeron]

I've shot a friends ex-military 1911 (pre A1 configuration) without recieving hammer bite at all. I shoot with a high grasp on the gun, so I was actually pretty surprised by not getting bit. No other gun has ever bit me, so maybe I'm just immune.:D

[Blueduck]

Big hands high hold but have never been bit by a 1911 or any gun for that matter except the Walther TPH, shame too it's a nice little pistol:(

[10-Ring]

I couldn't put more than 50 rounds from my Colt '91a1 before remembering why it was sitting in the safe for so long w/o shooting it. Hammerbite is cumulative and a huge PIA :fire: I enjoy shooting for a couple of reasons & bleeding isn't one of them :(

[denfoote]

The only gun I ever got bit with was a Taurus M605 snubbie. I have a PPK/S that has never bit once. I'm not a fan of the 1911, as some of you well know, so I don't know about that!!

[Master Blaster]

I have thin hands, so I never have gotten hammer bite from my GI configured 1911's.

Folks with meatier hands do have a problem with this though.

[45auto]

I never have gotten bit by the hammer, but the sharp(pointed) edges of the frame tangs and possibly the narrow grip safety will mark or cut the web of my hand.
I got "religion" real quick when I began to practice drawing out of the holster and holding higher. I had a beavertail installed and never looked back.
Mil-specs, for me, are fine to look at and shoot a magazine or two, but are not suitable for a lot of shooting or comfortable.
If mil-specs were the only 1911's available I would be shooting a different pistol. In fact if I wanted to dissuade people from the 1911 design, I would give them a mil-spec and 50 rounds of hardball and then have them try any of the current designs.
That's just me though!

[9x19]

I've been bit by the Colt Sistemas, the 1911 (not A1), the Feg Hi-Power clones and Browning MkII or earlier models, plus the early AMT Automag IIs (the later ones have a longer frame tang).

[Skunkabilly]

Masterblaster, I have girly paws, you think that's why I may not get it?

[.45FMJoe]

I sure don't...and I have pretty big hands

[Duke of Lawnchair]

I have little asian paws and haven't been bit!

High hold, thumbs forward...no bites.

[Gewehr98]

High thumb hold, no hammer bite on standard, milspec 1911A1's when I was qualifying with them in the late 1980's and early 90's.

But the high-cut, extended beavertail does feel better on my own 1911 variants.:D

[Al Thompson]

My bro-in-law's hands and mine are the same size. He's immune and it looks like I've tried to sharpen a running chainsaw. Just one of those things I guess.

[Nightcrawler]

Something you can do about it. If you like the look of spur hammers (like I do) but don't like the bite, you can have a gunsmith shorten the hammer spur just a bit. Not enough to be noticable at a glance, but often enough to prevent the spur from hitting your hand.

[Croyance]

No matter how I grab a gun, I do not get hammer bite. Bring on those spur hammers!

[Sean Smith]

I get hammer bite from both G.I.-style 1911s and SIG P210s. You can just get the hammer shortened (aka "bobbed") slightly to make the problem go away. It cost me $30.

It will be immediately obvious if you are prone to getting bitten.

Bobbed hammer pic:

http://www.imagemagician.org/images/igc_76543/1991a1.jpg

[Monkeyleg]

Used to get it on a Walther PPK, but not on the two 1911's I have (both have beavertails).

Sean, please tell me that target was shot from some kind of rest.

[gbelleh]

Never been bitten :neener:

[Sean Smith]

Monkeyleg,

No rest used, but the distance was only around 10 yards. :D

[Cactus]

I have never been bitten by either 1911A1's or Commanders. Haven't shot a 1911, so I don't know if it would bite or not.

[John G]

Never been bit. Not even by my beloved BHP. Just lucky, I suppose.;)

[Gopher]

I have a Springfield .45 that just ate me up till I added a Commander hammer and a beavertail safety. Sweet shooter now. I'm shooting a Glock 30 now because the Taurus PT 945 I was carrying bit me to the point of drawing blood. I have big meaty hands and hold doesnt seem to make much difference.

[Marcus]

Anything that can bite (and even some things that aren`t supposed to) will bite me for sure. :banghead: I favor a high grip ,have large/ strong hands with a lump of muscle between my thumb and forefinger,it gets bit all the freakin time! I even had to sell my Ruger P-97 because it would draw blood after awhile. :cuss: I can`t even rack the slide on a military style 1911 without it drawing blood and Walther PP series guns make my hand look like it went through a meat slicer. You guys who don`t get bit don`t know how good you have it. Marcus

[DeltaElite]

I have small hands, so no hammer bite.

[Standing Wolf]

If you use the thumb rest—it does double duty as a safety—you're much less likely to be bitten by a model 1911.

[Skunkabilly]

So how does it happen anyway? I seen guys get bit...but was never able to figure out how it happened.

[Wildalaska]

I never get bit

I got sliced by a TPH once tho...

WildholdsthegunrightwithsmallhandsAlaska

[Kahr carrier]

I get hammer bite occasionally,big hands,high hold. old 1911s without beavertails.:)

[Fed168]

I get it on two guns- my BHP and 4506. Usually it is a good sign to me- my shooting is up to par.

[Skunkabilly]

So am I safe and should I buy a mil-spec without getting worried?

[Freedom in theSkies]

3000+ rounds..and no bite.*Knock on wood!

I was just thinking about how painful it would be though, since I put a commander hammer on mine. Had to modify the grip safety too due to interference and now there is only about .010" clearance...
:what:

[dinosaur]

Smitten is good Skunk, bitten not so much.:evil:

None of my 1911A1s, the 1927, any of the HPs or my Firestar have bitten me. I`d like to say I know what I`m doing but it`s probably just dumb luck. :confused: :D

[tex_n_cal]

<-----------never bitten by a 1911 or any variants thereof.

In my youth once I grabbed a Astra .380, wrapped my left thumb around the back of my right hand. You will make the mistake exactly once

[firestar]

I have never really been biten but once in a while my thumb will get rubbed by the serations of the slide. I sometimes shoot my MKII with a high thumb hold and I have to remember not to do this on some guns.

[Master Blaster]

My brother in law got bit by my Glock 26:rolleyes:

How can you get bit by a gun that has no hammer????

Easily, let your thumb ride up on the grip till it touches the slide stop, then when the gun cycles the slide stop takes a chunk off the knuckle.

I was recommending the 26 as a carry piece.



:(