Zak Smith
Member
Several months ago on TFL, I posted a thread on TFL in which I asked if the grip safety on the 1911 was really needed (Why does the 1911 need a grip safety?).
Now let me pose the opposite question: Does the 1911 really need a thumb safety?
Browning himself seems to have thought, "no", since his models from 1905 - 1910 had none. The 1911 was a refinement of the model 1910, and, as far as I know, only added it because the Cavalry requested it:
Model 1905 (what a beaut!):
Model 1909:
Model 1910:
Finally, the model 1911 Government:
I argue that the 1911 without the thumb safety and with a sane trigger pull weight is as safe as a Glock.
Without the thumb safety, but retaining the grip safety, carrying "cocked and locked" is made no more dangerous while the pistol is in a holster since the trigger is covered and if the sear slips, the hammer will fall to half-cock. The only way the pistol can fire is if you're gripping it and you pull the trigger.
You sure wouldn't be able to shoot high-thumb, but the "need" to do so is gone: You can't forget to snick off the safety, since there isn't one.
Ideally, a pistol should fire - always - when I am holding it and I press the trigger, and not before then. Why do we have to put various manually-operated obstacles in the way to this potent condition? The HK P7 had a good solution to the problem. Wouldn't the Model 1910 - without the thumb safety - solve it an equivalent way?
Comments?
regards
Zak
Now let me pose the opposite question: Does the 1911 really need a thumb safety?
Browning himself seems to have thought, "no", since his models from 1905 - 1910 had none. The 1911 was a refinement of the model 1910, and, as far as I know, only added it because the Cavalry requested it:
Model 1905 (what a beaut!):
Model 1909:
Model 1910:
Finally, the model 1911 Government:
I argue that the 1911 without the thumb safety and with a sane trigger pull weight is as safe as a Glock.
Without the thumb safety, but retaining the grip safety, carrying "cocked and locked" is made no more dangerous while the pistol is in a holster since the trigger is covered and if the sear slips, the hammer will fall to half-cock. The only way the pistol can fire is if you're gripping it and you pull the trigger.
You sure wouldn't be able to shoot high-thumb, but the "need" to do so is gone: You can't forget to snick off the safety, since there isn't one.
Ideally, a pistol should fire - always - when I am holding it and I press the trigger, and not before then. Why do we have to put various manually-operated obstacles in the way to this potent condition? The HK P7 had a good solution to the problem. Wouldn't the Model 1910 - without the thumb safety - solve it an equivalent way?
Comments?
regards
Zak