After shooting tens of thousands of rounds of 45 ACP through various 1911's, I have developed some opinions about the pistol for self defense. One opinion is, I prefer a double action revolver. No flippers, levers, safeties. Just pull the trigger and it goes bang. I like the simplicity.
I have a number of 1911's, but I am convinced the only real fighting 1911 is the original configuration that John Browning designed. That is, a series 70 action. Based on my firing pin stop malfunctions in my series 80 1911's, I don't want one in a combat pistol. And that includes the Swartz firing pin block. I have not shot my 9mm 1911 enough to prove the reliability of the Swartz one way or another, but I did take the slide mounted block out. And the weapon is a target pistol.
I also don't like beavertails or those long safeties that came around with beavertails.
Those ambi safeties are often found "Off", when you think they are "On", and they will bump "On" when you think they are "Off". I have had a 1911 safety roll on while shooting. That sure was a surprise, the pistol would not go bang and I had to stop and puzzle that out. A bud of mine is the Range Master at a local indoor range. Bud was also a Bullseye Shooter in the Army reserves, so he has seen a lot. He has seen many 1911's at his range where the shooter bumped the safety on, while shooting. It is my opinion that those long lever safeties are there for quick draw games, and will get you killed in the real world.
The original 1911 configuration did not have beavertails. It was not carried cocked and locked. The pistol was carried with a round in the chamber and the hammer down. The trick is to get the hammer down without slipping. I use two hands in lowering the hammer. The trigger finger hand is not used for anything but the trigger. The major source of accidental discharges is when someone tries to lower the hammer with the shooting hand thumb. The hammer slips and then, bang! I am a righty, and the middle finger of my left hand is under the hammer when I pull the trigger. The forefinger is between the hammer and hammer spur. I pull the middle finger out, control the hammer with my fore finger, lower the hammer more, and I finally get the hammer down.
As I wrote, the pistol was carried with a round in the chamber and the hammer down. Upon presentation, when the pistol was removed from the flap holster, the hammer was thumb cocked. Early 1911's have wide hammer spurs and the grip tang is not in the way when thumb cocking the hammer. I would not trust carrying a cocked and locked 1911, I think the only safe way to carry the thing is hammer down. It is up to you whether you carry it with a round in the chamber, but I am not going to carry it cocked with a round in the chamber. The safeties on the A1 version can still be bumped accidentally, but it does take much more effort than an extended safety.
If I were to carry a 1911 for a self defense weapon, I would carry something like the RIA, but with better fixed sights. However, the over layout is what I consider adequate for a single action self defense auto. I would have no problem thumb cocking the thing, at least I think I would have no problem thumb cocking the thing. Once I got the hammer back, I would be ready to rock and roll. And I would not have some stupid firing pin safety jam the pistol, and I would not have some extended safety to accidentally bump into the "safe" position.