Ambi Safeties On a CCW 1911?

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OregonJohnny

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I'm thinking of eventually adding a 3" - 3.5" officer-framed 1911 in .45ACP to my CCW rotation. I like the Springfield Micros, Colt Defender/New Agent, Kimber Ultras, etc. My only 1911 at this point is a government S&W stainless, with one safety. I am right handed, and I've never felt the need for a safety on the right side. I know ambidextrous safeties have their purpose, especially for lefties or for practicing weak-hand, but can they have a down-side? I'm picturing an officer's model 1911 with ambi safeties tucked deep in a waist band, and having the outside safety catch on the belt, shirt, a swipe of the arm, brushing against someone else, etc. and clicking off. (Yes, yes, you also have the grip safety and internal mechanisms, but who wants to be carrying around a cocked 1911 with the thumb safety off?) I know there are IWB holsters that can cover the entire outside safety, but they look like they'd hinder a draw. Would it really be too hard to train weak hand with a single safety by (awkwardly) using your trigger finger or looping your thumb over the top of the hammer to disengage the safety? Or maybe there is another, better way?

What do you prefer on a 1911 that would be carried IWB? Ambidextrous safeties or not? Why?
 
No ambi's on any of my 1911s.

I am right handed and i consider the chance of disengaging the safety while in a holster a greater risk then necessary.

If for some reason I have to use my off hand there are ways to swipe the safety with my left.
 
the chance of disengaging the safety while in a holster a greater risk then necessary
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That's kind of what I was thinking. Ambi safeties just look cumbersome on the otherwise smooth, flat lines of the 1911. Dumb question here: Can an ambi safety be removed from a gun like the Springfield EMP? Or does it leave a weird hole or something?
 
I mostly agree. The safety is the thing on a 1911 that not only sticks out and could get snagged or manipulated, it could get broken. (especially some of these ambis that have a lot of daylight between the switch and the slide.)

I don't think it's a bad thing to be able to use the safety with you weak hand, I'll even say it's critical, BUT, with a little practice you can get used to manipulating it with your left hand anyway with a regular safety. MAYBE for leftys it's a better option.
 
with a little practice you can get used to manipulating it with your left hand anyway with a regular safety. MAYBE for leftys it's a better option.
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Exactly. For a rightie, the ambi safety is a (problematic) answer to a problem that doesn't exist. Unload your gun and practice picking it up left handed (assuming your are right handed). Use that opposable thumb of yours to flick that safety off as you grip it, then pivot the thumb around the gs tang and take a proper grip. It adds very, very little time.

The ambis can be installed to work well, but that requires a GOOD gunsmith or for your to be handy. Many drop-in ones bind and do not operate as well as they should from the weak side (for a righty).
 
i don't get this...

I'm right handed and i carry my 1911 to the right hand side of my hips, and the safety IS againt my body side, not the other way around. that been said, my 1911 (Ria Tactical) have the ambi safety and i dont find it to be a problem why carrying i mean what are the odds of something get stuck inside that right hand side safety...?
 
sarduy,

What I'm trying to say is that if you're right handed, carrying a 1911 with a standard safety in your waist band on the right side of your body, the safety is up against your body or a piece of leather that extends up and protects the left side of the gun from your skin. It is more or less secured from being disengaged by a foreign object, another person, or your own arm swinging at your side. If you have an ambidextrous safety, the safety lever on the right side of the gun is then exposed to anything that may brush up against it, or that you brush up against, even your waist band or belt itself. I feel like I'd be constantly reaching down and checking to feel that the thumb safety was still engaged.
 
If my besotted state ALLOWED CCW, I'd definitely have to have an ambi-safety. Southpaw, and will die that way.

I've never really seen an instance where safeties disengaged by themselves, but then, that's what the thumb break strap usually acts as the suspenders to the thumb's belt.

Why aren't more ambis like the ones I'd seen on some 70's era Scoremasters which were not long, extended sloops that seem more vulnerable to being brushed than the short, stubby shelf JMB intended.

I know those extended paddles are nice for you guys with that "high thumb hold" to rest your thumbs on, but really... why not suck it up and just use the regularly designed GI shelf?
 
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Well then, my next question is: Unless you're left-handed, why would you prefer to have ambidextrous safeties on your CCW 1911? It seems like many of the "high end" 1911s come from the factory with ambi safeties. Where is the demand coming from? There can't be that many lefty 1911 fans.:neener:
 
Kimber Raptor Ultra Carry, been a daily carry for about 3 yrs now and rarely does that safety get bumbed. Usually when putting on or taken off my seatbelt. I double check it after I remove my seatbelt and forget about it from their. Remember it still has the grip safety. Don't forget alot of the newer semi's come with a ambi safety now also. :D
 
I've never really seen an instance where safeties disengaged by themselves
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Kimber Raptor Ultra Carry, been a daily carry for about 3 yrs now and rarely does that safety get bumbed. Usually when putting on or taken off my seatbelt
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Yes it does happen. Back when I thought I needed an ambi safety I had it get bumped off several times. I think most often in a fanny pack, but also in a IWB. I now only use "GI" type safety and have never had a repeat of issue.
It is up to you if you need one.
 
weisse52 said:
Yes it does happen. Back when I thought I needed an ambi safety I had it get bumped off several times. I think most often in a fanny pack, but also in a IWB. I now only use "GI" type safety and have never had a repeat of issue.
It is up to you if you need one.
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Quoting posts after my question only makes you seem slow on the uptake.

And again, I'm left-handed. I NEED that lever.

One more question - WHY CAN'T ANYONE MAKE GI-SIZED AMBIDEXTROUS SAFETY LEVERS?
 
I used to carry my Les Baer Premier II Super Tac (and still would if my department authorized single actions for off duty), and it came with an ambi safety, which I never saw any need to change. I never had a problem either. I think there were two reasons. First was the the ambi safety Baer installs is thinner on the right side, and doesn't protrude much. Second, I only carried the gun in either a Milt Sparks Versa Max II IWB holster, or a Kramer belt scabbard of OWB carry. Both holsters are horsehide, which is damn near as rigid as kydex, and both have an extension that reaches up and extends over the safety on the left side. It's meant to shield the gun from the body's perspiration, but it's also molded to the contour of an extended safety in the engaged position. With the safety held in that position it's almost impossible to disengage in the holster; I know, I've tried.

I wouldn't go out of my way to put an ambi safety on the 1911, since I'm right handed, but for any 1911 I had that came with one installed, I'd feel no need to have removed either.
 
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Kimber SIS great choice.

Having an ambi safety on a carry gun is a great idea! It gives wrong-handed (rightie's) people more control of the gun in worst-case situations. And is that not what you want?? firearm control?
 
I have ambis on 2 of my M1911s. I had them installed due to my SD training for weak-hand manipulations. Anyone who has taken a few SD classes will understand the usefulness of ambi-safties. While I don't like it, I feel better with it there.

Used to have some troubles accidentally swiping the safety while holstering, but I got rid of the cheapie holster and the problem went away.
 
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weisse52 said:
Instead of attempting to denigrate, use google search to answer your own question.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=9213/Product/1911_AUTO_AMBIDEXTROUS_SAFETY
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Thank you. I merely assumed you were trying to make me seem stupid since I was the one who asked the question that you quoted.

I will note - such glibness ignored the hammer blocking strap, and CWL noted that safeties don't end up being brushed off in quality holsters. Another factor ignored also is that it's the length of the safety tab which makes it so vulnerable.

For a firearm which should be so intuitively carried locked and cocked, there are many counter-intuitive additions which make a 1911 less than optimal for carrying that way - longer levers, more sensitive levers, high thumb carry, Yaqui slide holsters...
 
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