question about 1911 speed hump or memory bump

[Zach S]

File this here very slowly.

That is all I would do. No parts to buy, no holes to drill and pins to install, no gunsmith to pay.

 

[1KPerDay]

Update: I finally got around to stoning a bit off the safety tab underside. Feels better now. I haven't shot it yet but I have no doubt it will be an improvement.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Thanks for the update, please update us again as to the results of your next range trip

If you continue to encounter issues, check if you are levering the grip safety "out" by applying upward pressure on the beavertail...gripping too high

 

[railroader]

Update: I finally got around to stoning a bit off the safety tab underside. Feels better now. I haven't shot it yet but I have no doubt it will be an improvement.

I did the same thing to a couple of 1911s I've owned in the past. The grip safety still works but only needs to be pushed in a little.

 

[WC145]

Don't grip with your thumb below the thumb safety.

The reason that riding the thumb safety is taught is to prevent kicking it on during recoil

Wow, there's a blanket statement. Incredibly, not everyone wants or needs to ride the safety when shooting a 1911. The fact is that shooting a 1911 with your thumb below the safety doesn't automatically mean you're going to engage it under recoil, amazingly, people have been shooting 1911s for generations without riding the safety and managing not to hit it. I've been doing for 45 years or so now. Yes, I understand the popularity of riding the safety and the two handed 'thumbs forward' grip that has resulted from it's use in competition but it is not the 'be all that ends all' and is not appropriate for every situation. To state otherwise isn't giving the OP or anyone else a complete picture.

 

[SSN Vet]

The fact is that shooting a 1911 with your thumb below the safety doesn't automatically mean you're going to engage it under recoil

I understand the popularity of riding the safety and the two handed 'thumbs forward' grip that has resulted from it's use in competition but it is not the 'be all that ends all' and is not appropriate for every situation.

Amen...

In my experience, if you have "meaty" palms with a lot of web between your thumb and pointing finger, or don't have a thumb knuckle that sticks way out, the only beavertail that truly give you a higher grip, is the Ed Brown pattern, which requires significant cut and grind to the frame aft of the GS pin. And even then, it's not a huge amount of clearance.

Most of the others look cool, but don't actually provide anything higher than the original GI pattern GS.

I've put a lot of rounds through three different 1911's (duck-bill, beaver tail and GI GSs) over the years and I've never had a problem with hammer bite, or inadvertent thumb safety engagement with any of them. The high grip position with both thumbs forward really doesn't work for me at all. And yet I think I still shoot pretty well.

But then again, the only games I play are Hockey and cards.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Wow, there's a blanket statement...

...it is not the 'be all that ends all' and is not appropriate for every situation. To state otherwise isn't giving the OP or anyone else a complete picture.

If your thumb is above the thumb safety when gripping the gun, it can not push upward against the thumb safety lever if it should rise during recoil.

This applies to shooting in any kind of competition or just plinking. It also applies to shooting with two hands on the gun or one-handed

Why would you feel that this is inaccurate or incomplete?

If you are referencing the cliche "be all and ends all", as accurate as that may be, I have not stated that. People have such physical diversity that they should use techniques to fit their own limitations

 

[1KPerDay]

Shot it, definite improvement. Next 3-gun maybe I'll only be 198 seconds behind the winner instead of 204.

 

[buckhorn_cortez]

If your thumb is above the thumb safety when gripping the gun, it can not push upward against the thumb safety lever if it should rise during recoil.

This applies to shooting in any kind of competition or just plinking. It also applies to shooting with two hands on the gun or one-handed

I think we all understand that point-of-view. We regularly are reminded by the 1911 police that we must always have our thumb over the safety or we will be total failures at shooting. We all get it - really. But, thanks for repeating it, for at least, the 1 millionth time.

The point that was being made is that it is possible to shoot a 1911 effectively and reliably without having your thumb over the top of the safety. Believe it or not - it CAN be done.

I cannot shoot a 1911 with my thumb over the safety because of a specific physical condition.

I have been shooting 1911's for 50 years without riding the safety. In 50 years, and at least 100K rounds of ammunition - I've never inadvertently engaged the safety because of my grip.

The point is that, while the thumb over the safety grip may be the desirable for a number of reasons - it may not work for everyone. People should certainly try to use it, but if you cannot because of comfort or physical limitations, then one should use the grip that is comfortable and effective for the individual shooter.

 

[Shaq]

I had a similar problem with a S&W 1911, but it was caused by a too-strong grip safety spring or because the firing pin safety works off the grip safety. With a high-thumb hold, the grip safety would not deactivate. I had no such problems with a Wilson CQB - the grip safety was just right. No matter how I gripped the gun, it would fire.

 

[WC145]

If your thumb is above the thumb safety when gripping the gun, it can not push upward against the thumb safety lever if it should rise during recoil.

This applies to shooting in any kind of competition or just plinking. It also applies to shooting with two hands on the gun or one-handed

Why would you feel that this is inaccurate or incomplete?

If you are referencing the cliche "be all and ends all", as accurate as that may be, I have not stated that. People have such physical diversity that they should use techniques to fit their own limitations

Your statement-

Don't grip with your thumb below the thumb safety.

certainly comes across like there is only one correct way to shoot a 1911 pistol. And now your saying that riding the safety is the only acceptable way to shoot a 1911 unless it is physically impossible for you.

The fact of the matter is that there is absolutely nothing wrong with not riding the safety. It's a matter of choice and for many, if not most people, not only those with physical limitations, a 'thumb under' grip is more comfortable, easier to learn, and may be more appropriate for their circumstances.

As far as your correction of the saying I used, that was just petty, you understood the point I was making. And, yes, you continue to infer that there is only one correct method of gripping the 1911 unless you're prevented by some deficit and that is not the case.

 

[Bill4282]

I have short fingers and never ride the safety. Doesn't seem to bother me or the gun. As for the grip safety, the Texas Rangers in olden days used to wrap the grip with wet rawhide. When dry, safety nullified and textured grip. The best part of 1911s is the ability to fit to the owner, unlike plasticware.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[9mmepiphany]

As far as your correction of the saying I used, that was just petty, you understood the point I was making. And, yes, you continue to infer that there is only one correct method of gripping the 1911 unless you're prevented by some deficit and that is not the case

I have no control over your perception. I'll just say that your perception wasn't my intent.

What I'm saying is that if given the choice, unless prevented by physical limitations, why not allow newer shooters to learn the optimal technique?

 

[Archie]

People do have different hand sizes, shapes and so forth. There is a basic concept of gripping a Government Model which calls for the wrist and arm being behind the gun and as high as possible.

This is of course subject to physical limitations, including over or under sized hands.

One can always deactivate the grip safety in a manner completely and immediately reversible, little cost, and requiring an absolute minimum of technical ability. It involves a rubber band wrapped around the grips. I like to think of it as the 1940 field expedient method. (Probably older than that.)

 

[Frank Ettin]

...It's a matter of choice and for many, if not most people, not only those with physical limitations, a 'thumb under' grip is more comfortable, easier to learn, and may be more appropriate for their circumstances.....

Putting aside the question of whether 9mmepiphany is being too doctrinaire on the point, comfort and ease of learning aren't necessarily appropriate criteria for choosing among various ways of performing certain tasks. Certain physical skills can be difficult for some people to learn to perform in the optimal manner, and some can be decidedly uncomfortable until one has developed the muscles and such needed.

When I learned to do a heel-and-toe downshift, I found it difficult and very uncomfortable and awkward until I got used to it. But if one is going to be driving a car with a non-synchromesh transmission in a spirited manner, it's a necessary skill.

We can debate whether there is a functional purpose to keeping one's thumb on the safety when firing a 1911. But it is a good way to assure that the safety is disengaged. And I have seen folks shooting with a low thumb accidentally engage the safety under recoil. So the high thumb does appear to serve a purpose.

One needs to decide for himself whether the purposes served by shooting a 1911 with a high thumb are worth the temporary difficulties and discomforts of adapting to the technique.

For me it was. And although it took me some time and some effort to adapt, now that I have it seems natural.

I have short fingers and never ride the safety.

I have short fingers, a small hand, and always ride the safety. It took me some time and effort to become accustomed to doing so, but now it's second nature.

 

[1KPerDay]

Shot it again and had some problems. I examined my grip after getting a failure to disengage grip safety situation and I am definitely levering the grip safety outward with my high thumb grip when I gripped the pistol aggressively. I feel like I am have lots of pressure on the pistol but I'm actually pushing upward on the rear of the Beavertail. Maybe a Hardtail conversion in my future after I win the lottery.

 

[JamieC]

Two possible solutions, (I'm going through the same thing right now myself). One, a thumb safety with a lowered lever, I believe it's called a "Gunsite" lowered thumb safety. The other is an Ed Brown memory bump beavertail grip safety. It's got an overall larger 'bump', between the larger bump and a little filing...(very little as I found out, darn near ruined the GS, some peening and a lot of filing on the bottom tangs and MSH got it working correctly and allow me to disengage it, still planning on the ED Brown GS...maybe the TS instead, IDK)

 

[1KPerDay]

The interesting thing is I only noticed it after concentrating on getting both hands "behind" the gun to help with recoil and quick recovery. My usual grip leaves my left hand "milking" or reaquiring the grip each shot, which obviously isn't ideal.

I only noticed it after watching travis haley's video and concentrating closely on what my hands were doing.

Relevant bit is here:
https://youtu.be/Zi5eZqc9H7I?t=8m10s