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The above takes me to where I am going with this. Those who wear a Kydex OWB, have you had a problem with your gun falling out?
Yes, I am being serious. I have a Blackhawk Serpa holster, for my Glock that I like. I know it is locked in (yes, I read some of the criticism of the Serpa). However, the Serpa is not available for the 1911 pattern 380s'. That leaves me considering other Kydex holsters that lack a retention device.
That strikes two different phobias (phobia-an irrational fear). The first is carrying a 1911 with nothing physically between the hammer and the firing pin (like a piece of leather on a holster). The second is having a firearm literally fall out of the holster (I don't run for my life anymore; which is where the only incident of this ever happened to me). I am hoping that some here can convince me that these are just phobias.
To add, like the poster above mentioned, I don't/can't carry at work. I am now a teacher.
I carry 1911s ( either an Officers Model or Full Size ) in a Forbus paddle holster. The retention is fairly positive, that is, it 'clicks' into place distinctly, and requires a good tug to clear it ( and has a tension adjustment screw ). It's never fallen out , though a few times it unlocked when sitting down hard with the Full Size pistol without falling out.
I'm fairly active at work, and carried like this daily at one yard for about three months before discovering that it was against company policy, and no one was aware that I had been carrying under my untucked, unbuttoned work shirt ( and I was usually carrying the Full Size, as it's stainless ).
As to the lack of a strap under the hammer, I perform a full function check ( and a pencil test ) at least every time it's cleaned, and occasionally when I realize it's been a few weeks. This reassures me of the impossibility of the hammer just falling of it's own voilition.
To perform the function check for the 1911 pistol, begin by clearing and checking the weapon.
Check it again.
Check it again.
With the pistol unloaded and pointed in a safe direction, hammer back, thumb safety engaged, pull the trigger. Hard. Really squeeze. The hammer should not fall. While continuing to hold it back, bring the pistol close to your ear ( still pointed in a safe direction ), release the trigger. You should not hear a click. If you do hear a click, your thumb safety needs replacing or tuning.
Next, gripping the pistol in such a way that the grip safety is not depressed, disengage the thumb safety, and squeeze the trigger, again hard. The hammer should not fall.
With the thumb safety disengaged, and the grip safety depressed, draw the slide back slightly until the barrel hood drops in the ejection port. Squeeze the trigger. The hammer should not fall. While holding the trigger, let the slide return to battery. The hammer should not fall. Release and squeeze the trigger. The hammer should fall. While holding the trigger back, rack the slide. The hammer should return to the cocked position and stay there.
Now, thumb safety off, grip safety depressed, slide in battery, hold the hammer back, pull the trigger and let it go slightly forward. Relase the trigger, and then let the hammer fall. It should stop at the half cock. On a series 80 pistol, it should stop at 1/4 to 1/8 of the way down, but not all the way. If it stopped at half cock, pulling the trigger should not drop it the rest of the way. If it's a series 80 type hammer, it will fall the rest of the way when the trigger is pulled.
Now that you have checked all the ways it won't fire, make sure it will fire with a pencil test:
For the pencil test, point the unloaded pistol at the ceiling. Drop a pencil, eraser end first, into the barrel. Thumb safety off, grip safety depressed, pull the trigger. The hammer should fall, and the pencil should jump out of the barrel.
