Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire NRA Disallows 1911s As “Primary Handguns” From Its “Carry Guard” Classes

"they understand that the manipulation of 1911s require a higher level of proficiency prior to the class that most may not have."

Huh...........?

The 1911 is no more complicated to operate than a Standard Model Ruger 22 Pistol. It's easier then the older European model pistol with the heel magazine catch.
It's got a slide, a mag and a mag catch, a safety and a trigger. There is nothing complicated at all about them.
Like a Ruger 10-22.
Like an AR15.
In fact it's not as "complicated" to operate as a bolt action Remington or Mauser rifle or any pump shotgun.

The mags needing to be rocked into place on a Mini-14, an AK or an M1-A makes them more complicated to operate.
No, it's not complicated.

So I wonder------w hat's the real story here?

I love the 1911, but in .45 ACP it is hardly an ideal choice for a beginner. If you are 48 years old with a 42" waist and are 6'1 and 265, yeah, you can strap that on your hip, leave your shirt tail out and be be good with that as you CCW. I'll also bet you've been shooting for quite some time and would be bored to tears in a Level 1 class, which is what this is all about. Don't need your beginners thinking more about recoil that situational awareness and technique.

Ain't you the macho man! How about sending your wife or daughter for their first class?

Or likely a bunch of the super-fit, know-it-all been there "contractor" types - who are all 100% GUARANTEED to be ex-SEAL, Delta/SF, Mar-SOC - honest. Really. They have the beard, web-site/blog and everything.

Ha!!! I can understand prohibiting a wheel-gun at a semi-auto course. Obviously. However, prohibiting a 1911? BS.

I favor my Sig P220 (though it's a phoucking brick and so less carried in the summer). It has an 8-round mag (similar to 1911).

Would my Sig be prohibited? I suspect it would be..... i bet the Course Instructors do not want to have to deal with mag reloads. Maybe they cover it in their course....but i would bet it's not a strong point of their instruction.

There are no bad pistols. Only bad instructors...

BS. I've taken enough classes with small women who had never picked up a firearm before who started with 1911's and did great. Not fast but putting hits in center of mass with authority, swapping mags plenty fast enough by the end of class, showing serious competence. It all depends on their mindset and the quality of the instruction. Yes there are some(men or women) who don't have the hand strength to confidently handle larger pistols but that's no reason to compromise those who can.

The only reason I can understand not training with a revolver. Many classes seem to teach shooting at a close distance to target with the pistol up next to you which is wise to keep the other person from grabbing or deflecting your pistol. The blast from the flash gap will burn you with a revolver.

I had to take a bunch of NRA instructors classes when Nevada changed the CCW instructor requirement from POST certified LE Firearms instructor to NRA Advanced pistol and defense outside the home. Hours of tedium among a crowd of wannabees who basically could not shoot as well as my wife. The Advanced Pistol Instructor course required that you be able to place rounds into a 12" plate at 7 yards with a time requirement of 2 forevers. An instructor couldn't refer to a gun as a weapon unless it was in the defense outside the home class.

If an instructor's only qualifications come from the NRA certs I would certainly seek out better to instruct my family, even if they had a beard and real world experience and could actually shoot to current standards.

The exclusion of revolvers and 1911s illustrates why the NRA should stick to hunting and politics.


mike r

I'm betting this has more to do with manipulating the safety on a 1911 than a trigger safety as on a Glock.

Stated another way, the training is likely based on the "least common denominator", that 1911 safety handling requires a greater level of proficiency not normally exhibited.

Sounds like the NRA is turning the old war horse out to pasture.

Seems wrong to me, even though I'm a Glock guy.

Here come the Hi-Points........

If they're gonna hold an LGBT class just call it a LGBT class, don't say no 1911's.

The 1911 hasn't been relevant as a personal defense pistol since the 1930's. Had it not been for the highly fictional writings of Jeff Cooper the gun would have gone the way of the SAA revolvers and been a historical curiosity years ago. I still think it is a fine choice for playing range games. But don't confuse that with the needs of self defense.

Follow the money!

Sir, I strongly disagree with you about both the 1911 pistol and Jeff Cooper.

Their class, their rules .
there are plenty of others running classes where you can carry virtually anything you wish,

I've read for years that the 1911 isn't a gun for beginners. I still don't understand the reason for that assumption. I find a 1911 as easy and intuitive to operate as any other handgun. Release the safety (conveniently located under your thumb) and pull the trigger. It ain't that hard.

well, i know for a FACT that the 1911 was the primary handgun for my units from when I started (1979) up into the early 1990s and then beyond once they got approval to trash the Berretta in favor of going back to the 1911,,,,,,so not sure why you would say that,,,,,,,

That's the funniest post I've read in a week here!

That's what keeps me coming back here...

someone in the NRA needs to be sent to the Black Board and have to write 1911 please forgive me 100 times

This...

I understand it and almost agree with it. For most beginning level shooters today.