Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Grip safety necessary?

This topic has probably been covered before but I’d like to get some opinions and thoughts. When I grip a 1911 (I shoot right handed), I wrap my right thumb over the top of my left hand right behind the 1st knuckle of my left thumb, and my left thumb rests on the left side of the pistol below the slide. There may be better ways to grip the pistol, but this is a comfortable grip for me. When I do this, it lifts the palm of my right hand off of the grip safety a little bit. Once in a while, it lifts it enough that the safety engages. I have a raised beaver tail grip safety on all my 1911s. I have a STI 2011 with an EVO grip that has the grip purposefully deactivated by design. I don’t have any problems with this, but I do continually check the thumb safety when it’s holstered. I also don’t let anyone else shoot that pistol.
What are your thoughts and experiences as to deactivating the grip safety?

Generally neither necessary nor a good idea, IMO, but there are just some people that don't want it that way & it's really no worse than other guns absent the grip safety.

I would just suggest that the detent on the thumb safety be in good shape so that the safety does not easily come off accidentally.

I actually still have a parts gun that due to tolerances & hole spacing, a normal grip safety will not stop the gun from firing, so it has only an active thumb safety.

MM

Personally I think you should learn to grip the pistol correctly. A 1911 requires a certain grip style and if you can't do that, then maybe you should get a pistol without a grip safety.

A very good assessment. I agree.

Right thumb on riding on thumb safety?

The further one deviates from an original design...

Jeff Cooper used to have a gunsmith pin his permanently in the disengaged position. It's not necessary for safe handling. Think about it ... All those little .380 autos on the 1911 pattern without them, and no one says they're unsafe because of it.

I'd bet most of those are carried with an empty chamber.

If carried loose in a pocket, that's the only way to be safe with them, but in a pocket holster or a belt holster, you could carry them cocked and locked in reasonable safety.

This the Answer.

My thoughts? Well...each person is responsible for their own firearm(s). If you want to pin your grip safety, go right ahead. You having a gun altered so that it is easier to fire doesn't mean that you are less safe with that gun. It's about you, not the gun. Just like there are some people who could carry a gun with 5 safeties on it, and they'd still be unsafe. It's them, not the gun.

No, the grip safety is not necessary. Earlier designs by JMB leading up to the 1911, did not have a grip safety. It was at the request of the U.S. Calvary that led to the grip safety in case a trooper lost control of his pistol and it was dangling from the lanyard. The Browning Hi-Power a later design of JMB, which was finished by another, does not have a grip safety. No issues there... Lots of single-action semi-auto pocket pistols, so to speak, as mentioned above, don't have a grip safety. They can be carried safely in a pocket holster, condition 1, as long as nothing else is carried in the pocket. I see it all the time. No issues.

Yes, the Col. had some of the grip safeties pinned. Some in the vault do not have them pinned. As referenced above, "The Answer" by Wayne Novak, is a viable option. Now, deactivating a safety device on a defensive firearm is another issue/topic all together. Game guns, no issue.

The thumb should ride the thumb safety. 1). It prevents accidentally re-engaging the safety under recoil. 2). It forces a slightly higher grip, which in turns helps to completely dis-engage the grip safety. and keeps it dis-engaged. 3). Keeping the thumb on the safety acts a lever to counteract muzzle rise under recoil. The only time the thumb comes off the safety is to re-engage before returning to the holster.

Just my humble opinion.

Respectfully to all,

Dave

Thanks to all for your replies. Dave, thanks for the info. This pistol is a EDC. I’m going to adjust my grip and leave the grip safety in place. I tried the thumb riding the thumb safety and it’s as comfortable or more comfortable than the grip I was using and gives me better contact between my shooting hand and the pistol. Thanks again.