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I have read that the original Browning design of the 1911 didn't have a grip safety and that it was put on at the request of the U.S. Army. Many people have said that it isn't necessary and was installed only because the military didn't trust that the GI could safely use the firearm without the extra precaution.

My question to you: If commercial 1911 handguns were sold without a grip safety would you buy and carry it?

No.
I like it! It makes me feel warm & fuzzy!

WildBill wrote:My question to you: If commercial 1911 handguns were sold without a grip safety would you buy and carry it?

I have no problems with carry guns without a grip safety. I carried numerous such guns.

Not sure I'd want to purchase a 1911 that way, but only because then it would no longer be a 1911 -- it would be some other illegitimate offspring version of a 1911.

If I had a choice between the two, I'd go with the grip safety.

I like the additional safety factor.

The Model 1911 was really the replacement for the Model 1873 SAA, which was a cavalry pistol. When the Army wanted the grip safety added, it was because they envisioned the pistol being used from horseback, cocked and UN-locked and then being let go to hang from a lanyard. They didn't want it to go BANG! if it were roughly jarred against the saddle, etc during a hard ride over rough ground. So, the grip safety prevents that. Not sure how useful it is in a modern context but its part of the design. I know there have been pistols modified to pin down the safety so that its always "on".

...no...I like it...

Let me see, my High Power has no grip safety just a thumb safety, My M&P has no safety except for the trigger, My SigPro 2022 only has a decocker, My XD has grip safety no thumb safety, my 686 has no safety at all. I wouldn't have a problem with a so called "1911" without a grip safety. Novak offers a conversion that does away with the grip safety. The real safety is inside your head.

eta: Listen to Andy he speaks the truth about safeties.

Col. Cooper was known to remove or disable the grip safety on his personal 1911s, with that said mine are 100% functional.

george wrote:What Andy said. The last "American Handgunner" has an article concerning the 1910 prototype, without thumb safety.

So, would you carry the 1910 prototype without the thumb safety?

WildBill wrote:

george wrote:What Andy said. The last "American Handgunner" has an article concerning the 1910 prototype, without thumb safety.

So, would you carry the 1910 prototype without the thumb safety?

Nope.
Thumb safety AND Grip safety are the perfect configuration for the 1911 and I would not change a thing.

...........other than to shoot the idiots who invented the Firing Pin safety (series 80) & Kimber......& others.

Oh and to put two rounds into the Lawyer Lock crowd.

Disclaimer:....."shoot" is only an expression.....not an actual action.

george wrote:

WildBill wrote:

george wrote:What Andy said. The last "American Handgunner" has an article concerning the 1910 prototype, without thumb safety.

So, would you carry the 1910 prototype without the thumb safety?

I carry a H&K P7; same idea, different fingers to activate. So, yeah, the lack of thumb safety would not stop me from carrying a 1910.

I don't know if the H&K P7 is the same idea. I thought that squeezing the grip cocked the gun. The 1911 would already be cocked and locked.

I would prefer a grip safety to the thumb safety if one where to be removed. Grip safety being reliably active while holstered when a thumb safety could possibly be toggled. I'd prefer both though.