FunkyColdMedina

Hi folks,

I've been considering transitioning from carrying a S&W 640-1 on my belt to my ParaOrdnance C6.45.

My current concern is when to switch the safety off. Should I switch the safety off,

• When I unholster the weapon.
• When I have a good sight picture and know that I have to shoot.

I'm sure that I'm going to have more questions like this. Is there a good text regarding this type of subject?

--Erwin

Eagleks

Good question, but I am NOT a 1911 expert by any means. I have just started carrying one myself. But, I don't see any difference... I'll push of the safety whenever I'm ready to fire... or the situation dictates. Now that may be 1/4 of a second.

retsupt99

With practice and muscle memory, the safety will come off when your firearm clears the holster. I don't even think about the safety anymore, it's just part of the draw.

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BikerRN

I flick my safety off after the gun has cleared the leather and the barrel is pointing downrange. That is done at almost waist level as I rotate, for lack of a better descriptive word, the gun towards the target as soon as I clear leather.

As I am pushing the gun out towards my target my support hand slides across my stomach and I grasp the gun when the barrel has passed my body plane.

The above only applies if I am shooting under a timeclock or a real life scenario. It's how I practice too. I don't necessarily recommend that anyone else do this. It is just what I do.

If you do decide to do this please get some coaching under the auspices of a qualified professional.

Biker

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dukalmighty

Safety comes off as it comes out of holster,booger hook stays off trigger until ready to fire,if threat is imminent IE gun in hand or shots already fired then as I'm coming on target finger is on trigger ready to squeeze

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ghost tracker

The thumb safety is to prevent AD/ND when the 1911 isn't in your hand. Once it's in your hand, your brain & your trigger-finger take over the job.

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llongshot

My vote goes to the "safety off ASAP and trigger finger indexed alongside the weapon" With a little practice this will take your mind off what your thumb's doing and give you only two things to concentrate on. Sights and trigger function.

Mardet65

Take the safety off when the weapon is unholstered.

Taking the safety off once you have a good sight picture is more than likely gonna' change that sight picture.

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Rexster

I do not move the lever to off-safe until the muzzle starts to orient itself toward a target. Once off-safe, however, I do not keep flicking it back and forth as the situation changes. This stuff of going back to on-safe repeatedly can become comical. I no longer use a high-thumb hold, at least not all the time, so "finger off trigger, indexed on frame" is my main safety once the gun is in hand. Depending on the circumstances, I may have the gun in-hand, with safety on, thumb on safety, for an extended period, but once the safety is wiped off, and the thumb horizontal below the safety, I am not likely to flip it back up to on-safe until I re-holster.

I know this may go against the grain of some of the tactical boys, who sound like an old-fashioned typewriter clacking as they on-and-off-safe repeatedly while moving. I am too old to care what the tactical boys think. The finger indexed on the frame worked for the sixguns I carried before the 1911, and worked for the Glocks I carried immediately after the 1911, and it works for the SIGs I usually carry now. ( I am back to the 1911 for occasional carry.)

FunkyColdMedina

I've been leaning towards this. It makes the most sense to me.

However, I do like the idea of swiping the safety off only when I know that I'm going to fire. This helps with the possibility that my weapon could be taken from me. My weapon could be less easily used against me.

Still, I'm realizing how much training and thought has to go into this possible transition. I just need to decide and then practice, practice, practice, ....

Again, thanks to everyone...

--Erwin