Safety Features of a 1911 Pistol
The 1911 pistol was designed and built by John Browning to meet a specific military contract. It’s not just the Safety Features of a 1911 Pistol that helped it evolved into a sidearm of choice for many gun enthusiasts but also because of its ergonomics and reliability.
Modern gunsmiths have made numerous upgrades to the original design, such as hand-fit barrels, adjustable target sights, ambidextrous safety levers and more. These features add usability and a more contemporary feel to the 1911.
1. Grip Safety Features of a 1911 Pistol
The grip safety on a 1911 pistol prevents rearward movement of the trigger and slide until the gun is gripped properly. Grip safeties are a
popular feature on a variety of handguns from full-size to micro-compact carry pistols, and they’re also found on some non-pistol firearms.
True 1911 aficionados swear by this safety. It prevents accidental discharges and keeps your fingers out of the trigger, which is a huge plus for safety-minded shooters.
During the past century, some gunmakers have tampered with the design of a 1911 pistol to change or eliminate safety features. In some cases, these changes can morph a pistol into something that doesn’t match its original design.
2. Thumb Safety
The thumb safety of a 1911 pistol is one of the best, most well-designed manual safety on any handgun. It’s situated ideally, resting on the thumb naturally, and forces a high and firm grip.
When cocked and locked, the 1911’s safety inhibits the hammer from moving when the trigger is pulled. This prevents accidental discharges.
Many new shooters find the operation of the 1911’s safety intimidating. Often they’re unaware that they have to cock the hammer and engage the thumb safety before pulling the trigger.
To test this, holt the gun up next to your ear and just touch the hammer with the back of your thumb. Do you hear a click?
3. Slide Lock Safety Features of a 1911 Pistol
The slide lock features of a 1911 pistol ensure that the gun will not discharge once the pistol chamber is fully loaded and ready to fire. This is an important safety feature that can help prevent accidental discharges.
The manual safety, located at the top left rear of the frame, locks the slide and blocks hammer disengagement when engaged (this can be made ambidextrous with a variety of accessory parts). Also present on some models is a grip safety that, when not deactivated by hand holding the pistol, blocks the hammer from being pushed out from the sear.
This is a great safety feature to have on any gun. It is especially useful on a pistol with a cocked hammer, since it can make it easier to remove the hammer from the firing grip without tripping the trigger.
4. Trigger Safety
The trigger safety on a 1911 pistol is one of the best and most robust in the world. Unlike the double-action trigger of a revolver, the 1911’s single-action trigger requires minimal finger pressure to engage when tuned in and fitted correctly.
This makes it a great choice for defensive use. But it’s also a bit more susceptible to inadvertent firing than a double-action trigger.
Another important trigger safety on a 1911 pistol is the disconnector, which prevents the hammer from falling if the gun’s trigger is depressed. To test the disconnector, cock the pistol as if you were going to fire it and then press the muzzle against a hard surface.
This will force the slide and barrel to move to the rear as far as it will go–roughly.25 inch–then return to the forward position. If the hammer falls during this test, it’s an indication that the disconnector is not functioning properly.
