Conceal Carry - Full Frame 1911 Anyone?

[Major_A]

I just started a new part time (still can't find a full time job) a few weeks ago. Basically I drive my car all over the NE/E side of Houston checking inventory for the company I work for at convenience stores (let this be a lesson, don't get a business degree, unless it's Harvard). When I started my store list had me checking into 5th Ward and Denver Harbor. If you know anything about Houston you know that those aren't the safest neighborhoods (think Boyz in the Hood). I got my boss to scratch those neighborhoods but I still have some in a bad part of town. I'm not the smallest guy, 6'2" about 190 pounds but I'm just one little guy in a bad part of town.

To get to the point, I own 2 pistols, a full frame 1911 and a .380. The .380 is out for two reasons, one the gun always jams and two it's a .380 caliber. If I have to draw down on someone and actually shoot I want them to go down if I hit them. I don't have the money to get the gun I want to carry, Springfield XD Compact in .45. But I can afford the CC class and other paperwork. I have a few contentions with the 1911. The model I have has an ambidextrous safety and if you carry a 1911 you keep the hammer cocked. I'm afraid I'd snag the safety somehow and blow a hole in my ass (and a .45 ACP round in the tukis would probably be fatal). The other more obvious reason is the weight of the gun. The only thing on my 1911 that isn't steel is the grips. Plus a full clip of .45 ammo with preferably an additional clip that's some weight to lug around and try to conceal.

So after all that longwindedness, does anyone here carry a full frame 1911 and find it comfortable?

[DragonFury]

I need a permit for a gun to be able to tote it around. if I were to tote one one though it be a Beretta 9mm because of its small size and 0 kick. Dont get me wrong the 1911 is a good weapon no doubt about that. But I can squeeze off 4 - 5 rounds on a Beretta a lot faster then a 1911. carry a knife, also just keep to yourself, 90% of the time they ignore you as long as you dont look like you going to start trouble. I lived in an area outside of San Bernardino, Chino CA, as long as I kept to myself I get left alone.

[Major_A]

Texas is about to change the process to get your license. I might not have the gun I want before then. Apparently it's going to be more expensive and some other changes, not sure what they are.

I can't buy a 9MM handgun. Sure they're cheap to shoot but it's a 9MM. On top of that a 9MM has a pretty bad over-penetration problem. It would be my luck I'd have to shoot, hit a bystander and get sued. My brother in law's Ruger P89 9MM is the most reliable handgun I've ever seen in my life. I have never seen it malfunction once. And we've shot the gun when it was dirty as hell. I call it the AK of the handgun.

The "smallest" gun I'd consider would be a little snub nose .357 Mag. I like big bullets that impart more energy.

Plus in my own weird way I have to stick to the .45 ACP. It's a kindred connection with my fellow Jan. 21 Browning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Moses_Browning
Share the same birthday (maybe) and the same last name. He designed the .45 ACP round, the 1911 and the .380 ACP round, to name a small sample. Probably why I bought that hunk of junk on a whim.

[bubba]

I have a full frame 1911, so does dad. On personal property in the boonies I carry. Dont have my CCW yet. Dad does and does carry a custom built all steel 1911.

I have a WIDE heavy duty quality leather belt, also a inside the waste band holster. That requires larger pants, but I also have a outside the waste leather hip holster as well I use for IDPA shoots.

Now, for all my running and what have ya I do for the comps I don't notice the weight, but my dad ware suspenders because even without the gun he has a hard time keeping his pants up, little to no back porch (so to speak)

Can you carry a full frame 1911, yeah. Are they heavy, hell yeah.

I'd get the holster you plan to use, dress the way you plan to dress for work, and ware the empty weapon around the house. See how you do with it.

Also nothing wrong with a .380, other than its hard to find ammo for. If you can hit where you're aiming .380 or .45ACP is all the same, .45 though you can be less picky.

Mine


Ground up custom dad built

[Major_A]

That's a good idea. Find a good carry holster and just carry it around the house. See how it feels and go from there. The .380 jams once every 8 round clip. I sent it to a certified Bersa repair guy but I haven't shot it since I got it back. He also failed to include with the gun what if anything he did. Hopefully he replaced the barrel spring with something a lot stiffer since it was stove piping like crazy.

[bubba]

stove piping is the ejector being week or dirty. With that having an external ejector its more than likely gunk in there. I use ballistol cleaner and can air to blow out the space around my external ejectors.

[Major_A]

Before I sent it in I looked around the web for Bersa Thunder .380 stove pipe failures and they are abundant. For all I know it was a bad part. When I clean my guns after shooting them, sooner the better, I typically use the aerosol spray cleaner, Hoppes for the barrel, Hoppes oil for the moving parts. Sometimes I'll bust out the compressor and shoot some 90 PSI air into the parts after I scrub them down. It could be that I'm not cleaning the gun correctly. Don't really know if it's fixed or not. Like I said I haven't shot it since. But I will definitely keep an eye out on the extractor next time I get done shooting.

[Major_A]

Hey bubba I remembered that I have an extra muzzle brake for my 1911 if you're interested. I bought it off of cheaperthandirt.com a few years ago when I bought the gun. After I placed the order I never got the brake, emailed the company and the next day I had the part. Two weeks later my initial order showed up. Truth be told I don't keep it on the gun and when I tried it I couldn't tell a difference in felt recoil. I had high hopes but they weren't there. It wasn't like when I slapped the brake on my AK-74 that's for sure.

Here are some pics of the gun with and without the brake installed and a picture of the brake itself. If the pictures suck blame my phone.

[bubba]

Don't have a need for one right now. I have one for my steel plate setup.



EDIT: Also the compensator style you have for replacing the bushing isn't part of the barrel, instead part of the slide. With a cone type that is machined to fit the barrel you will notice the difference. The comp also stays put, doesn't move with the slide. Its the style I have. Same for your AK, thats why you noticed the difference.

If you want to reduce mussel flip for your carry, look at getting a tungsten guide rod. It will add weight.
http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseP ... +guide+rod