Are 1911 Pistols Safe?

Today we join the Gen Z Sales Kid and our Master Gunsmith as we discuss why the 1911 is one of the safest pistol designs ever. BTW Cocked and Locked means the weapon is loaded with the hammer back and thumb safety ON and ALWAYS use a proper holster that covers your trigger guard and trigger.
Before attempting any of the carry methods mentioned in this video make sure you receive adequate and correct training as well as always follow the 4 primary rules of gun safety:
#1 Treat all guns as if they are always loaded.
An individual who properly inspects and shows a gun to be clear before further handling is seen as a responsible and knowledgeable participant at the range. Take the time to treat every firearm that you come in contact with as though it COULD be loaded. Never assume that someone has handed you an unloaded gun. Take the time necessary to see safely inspect the firearm yourself before moving on. Never accept into your possession a firearm that you are unfamiliar thinking that you can fiddle with it until you figure it out. You will never be wrong to ask for assistance and a demonstration of safe and correct usage of that firearm.
#2 Never let the muzzle cover anything that you are not willing to destroy.
Situational awareness is critical to firearm safety. Before you make contact with the firearm consider your environment and determine your safe direction. If you are at an indoor or outdoor range and are unsure, ask. It is your responsibility to ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction 100% of the time whether you are setting up in your work area, loading, reloading, shooting, showing clear, or laying the firearm down on the bench. When walking with or transporting a long gun muzzle is Up or Down and the firearm is unloaded. If you are unsure about your range’s rules for transportation, casing/uncasing your firearm in respect to muzzle direction, ask.
#3 Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you have made the decision to shoot.
Trigger finger discipline is a learned skill and is vitally important to maintaining the safe condition of the firearm at all times. Your “Trigger Finger” must become your “Safety Finger.” From the moment you make physical contact with the firearm your finger must be kept straight and rest along the side of the frame. Through all administrative actions, such as, but not limited to, picking up, loading, reloading, fixing malfunctions, unloading or resting in various ready positions your finger is in this indexed position along the frame. Only when it is appropriate to shoot, your sights are on target and you have made the decision to shoot that you are able to move your finger from it’s indexed position onto the trigger.
#4 Be sure of your target and what lies beyond it.
You are responsible for everything which a round you shoot comes in contact with. This means another big dose of situational awareness BEFORE you make the decision to shoot! Consider the height of your target and the angle at which you will shoot it. If the round would make an impact through you intended target and impact something other than a bullet-safe berm, trap or safe zone then you are obligated not to take the shot. This means never point or fire ar anything you can’t clearly identify as a target or that would be a danger if your bullet strays, ricochets, or over-penetrates.

[@alchemy1911]

For those who may not know, and I apologize for not elaborating further: "Cocked 'n Locked" refers to the hammer being back (cocked) on the 1911 with the safety in the "up" position.

[@richardthomas6602]

With the thumb safety in the safe (up) position, the trigger and slide are both locked in place.

[@williamtoney2599]

Eli's facial expression when rob mentioned "mexican carry" , especially the part about "mexican food and women" is priceless....

[@rockylindgren5885]

We're Eli and Rob in this? Saw the two tone with ring hammer and couldn't see anything else 😅

[@rexhinlo3398]

Cocked and locked. That's how a 1911 is carried. Yes, the 1911 is safe. Very safe.

[@zekeharouff6983]

You two can’t do videos together anymore. I can’t deal with it. 🤣 There is no other way to carry a 1911 but cocked and locked. It’s how it was designed. And who are we to argue with the legend that is John Moses Browning!?

[@alchemy1911]

RCSJR and I have a special bond... that makes doing videos together very fun.

[@danielmattera4298]

I did have a GI issued 1911 that the hammer would follow the slide forward and the half-cock notch almost absolutely kept that gun from being a surprise SMG. (Replaced sear and problem went away)

[@joelslack2138]

Cool

[@granddad-mv5ef]

Completely agree! IMO, most accidental discharges are anything but.

[@Blueknight1960]

Are 1911 pistols safe? Yes they are. It's people who are not safe.

[@danielmattera4298]

Happy Cinco De Mayo ACW, I see Rob is Celebrating by carrying Mexican style!

[@ericbrabham3640]

Love it when you guys jab at each other. good video.

[@JohnMSantos]

Mexican carry😄

[@Oldhogleg]

Decades ago I bought a "FAST SAFTEY" for one of my 1911s for open carry so I can carry cocked and locked with the hammer down as to not freak people out.

[@ChrisBritton3476]

Love these videos keep them coming!!

[@alchemy1911]

We have a few more in the pipe!

[@BattleCryMuted]

I am forever a 1911 believer in condition one of the 1911. I have two Cabot's, two Alchemy's, both are loved as well as a couple/loads of other 1911's yet to be named. I gotta still throw out credos to the USP's Variant one which is a viable contender for the cocked & locked in the polymer variety. Still looking at my retirement plan of working for Cabot/Alchemy for free to just plain suck knowledge out of all of you. Rob, pretty much a big fan of both your knowledge & and your attitude.

[@alchemy1911]

RCSJR's attitude is fun... when it's not you he's having the attitude with all the time.

[@BattleCryMuted]

@@alchemy1911 Enuff said. :)

[@RustyJoe]

I love and carry 1911s every day. My first and still favorite deer rifle is a 94 Win. I admire JMB and his ingenuity, but then I remember he also played a huge part in the creation of the HiPower. Beautiful to hold and gaze upon, with a convoluted travesty of a fire control group that tuning makes one utter words unfit for a Teamsters meeting.

[@geebeaux]

Your chemistry is off the charts! Make more videos, and make more pistols! Clone yourself (again?) if you must, but stay CRABBY.

[@alchemy1911]

RCSJR doesn't believe in chemistry- just metallurgy and John Moses Browning.

[@stephenfields6236]

Good one. Simple and to the point.

[@dougwalker5434]

It’s one of the few platforms that I can mentally feel comfortable with AIWB. I just can’t get there with striker fired systems.

[@jackpearce6848]

John Moses Browning knew what he was doing.

[@dmhnc07]

Cocked and locked always when carrying.

[@andyproffitt1272]

I love you guys passion for the 1911. You are truly doing the Lord's work!

[@alchemy1911]

All we care about is the 1911!

[@michaell397]

I can't tell you how many times while I was in uniform or in civies, some officer would chew me out while I carried Cocked and Locked. Apparently the hammer scares the hell out of them. You should see the look on their face's when you explain that their plastic fantastic is cocked and not locked and only gives them a very false impression (Out of pure ignorance) their guns is safe while in truth they are some of the most dangerous handguns out there. More than once the reply was "I Had No Idea"! This was both abot the safeties on the 1911, and the total lack of a real safety on a plastic fantastic. KnifeMaker

[@alchemy1911]

People, man, they don't know what they don't know.

[@vortec6209]

You should also talk about the dangers of carrying condition 2 and condition 3.

[@evanmartinez2049]

Locked, loaded and pointed at my man parts

[@alchemy1911]

That's the way I roll.

[@pcb8639]

“Keep your booger flicker off the bang button"…I like these high tech terms. One thing we used to do to get people to carrying cocked and locked was carry the pistol in a holster with a thumb strap between the hammer blocking it from the firing pin.

[@garyK.45ACP]

They're not safe if you're the bad guy. To carry? Absolutely! I have been carrying one cocked and locked as both an off duty carry pistol and as a concealed carry handgun for 50 years. It's not my EDC, just because of wardrobe considerations, but not for safety concerns. A retried guy living in a hot climate doesn't always wear enough clothes to conceal a 1911. Even an Officer's Model. Incidentally, the early trial versions (like the 1909 auto) of what would become the 1911 did not have a thumb safety. The thumb safety was added on the Model of 1910 trial pistol at the request of the horse cavalry who wanted to be able to put the gun in use with one hand and did not want to carry the gun with an empty chamber. I don't recall any recordings of accidental discharge from people riding horses with cocked and locked 1911 pistols. Unlike the accidental discharges of the M17 pistols. 🤷‍♂

[@richardthomas6602]

This Floridian begs to differ. My 3" Colt Defender rides concealed in my pants pocket all day every day. Before that, my Colt Commander rode in a shoulder holster under my collared shirt for years. Now I don't even need to wear a shirt.

[@dennisl4000]

All guns are as safe as the person behind the trigger. That being said any gun carried with out practice, practice, practice is a false sense of security. I have always loved the 1911 since I bought my 1st one in 1977 and the 1911 was my 1st EDC when Texas legalized it in 1995. The only questionable design feature in my mind is the grip safety, but it is what it is. In recent years I have moved toward the double stack without the grip safety that I feel is the perfect evolution of the fine gun.

[@alchemy1911]

If one looks at JMB's designs leading up to the 1911, you'll notice that they're without a grip safety. That was a design requirement from the U.S. Army brass.

[@dankeglock]

If you’re not comfortable carrying a 1911 with a round chambered, then you probably have spent more time researching the gun’s finish than it’s safety features and/or invested more money in buying the gun than training with it.

[@sgtjoefriday2638]

True that.

[@Full_Otto_Bismarck]

"Steroids, it's in the Chicken!"🤣

[@michaell397]

I need more Chicken! KnifeMaker

[@alchemy1911]

We're a fan.

[@timclaus8313]

A 1911 cocked and locked is safer than a striker fired gun with a round in the chamber.

[@litsci4690]

I suppose that depends in part on your QUALITY CONTROL, or lack thereof.

[@CH-XC2011]

What about the new 2011 without GRIP SAFETY’S?

[@jonathanl2748]

The word of the day is “cocked”.

[@alchemy1911]

cock1 verb past tense: cocked; past participle: cocked 1. tilt (something) in a particular direction. "she cocked her head slightly to one side" 2. raise the cock of (a gun) in order to make it ready for firing. "he took the loaded pistol from his belt and cocked it" We're an educational bunch.

[@jonathanl2748]

And the tuition is free!

[@abc456f]

​@@alchemy1911Warms the cockles of my heart. The cock crowed three times. Cock a doodle doo. Cock of the walk. Cock fight. But don't carry your gun pointed at it.

[@toledoupsguy6064]

LMAO at keep your booger flicker off the bang button 😂❤

[@AGC828]

Rob's having a good day :)

[@kodaxkodax4153]

Is it drop safe?

[@user-ed3jm3gw6n]

Dear word, that accent is extreme! Fortunately, Eli talks normal and doesn't have one.

[@michaell397]

That did it. Now I have to wipe down the keyboard. LOL!!! KnifeMaker

[@michaelsanchez8457]

You could make one with a 9' barrel, so you can't get your hand on the trigger, and simultaneously get your body in the way of the bullet. Now that would be a "safe" pistol. Might need a brace tho.

[@manuelgarcia8301]

what do you say to those that pin the grip safety.

[@alchemy1911]

It's probably more in line with what JMB originally wanted.

[@schadenfreud33]

I would like to add, perform a proper manual of arms and check your safeties before you use them, all mechanical items can fail, I have seen 3 different safeties fail on 3 different m4 rifles one resulting in a negligent discharge(no one was hurt)

[@johnouellet4099]

I love Mexican food and Mexican ladies as well! I live in Phoenix we don’t have any shade over here, so Throw All the shade you want

[@backtobackwordlwarchamp]

*wiggles trigger finger* this is my safety

[@williamedwards7235]

#1 most funny 1911 video in 2023… “Throwing Shade”…. I’m done.

[@Stealth639]

1911 is one of the safest pistols to carry. l

[@Awesome_1789]

What's Mexican carry do you use a holster or you don't.

[@vortec6209]

No holster. Mexicans carried it that way so they could throw the gun by the wayside if stopped by police and then could successfully deny having a gun because they had no holster.

[@merrilllewis3926]

Answer, yes.

[@toddprobasco9728]

I call “Mexican carry” Magnum PI Style.

[@markhankins3023]

US Marines in garrison didn’t carry, cocked and locked. Combat zone different story.

[@joelslack2138]

It never ends 😄 John 3:Browning : thou shalt carry cocked and locked

[@blueconverse8265]

I love Mexican ladies, too 😂

[@alchemy1911]

Who doesn't?

[@dalen.tenney5210]

What's the difference between a 1911 cocked, round in the chamber, thumb safety off, and a Glock cocked, round in the chamber? Don't tell me that little lever in the trigger is a safety! Placing your finger on the Glock trigger is going to deactivate the 'safety'. The answer, of course, is keep your finger off the trigger!! Same for the 1911 in condition '0'.

[@Tac2cool556]

Depends on trigger weight on the 1911 or any gun

[@TacticalMustache.-hv6sp]

Olé.!!

[@SPG063]

A 1911 has not more safety features than a glock… A Glock got 3 safety features The firing pin only can reach the primer when the trigger is pulled, it cant go off without no reason and how should the trigger go off by itself????? On the 1911 the hammer can fall down or get caught somewhere and slip and it just shoots.. typical oldheads no smart men carries a 1911 over a glock

[@yeetyeet8365]

DOUBLE DOOFUS 😂. THEIR QUALITY CONTROL IS SLIPPING. BE CAREFUL. CHEERS 😂

[@toadallyawesome5632]

Lol safest no way. Is it a series 70 ouch drop tht bitch see what happens. Is it a series 80 if so u got a garbo trigger thus y even have it. Not to mention all thoes safetys can also keep u from firing the pistol in unconventional shooting positions. There is a reason most switched away from a 1911. Does it work ya sure. So does an m1 grand. But would u really use that over and ar15 or light weight ar10 absolutely not. Tht is unless u like it for nostalgia. Wich lets b honest is the only reason to get a 1911. Other than that heavy usually more expensive. Requires more lub and more parts more time invested in training. And on top of it all lets say u get a steccato and do have to use it. Well better order anothe 4k pistol cuz the cops arent giving u that one back. And as it being used as a quote un quote duty pistol, if it gets dropped in a scuffle that could cost an inocent life.

[@alchemy1911]

That's a whole lot of words, too bad I'm not readin' 'em.

[@toadallyawesome5632]

@@alchemy1911 That's a cool story idc.

[@blackops8996]

1911 suck

[@65philo]

That's how I carry my 911😅😂😊

[@tobylopez445]

I would like to ask? why can't 1911 be carried fully loaded and the manual safety off? Now before, you all think I would be crazy to carry like this, I would like to mention that I know for a fact it has a super light trigger and anything that might touch it will make the Gun go boom. Now! here is the interesting part to this, have you ever seen the trigger GUARD HOLSTER that snaps onto the trigger guard and completely blocks the trigger from anything touching it? So with the grip safety engaged but the trigger not accessible there is just no way that the hammer will come down on the firing pin! just won't happen. 1911 has a manual safety, grip safety, and last but not least the trigger finger is your other safety. You can engage and disengage the safeties but the trigger is the ultimate detonation factor on any pistol. I practiced carrying appendix with my 1911 with no rounds in the magazine and non in the chamber with the trigger guard holster in place and the Hammer has never come down on the firing pin. the reason I shared this information is to get some feedback on this topic! and a reasonable explanation of this theory and why this is not a good idea! I carried it at home for close to 5 months and I purposely tried to activate the hammer to fall but the sear kept doing its Job. PS I only did this because I make it a point to know how every one of my weapons functions and never ever touch the trigger unless I am sure I want to fire my weapon.