Hilton Yam's path away from the 1911

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I took his class 7-8 years ago (can't recall) and it felt it was a complete waste of time and ammunition. But he was clear on this--anybody wasting their time shooting a 1911 is silly. He said you should shoot a Glock 9mm because they are as close to maintenance free as they come, are reasonably easy to train people on and shoot cheap 9mm ammo. Seems to be what everybody else is saying now too.

[jedi391]

Until you get your shirt caught between the hammer and the firing pin. (Haven't done it myself, but I've known folks who have.)



I had a thought this morning while walking my dog…

Are we talking about safety or reliability and durability including under less than ideal conditions?

There aren't very many folks who feel that any single action-only pistol is safer than a striker-fired pistol or a double-action pistol or revolver. Although that's not a comparison anybody has been making.

I would think the safest option would be a TDA with a manual safety, that's useable, which basically leaves HK. Problem I had with that set up was I'd decock under stress during strings sometimes if I rode my thumb above it and could accidentally engage it if I moved my thumb below. It just didn't work for me. I'd say the safest practical offering from how this question is posed would be an M&P with manual safety or a wait for it......1911. Next would be TDA/Revolver followed by Glock and non-safety equipped M&P's. Having said that I don't think the difference is enough to make a big deal out of.

[jedi391]

I took his class 7-8 years ago (can't recall) and it felt it was a complete waste of time and ammunition. But he was clear on this--anybody wasting their time shooting a 1911 is silly. He said you should shoot a Glock 9mm because they are as close to maintenance free as they come, are reasonably easy to train people on and shoot cheap 9mm ammo. Seems to be what everybody else is saying now too.

I find Yeagers videos entertaining and there's some good info there. But.......there's other stuff as well. In fairness we all have our own style.

[RHINOWSO]

Assuming the two people you are referring to are LAV and Hackathorn, I'm curious why Hackathorn just put his name on the side of a 1911???

$$$$$$$

[MountainRaven]

How does that even happen? I lift my shirt with my left hand then bring it to support position.
I usually carry 4 o'clock OWB with a shirt covering it, and a jacket on.

Retention shooting at contact distances.

Not going to lie. I have no problem at all carrying a glock or other striker fired gun pointed at my junk,I do not carry a 1911 cocked and locked and pointed at my junk. With a 1911 hammer cocked and locked, the potential energy stored in the hammer spring gives me enough pause not to point it at my junk.

I would be much more comfortable carrying a 1911 (or other hammer-fired pistol) AIWB than anything striker-fired (except the P7), personally, because of the control I have over the hammer's position independent of the trigger.

I would think the safest option would be a TDA with a manual safety, that's useable, which basically leaves HK. Problem I had with that set up was I'd decock under stress during strings sometimes if I rode my thumb above it and could accidentally engage it if I moved my thumb below. It just didn't work for me. I'd say the safest practical offering from how this question is posed would be an M&P with manual safety or a wait for it......1911. Next would be TDA/Revolver followed by Glock and non-safety equipped M&P's. Having said that I don't think the difference is enough to make a big deal out of.

I would point you to a P30S with LEM.

[jedi391]

I would point you to a P30S with LEM.

We have a winner, I didn't realize that was available. I may need to take a look.

[MistWolf]

An easy to shoot pistol isn't a crutch, nor is it the problem. If an easy to shoot pistol was the problem, we'd take Glocks away from those who find Glocks easiest pistols of all to shoot. The problem is the shooter's limited exposure to other firearms and their inability and/or unwillingness to adapt to something different. Shooters should be exposed to other weapons and their idiosyncrasies. But it's astonishing how many of the current crop of shooters have little experience with firearms outside of ARs, M9s and Glocks. I was blessed to grow up with a father who was like the Pokemon Master of firearms- he had to collect them all. I was exposed to all types of strange and wonderful arms and learned their basic manual of arms. If I complained about some horrible trigger or other deficiency, the answer was always the same- "Don't shoot it then!" I suppose the flip side to this is possible training scars. There are those that worry that learning to use a variety of arms leads to training scars. I'll leave that debate to those who know more on the subject than I do.

Keep in mind, with this post, I am discussing the matter of an easy to shoot pistol being a crutch, not whether or not the 1911 is still the superior handgun or if it's long since been passed by. I like my 1911 very much and it's never let me down. However, my experience and level of expertise on that matter is surpassed by several experts and I humbly submit that arguing with them would definitely put me out of my lane (which in this case is to the far right of the curb)

[Magic_Salad0892]

Retention shooting at contact distances.

That actually makes a lot of sense. Thanks, man.

[SPDGG]

By shooting 1911's you are basically screwing yourself from being be able to shoot a Glock or an M&P or a DA/SA gun (well). The 1911 basically masks all your bad habits or just inability to shoot. If I was king for a day, all new shooters would learn to master a revolver or a DA/SA trigger before moving onto another gun. Why? Because people that shoot revolvers or DA/SA guns (well) can pick up ANY gun and shoot it very well in a short amount of time (like 1-2 mags).

^ Grant, glad you mentioned this. I could not agree more. Spot on

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

That's fine, if you only shoot 1911s. My regular weekend drill is a fair amount through my J-frame (which, in this new world, has the best trigger EVER). After I get though with that I train with my 1911s. I have a buddy who really can only shoot Glock triggers (and Steyr) because that's all he shoots. To him everything else is hard. Frankly, it sounds like you guys should get a HK 45 and shoot it in DA. Now there is a practice trigger.