One of the biggest debates in the firearms community is the conversation that surrounds the act of carrying a 1911 for self-defense. Many shooters believe that the 1911 is not suitable for concealed carry and self-defense due to a plethora of reasons but more especially: reliability issues. On the other side of the coin rests the 1911 homers. These responsible armed citizens believe that with the right pistol, the right training, and the right ammo, the 1911 can be just as effective as any other platform. We’ll let you guys be the judge of that for yourself!!!
The most glaring aspect of 1911 reliability is all about ensuring that your pistol has the right tolerances. At PSA, we love the “old man” !!!!! The 1911 is a special firearms platform that loses it’s running luster if the internal tolerances are off. Here are a couple of ways to keep your self-defense 1911 in the fight:
Ensure that the plunger spring assembly and tube is correctly tightened. If not, this may force the spring to actually lock the safety in place. It should be properly staked, almost as if it was machined into place.
***One other major thing to do is to check the extractor tension. If you are able to place a live round (still with the pistol completely disassembled) underneath the extractor, and it holds in place up against the breach face, (similarly to the position that it would be if it were to be fed into the chamber) then you have the proper tolerances.***
The 1911 is one of the most impressive pieces of firearms technology ever invented and has continued to prove that decade after decade after decade!! With the right training and proper firearm, the 1911 could make a very attractive option for defensive carry.
*** If you are unfamiliar with firearms and/or their accessories, and want to learn more, PSA strongly suggests that you find, enroll, and attend a comprehensive and reputable firearms safety course. Firearms safety is all of OUR responsibility.
We want to thank you for taking out the time to stop by our lane at the shooting range!! We hope that you enjoyed your stay and hope that you stop back by early and often to catch up on all PSA updates! We truly hope that we were able to hit the target, and if you ever have any questions please don’t hesitate to shoot them our way!! We look forward to shooting the breeze with you soon again!!
And as always….remember to watch your six and stay low!!!
Whew! That was pretty technical.