1911 question

[fastsvt1998]

Hi, kind of new to the forums so I hope this is the right place to post this. I have a Kimber 1911 TLE/RL. I use it mainly for home defense. I would like to know if keeping the hammer back with the safety on puts any undue stress on any springs. If someone is coming into the house, I dont want to take the time, or make the noise of racking the slide. However, when I leave for work in the morning and it goes back in the safe, I have to remove the clip and eject the chambered round. Just curious what you guys do and whats the best method.

[grammaton76]

I'm not sure how annoyed you are at having to pull the mag and eject the round, but if you're annoyed by it to the point of buying another gun...

I'll point out that my Sig 229 has a decocker and an SA/DA trigger setup. So, if you use something like that for home defense, you could leave the hammer down (no tension) and the mag inserted.

[fastsvt1998]

It's not that bad. But I am wondering if I can just store it in the safe with the hammer back and the safety on as it will be going right back into the nightstand when I get home. I just wanted to know if that is stressing any parts.

[Kruzr]

Keeping it in condition one won't hurt a 1911.....assuming it won't sit that way for years. While it won't hurt it, it's not a bad idea to unload it when you put it in the safe if you are leaving. In that case, lower the hammer by pulling the trigger after clearing the gun and making sure the chamber is empty.

[SVTNate]

Springs wear out by constant compression/decompression. They don't wear out by remaining constantly compressed (like your hammer spring in Condition One), or decompressed (like an empty mag).

Keep your 1911 in Condition One. As a precaution, I would probably have a competent gunsmith inspect the gun every few years, unless you're shooting it semi-regularly (a few times per year, at least) then you can keep track of the gun's proper function yourself.

Just remember to swap out the recoil spring for a fresh one every 3,000 rounds or so. The other springs in a 1911 will last much longer.

[mike100]

If I was going to leave it cocked and locked, I'm pretty sure it would be safer in a holster. this type of gun is best carried with the trigger protected via a holster and leaving it laying around makes me think that it should be handled the same so that when you go to grab it, it has the same level of covering protection forcing you to grip it properly should the safety somehow be disengaged etc.

automatics are often best left empty chambered with a full mag so you can rack one into battery if you need to handle some business with bad people. The revolver was made for a nightstand gun you could leave it loaded for 10 years and no springs would wear out and it is safe to leave revolvers 'chambered' since double action is safe and simple.

[fastsvt1998]

All good points. Thank you guys. Anyone know anything about that add in the mags where you attach your holster to this adjustable bracket, then you can bolt it to a wall or it has a matress adapter?

[TMC]

Do you have a fire extinguisher next to your bed?

[ARRRR-15]

or make the noise of racking the slide.

Why not? You might scare them away. Or at least keep them out of your room. If you have family(maybe in other rooms), then I guess that is a different story. Again, they will probably just take off. I know if I heard the slide I would be outta there.

[fastsvt1998]

Do you have a fire extinguisher next to your bed?

I missed the joke?

[colossians323]

Do you have a fire extinguisher next to your bed?

Have you ever read the armed citizen in the freedom magazine monthly?

[fastsvt1998]

Yeah, but I don't remember anything about that.

[TMC]

I missed the joke?

Just stiring up stuff, statistically you are something like 20 times more likely to have a fire in your home as an armed intruder. This was the first thing asked in a Clint Smith firearms class.

[BigRich]

Something to consider when you cycle a loaded round through a self loader is the wear and tear to the cartridge itself. The projectile might be pushed further into the case over time. This means higher pressures and a shorter round. The extractor groove also gets chewed up. Make sure you segregate those "first rounds" after a predetermined number of cycles and use them at the range. If the pistol is locked in the safe and no one else has access to it, why not leave it loaded. Or just leave it with a loaded mag, empty chamber and hammer down.

[KimoBBZ]

60 years might be a fluke, but...

Condition One is the way a 1911 is supposed to be "ready for action". If it's going back in the safe, why unload it?

My daily routine includes opening the safe when arriving home from work and pulling 2 pistols out... a G21 w/ M6 attached for me (full mag, chamber empty), and a Colt LW Officers (kept in Condition One) for my wife. I normally keep the G21 within arms reach, the Colt goes into a Mossberg Pistol safe in my wife's nightstand. In the AM, they both go back in to the main safe - many times my wife forgets to put the Colt back, but at least it's secured... just vulnerable to theft... even though the little pistol safe is bolted inside a nightstand, it wouldn't be too hard to pry out - it's more for keeping our 2 year old away from it (she has to wait until she's 5 at least ) Sounds like a lot to deal with on a everyday basis, but once it's part of your routine, it becomes 2nd nature, and really what's 2-3 minutes?

Even if you only train with your house gun a couple times a year, you'd have oppurtunity to notice any malfunctions and address them. Keep a complete spring kit handy if it makes you feel better prepared to address any spring related issues - Wolff makes nice kits. I get to the range more often, but my wife & her Colt have only made it 4 times in the past 2 years (since our daughter was born). Enough to keep her skill & confidence level up and to make sure the pistol is 100%. She's had that Colt since 1992 and while I've replaced the recoil & magazine springs many times, I've yet to use the rest of the Wolff kit. I bought her a Kimber Tactical Ultra awhile back and she likes it... but she LOVES her Colt.

Here's a thread from a 1911 forum that has a story about a WWII 1911 found in Condition One (owner deceased) supposedly kept that way for 60 years!! Unlikely IMHO, but makes me want to get more definitive data...

...However, when I leave for work in the morning and it goes back in the safe, I have to remove the clip and eject the chambered round...