How to grip a GI style 1911...

My fist 1911 was a Colt Delta Elite, and short of the Commander hammer it had a GI style grip safety save for being ground down to clear the hammer. I shot it like any revolver or auto pistol with my thumb on the grip panel. It shot well and felt fine in my hand. After going to a multitude of modern 1911's with extended safeties and beavertail grip safeties, I learned I was supposed to have my thumb on the safety. Didn't take long and it felt natural and just right. Now, I only have my stainless Series 80 with the GI style hammer and grip safety and that just doesn't feel right at all, partly because you can't get your hand as high and partly because the rear of the frame is more pointed since it hasn't been radiused for a high ride beavertail grip safety. Anyhow, just curious if you 1911 guys with the standard grip safeties shoot them with a low thumbs or high thumbs sorta grip. Thought about converting this one but I'm not real sure I want to...I kinda like it like it is. I would like to find a genuine Delta Elite grip safety and Commander hammer eventually or find a good gunsmith that can mill mine down to the same profile. Anyhow, appreciate your thoughts, rob.

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Who says you are supposed to keep your thumb on the safety? Bullseye shooters do that, for what reason I have never figured out since I have not shot bullseye since my Army days and wasn't very good then.

Put your thumb back down on the grip, and put the pad of your support hand on top of your strong-hand thumb when shooting two-handed. Makes the gun recoil straight back and helps your bottom fingers pull the gun back down out of recoil.

Catoosa, tryin' to pretend I know what I'm talking about...

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Bullseye shooters doing that. Seems more of an IPSC/PPC type thing. I think the general idea is you don't bump the safety on under recoil but I've never had that problem.

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A properly fitted safety with a positive detent won't get bumped on. I have an older Springfield that has a "mushy" safety, and I don't think I've ever bumped it on. OTOH, the slide stop CAN get bumped up by the tip of your off-hand thumb and lock the slide back. That's why I favor keeping both thumbs locked down so they don't do any mischief.

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I have always kept my thumb on the safety, just feels right to me. Use whatever grip feels good and you can shoot accurately with.

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I have no idea which is the correct method. I am left handed and have never developed a liking for ambi-safeties so I don't put my thumb on a safety. I like to keep all of my digits below the slide. Less chance of getting cut that way and avoids the possibility retarding the slide velocity with too much side pressure.

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I thought about that myself. I think ultimately, it's important that you grip all handguns the same, at least for the most part. If you own a Glock, a Sig and a 1911, it would get confusing in an emergency if you had to think about where to put your thumb on a particular model. Sarge sent me this yesterday and it confirmed and settled my thoughts on the matter. http://sargesrollcall.blogspot.com/2008/04/sacred-cow-gored.html

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You and John Connor are entertaining as well as educating....

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Sarge, please continue writing articles like that. I for one always enjoy them, and most of the time I learn something. Big +
I don't remember who taught me to grip a handgun that way, but I'm glad they did.
That's funny because I normally remember the gun and outdoor experiences I grew up in.
That grip always felt most comfortable to me because I wanted to hang on to the gun and not get it knocked or wrestled away as you said in your scenarios. It just made more sense that way.
In regards to stance I still use the Weaver Stance mostly, although I've heard it somewhere that many if not most people resort to Isosceles under stress. I couldn't put a name to that statement, so I don't know if it is true or not.
Any thought on that part of the shooting form ie. Weaver vs. Isoscelese?

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anatomy; just use it all the time so it burns into your muscle memory.

I stated shooting a lot one handed a few years ago because I think it's an excellent marksmanship practice, and a number of 'under stress' shootings I'm familiar with were successfully resolved with one hand.

I think because the speed, angle and proximity of the attack it is often impossible to get both hands on the gun or orient the entire body to allow engaging a threat with both hands on it. My own limited experience with this bears this out and it's reassuring to know you are going to hit despite this supposed handicap.

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