Assessing the commitment factor

Shooting Industry, Sept, 2008 by Massad Ayoob

Joe recently retired from the sporting goods industry, where he was involved in research and product development. He is new to handguns, but is a highly accomplished archer and there is a lot of crossover at work. After consulting with several accomplished handgunners, he has decided on a carry-size 1911 .45 auto. He selected the Kimber SIS in the Pro variation, with a full-length grip frame and 4" barrel. And he's doing remarkably well with it.

He has committed himself to a serious regimen of both training and practice, and he is virtually flawless in his handling of the cocked-and-locked pistol. His archery career has given him a good understanding of kinesiology, and he has good natural manual dexterity. He finished the qualification with an excellent score and no malfunction problems.

Liability Factor

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John was a skilled bull's-eye shooter before he decided to carry a gun concealed. He didn't want to discard his long familiarity with the 1911 .45 platform, but his reading in the field and his discussions with police friends convinced him there was a reason most cops aren't allowed to carry cocked-and-locked pistols with short, easy trigger pulls. Understanding the concerns with civil liability, he decided that a doubleaction-only auto made the most sense for his defensive carry needs

He chose a compact CCW model of the Para-Ordnance 1911 .45 auto, in its LDA (Light Double Action) variation. Quickly adapting to the pistol's longer but smooth trigger pull, he was able to transfer all his grasping and pointing habituation to the new carry gun. After his last 60 double-action shots on the qualification range, he finished in first place, ahead of the other 27 shooters in his class.

Habituation Factor

Ed has been a bull's-eye shooter for many years and, like John, he has an affinity for 1911s. He sees value in transferring all that experience and training to self-defense. His finely tuned match target guns, with their snug tolerances and tight match chambers, aren't something he'd trust in a life-or-death situation. He wanted something more "street-reliable."

His choice: a 5" barrel Colt Government Model .45 ACP, which he had customized for street carry by master pistolsmith Wayne Novak. Unlike John, he's perfectly comfortable carrying cocked-and-locked. As a big guy, Ed finds it easy to carry and conceal a full-size 1911.

It certainly works for him. He was the second-place shot among the students on qualification, with a 298 out of 300.