Wow, I’ve never done anything like that when loading a 1911. Even some ostensibly nice ones like from Wilson Combat and such. I’m actually having some trouble trying to figure out how I would manipulate the pistol to do what you mention. I don’t remember ever usually touching the hammer on a 1911. Just insert loaded magazine, pull back slide, which IIRC, cocks the hammer already, use slide release to release slide, set safety to SAFE. Holster pistol. Then again, I’ve never done bullseye pistol competition, nor used pistols set up for such. I had no idea the sear was so sensitive.
With the FWB, all you did was pull back the side lever, very carefully place the (pre-sized through a die) lead pellet into the chamber, rolled around the rear of the pellet with a spherical tool to seat the pellet end skirt against the walls of the chamber, closed the side lever, and you were good to go. Just don’t even think about going near the trigger until you returned to a good position and sight picture.
Essentially right but you’re limiting yourself by making the fancy grips obiglatory. A slabside is just a plain ol’ government issue pistol* like the one Captain Miller uses to plink at a tank at the end of Saving Private Ryan.
When I used as-issued pistols, that’s all I’d do as well. The accurized ones we used originated from government stocks and had been worked on by an armorer somewhere (probably Army) for use in competition. Besides lightening the pull by working on the sear, parts were swapped out like the sights, front and rear, being wider and adjustable, the trigger also made wider so you could properly apply the ball of your fingertip, and the hammer spur being a bit longer and serrated deeper.
When the command to load came, I would pick up the pistol in my left hand and lay it in my right, wrapping three fingers around the grip and thumb over the other side. Everything’s still sloppy at this point. I pick up the magazine and push it home, same as usual. Then, instead of just thumbing the slide release, I reach under the open slide with my left thumb and hold the hammer back (hence the serrations) and push the release with my left index finger.
With everything buttoned up I grab the barrel (well, slide over the barrel) in my left hand and push the butt end firmly into the web of my right, working those fingers on the grip along with the thumb, endeavoring to get the thing seated in my right hand exactly the same way it was countless other times before. My right index finder, needless to say, is no where near the trigger during this evolution. Our team captain had his own Gold Cup pistol and just released the slide the regular way.
The next three commands are, “Ready on the left… Ready on the right… Ready on the firing line… Fire!” with good rangemasters getting a good, steady cadence on the first three before a longer pause on the fire command. If it’s rapid fire, during this time I’m getting my breath controlled, steadying the pistol’s sights on the bullseye, and waiting for the fire command to start squeezing one off.
Mind you, this was shooting at paper. If there were screaming hordes running and me with obvious harmful intent, I doubt I would be so sanguine.
*The one pictured is s/n 33 assembled the first week of production. It’s not even an M1911A1 like 99.99 percent of such pistols are but just M1911 The blue is some kind of high-polish finish they used then.
In my opinion working on the action(parts that preform the loading, firing and unloading) are Gun Smith work and other than the possibility of damage to a sight with hazardous material, and fitting, sight work (alignment) is basic gun owner alteration that we teach in “Basic Pistol”.
Many times sight adjustment is done when changing ammunition(Manufacture, bullet weight, bullet design and even lot to lot).
Kopek,
I truly admire your knowledge and dedication to shooting and am myself a Firearms Safety Instructor and strive to learn all the time.
One thing that I don’t recall being addressed in this thread is The Release Trigger that is in my knowledge found on smooth bore (shotguns).
One of my Co-Instructors inadvertently picked one up off the rack at our Trap Range and found out just after he said “PULL”.
I also shoot and hunt with traditional Muzzle loading Rifles and enjoy the set trigger feature and although the set trigger is a target feature, my target is served on a plate w/mushrooms and onions.
Anyway the double Set triggers that I use have NO setting or sear adjustment, they are converting a heavy trigger into a “Hair Trigger” by a mechanical “POWER FLICK”.
A relative of mine had a free pistol. He had us dry-fire it first to get a feel for the trigger. He said the trigger was adjustable and that it could be set so light that tilting the gun backwards would set it off.
