1911 carry question

[Krupski]

Hi all,

I know that the standard way to carry a chambered 1911 is "cocked and locked".

However, I am terrified of carrying a weapon that is cocked and depending on the safety.

My dad (WW-II Veteran) used to carry his sidearm chambered and on the half cock notch... which I don't like either because that beats up on the sear.

The firing pin is floating and it's inertial (doesn't normally touch the primer when hammer down).

But, I guess if it were dropped on the hammer, it could fire. SO....... how should I carry it?

(1) Chambered, cocked and locked.
(2) Chambered, hammer down.
(3) Chambered, half cock notch.
(4) Unchambered, hammer down.

Thanks.

-- Roger

[cciota]

Hi all,

I know that the standard way to carry a chambered 1911 is "cocked and locked".

However, I am terrified of carrying a weapon that is cocked and depending on the safety.

My dad (WW-II Veteran) used to carry his sidearm chambered and on the half cock notch... which I don't like either because that beats up on the sear.

The firing pin is floating and it's inertial (doesn't normally touch the primer when hammer down).

But, I guess if it were dropped on the hammer, it could fire. SO....... how should I carry it?

(1) Chambered, cocked and locked.
(2) Chambered, hammer down.
(3) Chambered, half cock notch.
(4) Unchambered, hammer down.

Thanks.

-- Roger

I think you pretty much answered your own question.

[Dr. Gonzo GED]

If it has to be chambered, quater cock.

You can drop it right on the hammer in 1/4 cock, and nothing will happen. (I don't reccomend this, but someone I know did it by accident...)

You can pull the triger, you can depress the grip safety, you can give it dirty looks and call it names, and that gun will not fire untill you cock the hammer fully back.

It's one of my favorite "safety" features on the 1911. JMB was a smart guy!

[Krupski]

If it has to be chambered, quater cock.

You can drop it right on the hammer in 1/4 cock, and nothing will happen. (I don't reccomend this, but someone I know did it by accident...)

You can pull the triger, you can depress the grip safety, you can give it dirty looks and call it names, and that gun will not fire untill you cock the hammer fully back.

It's one of my favorite "safety" features on the 1911. JMB was a smart guy!

I read somewhere though that the first notch (half cock?) will damage the honed edge on the sear. Is this true or BS?

[Dr. Gonzo GED]

I read somewhere though that the first notch (half cock?) will damage the honed edge on the sear. Is this true or BS?

That I do not know. Sorry man.

[Bick_Sastard]

I read somewhere though that the first notch (half cock?) will damage the honed edge on the sear. Is this true or BS?

Look at the hammer when you take it down and how each grove is cut and the angle it is applied at in relation to the sear as it rotates.

Beyond that, it is FAR FAR more dangerous to let the trigger down than it is cocked and locked. Your fear is not warranted, the grip safety prevents the hammer from releasing from the sear, if your gun fell on the trigger, it would pretty much so have to break the hammer off and strike the pin in order to fire.

If you drop your pistol on its nose (barrel) then the free floating pin COULD possibly strike the primer, however not from any height you could reach, but if you dropped it from 30ft it might go off.

Not planning on throwing your gun are you?

Seriously, the 1911 is designed to be carried in condition 1 and it is very safe in that condition and very specific things have to happen to make the weapon fire.

[aliceinchains]

Cocked and locked.

[Flinter]

Carry cocked and locked or don't carry a 1911.

Honestly, that's the best answer. It was designed to be carried that way. I have a holster that has a "suicide strap" that runs under the hammer and retains the weapon. You may want to look into something like that.

[Penguin]

I always carry mine cocked and lock. If you are that worried about it I would say don't carry a 1911. If you are that worried about it but like the 1911 that much that you want to carry one any ways get a para LDA. It is a double action 1911.

[El Jefe]

I've not had my Colt very long, but I've been packing it around cocked with one in the chamber. I just figured it had two safety's so I didn't sweat it.

[Krupski]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Despite my worries, I guess I'll carry it cocked and locked. Everyone else seems to be doing it and I don't hear about a rash of 1911's going off on their own.

And it will be nice to merely flip the safety down and be ready.

Thanks again!

[El Jefe]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Despite my worries, I guess I'll carry it cocked and locked. Everyone else seems to be doing it and I don't hear about a rash of 1911's going off on their own.

And it will be nice to merely flip the safety down and be ready.

Thanks again!

That's the way I'm looking at it. I don't see how it could be any riskier than packing a Glock around, and I don't see a problem with them.

[Dan Morris]

Cocked n Locked......I've always done it that way, never a problem.
Dan

[NAPOTS]

I was told the halfcock notch isn't really a half cock but is supposed to catch the hammer if you slip while cocking it. Doing so though you would have had the hammer down on a loaded chamber which is a no no in the 1911.

[Bluntforce]

I carry mine at half-cock and I also carry my Tokarevs that way.

The Glock is just too big 9 to 10 months out of the year in this pissy hot and humid locale. If I don't end up owning this place, it's off to Arizona for some dry heat or Alaska to get out of the frigging heat.

[HDR]

If it has to be chambered, quater cock.

Ditto, I stick one just like that in my back pocket when I take puppy out at night.

It's one of my favorite "safety" features on the 1911. JMB was a smart guy!

Yes, JMB was one smart guy and the 1911-A1 is another example of just how smart he was.

[deth502]

depends for me.

if i plan on being particularly "active" (doing work, just plain moving a lot) i will drop it to half cock. most of the time though, cocked and locked.

its not that i dont trust it in condition 1, its just that i dont trust the saftey. my holster holds it righ up close and rubbing against me, and its not too hard to disengage the saftey if im twisting from side to side and it gets snagged a little on a shirt.

imo, caught in the half cock notch is just as safe as an empty chamber, but its a lot easier to cock a hammer that to work a slide. not to mention you lose a round.

[Flinter]

I think it's important to say that some of the 1911 hammers have captive half cock notches and some only have shelf notches.

If you don't know which one you have, half cock can be a very bad thing.

[Schuetzenman]

Get a holster that has a thumb-break strap that goes between the fully cocked hammer and the firing pin. I've been carrying 1911 Colts since 1979 using a pancake holster with such a thumb-break strap design. Never shot myself with it. The 1911 is over saftied anyway, manual and grip safties, it's not going off by accident IMO.

[jet3534]

I carry a Kimber cocked and locked on a regular basis without concern. The firing pin is blocked if the grip safety is not depressed.