1911 half cock?
I'm new to the world of handguns and recently purchased a 1911 clone. Could someone please tell me what the purpose of the half cocked position is? I have asked around and haven't gotten any suitable answers.
Thanks in advance for your help.
H.
Thanks in advance for your help.
H.
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I believe it is similar in function to the half-cock position on older single-action revolvers: to catch the hammer if it inadvertently slips from your thumb when cocking, and not cause an accidental discharge. It is not advised that you would carry half-cocked, because dropping the handgun could cause it to fire from that position. 0 -
The preferred method to carry a 1911 is fully cocked with the safety on. A 1911 style gun in good operating condition should not fire if droped in either half or full cocked position due to the grip safety.
Not now, I'm busy reloading!!!!0 -
I'm really glad you asked that question, dl727fo, because it has been a long time since I've seen it asked, and the subject merits review every now and then. Have you ever heard the term, "That's about as useless as teets on a boar hog"? I think the half cock hammer position was included in the 1911's design because of the rudimentary semi-auto pistol techniques of the time. Remember, the gun the 1911 replaced was the Single Action Army, which also had a half cock position, thumbcock to shoot; and folks in those days were operating in a half cock-ready position mentality. The 1911 was a new toy, and the best and safest way to use it was developed through lots of years of carry and combat. Now you definately do not want to carry it with the chamber loaded, and the hammer down. Although the firing pin is designed shorter than the distance from the hammer to the primer, it is an inertia design, and the same way that when your car stops suddenly your body wants to continue forward, when severely jarred the firing pin will go forward and dimple the primer. I guarantee that if you carry a 1911 around daily for a couple of months with the hammer down, when you unload the chamber the primer will be dimpled, and you will resolve not to carry it that way anymore. As for the half cock position, reviewing the preceding posts, we've got one vote for "will fire if dropped" and one vote for "should not fire if in good condition if dropped". I've never dropped or accidentally discharged one, so can't really claim personal experience, but conventional wisdom is that a half cocked or fully cocked 1911 dropped from belt height onto concrete or a rock without the thumb safety being on (which it can't be on in the half cock position) stands a good chance of the hammer notch being sheared off by the sear and firing. When you think about it, that's a tremendous amount of force being applied to a very small notch, and it would be especially likely to happen if the angle of the notch and sear have been changed from original specs by stoning/filing to get a light trigger pull. Apparently this has happened many times; or enough times to make half cock and full cock carry without the thumb safety being applied unadvisable. Who would carry one with the hammer fully cocked and the thumb safety not on? Probably someone who believes they might need to use the pisol very quickly and just wants a little extra "edge", and who relies on the squeeze safety to keep the pistol from firing. Sound in theory, but not in practice, because it might fall out of your pants and land on the hammer. So, hammer down carry is out, half cock carry is out, fully cocked with thumb safety off is out. The real experts are the U.S. Military, who used the 1911 for over 70 years in war and peace. Their doctrine demanded that the soldier carry the weapon with an empty chamber, and not rack the slide back and load the weapon until use was imminent. Law Enforcement and other Pistoleros decided that empty chamber wasn't fast enough, and reasoned that a loaded chamber with the hammer at full cock and the thumb safety on was the way to go, as the hammer is prevented from falling by two safeties (thumb and grip), and with the designs of later years by a third safety (firing pin). Just as an extra precaution, carry it in a holster designed with a safety strap that passes between the cocked hammer and the back of the slide.The old gun has been around for just 6 years shy of 100 now, and it's all been pretty well worked out. Carry it cocked and locked, or hammer down on an empty chamber, and nothing in between.[8D] 0 -
Hello I agree with DER GEBIRGSJAGER but be warned If you go to Camp Perry they will check your pistol they will put it in HALF COCK/ safety pos. and pull the trigger if the hammer falls you will not be allowed to shoot in the match. This holds true for any N.R.A. BULLS-EYE match or CMP match if they check your pistol. It would be a shame to drive a long ways and be thrown off the line "PRAISE THE HARDBALL GUN" 0 -
I was an a smallarms repairman in the Army (65-68).
I've inspected 100s of 1911 and NEVER failed any for
failure of any of the four safties.
SITAA
"We had joy we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song
Like the seasons are all gone"0 -
Someone theorized on this issue once to me that southpaws in combat carried their 1911s at halfcock because there was no ambidexterous safety ...
Si vis Pacem, Para bellum0 -
quote:Originally posted by PA Shootist
It is not advised that you would carry half-cocked, because dropping the handgun could cause it to fire from that position.
Would that be akin to "Going off half cocked"?[:D]
MOLON LABE!
An evil tree bears evil fruit. You can destroy as much fruit as you want, but it will always grow back, and it will always be evil.
Tear the tree out of the ground by the roots and burn it. Burn it to ash and grind out the embers with your boot until there's nothing left. Not a single spark. Not a single seed.0 -
Ive been half cocked all my life, just means you have to do it twice![:D]
Support Our Troops, Bring Them Home and Let Them Die Of Old Age!0 -
Cocking a hammer on a semiauto can be a dangerous proposition. Should it slip and go off with your thumb up, you'll be in a world of hurt.
As far as safety checks go, I've come across many 1911A1s that failed disconnector and/ or grip safety inspections. The problem in general was
in the combination flat spring which had to be rebent or occasionally be replaced.0 -
As said earlier, the purpose is the same as on a SAA revolver-to keep the hammer from hitting the fring pin should it fall inadvertently. In most modern 1911's, this feature has been negated by the addition of a firing pin block that requires the trigger be depressed for the pin to move forward. For reasons unknown, the half cock position has not been omitted.
Liberal compassion inhibits progress.........think Republican and prosper!0
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