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cocked and locked? Safe???????

ker2222
I love my 1911. However, I have never been able to get over the visual of that hammer back, knowing there is a round in the chamber and feel "safe with the safety on.

Could someone please explain to me how the safety works?

Thanks
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Comments

12 comments

Date Votes
  • trusta45
    That is exactly the reason why I havent bought a "single action only" auto-loader yet.From the best of my reccolection the way it was described to me when the safety is on it disengages and locks the action and trigger.But for me it is always in the back of my mind,"hey this thing is cocked"and its just to easy to imagine that safety coming off.The last thing I need is an "accident" with a .45acp.

    "A gun is as good or bad as the man using it"
    -Shane-
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  • A J Christ
    Carried one like that for years, never had an unintended discharge. You gotta be careful and be aware of what you have and what it can do. Respect it, follow the safety rules, never point it at something that you don't want to have a hole, keep your finger out of the trigger guard unless you are ready to fire it off and keep your wits about you. There is no such a thing as an accidental discharge, only unintended ones. OK so the hammer is cocked, there are still 2 safeties that must be delt with before a trigger pull will fire the pistol, the thumb safety and the grip safety. The you got to pull the trigger to make it go. Always seemed safe to me.
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  • kingjoey
    It is very safe. St. John (Browning, that is[;)]) initially designed the 1911 without a grip or thumb safety. The safeties were added to meet military requirements (idiot-proofing).

    BillCat.gif

    SUPPORT THE I.N.S. , THE COUNTRY THEY SAVE COULD BE YOUR OWN
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  • bobski
    rule of thumb is to always remember a safety can fail. thats....any safety. its a mechanical device and anything man made can fail. safeties were designed to keep you from accidently doing something stupid without thinking. if you stay away from that cocked hammer, odds are all will be well. i can atest to that after 30 years of handling 45's. hope i helped.

    former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction.
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  • Contender Man
    If you can not get comfortable with the arrangement vis-a-vis your abilities, etc. then don't do it ... pretty simple solution.

    The 1911 is a very well designed pistol with not one but two safety systems. Properly maintained it is one of the safest pistols around.

    Carrying a 1911 with a round in the chamber and the hammer down is done by a lot of people and the difference in time to engage the target is about a second longer for the average shooter who does take the time to practice with the pistol.

    Carrying a 1911 with an empty chamber and the hammer down is not a good thing to do and your better off just getting a DA and being done with it.

    1911's are not for everyone ... don't feel bad if your uncomfortable with one, just get something that you are comfortable with and quit worrying.


    2470099-S.jpg
    If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!
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  • billybass
    Cocked & Locked in the USA is usually only done by show-offs, they love the attention & remarks, even in the Army in combat there was no C&L , tunnel rats even entered the tunnel then cocked the hammer...............................Billy
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  • gskyhawk
    if you like the 1911 style but don't feel safe with it , then take a look at a Para Ordnance LDA, 1911 style gun but in a light double action and they keep all of the safties of a regular 1911, I know I sure like mine
    here is one to look at
    http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=16360200
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  • Rebel_James
    Carrying a chambered 1911 .45 'cocked and locked' is the SAFEST way to carry one if you're carrying chambered. It's not being a 'show-off.'

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Army train to carry the .45 on an empty chamber? Condition '3' I think that's called. That would explain a 'tunnel rat' not cocking, and/or even chambering his .45, until he went into the tunnel.

    Jeff Cooper, the world's most well known .45 auto advocate, strongly suggests the 'cocked and locked' mode of carry for defensive purposes.

    Here's another thought on Coopers beliefs. Cooper had some people inexperienced with firearms brought to his range. He had several pistols layed out, everything from S&W revolvers, Browning Hi-Powers, and of course the 1911 .45 auto. He had the .45 'cocked and locked.'
    He had the people pick up each pistol and pull the trigger. NOT ONE was able to 'fire' the .45. My point:

    If a bad guy somehow takes your .45 away from you, he won't be able to use it against you, giving you time to get to a back up pistol.



    "If they won't give us good terms, come back and we'll fight it out."
    -- Gen. James Longstreet
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  • glabray
    I suspect that many of those who advocate "cocked and locked" carry don't really have a lot of experience doing that. I carried three different 1911s on duty for years. I never had an accidental fire with one but consider this: In the act of carrying, getting in and out of cars, riding in a vehicle on a rough road, or just daily moving around in the office, the safety will rub against things and the safety will go into the off position without you knowing it. And it will do it often. This is especially true if the gun has an ambiodextrous safety. It is also much worse with the stylish extended thumb safety. While in the holster, a thumb release holster with a strap between the hammer and firing pin adds a measure of safety. However, when you release the thumb strap and grip the gun to draw, the grip safety is automatically turned off so you are left with only the light trigger pull protecting you from shooting yourself in the leg or foot if your thumb safety is already off as it will often be. Sure, training helps but mostly on the practice range --- cardboard doesn't shoot back. In the heat of the moment you need a little help from your weapon.
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  • kuhlewulf
    If you were here to look at my hip this very second you would see a Browning Mk III High Power in .40 S&W in a open top Galco holster with a round in the chamber, the hammer back, and the safety on. And yes (if you know squat about HP's) the MK III has an ambi safety from the factory. Its about mindset and situational awareness. Guns are not toys and not for stupid people. I seriously hope that if someone doesn't feel safe carrying in any given manner that they won't do so anymore. I carry any of my 1911's in the same manner, but that doesn't mean its for everyone. John Moses Browning designed these pistols to be carried in this fashion, and people have carried this way for years. The suggestion that all who carry this way do it to show off is assinine and childish, and anyone who would carry hammer back to show of is an idiot. If youre not comfortable, carry it hammer down or get a DA weapon, but I assure you, a 1911/HP type pistol is just as safe if not more safe than a Glock. Be aware of what youre doing, be aware of your sidearm, be conscious of the safety.

    James
    royalthaiarmy.gifrtaflag.jpg
    Do your troops train with live cobras? ROYAL THAI ARMY DOES!
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  • jsergovic
    Safe or not, I've not been in a confrontational atmosphere which impelled me to carry "cocked and locked".

    I like a round in the chamber, hammer at rest, and the safety (if there is one) on.
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  • jc_howard_54
    Rebel_James,

    Thank you, thank you, thank you. Once again an "expert" give an opinion that doesn't hold weight.

    quote:Carrying a chambered 1911 .45 'cocked and locked' is the SAFEST way to carry one if you're carrying chambered. It's not being a 'show-off.'

    If a bad guy somehow takes your .45 away from you, he won't be able to use it against you, giving you time to get to a back up pistol.


    Before I bought my first Colt 45 I carried a Browning Hi-Power. I did not carry the Browning cocked & locked but I did carry it with a round in the chamber and the hammer down. That was the way I was trained with the Browning. This was also a time where weapon retention was not a hot topic. While working a part-time job I got into a fight with a shoplifter we were arresting. I put him in a headlock and he reached around my waist, felt the gun and pulled it out of my holster. The next thing I know I am looking down the barrel of my own gun. He pointed it at me and told me to move away or he was going to shoot me. He then pointed the gun at another officer that was helping me. When he did this I noticed he had not cocked the gun, which in my mind gave me a second to get to him. I moved toward him and he turned back to me, pointed the gun at me and started pulling the trigger. Because he did not know he had to cock the gun before firing gave me the second I needed to get to him and get the gun away from him.

    I learned two things that day, one, buy a holster with some sort of retention device on it and two, buy a colt because when you drop the magazine on the Browning it doesn't fire and I wanted to shoot this guy who had just tried to shoot me, but when I took my Browning back, his hand hit the magazine release and it went to the floor.

    I love the Colt 45s and I always carry mine cocked and locked. When I train with it, as I bring it up and as soon at it was pointing at the target I was pushing the safety down, put my thumb pointing right at the target and helped my aim. I have been in too many situations where I needed it and never once did I forget to take the safety off. Train, Train, Train. If you practice with it you will have no problem with it and if you don't, don't buy a Colt 45 go with a DA.

    But hey that is just my opinion - I could be wrong.

    JC
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