Carying a 1911

[drdougrx]

Just curious...

Anyone ever carry chamber empty, hammer cocked, safety off???  I know a fellow who always carried this way and practiced drawing and cycling the slide to chamber a round as the gun came up to eye level.  I've tried it and as we know, the slide is much easier to rack when the hammer is cocked.  He's like lightning using this method and usually practices on steel plates with a timer and can easily beat or at least stay up with the local IPSC guys.

Just ask'n.......not advocate'n.

[Lloyd Smale]

I do keep my truck gun in that condition because theres a chance someone other them me may get ahold of it like a kid. Reason its not a real good idea is if you happen to hurt one of your hands in an altercation its pretty tough to rack the slide one handed. It can be done but by the time you did it youd probably have a couple holes in you and i would have to ask whats he gaining by not putting round in the chamber from the git go. If hes that fast presenting and cocking hed be lightning if all he had to do was click off a safety.

[drdougrx]

Good points as always Mr. Smale!!!

[JHT]

Lloyd, I too believe that if a 1911 is not carried in a "cocked and locked" manner than it should not be carried for SD.  Your point is well taken about the exception to  the rule, not to leave a weapon in Condition 1 if it is left unattended.

JHT

P.S.  Doug its good to see that your post is very robust.  This thread is certainly one of the better ones.

[S.B.]

Charlie Miller, of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame, carried his old commercial Colt with the hammer on half-cock and the grip safty tied down with raw hide----stuffed in the front of his pants.
When asked, by a young RO at the academy, if he didn't think this was dangerous Charlie replied "Why if this old thing wasn't dandgerous I would't carry the SOB."
Blessings

I have a friend who was a MP in Viet Nam that was taught to carry his side arm this way (not with the grip safety tied down of course) while in SE Asia? Personally, I'd carry in condition one?

[Savage]

I have not had any more of a  problem with ambi safeties becoming disengaged in the holster than the stock safety. My Gould & Goodrich duty holster tends to swipe off the safety durring the course of the day. I've gotten into checking it after I holster, and by habit every now and then. Finding it in the off position is still no cause for alarm. The gun is NOT going to fire without the grip safety depressed, and the trigger pulled. They there's the little matter of the retention strap blocking the hammer. For me it's a nonproblem!
Savage

[S.B.]

I don't know about this? I've seen too many IPSC shooters, and they are very quick, with the first shot. Novice vs. novice, expert vs. expert with a particular type of handgun. Most speed shooting contests with a SA handgun are done with blanks and not an accuracy challenge? As Bill Jordon said "Speed is fine, Accuracy is final". One thing about the IPSC game, it has developed use of the 1911, to an art form. Before the flames start let me say that I think there is room, in handguning, for all types of handguns. But, every one should be used differently, with in it's limits.