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Who carries an SAO with the hammer down

Do you carry an SAO (1911, etc.) with the hammer down?

  • Yes

    Votes: 28 10.8%

  • No

    Votes: 205 79.2%

  • Sometimes (elaborate)

    Votes: 20 7.7%

  • Other (I don't see why this option would be chosen but elaborate if you choose it)

    Votes: 6 2.3%
  • Total voters
    259
Status
Not open for further replies.
"I have two Chinese Toks and, if they're with me, it's hammer at 1/3 cock. There's no stand alone safety on these."

These pistols are NOT SAFE to carry with a loaded chamber no matter how you carry them.
 
I read the entire thread, but I haven't seen anyone mention that not all SA handguns have an inertial firig pin safety. It is patently stupid to carry a weapon without an inertial firing pin in Condition Two.

Also, "SAO" is redundant. "Single" fully indicates "only."
 
I voted "Other" because while I previously carried a 1911 I no longer do so. I now carry a CZ75B on half cock.

When I first started to carry I carried a Llama. Not knowing any better I always carried it in condition 3 for "safety". Long story short I got confronted in a dark parking lot in a very bad part of town early one morning and I drew. In the stress of the moment I completely forgot that the chamber was empty. luckily the defensive display was enough.

As someone else stated it's a real good idea to always carry your gun the same way.

DA no safety, nothing to forget pull, point, shoot.
 
I'm sorry that I didn't see "don't carry don't vote" before I did vote "other".

My 1911A1 with an Essex Frame and beavertail lives under my mattress with the hammer down on a live round. I feel icky leaving the hammer spring compressed all the time.

I do switch out mags fairly often to take the rounds out and relax the springs.

I would have to agree with DA/SA or DAO as "pull the gun and pull the trigger"

THAT said when I took the CHL course with my 1911A it was a no-brainer to use the safety.

I don't HAVE a CHL so non of what I think REALLY matters!
 
Poor East Texan said:
I feel icky leaving the hammer spring compressed all the time.

I do switch out mags fairly often to take the rounds out and relax the springs.
Click to expand...

It's actually repeatedly comressing and decompressing the springs that wears them, not leaving them compressed.
 
Condition 1, I've always felt absolutly safe with a round in the chamber and the hammer cocked, as long as I have the thumb safety engaged and the grip safety is not depressed. The other 2 conditions are a waste of time in my opinion.
Side note: Galco does mention to always carry your guns with the hammers down in their holsters. I've noticed that with the exception of my Walther PPKS, my holsters for both of my 1911's still fit nicely with the hammer cocked and locked.
 
This is interesting. I've always carried with a round in the chamber, hammer down. I can draw and pull the hammer single-handedly, and practice it. No problem. I learned this in the military (20 years ago), and have done so ever since.

Are there disadvantages to carrying with a round in the chamber, hammer down? I have no problem carrying cocked and locked...just normally don't. Hammer can't fall 'accidentally' if it ain't pulled back.

Is the reason why loaded/hammer down is so unpopular have to do with inertia and the firing pin? I'm curious. I'm old, but willing to learn...Carry is a 1911-esque, shall we say (so as not to indicate my financial status).
 
You shouldn't carry it with the hammer down. Cocked and locked is the safe way to go, from my understanding. If the hammer is down, and you accidentally drop the firearm, it could accidentally discharge.
 
I carry cocked and locked but am very comfortable with 1911 style pistols I have grown up with them
 
"from my understanding. If the hammer is down, and you accidentally drop the firearm, it could accidentally discharge".

You understand wrong when it comes to the 1911.
 
I have two friends who carried M1911s on half cock in
Viet Nam. One took a through-and-through shot through the calf of his leg, the other only shot his boot heel off.

I carry cocked-and-locked.
 
Is the reason why loaded/hammer down is so unpopular have to do with inertia and the firing pin?
Click to expand...
It's called Condition Two because you have two chances to have an ND, the first when lowering the hammer, the second when cocking it.
 
It is patently stupid to carry a weapon without an inertial firing pin in Condition Two.
Click to expand...
Why? Inertia affects the firing pin regardless of the position of the hammer.
I feel icky leaving the hammer spring compressed all the time.

I do switch out mags fairly often to take the rounds out and relax the springs.
Click to expand...
You're doing more harm than good.
Hammer can't fall 'accidentally' if it ain't pulled back.
Click to expand...
Hammer can't accidentally fall with the safety on and grip safety uncompressed either.
If the hammer is down, and you accidentally drop the firearm, it could accidentally discharge.
Click to expand...
In theory, yes, but the same theory leads to believe that the same thing could happen with the hammer cocked just as easily.
Are there disadvantages to carrying with a round in the chamber, hammer down?
Click to expand...
Yes, you are lowering a hammer onto a live round, it could slip out of your control while lowering. Same for cocking, not only is it difficult to do, it could slip from your control while cocking and go off. Plus whether you can cock the hammer quickly or not at the range, in a stressed situation, you could lose the motor skills required to perfom this action effectively and quickly.



These are my reasons for condition one. Carry how you are comfortable carrying.
 
Are there disadvantages to carrying with a round in the chamber, hammer down?
Click to expand...
As kcshooter has pointed out, there are a number of disadvantages to condition 2, including:

- hammer could slip while lowering onto live round, causing ND
- easy to fumble cocking
- cocking takes longer than lowering safety
- cocking is hard to do with one hand
- if you do cock with one hand, your grip on the gun is significantly weakened, making it easier to drop the gun or have it grabbed.

There really aren't any advantages of carrying a 1911 in condition 2. If you are afraid of the cocked hammer, there are plenty of guns designed to be carried with the hammer down (e.g., Sig, S&W 3rd generation, Beretta 92, etc.).
 
I think it's OK to carry with the hammer down if there isn't a round in the chamber, no?
 
Makarovnik, that's called condition 3. It is a much safer mode of carry than condition 2, but it still requires two hands to rack the slide upon presentation, and time and two hands aren't something you are guaranteed to have available should the need to defend yourself arise.
While it is safe, and an accepted carry method, it is still not what I would consider the best mode of carry.
 
What about a Browning HighPower?

I carry my Browning HighPower cocked and locked, but this gun does not have the 1911 grip safety, so I've often wondered about the "half-cock" position and just how safe it is. Anyone have any info on that issue?

BTW, in IDPA single action classes, and where time counts, everyone I've seen carries cocked and locked, releasing the safety as they draw. I have to believe that the hot shoes in these classes would do it some other way if it was faster.
 
I carry my Browning HighPower cocked and locked, but this gun does not have the 1911 grip safety, so I've often wondered about the "half-cock" position and just how safe it is.
Click to expand...

The gun is NOT meant to be carried at half cock. The half cock notch is part of a fail-safe system. If the hammer nose slips off the sear (or if the hammer nose fails), the sear will intercept the half-cock notch on the hammer, preventing a discharge. If you carry it at half-cock, you have thus disabled this safety feature.

Do not carry your HiPower at half cock. Carry it condition 1 or condition 3.
 
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