Hammer down on a live round is the way JMB designed the 1911 to be carried , as evidenced by the original 1910 submitted to the Army trials. It didn't even have a thumb safety! Remember , it was originally intended to be a cavalry pistol , and them troopers liked to thumbcock their .45 SAAs. The thumb safety was added at the insistance of Army officers by Colt.
Good point. Guess I'll go do some more reading about this model.
Randy
Rank does not concur privileges. It imposes responsibility. Author unknow
NOC 10 carried his 1911 that way. He had a bucket of sand he used when lowering the hammer and one day he needed that bucket. Cocked and locked bothers quite a few people but they like the 1911. It's not an unsafe way to carry it's just getting there that is the problem.
If you really want to carry a 1911 with the hammer down on a live round, there is one method to safely lower the hammer on a live round.
Put your thumb in the apex of the hammer / firing pin and squeeze the trigger, this may smart a bit until you learn to shove your thumb in good, and ease it out lowering the hammer, done properly it is indeed the safest way to lower a hammer on a live round, once you learn / practice to do it properly, it will not hurt.
P.s. practice with an empty chamber, this method is not for the faint of heart....
If you fear the pinch, you will not push your thumb in hard enough, The hammer will not bite you if you do it correctly.
"There is some evil in all of us, Doctor, even you, the Valeyard is an amalgamation of the darker sides of your nature, somewhere between your twelfth and final incarnation, and I may say, you do not improve with age. Founding member of the G&A forum since 1996
If you really want to carry a 1911 with the hammer down on a live round, there is one method to safely lower the hammer on a live round.
Put your thumb in the apex of the hammer / firing pin and squeeze the trigger, this may smart a bit until you learn to shove your thumb in good, and ease it out lowering the hammer, done properly it is indeed the safest way to lower a hammer on a live round, once you learn / practice to do it properly, it will not hurt.
P.s. practice with an empty chamber, this method is not for the faint of heart....
If you fear the pinch, you will not push your thumb in hard enough, The hammer will not bite you if you do it correctly.
I always thought thta was half the reason for the wide flared hammers on the early guns. Less chance of slipping when pinched and lowered.
Often called "the last cavalry pistol'' , the Polish Radom was undeniably influenced by the 1911 , but had a decocker instead of the safety of the 1911. That tells me it was intended to be carried hammer down on a live round and thumb-cocked.
With My method, even if done incorrectly, the worst that can happen is a sore thumb, way better than a negligent discharge......
"There is some evil in all of us, Doctor, even you, the Valeyard is an amalgamation of the darker sides of your nature, somewhere between your twelfth and final incarnation, and I may say, you do not improve with age. Founding member of the G&A forum since 1996
Why ? it would merely increase the parts count without increased benefits.
I have learned what I feel is the most valuable lesson in personal defense, KISS or keep it simple, is also perhaps the greatest "Tactical" asset......
"There is some evil in all of us, Doctor, even you, the Valeyard is an amalgamation of the darker sides of your nature, somewhere between your twelfth and final incarnation, and I may say, you do not improve with age. Founding member of the G&A forum since 1996
NOC 10 carried his 1911 that way. He had a bucket of sand he used when lowering the hammer and one day he needed that bucket.
Maybe im missing something but if your pointing at the ground, why do you need the bucket of sand just point it at the friggin dirt thats already on the ground it will dig in. So i dont get this
NOC 10 carried his 1911 that way. He had a bucket of sand he used when lowering the hammer and one day he needed that bucket.
Maybe im missing something but if your pointing at the ground, why do you need the bucket of sand just point it at the friggin dirt thats already on the ground it will dig in. So i dont get this
I have a personal experience, had my 45. loaded and did not notice that the holster was open, I bent down to pick up something and it fell on my foot but since I always have it "half-cocked" nothing happened. Very safe to carry, no mater what
cocked and locked, good holster, no trash 1911 clones or holsters. If you aren't comfortable with it now, just think how uncomfortable it will be if you need to use it and you get smoked trying to chamber a round.
I've never had a 45acp 1911, but I do own a Sig P938 (1911-style 9mm). I don't carry it as my EDC because I prefer my P365 for that. But if I was ever forced to carry it instead, I think I'd be carrying it with the safety off and the chamber empty. Yes that means it takes longer to bring a live round to bear, but it adds a reasonable extra step before the gun is ready to shoot (racking the slide) to make sure the process is as safe as it can be (short of not carrying at all). I tend to err on the side of safety, rather than presuming any defensive situation I find myself in will be so instant that I wouldn't have time to rack the slide.
I have a personal experience, had my 45. loaded and did not notice that the holster was open, I bent down to pick up something and it fell on my foot but since I always have it "half-cocked" nothing happened. Very safe to carry, no mater what
I've never had a 45acp 1911, but I do own a Sig P938 (1911-style 9mm). I don't carry it as my EDC because I prefer my P365 for that. But if I was ever forced to carry it instead, I think I'd be carrying it with the safety off and the chamber empty. Yes that means it takes longer to bring a live round to bear, but it adds a reasonable extra step before the gun is ready to shoot (racking the slide) to make sure the process is as safe as it can be (short of not carrying at all). I tend to err on the side of safety, rather than presuming any defensive situation I find myself in will be so instant that I wouldn't have time to rack the slide.
Well, if you do not have confidence in your competence, then perhaps that is a better option for YOU.
Many of the rest of us prefer "cocked & locked" in a good holster for a 1911. It was designed to be carried in that manner after all.
If your weapons skills are so bad that you think walking around with an empty gun is the thing to do...perhaps you should consider something else entirely...a sharp stick perhaps...
Sharps Model 1874 - "The rifle that made the west safe for Winchester"
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Good point. Guess I'll go do some more reading about this model.
Rank does not concur privileges. It imposes responsibility. Author unknow
This is what I think too.
So I bought a Sig P220
Snake
Put your thumb in the apex of the hammer / firing pin and squeeze the trigger, this may smart a bit until you learn to shove your thumb in good, and ease it out lowering the hammer, done properly it is indeed the safest way to lower a hammer on a live round, once you learn / practice to do it properly, it will not hurt.
P.s. practice with an empty chamber, this method is not for the faint of heart....
If you fear the pinch, you will not push your thumb in hard enough, The hammer will not bite you if you do it correctly.
I always thought thta was half the reason for the wide flared hammers on the early guns. Less chance of slipping when pinched and lowered.
Often called "the last cavalry pistol'' , the Polish Radom was undeniably influenced by the 1911 , but had a decocker instead of the safety of the 1911. That tells me it was intended to be carried hammer down on a live round and thumb-cocked.
I have learned what I feel is the most valuable lesson in personal defense, KISS or keep it simple, is also perhaps the greatest "Tactical" asset......
Welcome.
It’s a °IIIII° thing 😎
Nothing wrong with it sir. Why would you carry a gun if it's not loaded? You may not have the time to load it when s...t hits the fan.
Its pretty easy to load a round into the chamber PDQ, or that’s been my experience with racking a round in.
Many of the rest of us prefer "cocked & locked" in a good holster for a 1911. It was designed to be carried in that manner after all.
Luis