Accidentally flicking off the safety

[CajunBass]

I'm gonna catch hell for this, but I don't think it is responsible to carry a 1911 cocked and locked. A 1911, as we all know, has no decocker. Thus, cocking the thing should be looked at as if you were cocking a revolver. The locking mechanism doesn't change the fact that a somewhat difficult to decock firearm has been cocked.

I'm still trying to figure out why you'd need to "decock" a 1911?

Round chambered, Safety on.

Remove magazine. Safety off. Rack slide, ejecting chambered round. Gun is now safe. You can "decock" it all you want to.

What's the problem?

 

[ServiceSoon]

Why people carry a round in the chamber is beyond me.

 

[Frank Ettin]

Why people carry a round in the chamber is beyond me.

And why people carry without a round in the chamber is beyond me. Personally, I'm not going to count on having the use of both hands if I need my gun in a hurry.

 

[FoMoGo]

Why people carry a round in the chamber is beyond me.

Do you carry a DA revolver with the hammer down on an empty chamber?
Do you drive with your seat belt within reach in case of accident?
Do you keep the batteries next to the smoke detector?

An unloaded pistol is a poorly balanced club.
Always assume you will need your empty hand to keep an attacker off of you so you can draw and fire your weapon.
Draw, wipe safety, aim and discharge weapon.


Jim

 

[KBintheSLC]

Safety... I don't need no stinkin' safety.

Why people carry a round in the chamber is beyond me.

You're not serious are you? You gotta be joking...

 

[ar10]

If you realllly want to train yourself handling a handgun get an XD. You'll only forget once.

 

[pith43]

Why people carry a round in the chamber is beyond me.

Enroll in any NRA basic pistol class, or any CCW class. If you carry for self defense, they will tell you to carry chambered. I cannot imagine having a split second to defend myself and have to rack a slide or cock a hammer.As far as 1911's go, I consider condition 2 more dangerous than condition 3, 1911's were not designed to be decocked with a round chambered.

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/tech/cockedandlocked.htm
http://www.smartcarry.com/cocklock.htm

How many accidental shootings do you hear of with a 1911?
Compare that to a Glock.

 

[Tirod]

Complaining the Glock was designed for dumb cops is as bad as ignoring that the 1911 was designed for dumb troops - commissioned or not.

The 1911 has how many safeties? Grip and thumb. Why? Exposed hammer. Exposed hammer firearms can and do go off when dropped, ergo Browning, knowing a pistol designed for field use in combat would get dropped, put redundant safeties. It was also going to be carried in a FULL FLAP holster, with a lanyard.

Glock? Carried in an exposed holster by officers previously used to DA revolvers - not a modern system.

I don't think either one has the correct attributes of a CCW pistol, despite all the popularity. And using one modified to have an ambidextrous safety has it's downside - it gets swiped off doubly easy.

Weigh the actual combat necessities and tally up the real features you need. THEN choose the weapon that delivers them. I think you'll find that neither Glock or a 1911 is the best choice. It falls somewhere in between, which is where new designs and police sales are moving.

 

[The Bushmaster]

"How many accidental shootings do you hear of with a 1911? Compare that with a Glock."

Thank you pith43....

 

[MAKster]

Carrying a 1911 with the hammer lowered on a chambered round is not a safe way to carry. Since most 1911s do not have a firing pin block, if you dropped the gun the hammer could strike the firing pin and cause the gun to fire.

 

[Frank Ettin]

Carrying a 1911 with the hammer lowered on a chambered round is not a safe way to carry. Since most 1911s do not have a firing pin block, if you dropped the gun the hammer could strike the firing pin and cause the gun to fire.

Actually, as long as the firing pin spring is changed at regular intervals, a 1911 in good repair should be "drop safe" even without a firing pin block. Quite a few 1911s without firing pin safeties pass the California drop test -- using an extra power firing pin spring and a titanium firing pin just to be on the safe side.

There are other reasons not to carry a 1911 in condition 2.

 

[Illuminaughty]

I carry a Glock 30 daily in a desantis nemesis pocket holster. If it's a good holster that retains the gun in the holster while in the pocket, you have nothing to worry about. And yes, I keep one chambered. Been 2-3 years of the same carry regimen and haven't shot myself in the leg.