Can you carry a SA/DA in condition 3?

[Agent-J]

Question:

In regards to a SA/DA pistol, I know you can insert a mag, rack the slide, then decock it. Now you get a DA pull followed by SA pulls...

Could you also do condition 3 carry? Insert a mag with the chamber empty. Would the following draw from the holster and racking of the slide result in a SA pull and subsequent SA pulls?

I know, I know.... A lot of you carry cocked and locked, but I'm not that comfortable yet. Thanks.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Yes, that is correct.

The disadvantage to this is that you now must have both hands available to use your weapon. What if you wanted to use your weak hand to fend off an attack, such as with a straight arm block? What if you were walking your dog and your weak hand was busy? What if you were carrying a bag or something in your weak hand? What if the bad guy has grabbed your weak arm?

There are just too many circumstances, to me, that would eliminate my weak hand/arm for me to even consider carrying without one in the chamber.

Loading and then decocking is not carrying cocked and locked by the way. With a holster, carrying with one in the chamber and the gun decocked is much safer overall than without one in the chamber, as I am sure most who reply will agree with.

 

[Mad Magyar]

I know, I know.... A lot of you carry cocked and locked, but I'm not that comfortable yet. Thanks.

Until you are, practice your technique until you are proficient. Been there, done that....

 

[Old Fuff]

You need to be specific about what pistol. In some cases if the manual safety is “on”, it acts as a decocker. When you rack the slide the hammer follows down, and to fire the round requires a double-action pull of the trigger.

Usually if you push the safety to "off" after racking the slide you will end up with the hammer cocked the next time you do it and chamber a round.

It this unsafe? Probably not, and most pistols that match this description have a separate firing pin lock or block which is deactivated when the trigger is pulled and held back.

But in any case be sure you know how your particular pistol works.

 

[woad_yurt]

Sometimes ya gotta put some faith in the manufacturer's recommendations. If they say it's safe (or made) or even advisable to carry in a certain way, it's better to go that way.

The extra hand necessary and the time needed to rack that slide may not be available to you when you need your gun. One in the chamber with a full magazine is a good thing. It's ready to use way more quickly and it also gives you an extra round if needed.

 

[James T Thomas]

safety redundancy

Agent:

Your inquiry mentioned SA / DA, but please remember that one of the reasons for the 1911 popularity is the "safetyness" of the additional grip safety when carring the pistol cocked and locked.

Not only do you have the manual safety, but of course, there is the added safety of the grip mechanism.

Some body knew what they were doing with that design.

 

[hillbill]

im new to the 1911 style gun just bought a para pxt14 and im more use to a safe action or da only hows the best way to get use to it.

 

[texaspunk]

IMO +1 C1 in most guns is still safer than losing 1-2 seconds in C3. I wouldn't like racking my slide to be a part of any bad scenario I can think of. It took me around a month of daily carry to stop sweating C1. It can be tough at first for some of us. Hang in there.

 

[IMTHDUKE]

You need to be specific about what pistol. In some cases if the manual safety is “on”, it acts as a decocker. When you rack the slide the hammer follows down, and to fire the round requires a double-action pull of the trigger.

As with this one....1 in the pipe, yet decocked which first trigger pull will be DA.

However, if you want 1 in the pipe, not cocked, yet ready to fire as you squeeze the grip.....this is arguable the safest semi-auto to carry, ready when deployed.

 

[ar10]

If you had an XDxx. You're always in a "condition (fill in number), works every time too.

 

[Gunfighter123]

Agent-J,
You are correct about the SA pull if you rack it on most DA autos.
As someone posted above -- wish we knew what pistol you were speaking of.
I am VERY comfortable with a cock & locked 1911 --- have shot IPSC and IDPA etc. for almost 20 years. BUT , more then once , a holstered 1911 somehow got the thumb safety pushed to off -- kind of scary so now I carry a Para Ordnance LDA ---- light, smooth trigger but you have to pull it back as far as on a DA revolver.
Or I like a thumbsnap/leather strap between the hammer when I carry a 1911.

 

[CDH]

Gunfighter offered the perfect suggestion of those who are mentally hesitant about carrying a 1911 cocked & locked.

Cocked & locked is the safest way to carry a 1911 IF you want a pistol that is instantly ready if needed. Any other way a 1911 is carried is either going to hamper it's usefullness in a real situation, or will make it downright dangerous.

So carrying C&L'ed in a strap-over holster is at least a decent alternative, and with practice, drawing can be almost as fast as without a strap.
As far as accidently bumping the safety off; that "can" happen, but rarely. However, if you carry a 1911 the right way in a well made and designed holster, that's an almost impossibility.
The Milt Sparks VM2 I carry my Commander in has a small detent area pressed into where the safety rests when on. Unless I intentionally unholster that Commander, the safety cannot move while in the holster.

Here's a good read about carrying a 1911:
http://smartcarry.com/cocklock.htm