"The hammer has serrations or checkering for a reason. Lowering it on a hot chamber...on any gun...is an inherently dangerous practice, but it can be done safely if one only learns how and remembers to keep the gun pointed in such a direction so as not to cause blood to be spilled. There are very few times that Condition 2 would be more appropriate than Condition 1...but they do exist, and to neglect learning how to lower the hammer is to ignore one of the gun's functions."
1911Tuner,
Thank you for a breath of fresh air and logic. I get so sick of the 1911 cult members that think there is only one right way to do anything. It must be a 1911, it must be cocked and locked, it must be .45acp ect.
If you are a true 1911 fan, you will like 1911s in all shapes, sizes, calibers and variations. You may have your favorite but you won't dispise the others. I like 1911s but that doesn't keep me from liking many other guns that are totaly different. For me, the 1911 is a target gun. In this role it is great. As a CCW, it is a poor choice. That is me. I don't think all people who carry a C&L 1911 are idiots. If it works for you, go with it. There is no right and wrong gun to carry. Methods are there to help with your shooting and safety, if they don't do that for you, how can they be the correct method?
There is no one way to shoot that is best for everyone. The same can be said of safety. There are certain basics of safety that must be followed but the rest is up to you. Thumb cocking or uncocking a 1911 may be unsafe you one person and perfectly safe for another. It depends on your skill and dexterity. I personally think uncocking a 1911 while holding the hammer with your weak hand is the most unsafe thing I have seen. I was told this is the correct method of uncocking a 1911. Grasp the hammer between the thumb and forefinger and pull the trigger. I feel much better using the one hand method than the two hand method. I feel I have total control.
I use my thumb to uncock my revolvers on live rounds from time to time. There is no other way of uncocking a revolver so you have to learn how to do it safely if you shoot wheel guns. Why is it a sin to do it with a 1911 but not with a revolver? Sometimes 1911 people make no sense to me. I think they are worse than Glock people.