Carrying a handgun cocked or uncocked

[WestonSmith]

The other day I heard two people debating about whether or not handguns should be carried cocked or uncocked when using them for concealed carry. One person said that it is too dangerous to carry a firearm cocked with a round in the chamber, because it could go off. This person said that if you are in a situation where you need to use it, it is not too difficult just to cock the gun right there and then quickly when you need it. The other person said that if you conceal carry and do not have it cocked with a round in the chamber, it could cost you your life. He said that that many types of guns take two hands to cock and if the other person injures one of your arms or you have a lot of blood loss, you will have trouble cocking the gun right there and then. He also mentioned that lethal situations most often are really quick and you will want to be ready. What is everyones view/knowledge on carrying handguns cocked or uncocked for concealed carry?

 

[jlh26oo]

debating about whether or not handguns should be carried cocked or uncocked

"handguns"? lol

Different platforms designed to carry differently- ie single action "cocked and locked"; tDA and DAO hammer down, striker fired at half cock, etc. What type of handgun?

 

[WestonSmith]

For example, a Springfield XD

 

[jlh26oo]

XD is of the "point and click" variety, in that there exists no manual external safety or hammer to even have the option of "cocked and locked" vs hammer down carry.

With internal striker fired setups such as XD, GLOCK, Kahr, etc, the question in your opening post really doesn't apply to these actions. Only one way to carry these (assuming you have one in the chamber).

 

[jlh26oo]

Read this: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=248556 from autoloader forum.


breaks it all down pretty well.

 

[ezypikns]

When you think about it....

a striker fired weapon is also "cocked". All it takes is a trigger pull to fire the weapon (assuming it's being gripped...XD for example). At least a single action is "locked" and the safety needs to be pushed off in order to fire it. As far as that goes, a revolver has no safety either, but millions carry them without a thought.
The bottom line is if you keep your finger off the trigger, any gun is safe.

 

[DMK]

One person said that it is too dangerous to carry a firearm cocked with a round in the chamber, because it could go off.

Yea, because guns just fire on their own all the time.


If you carry in a holster that covers the trigger guard and keep your **** finger out of the **** trigger guard until you are ready to fire, you will have no problem.

If you cock your hammer and the hammer drops without you pulling the trigger (even if you bang it on the table), you have a broken gun that needs to be fixed or replaced.


The only argument I can buy is that with double action you simply pull the trigger and bang. With a single action gun, like the 1911, you might have a safety to deal with. You could fumble with the safety and the gun will not go bang when you need it to.

 

[CWL]

two hands to cock

I think you are really asking about whether or not to carry with a bullet in the chamber and ready to fire. Doesn't matter what sort of manual of arms is needed.

The answer is 'yes' a carry gun should have bullet in chamber and ready to fire, otherwise it is just an unloaded pistol.

Why would your question be limited to concealed carry only?

 

[El Tejon]

Weston, think of it like this: a pistol is a reactionary weapon, like a fire extinguisher. You won't need it until you do.

When the threat appears, you will not have time to say a prayer, dance a war dance, kiss your wife goodbye. It will appear and you do not have the initiative.

Why start behind? Load your weapon, get training.

 

[Steve C]

Cocked and round chambered single action semi auto pistols like the 1911 pre 80 series (no firing pin block) and without thumb safety engaged, DA (double action) and SA (single action) revolvers would all have an excellent chance of going of if dropped. With the exception of the 1870 Colt SA revolvers these pistols will not fire with hammer down on a live round even if dropped.

Modern DA semi auto's like the Sigs, Berettas with hammer down and safety off and striker fire weapons like the Glock, Springfield SA even with round chambered have no chance of discharge in DA mode when dropped and will only fire when the trigger is pulled.

 

[Outlaw Man]

Most, if not all, modern DA revolvers have firing pin blocks and will not go off if dropped.


The simple solution to any gun with that "risk": Don't drop the gun. Get a good holster and a good belt (if your holster requires one), and make sure it will stay put.

"Dangerous" to carry cocked and locked? I thought that was the point. I want it to be as dangerous to the BG as possible.

 

[aguyindallas]

I am of the belief that if you do not have the skills to safely carry with a round in the chamber, you are not fit for concealed carry, yet.

Get some training, hone your skills nad be 100% READY to carry a loaded weapon.

 

[waynedm]

One person said that it is too dangerous to carry a firearm cocked with a round in the chamber, because it could go off.

Somebody needs to explain to this dolt what a firing pin block is.

 

[never_summer]

i would carry with a round in the chamber, but on some guns definitely not with the hammer cocked. A 1911 with a manual safety yes, my p220...no thanks

 

[Lonestar49]

Quotte: I am of the belief that if you do not have the skills to safely carry with a round in the chamber, you are not fit for concealed carry, yet.

Get some training, hone your skills nad be 100% READY to carry a loaded weapon.
-----------------------


Exactly right, in a Nutshell..

Education, and "hours put in at a firing-range" = rounds fired "per type gun", make for "understanding", with respect.


LS

 

[Dustinthewind]

I carry cocked and locked. For the gun to fire the safety must be disengaged. Could the safety be accidentally disengaged, possibly, but until the grip safety is depressed and the trigger pulled the gun will not go off. I have friends that carry their 1911's hammer down on a loaded chamber or on the quarter cock notch. Swiping off the safety or swiping the hammer back takes about the same amount of time, but I feel cocked and locked is the safest means of carrying a 1911. If you are afraid to carry with a round in the chamber, get a DA revolver.

 

[BADUNAME13]

I prefer Cocked and locked carry to ALL others.

 

[jeepmor]

A chambered gun is ready, an unchambered gun is a good bludgeon.

Do you really think you are going to have time to chamber a round when said BG decides to start pummeling you...or worse.

 

[Dr.Who]

I prefer not to carry my revolver cocked..... As said before, the debate is kind of meaningless, since we do not know the type of guns being referenced.

example: Single action revolver without a transfer bar, should be only carried with the hammer down on an empty chamber.

Modern single action with a transfer bar can be carried with the hamer down on a loaded chamber. In either case the hammer should not be cocked in the holster. It should only be cocked when the revolver is brought up to target and your ready to fire safely.

A 1911 is designed to be carried cocked and locked. There is a manual release thumb safety and your palm safety on the back strap. Even some holsters have a strap that snaps across the back of the slide while the hammer is cocked giving you a third safety. Every holster should completely cover the trigger guard. That would be a 4th safety.

Glocks have a trigger set safety. Plus all guns will not fire if you keep your finger out of the trigger/trigger guard.

 

[Robert Hairless]

Weston, guns don't just "go off." They're mechanical devices. If they just went off whenever they felt like it, guns would be unpredictable and completely useless. Who in his right mind would want to be anywhere near a gun that could "go off" unpredictably at any moment?

 

[WestonSmith]

Why I brought all this up

Some of you sound irritated by this post. How this conversation with these people actually happened is I was talking with one of my roommates, I have 5 of them, about my new XD handgun I just bought and how I was wanting to get a concealed firearms permit. I also mentioned to the roommate that I called the local police department and they said it even would be legal to have a cocked and loaded firearm in your place of residence without a permit. One of my other roommates overheard our conversation. He acted startled and was like \"You are not going to walk around with a loaded and cocked gun! That is just plain stupid! Police do not even do that! It is not that hard to just pull the slide back to cock a gun when you need it! I will give you $50 if police walk around with guns cocked with a round in the chamber! If I ever find someone who has a loaded and cocked gun, I will call the police even if they have a permit for it!\" I then said that I did not see much point in having a magazine in a gun if you are not going to pull the slide back. Then the roommate that I was first talking with said that most people who carry concealed usually have it cocked and locked with a round in the chamber. Because of this conversation, I was a little worried. When I was looking at different handguns, I intentionally looked for one that requires racking the slide instead of a double action first trigger pull, because I figured that it would help the accuracy of the first shot if I ever ever had to use a handgun. Then when the second roommate said not to have it cocked, I was hoping that I did not make a bad decision by buying a handgun that is not a double action for the first shot.

 

[WestonSmith]

My roommate also told me that there is no reason to have a gun cocked with a round in the chamber unless you are about ready to fire it. I explained that you want to have it ready in case of danger. His response was that more people shoot themselves in the leg than save their lives from criminals.

 

[Waywatcher]

Your roomate is not very well informed.

How would he carry a revolver? After all if you pull the trigger it will go off, if it's loaded.

A Glock or XD with a loaded chamber is no different. They both have trigger safeties to prevent non-fingers from pulling the trigger. The XD even has a grip safety.

While many people do shoot themselves, if they were following the 4 Rules of Gun Safety it simply wouldn't have happened.

 

[Dr.Who]

I agree that your room-mate(s) are expressing authoritative opinions on sometime they know nothing about. They need to be schooled, properly, on how a firearm works. Their lack of knowledge is unfortunately not uncommon in the anti-gun ranks. It is a shot from the hip thought mentality. Tell them they need to expand their horizons and learn about proper firearm use and care.

Education builds understanding, Understanding builds Confidence!

 

[Outlaw Man]

Is that $50 total or $50 per cop? You could make a fortune if it was per cop.

Is he going to call the police on themselves?

I'd definitely get that permit and look for a way to secure the gun if you have to leave it at home unsupervised. A couple of your roommates sound like they're almost waiting to become the next "statistic" to prove you wrong.

Keep the gun on you (when you can) and away from them. They obviously don't know enough about it to tell if you have one in the chamber or not (you can't carry an XD with a round in the chamber without it being partially cocked, and you can't carry it at full cock), and it's really none of their business. Stay safe and they won't really have anything to complain about.