cocked and locked carry advice
- Thread starter walking arsenal
- Start date
- Status
Holster is 50%
My holster thumbbreak is over the grip safety. Not a prefered way to cary. This was how the staps could be sewn up. I like velcro and it allows for custom snugging a piece but not on a carry gun inside waistband under clothing. Holster is snugg on the safety and no debri falls in. Blow the lint off once a week if I don't make it to the range.
Cocked can be an educational experience for people who do not know the 1911. To some anti in a bookstore or walking through Marsh Grocery it may seem a bit intimidating. Helps to know the law and politness.
Next two holsters of similar style will see the shoe leather sewing machine also though with modified strap placements off the grip safety.
My holster thumbbreak is over the grip safety. Not a prefered way to cary. This was how the staps could be sewn up. I like velcro and it allows for custom snugging a piece but not on a carry gun inside waistband under clothing. Holster is snugg on the safety and no debri falls in. Blow the lint off once a week if I don't make it to the range.
Cocked can be an educational experience for people who do not know the 1911. To some anti in a bookstore or walking through Marsh Grocery it may seem a bit intimidating. Helps to know the law and politness.
Next two holsters of similar style will see the shoe leather sewing machine also though with modified strap placements off the grip safety.
Burt Blade
Member
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2004
- Messages
- 477
It is worth repeating:
Use a high-quality holster, mag pouch, and belt, Using a $15 cheap nylon holster with your $500 pistol is like driving a sports car on bargain basement tires. You can do it, but it is not optimal.
The holster, mag pouch, and belt is as much a part of your life insurance as the gun itself. It aids concealment, retention of the weapon, and facilitates a proper draw. Using cheap crap hinders all three.
Now as to "cocked and locked", the 1911 is designed to be carried that way. As long as you put the safety on, it is not going to fire until you take the safety off. If you have the "G.I." type, that grip safety give you a measure of insurance in the event of an accidental disengagement of the manual safety.
I have carried a "70 series" (near-GI) Colt for 19 years. I can remember twice finding that the safety was off in the holster. Both times were year early on, carrying in a cheap holster. Don't make that same penny-wise/pound-foolish choice.
Use a high-quality holster, mag pouch, and belt, Using a $15 cheap nylon holster with your $500 pistol is like driving a sports car on bargain basement tires. You can do it, but it is not optimal.
The holster, mag pouch, and belt is as much a part of your life insurance as the gun itself. It aids concealment, retention of the weapon, and facilitates a proper draw. Using cheap crap hinders all three.
Now as to "cocked and locked", the 1911 is designed to be carried that way. As long as you put the safety on, it is not going to fire until you take the safety off. If you have the "G.I." type, that grip safety give you a measure of insurance in the event of an accidental disengagement of the manual safety.
I have carried a "70 series" (near-GI) Colt for 19 years. I can remember twice finding that the safety was off in the holster. Both times were year early on, carrying in a cheap holster. Don't make that same penny-wise/pound-foolish choice.
walking arsenal
Member
I lucked out in the holster dept.
The gun came with a Galco holster, not sure what kind, but it has a thumb break that goes between the hammer and the firing pin.
after thought
does anyone have a recomendation for a mag pouch, ive got some dime store nylon velcro thing right now, it works fine, but i worry about lint and the velcro makes that bad guy alerting RRRRRRIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPP!!!!!
The gun came with a Galco holster, not sure what kind, but it has a thumb break that goes between the hammer and the firing pin.
after thought
does anyone have a recomendation for a mag pouch, ive got some dime store nylon velcro thing right now, it works fine, but i worry about lint and the velcro makes that bad guy alerting RRRRRRIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPP!!!!!
SapperLeader
Member
Walking Arsenal - I can certainly understand wanting something nicer than the nylon for your magazines, but I wouldnt worry about the velcro RRRRRRIIIIIIIIPPPPPPPP sound. If you have already unloaded a magazine on a assailant, then I doubt the grabbing a magazine to reload and having to rip open the velcro is going to further alert him with sounds.
walking arsenal
Member
true enough
i also have the problem were i confuse the stupid thing for my leatherman case.
Leatherman tools dont feed well in 1911's and they lack the capacity i desire as well
i also have the problem were i confuse the stupid thing for my leatherman case.
Leatherman tools dont feed well in 1911's and they lack the capacity i desire as well
ShaiVong
Member
WA: If your so inclined; The manual that came with my SA says to grasp the hammer between finger and thumb with left hand, pull trigger with right, release trigger and remove finger from guard, and lower hammer down to hammer stop (not against firing pin).
In a safety course the instructor told us to place the thumb between the hammer and slide, pull trigger, remove finger from guard, and then lower to stop.
At what time and why you decide to try this is up to you, but those are the best methods i've heard to decock a loaded pistol. I've done it myself a number of times and it works just fine.
In a safety course the instructor told us to place the thumb between the hammer and slide, pull trigger, remove finger from guard, and then lower to stop.
At what time and why you decide to try this is up to you, but those are the best methods i've heard to decock a loaded pistol. I've done it myself a number of times and it works just fine.
carebear
Member
If you want to try condition 2 I recommend a LOT of practice at home.
Double check the gun as empty (rounds in the other room is how I do it) and "de-cock" it.
Now, using some kind of timer, or a pre-chosen stimulus (say a tv commercial sound) try to draw AND cock AND dry fire in something resembling a reasonable amount of time.
The 1911 isn't ergonomically designed to be cocked like a SAA or Blackhawk.
You will be hanging onto the grip with just your three least agile fingers pinning it against your palm instead of your opposable thumb....
while trying to get a good purchase on the poorly placed hammer with that same now pronated and hyper-extended thumb...
then trying to exert the force to cock it 90 degrees with no leverage against the poor fulcrum of those pinching, sliding fingers...
and then moving your thumb back into the correct firing position.
You won't have a firm controlled grasp on the weapon nor a good firing grip until the very end and the lack of leverage will tempt you to put the otherwise useless trigger finger into the guard to provide resistance to the cocking motion.
And that is supposed to be safer than a good holster, 2-3 mechanical safeties and Rule 2?
Double check the gun as empty (rounds in the other room is how I do it) and "de-cock" it.
Now, using some kind of timer, or a pre-chosen stimulus (say a tv commercial sound) try to draw AND cock AND dry fire in something resembling a reasonable amount of time.
The 1911 isn't ergonomically designed to be cocked like a SAA or Blackhawk.
You will be hanging onto the grip with just your three least agile fingers pinning it against your palm instead of your opposable thumb....
while trying to get a good purchase on the poorly placed hammer with that same now pronated and hyper-extended thumb...
then trying to exert the force to cock it 90 degrees with no leverage against the poor fulcrum of those pinching, sliding fingers...
and then moving your thumb back into the correct firing position.
You won't have a firm controlled grasp on the weapon nor a good firing grip until the very end and the lack of leverage will tempt you to put the otherwise useless trigger finger into the guard to provide resistance to the cocking motion.
And that is supposed to be safer than a good holster, 2-3 mechanical safeties and Rule 2?
Buck Snort
Member
When I bought my Colt Series 80 .45 ACP, OH! so many years ago!, I was told that I could lower the hammer on a live round and throw it out into the street and it wouldn't discharge (even it it landed on the hammer) because it had a fireing pin block that prevented the fireing pin from moving unless the trigger was derpessed. Was I mis-informed?
carebear
Member
Buck,
nope, barring mechanical failure you can do just that. The risk comes in because in order to lower the hammer to get to that point you have to pull the trigger.
If the hammer slips accidentally and don't release the trigger in time for the sear to catch on the half-cock notch and the firing pin disconnect to reengage..... bang!
nope, barring mechanical failure you can do just that. The risk comes in because in order to lower the hammer to get to that point you have to pull the trigger.
If the hammer slips accidentally and don't release the trigger in time for the sear to catch on the half-cock notch and the firing pin disconnect to reengage..... bang!
Barry in IN
Member
FWIW regarding holster selection:
When I started carrying a single-action auto, a 1911, I worried about it the safety getting bumped off. My solution was a thumb break holster (Bianchi)- that way, if it happened, the hammer was shielded from the firing pin. Just in case, ya know.
Sure enough, as time went by, I would find the safety "off" roughly once or twice a year. I was scared away from the 1911 for a little while.
Until......
I figured out that the thumb break strap was the culprit.
Point being- Choose your holster carefully, as has already been said. But, don't just think choosing any thumb break system will solve everything.
Choose a holster carefully- especially the thumb break part if you go that way.
By the way, since "the big discovery", I've tried a Galco PLE paddle with thumb break- same problem.
When I started carrying a single-action auto, a 1911, I worried about it the safety getting bumped off. My solution was a thumb break holster (Bianchi)- that way, if it happened, the hammer was shielded from the firing pin. Just in case, ya know.
Sure enough, as time went by, I would find the safety "off" roughly once or twice a year. I was scared away from the 1911 for a little while.
Until......
I figured out that the thumb break strap was the culprit.
Point being- Choose your holster carefully, as has already been said. But, don't just think choosing any thumb break system will solve everything.
Choose a holster carefully- especially the thumb break part if you go that way.
By the way, since "the big discovery", I've tried a Galco PLE paddle with thumb break- same problem.
- Status
