"Cocked and Locked" Carry -- Some Thoughts

[mljdeckard]

I carry a Kimber, C&L. BUT, I didn't always, I tried several different pistols before I was comfortable with it. Like others have said, a 1911 with two manual and one internal safety is safer than a Glock with only one manual safety that is ineffective if your finger is on the trigger.

If you REALLY just can't get over the willies, don't do it. Your head and your gut should match. Use something else, and let yourself grow into the idea. If you never do, the world will continue spinning. We tell people over and over, "Use what works for you. Don't listen to other people."

 

[10-Ring]

If you commit to it & train w/ it properly & carry a properly tuned firearm, you'll be very safe & prepared!

 

[glock530]

Many years ago I was really skeptical about carrying a 1911 in the "cocked and locked" mode. I just kept seeing that cocked hammer looming and my confidence was really shaken.

What I did was to carry the 1911 C&L with no round in the chamber. I walked, sat, ran, danced, climbed ladders, ran down stairs, jumped up and down, and so on for a long, long time - or so it seemed to me. Of course absolutely nothing happened - ever

After convincing myself that that hammer was always going to stay in place I did the same, but with a round in the chamber. That was over thirty years ago and, to this day, I carry "cocked and locked" with absolute confidence.

There was never anything wrong with carrying C&L but my head took some convincing - and, for me, it worked.

This is exactly where I'm at now. I admit the "cocked & locked" condition made me nervous but after several months of C&L on an empty chamber I feel much better about it.

 

[FranklyTodd]

1911 C&L is fine, my personal preference is DA/SA. DA first pull IS the safety, with out having to fiddle with a safety.

As for carrying with a healthy bit of fear: as an actuary in a past life, it was discovered that the addition of airbags and anti-lock brakes increased auto accidents. Why? Because people thought they made their car so much more difficult to crash, and if crashed, the risk of catastrophic injury was low.

By that thinking, cars should have no seatbelts, regular brakes, and a steel spike sticking up out of the steering wheel. Then everybody would drive very carefully!

Sounds like you are in good shape with the CZ - it took me a year of CCW to settle on what carried well, shot well, and I was comfortable carrying with a round chambered (went through a couple Glocks - just not for me).

[EDIT] Oops - just noticed this is an 18 month old thread. I'll bet the OP's really good with his CZ after this long...

 

[kcshooter]

....

 

[easyg]

To each his own....

I carried my CZ cocked & locked for years, but I always had a small nagging fear in the back of my mind....

Not a fear of carrying cocked & locked, but a fear that I would forget to sweep the safety off if I ever needed to use the pistol for real.

Over time it bothered me more and more.

Eventually I decided that a point-and-shoot no-manual-safety pistol was the way to go.
And now I feel very comfortable with my Glock....the only safety I need worry about is keeping my finger off the trigger.

I doubt that I will ever carry a manual safety pistol again.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

Not a fear of carrying cocked & locked, but a fear that I would forget to sweep the safety off if I ever needed to use the pistol for real.

That's why we practice.

 

[rcmodel]

+1

Perhaps it's because I have carried C&L 1911's for more years then I care to remember.

But I just cannot understand how anyone could forget to take the safety off a 1911 in a gunfight.

To me, it's just a natural part of the gun, like cocking the hammer on a Colt Single-Action Army when it comes out of the leather.

How the heck do you forget to do that?

rcmodel

 

[easyg]

But I just cannot understand how anyone could forget to take the safety off a 1911 in a gunfight.

Yet it happens.

Besides, why bother with a manual safety if you don't need one?

 

[rcmodel]

Because I happen to think you do need one.
And I happen to like 1911's.

I often stuff a cocked & locked 1911 down the back of my pants when going about my business.

Do that with a Glock and you could very easily shoot yourself in the azz.

I even put a thumb safety on my one lone Glock.

rcmodel

 

[Treo]

but the half-cock is intended as a fail-safe in the event that the sear hooks were to fail.

The user manual that came W/ my CZ says that is meant to be carried DA, on half cock. I personally like having one less thing to think about.

 

[FranklyTodd]

It's funny - I went through the disagreement of the last few posts (Glock v Manual Safety) for almost a year in my head, even added the manual safety to my Glock, too.

The perfect solution for me (as I already said - sorry), was DA/SA. Benefits of a manual safety, without having to fiddle with it. People fuss about learning two triggers, but that's not hard.

A Glock trigger is only marginally heavier than an average 1911 trigger. I am not saying they are unsafe, but both Glock & C&L make me nervous for civilian carry, especially since I sometimes use a SmartCarry - covers the trigger an all, but it's cloth, not leather or kydex.

I like the exposed hammer of my Sig - put my thumb right on it when reholstering, and I like the first pull. Hard enough it isn't going to be by accident, smooth enough it's still going to be fast and accurate.

Please nobody take this as criticism of their choice - of course Glocks & 1911s are great for many. I'm just very, very pleased that I found the right setup for me. I did not look at CZ, but I probably should have - I think I would like them as well!

 

[BlindJustice]

S&W 1911 - like the COlt Series 80 and I believe the Kimber Series II
has a firing pin Block to disallow the firing pin making contact with the
primer of the chambered cartridge UNLESS the trigger is pulled.

The Grip Safety seperates the trigger from the hammer strut that
acts against the sear to release the hammer. It was not part of the
original John M Browning design. It was required by the U.S. ARmy who
were still in the mind set of having mounted troops on horsebac, so it is
a redundant safety.

THe THumb safety physically blocks the hammer from falling.

I carry my S&W 1911 Cocked & Locked in a Milt Sparks #Axiom
holster. - the holster covers the slide and up to the rear of the trigger
guard, it in no way inerfieres with the Wilson Combat extended slide
Release/lock nor the stock thumb safety

I also have a CZ 75B - the original CZ 75 - 1975-1993/1994 did not have a firing pin block safety - the "B" prefix stands for it haveing
and all subsequent variants since '94 having the Firing Pin Block
Safety. I got the CZ 75B for a #2 carry piece, as well as a economical
range gun, as well as the experience of a DA/SA but with the C&L
option with the same motion to go off safe with it's thumb safety.
The other reason is if I'm with some morons who can't wrap
their minds around 3 friggin safeties while they have Glocks or revolvers
they consider Safe. and who can't live with Cocked
and locked I'll carry it hammer down to the quarter cock for a DA first shot
it makes it an easier DA pull but the firing pin block is still functional.

I don't know what anyone refers to with a half cock in regards to a
S&W 1911 - there isn't one. And my thumb safety has never wiped off.

Randall