Condition 1

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iMagUdspEllr

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Which one gun would you choose to bet your life on if you had to carry it in condition 1?

1911, 2011, HK USP, CZ 75, FNX, and so on and so forth. New, old, anything goes. You don't have to choose from what I listed. Any gun you want. I repeat, any gun that is capable of condition 1 carry. I am just throwing ideas out there.

Edit: Just to clarify... Which semi-automatic pistol would you bet your life on for your protection? The only restriction is that you must carry it in condition 1. So, that rules out pistols that don't have the ability to be carried in condition 1 (e.g. Sig P226, Beretta 92FS, Glocks, etc.)
 
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I'm confused by your question? Are you asking which of the above are safe to carry in condition 1?
 
I'm a 1911 shooter and the thumb safety position and operation on the 1911 (2011, same thing) is more natural for me than those on the other guns.

However, if I was given a box of unnamed and untested 1911's and a box of untested H&K USP's, I'd take my chances pulling a pistol out of the H&K USP box. There are a lot of 1911 makers, there is only one company making the USP. Would I rather have my 1911 over a USP, probably. Would I rather have somebody else's 1911 over a USP, maybe not.
 
@ATLDave: No, just which semi-auto pistol would you bet your life on to carry for your protection, with the only restraint being that it has to be carried in condition 1.

They are all plenty safe in my eyes.
 
I would bet my life on any of the above if I confirmed the reliability of any offered example before carrying. I would prefer to carry a CZ-75 because of the way it fits my hand.
 
I dunno. The only two I have of that list are the 1911 and the FNX.

While my Springfield has been flawless, it's pretty tight on tolerances which can lead to a malfunction. However, it IS the most accurate centerfire pistol that I own, and I do like the .45 caliber.

My FNX-9 has been flawless as well. It's probably tighter than a Glock but more loosey goosey than the 1911 as far as tolerances go. It's a little smaller and lighter than my 1911 and is only a 9mm, but the controls are the same as my 1911 (even set up ambi like the .45).

Soooo, it's kind of a toss up. I have a very tried and true 100 year old design that is USUALLY very reliable...until it isn't, and I have a new age polymer that has a lot of similar features but is chambered in a less powerful round.

I might lean slightly toward the FNX-9 simply because it does have a second strike capability that the 1911 doesn't have and sports more firepower per magazine.
 
Cool. Thanks for the fast replies so far. Just clarifying for everyone...

I just wanted to know what people would trust their life on in the world of guns that are capable of condition 1 carry. Just curious. I'm not asking if condition 1 is safe or not (it is IMHO). I'm not asking people to pick from my list. I don't know where these concerns/ideas came from.

Keep 'em comin'
 
I carry a FNP45 Tactical on duty and a Colt Commander off duty, both in condition one, I trust them both.
 
First, all firearms to be carried would be tested first, regardless of what brand or model they are. There is nothing I would trust to carry without shooting first. If I were buying my first handgun, it may get carried before I can verify its working, but only because there is no other proven option available.

As to which gun I would trust above, well all of them and none of them. They all have the capability to be dependable, accurate, long lasting firearms. They all have the capability to be out of spec, broken, or improperly assembled.

To answer your question more directly, the CZ would be top on my list as it has a great service record (more so outside the US) and is a great price for what you get. The HK is certainly a good pistol, just expensive (to me) so it would be a good option if the price didn't turn you off. The FN is a firearm I'd trust as well but for some reason doesn't raise much interest in myself.

The 1911/2011 would be a big maybe. Some are well built, some aren't. Some follow the original specs closely (at least in regards to moving parts) and some take liberties changing spec how they see fit. The original spec was very reliable with ball ammo. They also started as fairly tight guns. When seeing one of those run well it shows that a reliable 1911 is capable to be made and the specs to do so are widely known. Then we get into small changes to appeal to more shooters as well as less QC and larger tolerance specs and who knows what you are getting.

For a fighting 1911, I'd have to buy one from a company that is known for making quality defensive 1911's to feel good and then it would need to see plenty of range time to verify it is reliable. The 2011 tends to be a top tier build at a top tier price. Some aren't (RIA and PARA) but most use top quality parts that are hand fit one gun at a time to customer spec. If you are having that done by a competent smith (I'd argue most who have a reputation for building a 2011 would qualify) I'd feel comfortable with the gun but again want to verify it's function first at the range.

Another I would throw in and seriously consider is the M&P with thumb safety. I really like the M&P. It fits me well and I shoot it well. The factory sear gets swapped for an APEX version, though pull weight can be set to fit the use well. If you don't want to swap things it may or may not be the best fit but it's still a way to get a lighter weight double stack with a thumb safety.

If the question is meant that you go to the gun store, see all of them in the case, buy one, and have to use it for self defense that night, I'd probably want the HK or M&P, followed closely by the CZ and FN, and then lastly an untested but quality built 1911/2011.
 
@C0untZer0: Sure, if I could make a poll long enough. I figured it would be easier for people to just state the gun they would bet their life on if it had to be a gun that would have to carry in condition 1.

@.357 magnum: They make XD(M)s with thumb safeties? How do you carry them in condition 1?

@benzy2: I am not asking anyone to bet their life on a gun that they pick out of a grab bag.

Every company can have a lemon. I guess I assumed too much when I thought it was understood that the gun you would bet your life on would be a gun you have tested, practiced with, and can use well. I figured people would not trust their life to a gun they haven't tested, have not practiced with or can't use it very well.

This isn't about what I would pick. I was wondering what you picked to bet your life on or would pick to bet your life on. If you want to know what I would pick, well I am not sure. I'm not a fan of condition 1 in general. I like striker fired pistols (draw, aim, squeeze the trigger, and then holster the gun).

I was curious about what floats your boat in this style of carry.

I would want something that was reliable, as accurate as its competitors, has a larger capacity, and has a thumb safety that flicks on and off with authority (like on a 1911). I guess that means I would want a 2011 that was well made. But, I did have a FNX-9 that I liked... I just didn't like the safety because it wasn't as positive and precise feeling as a 1911 safety. Of course I would test it, practice with it, and verified that I can use it well before I tried carrying it.

Sorry, I just expected more participation. I guess everyone is in the striker (Glock, etc.) or condition 2 (Sig, etc.) camps.
 
All the above, with sig p226,220 single actions only (Sao) also. Those are sweet
 
Taurus pt99. Big but accurate and 18 rds plus one in the hole. Second strike capable. The gun is utterly reliable until I put my 22 conversion on it.
 
@C0untZer0: The P7 isn't cocked until you squeeze it and it has no manual thumb safety. So, that means it can't be cocked or on safe when you carry it. Do you have one? How do you like it?

@9mmepiphany: The P9S looks like it has a M9-style safety. Do you like that safety or the more common P30/HK45 style safety?
 
CZ75.
I already trust my life to it every day.

But I've been itching to try a .40 and a CZ40B to be the host I buy.
 
Which one gun would you choose to bet your life on if you had to carry it in condition 1?

1911, 2011, HK USP, CZ 75, FNX, and so on and so forth. New, old, anything goes. You don't have to choose from what I listed. Any gun you want. I repeat, any gun that is capable of condition 1 carry. I am just throwing ideas out there.

My Colt Series 80 Combat Commander with the firing pin lock, grip safety, AND thumb safety.

Why?

The firing pin lock works off the trigger and the grip safety prevents the trigger from coming back unless gripped.

Thus in Cond. 1 the ONLY way the gun will fire is if you grip the gun, take the safety off, and pull the trigger fully to the rear.

Dropping the gun won't fire it even if the safety is off. A bad sear that lets the hammer fall won''t fire it cause the trigger has not been pulled.

And that is safe enough for me.

Deaf
 
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