I thought people being nervous about cocked pistols was a myth

[Hoxviii]

Well, thanks for all of the good words.

All I did was handle the situation like I would have wanted it handled if I were in their position. I realize many people know just "their" manual of arms and seeing the guy with the beretta (which can be carried C&L but wasn't) I knew exactly what he was thinking.

Instead of expecting someone that doesn't know me from Adam to take my word that something I'm doing witha firearm is safe, a quick demonstration saves so much breath and portrays things so much more clearly.

Just remember- so many times in life one will get an attitude when one definitely need not and it just shuts off the others perception at best or escalates the situation at worst.

Always treat people with basic courtesy and respect while always being prepared to deal with the unavoidable jerk.

 

[Aka Zero]

CZ75B-SA <- Will be cocked and locked this winter. I think people just don't understand all the differences in guns. Most people think guns you just pull the trigger. The hammer just makes it a little more "ready" in there mind to go bang.

Age 22 now, and I think some people just think younger people with guns is scary. I talk about shooting, people respond "don't make this guy mad, he will shoot you"

But I had a chance to convert a non-gunny into a possible gunny. People don't realize how fun shooting is until they are shooting things themselves. This time it was clay pigeons on the ground with a Mark III. And after explaining some things, they lost the fear of guns. in less than half an hour.

So talking about it, and showing why, best course of action. Learn something new everyday, and teach someone else something new everyday.

 

[rklessdriver]

I"m glad you took the time to give them a demo of the 1911's safety features(and they listened).

When you can give someone a little education, it is always a good thing.
Will

 

[hemiram]

I used to open carry several different revolvers when I lived in Vegas, and had a couple of tourist's eyes bug out when they saw it at grocery stores while I was shopping on the way home from work. But nothing like the couple of times I had my Colt Commander cocked and locked! One guy looked like he was going to faint when he saw it! Another one went and told the store manager, who was a new guy, from California, who called the cops. I knew him, so as soon as he saw me, he said, "New gun?", I said, "Not for long, it's junk!", and I soon sold it, as it had serious problems and Colt's service didn't seem to know how to fix it. I think the only real way to do it was to simply replace the entire gun, as it didn't have a single correctly made part in it, and I doubt it would have fired more than two or three shots that night anyway.

 

[David E]

The only thing I wouldn't have done is offer to carry it hammer down to appease them.

Especially since the poster said that he carries a loaded gun at that particular spot for a reason.

I doubt he's done much racking the slide during the draw, much less hammer cocking on the draw, I would not appease the ignorant to the detriment of my ability to quickly defend myself.


.

 

[VTChuck]

The simple act of putting the hammer down (with a round in the chamber) is probably the most dangerous and stupid thing one can do/try with a 1911.

 

[GLOOB]

There is a slight, but psychologically significant, difference. A Glock will (most likely) not fire unless the trigger is pulled, even if ALL SAFETY SYSTEMS FAIL, because it's only partially cocked. It would take a severely damaged 1911, and an act of God, to have all 3 safeties and the sear engagement to fail at the same time. But the mere possibility is enough to make some people more nervous.