Question About Hammer Detentes on a 1911

[hotajax]

What is the purpose of the first stop when pulling back on the hammer? When bringing the hammer back somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch from full forward, the hammer will stay in that position. In this position, you can put on the safety. Even if you don't put on the safety, the hammer will not release when you pull the trigger. Would like to know more. Thanks. Serial number 59XXX.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Depending on the particular design (original or with a trigger-actuated firing pin safety, aka "Series 80"), this is either a "half cock" or a "safety stop," respectively. This is a designed-in safety feature to stop the hammer from hitting the firing pin if the gun malfunctions and the hammer doesn't stay cocked (a condition known as "hammer follow"), or if you cock or de-cock it with your thumb and slip.

I haven't handled a 1911 for some time, but I didn't know you could engage the safety at only half cock. This doesn't seem right.

 

[tuj]

I just checked my STI Spartan and the thumb safety will *partially* engage at half-cock.

As to the OP's question, yes the half-cock notch is there for safety.

 

[mattk]

Some hammers have a quarter cock shelf as well. Springfield hammers have the extra quarter cock.

 

[Drail]

It's for guys with greasy thumbs. Don't be that guy.

 

[HDCamel]

Original design descriptions of the predecessors to the 1911 (1905, 1907, 1909, and 1910) refer to it as the "safety position".

Whether it was intended to be carried in this manner or with the hammer all the way down is up for debate, but it's a fact that throughout the 1911's development, the military had always intended for the pistol to be carried with the hammer down and either racked (with an empty chamber) or cocked (with a loaded chamber) upon draw and decocked when returned to the holster.

 

[kilibreaux]

The "purpose" is to catch the hammer should it somehow fall without the trigger being held to the rear.
The idea is that if the hammer were to "jump the sear" without a human finger holding the trigger it would "catch" at the "quarter cock notch."

 

[hotajax]

1911 Hammer Design

Sounds to me like there is no way to test this. Thanks for the inputs.

 

[Jolly Rogers]

The first design hammer "safety position" was indeed a safety as it was a captured sear design. JMB specified it in the patent application. Series 80 need not apply.
Joe

 

[Greg528iT]

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There are 2 ways to tell.. 1st.. take the hammer out and look. If that shelf is a real hook, then once the sear is on that position the only way to release it is to re cock the hammer.. or mostly cock it
2nd is.. with the gun empty.. and then empty the gun, set the hammer on the half cock (or quarter) and pull the trigger.. If the trigger falls the rest of the way, it's just a shelf. The hammer should NOT have enough energy to pop the firing pin enough to fire off a round.. but you will at least know which hammer you have.