1911-cocked, half cocked or butterscotch?

[hooky]

I totally derailed another thread with an innocent question about half cocked.

My understanding of a 1911 is that you carry "cocked and locked" with a round in the chamber so you draw, disengage the safety and press the trigger.

If the hammer is down, the chamber needs to be empty.

The idea of of half cocked is lost on me. Why would one half cock a 1911? It seems counter to what I understand, albeit a possibly mistaken understanding, about the 1911.

 

[jmiller676]

Because they don't understand the mechanics of a 1911...

 

[iChokePeople]

Because they don't understand the mechanics of a 1911...

+1. It's only there as a safety measure. There is no reason to ever half cock your 1911.

 

[1911 DeadHead]

For me if it's half cocked, there is something wrong. At first I was nervous about carrying cocked and locked until I spent two day with it unloaded on my hip doing regular activities. The safety never disengaged.

 

[45fan]

Certainly cant have people going off half cocked!!

Some may argue that the hammer can be safely lowered on a live round, in an attempt to half cock a 1911, but there is at lest one fire pit and soiled pair of underwear in this world that can say otherwise.

If you are uncomfortable with cocked and locked carry, acclimate yourself by carry cocked and locked with an empty chamber for a bit. The other option would be to practice the Israli draw, and get REALLY fast with it.

 

[churchmouse]

I read your question in the "Other thread" and it makes sense. That was a nice Remington.

 

[JetGirl]

Why would one half cock a 1911?

You wouldn't.

+1. It's only there as a safety measure. There is no reason to ever half cock your 1911.

This ^. "HALF cock" is the shelf that the hammer will fall to if you're intending to cock the hammer fully back and your thumb happens to slip. Pulling the trigger shouldn't do anything and you get no "bang".
FULL cock is where you're able to pull the trigger to fire... OR flip up the thumb safety and holster your firearm. Hence the term "cocked and locked".

 

[JetGirl]

That being said, some newer 1911s don't really have a "half cock".
They have a 1/4 cock, at which the hammer falls when the trigger is pulled, but (in theory) not hard enough to cause the firing pin to strike the primer hard enough to detonate it.
In addition to that 1/4 cock, the next position is "full cock".

However, there are also those with 3 positions... that first 1/4 cock (where the hammer can fall when the trigger is pulled), the half cock (where the hammer can NOT fall when the trigger is pulled), and full cock (where the hammer is supposed to fall when the trigger is pulled).

 

[JetGirl]

OK, I do not have one with just the 1/4 and the full.... but, here is my ATI (with the half cock and full cock only) followed by my Springfield (with 1/4, 1/2, and full)...

These are unloaded and minus mags:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdLCs04L2Wc[/ame]

 

[iChokePeople]

Will you record a few phrases for me to use as notification tones, alarms, etc?

 

[Hoosier8]

Some left handed soldier's carried half cocked during WWII instead of using the right handed safety.

 

[iChokePeople]

Some left handed soldier's carried half cocked during WWII instead of using the right handed safety.

I don't understand. Why? What would that get them?

 

[churchmouse]

Great example JetGirl. That made me get out all the 1911's and check out the action. The Colts have a 1/4 and full position only. The Para's are the same, only 2 positions. The
Springfield's have 1/4, 1/2 and full cock. Never use the part or half cocked on any of them.
I rarely cock the guns with my thumb. Usually jack the slide to put a round into battery and use the thumb safety.. Good points. Good question.

 

[iChokePeople]

Great example JetGirl. That made me get out all the 1911's and check out the action. The Colts have a 1/4 and full position only. The Para's are the same, only 2 positions. The
Springfield's have 1/4, 1/2 and full cock. Never use the part or half cocked on any of them.
I rarely cock the guns with my thumb. Usually jack the slide to put a round into battery and use the thumb safety.. Good points. Good question.

Yeah, I'd almost... ALMOST go so far as to say I "never" cock the with my thumb, but in truth I've done it a few times on a few of them. Certainly not on all. Now I have to go check all of mine.

 

[cbseniour]

Personally I think the slide lock safety is a lot less likely to fail than the half cock position.

 

[iChokePeople]

Personally I think the slide lock safety is a lot less likely to fail than the half cock position.

Undoubtably. But they serve different purposes. The thumb safety will not prevent a bang from a thumb cocking oops or a sear failure. Half cock... Might.

 

[hooky]

Now it's making sense. I've never really paid any attention to this. I usually insert mag, rack, set safety, top off and insert. I don't really recall ever having used my thumb on a hammer, but I'm sure I have at times.

Thanks for the lesson.

 

[iChokePeople]

Now it's making sense. I've never really paid any attention to this. I usually insert mag, rack, set safety, top off and insert. I don't really recall ever having used my thumb on a hammer, but I'm sure I have at times.

Thanks for the lesson.

You're doing it right, though some might argue that it's better to lock the slide to the rear, then insert mag, then go on from there.

 

[Sylvain]

I dont know anything about 1911s, like you might tell from my questions.
Can you carry with one in the chamber and hammer down and fire the gun like that?
Like you would with a revolver in double action.
Or do you need to have it cocked all the way back in order to fire, in what would be single action for a revolver?

 

[JetGirl]

Will you record a few phrases for me to use as notification tones, alarms, etc?

Turn your lights down low, light a candle or two, put on some soft music...
and click for something extra special from Jetgirl, with love.