Last night I posted a question (see below, "40 SW Ruger vs. Taurus, questions on safeties"). (The question essentially was, can I safely carry a Taurus PT940 with a round in the chamber and the hammer down, and other related questions on safeties.) No one replied, while several other posts had dozens of replies since then. I'm mystified. Was my question too dumb? (A distinct possibility; I'm new at this.) Was the question inappropriate for this forum? Was it uninteresting? Does no one know the answer? Do you guys all know each other and don't talk to strangers? Did I violate some rule of etiquette that I don't know about? Someone help me out here, please.
help for a novice
- Thread starter LarryF
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George Hill
Staff Alumnus
Larry - No...
You didn't ask a dumn question...
I saw the question - and didn't respond because I dont have a lot of time with those pistols... Never Carried a Tauras Auto.
So I defered - letting some one with more 1st hand knowledge of these perticular autos answer your question with more authority.
I bet money many others did the same as me.
It was a good question...
The Taurus I think WOULD be safe. Taurus is a good solid company. They are SERIOUS about making a good gun. I think you would no problem... BUT... I dont OWN a Taurus. Have a Brother in Brazil that has BEEN TO the Taurus operation - said it was first rate.
But dont take my word for it - get the answer from one who carries one of these.
Taurus autos are not as common here as other guns...
That is why you have yet to get answers to your specific question.
Be patient - out of our many members - SOME ONE will be an owner you can tell you.
If not - then your the first - and now you have the duty to give us a FULL REPORT on your pistol.
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
You didn't ask a dumn question...
I saw the question - and didn't respond because I dont have a lot of time with those pistols... Never Carried a Tauras Auto.
So I defered - letting some one with more 1st hand knowledge of these perticular autos answer your question with more authority.
I bet money many others did the same as me.
It was a good question...
The Taurus I think WOULD be safe. Taurus is a good solid company. They are SERIOUS about making a good gun. I think you would no problem... BUT... I dont OWN a Taurus. Have a Brother in Brazil that has BEEN TO the Taurus operation - said it was first rate.
But dont take my word for it - get the answer from one who carries one of these.
Taurus autos are not as common here as other guns...
That is why you have yet to get answers to your specific question.
Be patient - out of our many members - SOME ONE will be an owner you can tell you.
If not - then your the first - and now you have the duty to give us a FULL REPORT on your pistol.
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
see...
Dennis - we got to find some way to get money for this... turn a hobby into a job...
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
Dennis - we got to find some way to get money for this... turn a hobby into a job...
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
Joe the Redneck
New member
I'd go with the Taurus. It has a decocker so you wouldn't have to ride the hammer down, which is very unsafe.
People who own Rugers tend to like them. I shot one many moons ago and it was a good gun. I just never really cared for it. Just seemed a little bulky and clunky. But then agin, I own Glocks, so I don't know where I get off calling ANY gun bulky and clunky!
Is conditioned zero safe? Wel, that's how I carry mine and I haven't shot anything (by accident) yet. I can't say that it will be safe for you. Remember, that gun will be next to your body. If you have to draw it out in a hurry, keep that finger off the trigger.
I don't believe in safties, anyway. Practice carrying and drawing the gun empty.
As for the drop test, don't drop it
People who own Rugers tend to like them. I shot one many moons ago and it was a good gun. I just never really cared for it. Just seemed a little bulky and clunky. But then agin, I own Glocks, so I don't know where I get off calling ANY gun bulky and clunky!
Is conditioned zero safe? Wel, that's how I carry mine and I haven't shot anything (by accident) yet. I can't say that it will be safe for you. Remember, that gun will be next to your body. If you have to draw it out in a hurry, keep that finger off the trigger.
I don't believe in safties, anyway. Practice carrying and drawing the gun empty.
As for the drop test, don't drop it
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
Condition Zero?
I must be asleep still - did I miss something?
I thought he was talking about carrying in Condition Two...
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
[This message has been edited by George Hill (edited August 21, 1999).]
I must be asleep still - did I miss something?
I thought he was talking about carrying in Condition Two...
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
[This message has been edited by George Hill (edited August 21, 1999).]
j.s.parker
New member
LarryF; I'm new to the forum also. I've found it to be very informative. I got some real good info. Guys and gals on the forum seem to be real nice folks. I haven't the courage to venture over to the glock forum yet although it makes for entertaining reading. Owned a ruger P-94 once. Great pistol. Should have kept it but you know how that goes. I would imagine any new generation double action pistol would be perfectly safe with a round in the chamber. Thats why decockers were invented! Take care.
I don't know what condition 0 and condition 2 are, but what I was talking about was carrying it with the safety on, a round in the chamber, and the hammer down. I may be missing something, too, but from what I saw the Ruger had a decocker, and the Taurus did not. Basically, I want to know if there is some kind of mechanism in the Taurus so that when the safety is on and the hammer is down, if you drop the gun on the hammer it won't fire. (Does this same kind of mechanism stop it from firing when you ride the hammer down with the safety on?) What I'm really concerned about is safety here. I figure that if I have a safety on, and the hammer is down, it will not be easy to make a mistake. In order to fire it, I will need to do 2 things, take the safety off and pull the trigger far enough to fire it double action.
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
This is called Condition 2...
If you load it up - chamber a round and bobbit it with the the decock lever - then the gun set in internal safeties that makes it safe to carry.
If you thumb the hammer down... then the hammer is resting on the firing pin, which is in turn resting on the primer. This is a special kind of dangerous in an Auto pistol - even if you put it on safe from this position... the reason you can only safe a 1911 while the hammer is back.
Condition 0 is actually having the gun READY TO FIRE by the way.
Condition One is a loaded gun, round chambered and on safe - like a 1911 "locked and cocked."
Condition 3 - like they always carry in the movies by the way - is a loaded magazine in the gun, with an empty chamber. This means to fire it you have to jack the slide like in the movies - but you only need to do this once and not every scene.
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
If you load it up - chamber a round and bobbit it with the the decock lever - then the gun set in internal safeties that makes it safe to carry.
If you thumb the hammer down... then the hammer is resting on the firing pin, which is in turn resting on the primer. This is a special kind of dangerous in an Auto pistol - even if you put it on safe from this position... the reason you can only safe a 1911 while the hammer is back.
Condition 0 is actually having the gun READY TO FIRE by the way.
Condition One is a loaded gun, round chambered and on safe - like a 1911 "locked and cocked."
Condition 3 - like they always carry in the movies by the way - is a loaded magazine in the gun, with an empty chamber. This means to fire it you have to jack the slide like in the movies - but you only need to do this once and not every scene.
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
Kodi..er, George,
Give the poor guy a break.
"...chamber a round and bobbit it with the the decock lever..."
bobbit 1) to cut off, especially in reference to the male genitalia (see Bobbit, Lorena); 2) to "decock", especially in reference to firearms.
(from the TFL unadamnedbridged dictionary!!)
Give the poor guy a break.
"...chamber a round and bobbit it with the the decock lever..."
bobbit 1) to cut off, especially in reference to the male genitalia (see Bobbit, Lorena); 2) to "decock", especially in reference to firearms.
(from the TFL unadamnedbridged dictionary!!)
Thanks for the education. I now know enough to ask some more questions.
Does this mean that unless an automatic pistol has a decocker, you cannot safely carry it with the hammer down and a round in the chamber, i.e., you must either carry it cocked and locked or with the chamber empty? If the "decocker" and "manual safety" are the two mechanisms that let you decock it or don't respectively, then what's DAO? If one can't safely carry a pistol with the hammer down and a round in the chamber unless it has a decocker, then why can one carry modern revolvers with a round in the chamber (if you can), and why were the old revolvers unsafe to carry that way (if they were)? Do the revolvers have some built-in safety mechanism that the pistols lack? Thanks, again, for the help.
Does this mean that unless an automatic pistol has a decocker, you cannot safely carry it with the hammer down and a round in the chamber, i.e., you must either carry it cocked and locked or with the chamber empty? If the "decocker" and "manual safety" are the two mechanisms that let you decock it or don't respectively, then what's DAO? If one can't safely carry a pistol with the hammer down and a round in the chamber unless it has a decocker, then why can one carry modern revolvers with a round in the chamber (if you can), and why were the old revolvers unsafe to carry that way (if they were)? Do the revolvers have some built-in safety mechanism that the pistols lack? Thanks, again, for the help.
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
Guns that are DAO - automaticly go into a safe mode after each shot.
Q: "Does this mean that unless an automatic pistol has a decocker, you cannot safely carry it with the hammer down and a round in the chamber, i.e., you must either carry it cocked and locked or with the chamber empty?"
A: That would depend on the type of gun you have.
--
Q: "If the 'decocker' and 'manual safety' are the two mechanisms that let you decock it or don't respectively, then what's DAO?
A: A "DAO" means the gun is Double Action Only... and is in effect always "safed" untill the trigger is actually pulled.
--
Q: If one can't safely carry a pistol with the hammer down and a round in the chamber unless it has a decocker, then why can one carry modern revolvers with a round in the chamber (if you can), and why were the old revolvers unsafe to carry that way (if they were)? Do the revolvers have some built-in safety mechanism that the pistols lack?
A: A modern revolver IS SAFE - untill the trigger is pulled, just like a DAO pistol... You wouldnt want to carry a revolver with the hammer back. DAO pistols CAN NOT be locked back - the trigger cocks the weapon as the trigger is pulled. If you thumb the hammer back it will not stay back...
Revolvers have no Safties as such - but some have a firing pin block to keep it from firing i fits dropped onto its hammer... I guess a good thing if your sitting on a horse...
Generaly unless the gun is built with internal safties that disingage the firing pin when decocked - I would not carry it in C-2...
P99 is fine to carry in C-2, SIGs, HKs Berettas and the like are all fine that way.
Glocks - are kinda always in C-2, but that's a whole other topic and I dont like Glocks enought to go into that.
What kinda gun are you concerned about? What do you have? If I know - I can be more specific...
In a nut shell - ALL MODERN handguns are safe. That is, untill you pull the trigger.
The concern of safty here is "Is a gun safe without pulling the trigger?" Most are. Some insure that a gun, even cocked will not fire unless the trigger is pulled by blocking the firing pin or disengaging it all together.
------------------
"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
Q: "Does this mean that unless an automatic pistol has a decocker, you cannot safely carry it with the hammer down and a round in the chamber, i.e., you must either carry it cocked and locked or with the chamber empty?"
A: That would depend on the type of gun you have.
--
Q: "If the 'decocker' and 'manual safety' are the two mechanisms that let you decock it or don't respectively, then what's DAO?
A: A "DAO" means the gun is Double Action Only... and is in effect always "safed" untill the trigger is actually pulled.
--
Q: If one can't safely carry a pistol with the hammer down and a round in the chamber unless it has a decocker, then why can one carry modern revolvers with a round in the chamber (if you can), and why were the old revolvers unsafe to carry that way (if they were)? Do the revolvers have some built-in safety mechanism that the pistols lack?
A: A modern revolver IS SAFE - untill the trigger is pulled, just like a DAO pistol... You wouldnt want to carry a revolver with the hammer back. DAO pistols CAN NOT be locked back - the trigger cocks the weapon as the trigger is pulled. If you thumb the hammer back it will not stay back...
Revolvers have no Safties as such - but some have a firing pin block to keep it from firing i fits dropped onto its hammer... I guess a good thing if your sitting on a horse...
Generaly unless the gun is built with internal safties that disingage the firing pin when decocked - I would not carry it in C-2...
P99 is fine to carry in C-2, SIGs, HKs Berettas and the like are all fine that way.
Glocks - are kinda always in C-2, but that's a whole other topic and I dont like Glocks enought to go into that.
What kinda gun are you concerned about? What do you have? If I know - I can be more specific...
In a nut shell - ALL MODERN handguns are safe. That is, untill you pull the trigger.
The concern of safty here is "Is a gun safe without pulling the trigger?" Most are. Some insure that a gun, even cocked will not fire unless the trigger is pulled by blocking the firing pin or disengaging it all together.
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
LarryF,
To the best of my knowledge, most modern double action semi-auto pistols are safe to carry with the hammer down over a loaded chamber. If you want to be sure, look in the instruction manual and if there is any reference to a trigger-firing pin interlock or disconnect, or a trigger activiated firing pin block, your pistol is quite safe to carry with a round in the chamber and the hammer down.
A trigger activated firing pin block is linked to the trigger so the firing pin is blocked from being struck by the hammer, or if struck, the pin is blocked so it cannot impact the primer unless the trigger is fully depressed.
De-cocking levers are to enable you to safely lower the hammer on a double action semi-auto without having to hold the hammer while pulling the trigger, then easing the hammer to it's fully down or uncocked position. De-cocking levers when activated also protect the firing pin from being struck by the hammer. As in all "safety" devices, it is a good idea to point your pistol in a safe direction before lowering the hammer by the de-cocker.
It is not wise to carry a double action pistol in the holster with the hammer cocked.
Any mechanical device or safety can fail. The most important safety is between your ears. Remember the four safety rules:
1. All guns are loaded. Treat them that way and you'll never be embarassed with the excuse, "I didn't know it was loaded."
2. Never, ever, point your gun at anything you are not willing to kill or destroy.
3. Never place your finger on the trigger until your sights are on target and you are prepared to fire.
4. Know your target and what is behind it. Don't fire into bushes because you think there is a deer in there. Don't fire unless you know where your round will impact if you miss.
[This message has been edited by bruels (edited August 21, 1999).]
To the best of my knowledge, most modern double action semi-auto pistols are safe to carry with the hammer down over a loaded chamber. If you want to be sure, look in the instruction manual and if there is any reference to a trigger-firing pin interlock or disconnect, or a trigger activiated firing pin block, your pistol is quite safe to carry with a round in the chamber and the hammer down.
A trigger activated firing pin block is linked to the trigger so the firing pin is blocked from being struck by the hammer, or if struck, the pin is blocked so it cannot impact the primer unless the trigger is fully depressed.
De-cocking levers are to enable you to safely lower the hammer on a double action semi-auto without having to hold the hammer while pulling the trigger, then easing the hammer to it's fully down or uncocked position. De-cocking levers when activated also protect the firing pin from being struck by the hammer. As in all "safety" devices, it is a good idea to point your pistol in a safe direction before lowering the hammer by the de-cocker.
It is not wise to carry a double action pistol in the holster with the hammer cocked.
Any mechanical device or safety can fail. The most important safety is between your ears. Remember the four safety rules:
1. All guns are loaded. Treat them that way and you'll never be embarassed with the excuse, "I didn't know it was loaded."
2. Never, ever, point your gun at anything you are not willing to kill or destroy.
3. Never place your finger on the trigger until your sights are on target and you are prepared to fire.
4. Know your target and what is behind it. Don't fire into bushes because you think there is a deer in there. Don't fire unless you know where your round will impact if you miss.
[This message has been edited by bruels (edited August 21, 1999).]
Kodiac, if it's a traditional DA/SA like the Rugers or Berettas (don't know about Taurus), then this IS condition zero as you defined it. The hammer is down, BUT it is still ready to fire because the first shot is DA. No?
Also, as Joe the Redneck pointed out, even if the gun is safe to CARRY in this condition, it is a fairly unsafe act to manually let the hammer down. I would do it with the looong hammer of a revolver - good "traction", but NOT a semi-auto - too risky.
[This message has been edited by Futo Inu (edited August 24, 1999).]
Also, as Joe the Redneck pointed out, even if the gun is safe to CARRY in this condition, it is a fairly unsafe act to manually let the hammer down. I would do it with the looong hammer of a revolver - good "traction", but NOT a semi-auto - too risky.
[This message has been edited by Futo Inu (edited August 24, 1999).]
George Hill
Staff Alumnus
Futo:
A double action auto - bobbited into safe mode is called condition 2. A 1911 with the hammer down is also condition 2.
Why? I don't know... I didnt make the terms up... After MANY YEARS of training and using arms - this "just the way it is." Taurus autos function just like the Berettas - so as I have explained, this IS a safe methd of carry.
Condition 1 is the hammer cocked and on Safe.
Condition ZERO is the hammer cocked, gun OFF SAFE, and your looking across the sights at the target.
Good question about the revolvers -
The difference in the auto from the revolver (besides the obvious) is modern autos have internal safeties that block or disengage the firing pin keeping the gun from firing UNLESS the trigger is pulled.
Let me clarify this - and the point of a SAFTEY on a gun... the point of a safety os to prevent an Accidental (or otherwise call Unintended) Discharge. This is NOT intended to keep the gun from firing when the trigger is pulled! - Thats not the point. Sigs, Glocks, Sigmas (shudder) and many others WILL FIRE if the operator PULLS THE TRIGGER. This does not mean the gun is UNSAFE. These are VERY SAFE guns... They WILL NOT FIRE unless the trigger is PULLED. A revolver is the same way... to fire the gun - just pull the trigger. You dont pick up a revolver and start squeezing... Dont do it with an auto either. But say your running down an alley and the gun leaves your holster - or your tackling a subject and you get a good firm impact on the hammer by a hard unyielding object... with some older revolvers, that may fire the gun. With some old autos, that may fire the gun. THIS is the point of these safeties... Some modern revolvers have an internal safety that will block the hammer untill the trigger moves the block - and thus will not fire. Modern autos as I afore mentioned will not fire.
Take the revolver, cock it - your condition zero. There is only 2 two ways to put it back down - fire it - or thumb the hammer down. And you will be back into condition 2.
In order to thumb down an Auto - you have to block the hammer with your thumbs while you pull the trigger. Your disengaging the safeties... and then carefuling easing the hammer down - onto that live round. Now there are no safeties on the gun. Even if you had a switch... I have had my SIG and my HK go skittering across the pavement. NOT A GOOD FEELING in the middle of a tussle. Never worried about it going off... Worried about it getting grabbed while out of my control - yes. Worried about it getting dinged all to heck - yes. An A.D.? No. Had I let the hammer down onto the live round - well I may have had an A.D. because there was nothing that was stopping the enertia of the hammer and pin against the primer.
A 1911 in condition 2 isn't safed - and could have fired. But then again - I dont call a 1911 a modern pistol either.
Thing about it...
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
[This message has been edited by George Hill (edited August 24, 1999).]
A double action auto - bobbited into safe mode is called condition 2. A 1911 with the hammer down is also condition 2.
Why? I don't know... I didnt make the terms up... After MANY YEARS of training and using arms - this "just the way it is." Taurus autos function just like the Berettas - so as I have explained, this IS a safe methd of carry.
Condition 1 is the hammer cocked and on Safe.
Condition ZERO is the hammer cocked, gun OFF SAFE, and your looking across the sights at the target.
Good question about the revolvers -
The difference in the auto from the revolver (besides the obvious) is modern autos have internal safeties that block or disengage the firing pin keeping the gun from firing UNLESS the trigger is pulled.
Let me clarify this - and the point of a SAFTEY on a gun... the point of a safety os to prevent an Accidental (or otherwise call Unintended) Discharge. This is NOT intended to keep the gun from firing when the trigger is pulled! - Thats not the point. Sigs, Glocks, Sigmas (shudder) and many others WILL FIRE if the operator PULLS THE TRIGGER. This does not mean the gun is UNSAFE. These are VERY SAFE guns... They WILL NOT FIRE unless the trigger is PULLED. A revolver is the same way... to fire the gun - just pull the trigger. You dont pick up a revolver and start squeezing... Dont do it with an auto either. But say your running down an alley and the gun leaves your holster - or your tackling a subject and you get a good firm impact on the hammer by a hard unyielding object... with some older revolvers, that may fire the gun. With some old autos, that may fire the gun. THIS is the point of these safeties... Some modern revolvers have an internal safety that will block the hammer untill the trigger moves the block - and thus will not fire. Modern autos as I afore mentioned will not fire.
Take the revolver, cock it - your condition zero. There is only 2 two ways to put it back down - fire it - or thumb the hammer down. And you will be back into condition 2.
In order to thumb down an Auto - you have to block the hammer with your thumbs while you pull the trigger. Your disengaging the safeties... and then carefuling easing the hammer down - onto that live round. Now there are no safeties on the gun. Even if you had a switch... I have had my SIG and my HK go skittering across the pavement. NOT A GOOD FEELING in the middle of a tussle. Never worried about it going off... Worried about it getting grabbed while out of my control - yes. Worried about it getting dinged all to heck - yes. An A.D.? No. Had I let the hammer down onto the live round - well I may have had an A.D. because there was nothing that was stopping the enertia of the hammer and pin against the primer.
A 1911 in condition 2 isn't safed - and could have fired. But then again - I dont call a 1911 a modern pistol either.
Thing about it...
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"America is a melting pot, the people at the bottom get burned while all the scum floats to the top."
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
The Critic formerly known as Kodiac
[This message has been edited by George Hill (edited August 24, 1999).]
Thanks, guys, this is quite an education. I still seem to be the only one around here who does not know what a "1911" is. (When I said novice, I really meant it.) That one piece of information would help me to understand several interesting posts. BTW, I ended up buying the Ruger P94, which is the first gun of any kind I have owned in my life. The instruction manual says you can load a single round in the chamber with the clip out, or you can load 10 rounds in the clip and chamber one of them. Can I also load one directly in the chamber and then put in a clip with 10 rounds in it? (The manual does not say anything about this.) I'm starting to realize I have my work cut out for me learning to shoot it adequately. I have a black belt and have competed and taught kung fu for many years, so I know something about empty hand combat, knives, swords, staffs, etc., but in the gun arena I am about as new as they come. Any advice on how to become profient quickly? In my current job I will need to.
The 1911 is by far the most widely produced, copied, and arguably the most popular design of a handgun anywhere in the world! It is a very basic single action auto design, incredibally reliable and very hard hitting. Designed originally for a replacement for military revolvers, it saw action in both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, & the Gulf War. (Yes, some were still fortunate enough to carry a real gun). It's main limiting factor is that it uses a single stack magazine and is therefore limited to 7&8 rounds respectively. The pistol is offered in 2 basic configurations, the GOVERNMENT model which has a full size frame and a 5 inch barrel, and a smaller more compact OFFICERS model. You can however get 10 round magazines through Chip Mccormick that have a nice rubber piece that makes the additional length of the magazine look like part of the gun. With proper care and use, a 1911 will outlive you and still be an incredible machine. If its just a matter of high capacity that will be your judge, Para-Ordnance carries a fine line of autos based on the 1911 design, all with higher than standard capacity, 13 or 14 rounds I think. But if its capacity you are looking for, remember this, the average defensive shootout lasts about 4 seconds and entails a total of 4-6 rounds combined between the offensive and defensive parties. I love 1911's, but around the house, BUY A SHOTGUN!!!!!!
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DOCSpanky
"Walk softly and carry a big stick, perferably one of the 12 guage variety!"
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DOCSpanky
"Walk softly and carry a big stick, perferably one of the 12 guage variety!"
LarryF,
Do NOT place any rounds directly into the pistol's chamber! Load the magazine, then rack the slide to let the pistol feed a round into the chamber.
Manually inserting a round into the chamber is a BAD idea. It's possible, but why do it? If you want to have a loaded chamber and fully loaded magazine, follow these steps (and be sure to check step #9 before you begin):
1) Remove the magazine from the pistol.
2) Cycle the slide and inspect the chamber to make sure it's empty.
3) Use the slide stop lever to lock the slide open.
4) Load the magazine to full capacity.
5) Holding the pistol in your dominant hand, point it in a SAFE direction with your finger OUTSIDE of the trigger guard.
6) Use your non-dominant hand to insert the loaded magazine. Be sure to insert it forcefully enough to let it "click" into its fully seated position.
7) While keeping the pistol pointed in a safe direction and your finger away from the trigger, use your non-dominant hand to pull the slide rearwards as far as it will go. Note: Novice shooters often turn the pistol sideways (to their left, if right-handed) while performing this step. Please don't get into the habit of doing that; it really upsets the other shooters when you're at a range!
8) While maintaining a safe muzzle direction and keeping the finger away from the trigger (am I emphasizing that enough?), release the slide. It will snap forwards under spring pressure and feed a round from the magazine to the chamber. THE PISTOL IS NOW READY TO FIRE! Of course, we all observe Rule #1 and treat all guns as if loaded anyway, right?
9) At this point, depending upon the design of the pistol, you may need to use a safety or decocking lever to put the pistol into its "carry" condition. You should read your owner's manual and practice operating such a lever several times BEFORE reaching this point with a round in the chamber! Do NOT try to lower the hammer by pulling the trigger and/or easing it down with your thumb; this is a good way to shoot yourself in the foot!
10) Press the magazine release and remove the magazine. Have your non-dominant hand in place to catch it BEFORE pressing the release. Also, note that even though the magazine is out, there is still a round in the chamber. THE PISTOL IS STILL LOADED!
11) Carefully set the pistol down (or holster it, if you're wearing one and able to re-holster smoothly and safely) with the muzzle pointing in a safe direction.
12) Load another round into the magazine to bring it back to full capacity.
13) Repeat steps #5 and #6.
If you have two magazines (and you should), you can see that this process can be simplified a bit by starting with one mag fully loaded and the other mag loaded with only the initial round to be fed into the chamber.
A few additional things to consider:
1) Mechanical safeties can fail. Anytime you de-cock the pistol, be doubly sure to have it pointed in a safe direction.
2) If you were to manually insert a round in the chamber, then insert a loaded magazine and let the slide go forward, the round stripped out of the magazine would smack into the round already in the chamber. This could result in a bullet striking a primer, resulting the pistol firing out of battery, resulting in a wrecked pistol and quite possibly wrecked fingers, eyes, et cetera. Don't do it!
Do NOT place any rounds directly into the pistol's chamber! Load the magazine, then rack the slide to let the pistol feed a round into the chamber.
Manually inserting a round into the chamber is a BAD idea. It's possible, but why do it? If you want to have a loaded chamber and fully loaded magazine, follow these steps (and be sure to check step #9 before you begin):
1) Remove the magazine from the pistol.
2) Cycle the slide and inspect the chamber to make sure it's empty.
3) Use the slide stop lever to lock the slide open.
4) Load the magazine to full capacity.
5) Holding the pistol in your dominant hand, point it in a SAFE direction with your finger OUTSIDE of the trigger guard.
6) Use your non-dominant hand to insert the loaded magazine. Be sure to insert it forcefully enough to let it "click" into its fully seated position.
7) While keeping the pistol pointed in a safe direction and your finger away from the trigger, use your non-dominant hand to pull the slide rearwards as far as it will go. Note: Novice shooters often turn the pistol sideways (to their left, if right-handed) while performing this step. Please don't get into the habit of doing that; it really upsets the other shooters when you're at a range!
8) While maintaining a safe muzzle direction and keeping the finger away from the trigger (am I emphasizing that enough?
), release the slide. It will snap forwards under spring pressure and feed a round from the magazine to the chamber. THE PISTOL IS NOW READY TO FIRE! Of course, we all observe Rule #1 and treat all guns as if loaded anyway, right? 9) At this point, depending upon the design of the pistol, you may need to use a safety or decocking lever to put the pistol into its "carry" condition. You should read your owner's manual and practice operating such a lever several times BEFORE reaching this point with a round in the chamber! Do NOT try to lower the hammer by pulling the trigger and/or easing it down with your thumb; this is a good way to shoot yourself in the foot!
10) Press the magazine release and remove the magazine. Have your non-dominant hand in place to catch it BEFORE pressing the release. Also, note that even though the magazine is out, there is still a round in the chamber. THE PISTOL IS STILL LOADED!
11) Carefully set the pistol down (or holster it, if you're wearing one and able to re-holster smoothly and safely) with the muzzle pointing in a safe direction.
12) Load another round into the magazine to bring it back to full capacity.
13) Repeat steps #5 and #6.
If you have two magazines (and you should), you can see that this process can be simplified a bit by starting with one mag fully loaded and the other mag loaded with only the initial round to be fed into the chamber.
A few additional things to consider:
1) Mechanical safeties can fail. Anytime you de-cock the pistol, be doubly sure to have it pointed in a safe direction.
2) If you were to manually insert a round in the chamber, then insert a loaded magazine and let the slide go forward, the round stripped out of the magazine would smack into the round already in the chamber. This could result in a bullet striking a primer, resulting the pistol firing out of battery, resulting in a wrecked pistol and quite possibly wrecked fingers, eyes, et cetera. Don't do it!
Larry,
While DOCSpanky gave you a lot of information, he didn't quite answer your question about a 1911. It is basically a Colt .45 automatic, everybody has to know what that is from movies and tv. They are made by lots of companies other than Colt, but that is the most widely known example since they are (or were at least) the biggest manufacturer of these pistols, starting with the adoption of this model (m1911) by the U.S. Army in guess when? 1911! The fact that they have been in production by several companies for almost 90 years, and the Army use that Spanky listed should give you some idea of the popularity of this firearm. Even though it is far from new high-tech razzl-dazzle, it does its job quite well.
B
While DOCSpanky gave you a lot of information, he didn't quite answer your question about a 1911. It is basically a Colt .45 automatic, everybody has to know what that is from movies and tv. They are made by lots of companies other than Colt, but that is the most widely known example since they are (or were at least) the biggest manufacturer of these pistols, starting with the adoption of this model (m1911) by the U.S. Army in guess when? 1911!
The fact that they have been in production by several companies for almost 90 years, and the Army use that Spanky listed should give you some idea of the popularity of this firearm. Even though it is far from new high-tech razzl-dazzle, it does its job quite well.B
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