1911 SA/DA

[spacelegged]

so im looking for a 1911 style to carry. i thought springfield armory was the way i wanted to go. i just noticed the are all single action only. why would anyone want to carry a SAO? please correct me if im wrong, but u must pull the hammer back every time before u fire. i am a definate plinker to the gun world and im learning more everyday. please tell me there are SA/DA 1911's out there and please tell me which ones. please let me know.. thnx

 

[Bert]

your kidding right? pull hammer on first shot . auto-loading on remainder. slide locks open till reload . drop slide and your ready to fire some more.

 

[Grizhicks]

You are thinking single-action as in a revolver, where you do have to pull the hammer back every time. BUT... in a SA pistol, the action of the slide cocks the hammer, it's really SA in the trigger only (just releases the hammer/striker). I may be wrong, but I think all true 1911's are SA (???). Get one, everyone needs at least one. -- Greg

 

[LPMan59]

so im looking for a 1911 style to carry. i thought springfield armory was the way i wanted to go. i just noticed the are all single action only. why would anyone want to carry a SAO? please correct me if im wrong, but u must pull the hammer back every time before u fire. i am a definate plinker to the gun world and im learning more everyday. please tell me there are SA/DA 1911's out there and please tell me which ones. please let me know.. thnx

i think para makes a DA 1911. felt like total crap to me. buy the Springfield and carry it cocked and locked- the way JMB intended.

 

[chubbs]

I'm sure i will be a black sheep for this, but i like both designs. I've always love the feel for a sa 1911(true1911). But i love my para carry. Once you learn the trigger its a great carry piece

 

[backtrail540]

To the OP: 1911's are meant to be carried hammer back, thumb safety on, one in the tube.

I too liked the double action para that I got the chance to fondle. Very light trigger. I plan on purchasing one in the next few months.

 

[ronn1911]

All true 1911's are SAO. The DAO Para that the others are referring to is called the LDA(light double-action) and I think that if you are not comfortable with carrying "cocked and locked" that they are a good alternative...until you come around.

 

[ATF Consumer]

I don't know why everyone makes cocked and locked something less safe than carrying a Glock with one in the chamber. It is actually safer than the Glock, because you have the safety on. To place them on the same level of safety, you would have to carry cocked and unlocked, in which I am currently. I'm having trouble finding any negative information on carrying that way other than a bunch of posts saying to carry cocked and locked...why still use the foo foo?

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I don't know why everyone makes cocked and locked something less safe than carrying a Glock with one in the chamber. It is actually safer than the Glock, because you have the safety on. To place them on the same level of safety, you would have to carry cocked and unlocked, in which I am currently. I'm having trouble finding any negative information on carrying that way other than a bunch of posts saying to carry cocked and locked...why still use the foo foo?

Some people like me hate a manual safety. That's why I prefer a hammer fired pistol with the ability to decock.

 

[melensdad]

so im looking for a 1911 style to carry. i thought springfield armory was the way i wanted to go. i just noticed the are all single action only. why would anyone want to carry a SAO? please correct me if im wrong, but u must pull the hammer back every time before u fire. i am a definate plinker to the gun world and im learning more everyday. please tell me there are SA/DA 1911's out there and please tell me which ones. please let me know.. thnx

A 1911 is indeed a Single Action pistol, however for the purposes of a Semi-Automatic, the term "single action" applies to the trigger function. On a single action pistol, the trigger mechanism does one job, pulling the trigger releases the hammer to strike the firing pin. This is similar to a single action revolver. However here is where the similarity ends. When the single action pistol fires the slide comes back and resets/cocks the hammer.

The advantage of this system is that you have a consistent trigger pull with every shot from first to last.

It should be noted that with a 1911 style pistol you insert a loaded magazine and then rack the slide. This strips 1 round from the magazine and inserts it into the chamber, it simultaneously also cocks the hammer back. You then flip on the thumb safety and the gun is ready to be carried. On a typical modern 1911 there are 3 safety mechanisms. The grip safety, the thumb safety and the firing pin safety. All 3 have to be disengaged for the firing pin to strike the primer and fire a round. The act of gripping the gun depresses the grip safety, so every time you take a firm grip on the handle of the gun, the web of your hand is depressing the grip safety. Swiping down the thumb safety manually disengages that safety. The firing pin safety is disengaged when the trigger is pulled, only when the trigger is pulled is this safety disengaged and it happens automatically.

 

[WebSnyper]

. To place them on the same level of safety, you would have to carry cocked and unlocked, in which I am currently.

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here?

 

[HICKMAN]

It is actually safer than the Glock, because you have the safety on.

You are defiantly entitled to your opinion, but I'll argue that the second someone is shooting at you and you forget to flip off the safety, you weren't "safer".

I may shoot a 1911 in matches, but I carry a strike fired polymer pistol that uses my holster as a "safety".

 

[ATF Consumer]

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying here?

I just started carrying a Beretta M9 cocked and unlocked in a Fobus OWB holster. I'm at the same readiness as if I were carrying my Glock.

You are defiantly entitled to your opinion, but I'll argue that the second someone is shooting at you and you forget to flip off the safety, you weren't "safer".

Exactly why I keep mine in the ready position.

I may shoot a 1911 in matches, but I carry a strike fired polymer pistol that uses my holster as a "safety".

The holster for my Beretta is just as safe as the one for my Glock.

 

[Notavictim646]

You are defiantly entitled to your opinion, but I'll argue that the second someone is shooting at you and you forget to flip off the safety, you weren't "safer".



IMO It is a good idea to practice or compete with the same style that you carry. I carry and compete with a 1911. The last time I qualified with a Glock, I found that when presenting the gun my thumb swept the safety off even though there isn't one there. Didn't hurt a thing. But the other way around could be disasterous.

 

[melensdad]

IMO It is a good idea to practice or compete with the same style that you carry. I carry and compete with a 1911. The last time I qualified with a Glock, I found that when presenting the gun my thumb swept the safety off even though there isn't one there. Didn't hurt a thing. But the other way around could be disasterous.

I agree and I think its also wise to be careful about rotating between different types of carry pistols. Switch from a revolver to a Smith & Wesson 5906 to a CZ 75 and you are going from a gun with no safety but a really heavy trigger to a gun with a safety that flips "up and away" with a DA/SA trigger to a gun with a safety that clicks down and fires SA.

I carry a 1911 style gun most of the time, occasionally a little LCP. Its easy to occasionally go to a gun with no safety but far more difficult to go to a guns that have different types of safeties.

 

[WebSnyper]

I just started carrying a Beretta M9 cocked and unlocked in a Fobus OWB holster. I'm at the same readiness as if I were carrying my Glock.

I carry a Glock (have a few of them now), and I also have a Taurus PT99, and have had 1911's, but I'd never carry a 1911 cocked and UNlocked, nor would I carry my PT99 cocked and UNlocked.

I've never heard of anyone carrying cocked and UNlocked, and while I guess I get somewhat where you are coming from, to me those pistols were not designed to be carried in that fashion. They were designed to be carried cocked and locked, or in the case of my old PT99 it is also in a ready state with the hammer down and one in the chamber.

I understand that its similar to carrying a glock with one in the chamber, which I do, but I just don't think I could carry the guns you are describing in that fashion.

 

[melensdad]

I carry a Glock (have a few of them now), and I also have a Taurus PT99, and have had 1911's, but I'd never carry a 1911 cocked and UNlocked, nor would I carry my PT99 cocked and UNlocked.

I've never heard of anyone carrying cocked and UNlocked, and while I guess I get somewhat where you are coming from, to me those pistols were not designed to be carried in that fashion. They were designed to be carried cocked and locked, or in the case of my old PT99 it is also in a ready state with the hammer down and one in the chamber.

I understand that its similar to carrying a glock with one in the chamber, which I do, but I just don't think I could carry the guns you are describing in that fashion.

How is a Glock with 1 in the chamber significantly different than a 1911 with 1 in the chamber and the thumb safety clicked off?

The Glock has a trigger safety.
The 1911 has both an internal firing pin safety and a grip safety.
Both come from the factory with roughly 5 to 6 pound trigger pulls.
Both have fairly short trigger pulls.

 

[60Driver]

How is a Glock with 1 in the chamber significantly different than a 1911 with 1 in the chamber and the thumb safety clicked off?

The Glock has a trigger safety.
The 1911 has both an internal firing pin safety and a grip safety.
Both come from the factory with roughly 5 to 6 pound trigger pulls.
Both have fairly short trigger pulls.

Very interesting and actually valid point. Goes to show that how you are trained shapes what you believe as truth. Will still carry traditional condition 1 myself but can see that my initial "gut" response to carrying without the thumb safety on being "unsafe" was somewhat in error!

 

[WebSnyper]

How is a Glock with 1 in the chamber significantly different than a 1911 with 1 in the chamber and the thumb safety clicked off?

The Glock has a trigger safety.
The 1911 has both an internal firing pin safety and a grip safety.
Both come from the factory with roughly 5 to 6 pound trigger pulls.
Both have fairly short trigger pulls.

I said I could see the similarity, I had just never heard of anyone carrying a 1911 cocked and UNlocked. As far as I had understood, a 1911 was designed for cocked and locked carry, and I don't think I could carry one without it being locked. For me its going with the design of the gun.

I can see your logic, its just not something (carrying a 1911 cocked and UNlocked) I could get comfortable with myself.

 

[melensdad]

I carry a 1911 with the grip safety disabled (disabled by the factory) and no firing pin safety (none installed by the factory). I guess I don't see the issue.

Seems to me that safe gun handling is the most important part about safe carry.

Strikes me that personal bias based on internet rumors, old thinking, and tradition have trumped logic.