So the reason for keeping the thumb on the hammer is in case the thumb safety is off (or fails), the grip safety is not engaged, and somehow the trigger is pulled during the reholster. Otherwise the hammer will stop its forward progression at the half-cock notch and, if a Series 80, the firing pin block will prevent the gun from firing. Correct?Originally Posted by jeep45238
I'm confident in my current CCW setup, I'm mostly in this discussion as it applies to a conversion to AIWB. I want to make sure I am using a good method of reholstering and I know I will get excellent feedback here.
I always thumbed the hammer back on a 1911 when I carried one. I feel like I had positive control of the firing condition, and it gave the same 'hard break' as thumbing any other hammer. Tactical Timmies grilled me for it, had a couple ROs say they liked it.
I fully agree on the properly timed Series 80. I won't carry a 1911 that is not a 5" Colt Series 80 in 45.
To me, it makes no difference. As it matters to you, it's entirely worth it; especially since a well timed series 80 (which by now is just about any series 80) is as good and reliable a 1911 as any series 70 or before.
Before I transitioned completely to 9mm I owned two Series 70 .45ACP Colts. The triggers were just excellent on both -- probably the best I've owned. However, all my current guns are Series 80 Colts and the triggers are just fine.
The new Gold Cup Trophy will be a Series 70 gun which makes sense to me.
It's not much worse than putting a Sig's safety lever back in place. Keeping the pistol horizontal and using tooth picks as slave pins helps tremendously, and can't be magnetized to inadvertently move things out of place. But I'm one of those weirdos who still uses the 1911 parts as tools to completely tear down the gun.
Cartridge rim for grip screws
Slide stop for Mainspring housing pin/hammer pin
Hammer strut for sear and disconnector pin
Hammer strut for firing pin stop
Hammer strut for extractor
Hammer strut to start mainspring cap pin, then push on cap and remove pin with fingers
Sear spring 'bent leg' for magazine release
It's a beautiful concept for a grunt who actually understands the system, but administration always limits training and disallows detailed disassembly due to those who mess it up; thusly it becomes a lost skill and black magic.
That's correct. The half cock notch on the hammer will catch on the sear prior to impacting the firing pin if the trigger is not all the way to the rear, and the sear slips off the full cock notch. My understanding is the original intent for it was as a drop-safety of sorts.
Assuming an ambi thumb safety:
Engage safety, keeping engaged with the trigger finger
Break thumb from grip, go over grip safety (pushing towards the sights), place distal joint of thumb against slide - blocking hammer
Hump air, insert pistol
This leaves the 5 roadblocks: grip safety, thumb safety, firing pin block (if series 80), half cock notch, and your thumb as roadblocks to firing pin meeting primer. The catch is doing all of these on a subconscious level and undoing them all again on the same level. I'm not there anymore, and to be honest I don't know if I ever was (but I can't recall an incident of not working the safety, except moving on IDPA stages - that's a training error, and was a driving choice to go DA/SA with an easy workable decocker for me)
Last edited by jeep45238; 01-10-2017 at 10:53 AM.
Not for me... I find it almost as easy and fast as the "normal" parts. I support the S80 parts and align everything with my left middle finger inserted from the top of the mag well.
There's a thread in the General Discussion section for weirdos like you ;-)
Wait hold up are you saying you carry your 1911 with the hammer down and thumb cock it to fire?
Or are you saying that you keep your thumb over the hammer when you holster?
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I held the hammer back/cocked when reholstering. A 1911 with the hammer down is a useless tool. I only lower hammers with triggers and decockers.
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