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Conditions of Readiness

davesnothere

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
83
Location
Mesa, Arizona, USA
imported post

I am fairly new to open carry, and carry a Springfield M1911A1 in a Serpa CQC Sport holster, but I've been a shooter all my life. My father taught me to shoot when I was 6 with a Colt Single Action Army chambered in .45 Long. I now own and love that gun, but that's a digression.

I'm planning on taking some tactical handgun classes to gain the weapon handling skills my time in the Army didn't give me. All I ever had in the Army was an M16 or an M60, so apart from my time at the range, and a lifetime of shooting at paper targets, milk jugs, cans, etc., I don't have what I would consider adequate pistol experience.

All that said, the real reason I'm posting this is to get some opinions about Conditions of Readiness.

I currently carry at Condition 3. I see problems and drawbacks with this condition of readiness, even if I were to begin learning the Israeli Draw.
  1. Readiness time
  2. Noise (you can't be discreet, and there may be conditions that call for it, when you're racking a .45 rapidly)
  3. Possibility of a FTF.
I have been considering carrying at Condition 1, so I have the benefit of both the active thumb Safety, and the Grip Safety to prevent an AD/ND situation.

However, I noticed that when and where people discuss the Condition they carry in, they are either "cocked and locked" (Condition 1), or Condition 2-3.

I don't know that I'd consider Condition 2 as "safe" in my 1911, though my feelings are a bit different on my wife's Sig P232 (de-cocking lever to enter Condition 2 with a very heavy trigger pull for double action), so as I see it, my choices are Condition 1 or 3. Or, California rules and Condition 4 if I'm crazy enough to go West of the Colorado River.

I'm not asking for you to tell me how to carry. I know that the ultimate determination of which Condition of Readiness I decide to carry in is my decision to make for both my own safety and the safety of those around me, but I'm leaning more and more toward Condition 1, and I'm looking for educated opinions from experienced individuals.

The only other person I know personally, who full time open carries is my father, and he carries revolvers. He's always got hammer down on an empty chamber in a double action, so that's really no valid source of opinion or suggestion.
 

TylerEMT

Regular Member
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
40
Location
Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
imported post

This is why I carry a gun without a hammer. I'd be very uncomfortable with one in the chamber and no de-cocker. I've been told by many LEO to never have a cocked gun in the holster.You could manually de-cock it, but then you've got to pull that hammer back before you shoot.
 

Dahwg

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
661
Location
Tucson, Arizona, USA
imported post

As I understand it, the 1911 is designed to be carried in Condition 1. Carrying any other way is a bad idea. I also heard that even Israelis don't Israeli carry anymore. Decockers condition 2, 1911 Condition 1.
 

r6-rider

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2007
Messages
684
Location
az, ,
imported post

TylerEMT wrote:
I've been told by many LEO to never have a cocked gun in the holster.You could manually de-cock it, but then you've got to pull that hammer back before you shoot.
thats why i carry a DA/SA sig so all i have to do is point and shoot but with a 12 pound trigger pull i know its not going to "accidentally" go off

also, i hate when cops tell me to not carry with one in the chamber for safety. i carry one in the chamber FOR safety:banghead:
 

davesnothere

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
83
Location
Mesa, Arizona, USA
imported post

Dahwg wrote:
As I understand it, the 1911 is designed to be carried in Condition 1. Carrying any other way is a bad idea. I also heard that even Israelis don't Israeli carry anymore. Decockers condition 2, 1911 Condition 1.
That's the same thing that I'm finding. I'm also not finding anything about NDs from Condition 1.

I am however considering purchase of a different holster, such as the Serpa Duty line (I like the retention system for Serpa) for OC. It appears to offer coverage for the thumb safety that would prevent accidental disengagement of the safety by something like a backpack or camelback strap when motorcycling or hiking.
 

TOF

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Messages
443
Location
Happy Jack, Arizona, USA
imported post

Revolver or auto,I have one in the pipe. Modern revolvers don't need an empty zone.

It took a few weeks carrying my M&P with empty pipe before I did it right but I am ready at all times now. Just keep that booger hook off the bang switch and it will be ok.
 

GWbiker

Guest
Joined
Mar 21, 2008
Messages
958
Location
USA
imported post

TOF wrote:
Revolver or auto,I have one in the pipe. Modern revolvers don't need an empty zone.

It took a few weeks carrying my M&P with empty pipe before I did it right but I am ready at all times now. Just keep that booger hook off the bang switch and it will be ok.
+1. One in the pipe at all times. Today's modern handguns are equipped with an inertia firing pin. The famous Colt 1911 is designed with two safety features, plus the inertia firing pin.

Of course the Brady Bunch still believe all the modern handgun safety features will not prevent a handgun from jumping out of a retention type safety holster and begin running amok and start shooting at innocent civilians.:banghead::banghead:
 

Mahan0331

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2008
Messages
54
Location
Peoria / Prescott, AZ, ,
imported post

As a 2x Combat Vet I can tell you that you will have a delayed reaction the first time your put into a Gun Wielding situation, I don't care who you are. Even then if there are large time gaps between your encounters you may again loose your response time. "Over there" its an easy transition due to the frequency your firearm is used.

But here you may never find yourself in that type of situation, then if you do and your sidearm is in Condition 3 are you gunna have enough time to rack a round and Then engage your target? I am very confident in my capabilities and I wouldn't risk it...

That said (and havingbeen issuedthe Beretta M9 in Iraq) I like to carry firearms w/o flip safety's. I carry a Glock in Condition 1, gets rid of most of the variables.....just point and click like a mouse.....
 
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