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Conditions of Readiness
offeror
Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
The following excerpt ticks off the conditions of readiness, first created to describe various carry modes of the 1911. I had them wrong in my mind, so this is the correct explanation:
1911 Conditions of Readiness
Article courtesy of Syd Weedon at The Sight M1911-A1 who is the copyright holder. His site contains many informative articles for 1911 enthusiasts.
The legendary guru of the combat 1911, Jeff Cooper, came up with the "Condition" system to define the state of readiness of the 1911-pattern pistol. The are:
Condition 1 - Also known as "cocked and locked," means a round is in the chamber, the hammer is cocked, and the manual thumb safety on the side of the frame is applied.
Condition 2 - A round is in the chamber and the hammer is down.
Condition 3 - The chamber is empty and hammer is down with a charged magazine in the gun.
People have added two additional states, Conditions 0 and 4, Condition 0 meaning a round is in the chamber, hammer cocked, and safety off, and Condition 4 referring to the condition in which the chamber is empty, hammer is down and no magazine is in the gun.
The mode of readiness preferred by the experts is Condition One. Generally speaking, Condition One offers the best balance of readiness and safety. Its biggest drawback is that it looks scary to people who don't understand the operation and safety features of the pistol.
Condition Two is problematic for several reasons, and is the source of more negligent discharges than the other conditions. When you rack the slide to chamber a round in the 1911, the hammer is cocked and the manual safety is off. There is no way to avoid this with the 1911 design. In order to lower the hammer, the trigger must be pulled and the hammer lowered slowly with the thumb onto the firing pin, the end of which is only a few millimeters away from the primer of a live round. Should the thumb slip, the hammer would drop and fire the gun. Not only would a round be launched in circumstances which would be at best embarrassing and possibly tragic, but also the thumb would be behind the slide as it cycled, resulting in serious injury to the hand. A second problem with this condition is that the true 1911A1 does not have a firing pin block and an impact on the hammer which is resting on the firing pin could conceivably cause the gun to go off, although actual instances of this are virtually nonexistent. Finally, in order to fire the gun, the hammer must be manually cocked, again with the thumb. In an emergency situation, this adds another opportunity for something to go wrong and slows the acquisition of the sight picture.
Condition Three adds a degree of "insurance" against an accidental discharge since there is no round in the chamber. To bring the gun into action from the holster, the pistol must be drawn and the slide racked as the pistol is brought to bear on the target. This draw is usually called "the Israeli draw" since it was taught by Israeli security and defense forces. Some of the real expert trainers can do an Israeli draw faster than most of us can do a simple draw, but for most of us, the Israeli draw adds a degree of complexity, an extra step, and an opening for mistakes in the process of getting the front sight onto the target.
- Life NRA Member
If dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
1911 Conditions of Readiness
Article courtesy of Syd Weedon at The Sight M1911-A1 who is the copyright holder. His site contains many informative articles for 1911 enthusiasts.
The legendary guru of the combat 1911, Jeff Cooper, came up with the "Condition" system to define the state of readiness of the 1911-pattern pistol. The are:
Condition 1 - Also known as "cocked and locked," means a round is in the chamber, the hammer is cocked, and the manual thumb safety on the side of the frame is applied.
Condition 2 - A round is in the chamber and the hammer is down.
Condition 3 - The chamber is empty and hammer is down with a charged magazine in the gun.
People have added two additional states, Conditions 0 and 4, Condition 0 meaning a round is in the chamber, hammer cocked, and safety off, and Condition 4 referring to the condition in which the chamber is empty, hammer is down and no magazine is in the gun.
The mode of readiness preferred by the experts is Condition One. Generally speaking, Condition One offers the best balance of readiness and safety. Its biggest drawback is that it looks scary to people who don't understand the operation and safety features of the pistol.
Condition Two is problematic for several reasons, and is the source of more negligent discharges than the other conditions. When you rack the slide to chamber a round in the 1911, the hammer is cocked and the manual safety is off. There is no way to avoid this with the 1911 design. In order to lower the hammer, the trigger must be pulled and the hammer lowered slowly with the thumb onto the firing pin, the end of which is only a few millimeters away from the primer of a live round. Should the thumb slip, the hammer would drop and fire the gun. Not only would a round be launched in circumstances which would be at best embarrassing and possibly tragic, but also the thumb would be behind the slide as it cycled, resulting in serious injury to the hand. A second problem with this condition is that the true 1911A1 does not have a firing pin block and an impact on the hammer which is resting on the firing pin could conceivably cause the gun to go off, although actual instances of this are virtually nonexistent. Finally, in order to fire the gun, the hammer must be manually cocked, again with the thumb. In an emergency situation, this adds another opportunity for something to go wrong and slows the acquisition of the sight picture.
Condition Three adds a degree of "insurance" against an accidental discharge since there is no round in the chamber. To bring the gun into action from the holster, the pistol must be drawn and the slide racked as the pistol is brought to bear on the target. This draw is usually called "the Israeli draw" since it was taught by Israeli security and defense forces. Some of the real expert trainers can do an Israeli draw faster than most of us can do a simple draw, but for most of us, the Israeli draw adds a degree of complexity, an extra step, and an opening for mistakes in the process of getting the front sight onto the target.
- Life NRA Member
If dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
Comments
Carry cocked and locked, or get a double action.
PC=BS
There are a million scenarios but if one is carrying concealed the chances are good of not being wounded prior to the initial draw. Then, too, if you get winged you can learn to rack the slide on the edge of a table.
I've seen film of the drill for the "Israeli draw" and it's a specific maneuver that takes practice to learn. It's not just draw, rack and point. It's a single smooth motion which I admire but don't know if I can or want to duplicate exactly.
For LEOs with snatch-proof holsters I think cocked and locked is more likely called for, but then some departments won't allow it. For the average citizen, I think Condition 3 is probably safer as a general rule most of the time. After all, you can't have an accidental discharge from an empty chamber.
I'm inclined to wonder if the most dangerous moment is re-holstering after an action is over. At that point, unless you've thought to clear the gun and return it to your usual status, you're holstering a gun with a round chambered under stress.
- Life NRA Member
If dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
SSG idsman75, U.S. ARMY
As for your other point, the 3-5 lb. typical single action trigger pull is pretty light for high stress situations. New York PD thought so, and asked Glock (which had a 5.5 lb. standard trigger pull) to invent the "New York Trigger," which breaks at 8 lbs. I currently have a G27 and I have had the 8 lb New York trigger installed as well as my Trijicon night sights, which I find a very handy combination. I believe the Taurus Millennium trigger pull on my PT145 is 9 lbs. I'm not sure what the LDA pull is on the new Para guns but I think it's between 7 and 9. This to me is an optimum range. I dislike a 12 lb. revolver DA pull for all but utility work, and the dangers of the 5 lb. pull are legitimate. So for me, whenever possible, I like my carry guns at 8-9 lbs., most particularly if they are going to be carried chamber loaded.
- Life NRA Member
If dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
- Life NRA Member
If dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
I am not a big fan of the 1911 for anything but target shooting but I carry this gun for protection. The reason I bought this particular gun was for the feel, I think when it was made they used my hand as a mold. I have yet to find ANY other pistol that feels as good in my hand as this, it is a perfect fit.
I carry condition 3 for a couple reason. I do not like and never will like the idea of carrying a gun with the hammer back. Even though it's the same idea as a bolt or semi auto rifle which is carried "cocked and locked" because of no visible hammer and there is no way to decock them when a round is in the chamber, I still refuse to carry a 1911 cocked and locked, it's just not safe, for me anyhow.
Condition 2 is bad, I experimented with this while having a conversation with a friend of mine right after I bought the gun. Not being that familiar with 1911s he made the comment about me letting the hammer down on a chambered round. So to prove him wrong we proceeded to my "shop", I took a sized case and primed it, no powder ot bullet and placed it in the gun and lowered the hammer. I then took a small tack hammer and with a little bit of force but not enough to damage the gun I smacked the back of the hammer. The primer went off. I was surpiised and so was he. I did this several times just to see how light of a hit would do that and it went off almost every time. Made a believer out of me and I no longer carry the gun with the hammer down on a live cartridge.
I carry condition 3 with confidence. After alot of practice it is nowe habit to to rack the slide whe drawing the gun. I can also rack the gun by hooking the rear site on my belt loop and using one hand. It hurts to rack it like that but for the reason stated above I practiced it, all I do is turn the gun sideways and push it into my hip where the sight is slightly higher than my belt and I push in and down with the gun. Done quickly it works and is painfull but is an option if one arm is disabled. This move has also been practiced untill it was no longer clumsy.
Do I feel safe with this gun, you bet I do. Untill I find another gun to be as comfortable as this I will keep it. It wasnt the money that decided this purchase it was the feel. I looked at several guns and held each one, when I picked this up I couldnt put it down. I traded a Ruger P90 .45 even up for this because it felt just right. Kinda like a woman, you know when you got the right one.