USA Carry
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Maps
  • State Guides
    • A-E
      • Alabama
      • Alaska
      • American Samoa
      • Arizona
      • Arkansas
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Connecticut
      • Delaware
    • F-J
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Guam
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Iowa
    • K-M
      • Kansas
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maine
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Mississippi
      • Missouri
      • Montana
    • N-O
      • Nebraska
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • North Dakota
      • Northern Marianas
      • Ohio
      • Oklahoma
      • Oregon
    • P-U
      • Pennsylvania
      • Puerto Rico
      • Rhode Island
      • South Carolina
      • South Dakota
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
    • V-Z
      • Vermont
      • Virgin Islands
      • Virginia
      • Washington
      • Washington D.C.
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
      • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Store
  • Deals
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Maps
  • State Guides
    • A-E
      • Alabama
      • Alaska
      • American Samoa
      • Arizona
      • Arkansas
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Connecticut
      • Delaware
    • F-J
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Guam
      • Hawaii
      • Idaho
      • Illinois
      • Indiana
      • Iowa
    • K-M
      • Kansas
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maine
      • Maryland
      • Massachusetts
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Mississippi
      • Missouri
      • Montana
    • N-O
      • Nebraska
      • Nevada
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New Mexico
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • North Dakota
      • Northern Marianas
      • Ohio
      • Oklahoma
      • Oregon
    • P-U
      • Pennsylvania
      • Puerto Rico
      • Rhode Island
      • South Carolina
      • South Dakota
      • Tennessee
      • Texas
      • Utah
    • V-Z
      • Vermont
      • Virgin Islands
      • Virginia
      • Washington
      • Washington D.C.
      • West Virginia
      • Wisconsin
      • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Store
  • Deals
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
USA Carry
No Result
View All Result
  • DAILY GUNS & AMMO DEALS – CLICK HERE!
Home Articles

Is Cocked and Locked Carry Unsafe?

Sam Hoober by Sam Hoober
October 3, 2016 - Updated On October 11, 2016
in Articles, Concealed Carry
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Conventional wisdom is that a cocked and locked 1911 – in other words a 1911 pistol that has been loaded, cocked and the manual safety engaged – is the best way to carry that particular gun. In fact, it’s one of the safest ways to carry one or indeed, any gun that has one.

Cocked and Locked 1911 Actually Safer Than Most Other Pistols

Is Cocked and Locked Carry Unsafe?
Cocked and locked carry gives some people trepidation, as the cocked hammer appears ready to strike at any time. Granted, a person can carry with an empty chamber but a loaded magazine, or can – carefully – manually decock the pistol after loading the chamber.

Safeties, as with any mechanical device, can fail or be inadvertently deactivated. That could lead to the potential for an accidental discharge such as a drop fire or slam fire.

Or can it?

Something like the above is one of the usual reasons a person might avoid carrying a 1911 pistol or eschew carrying theirs for a different make and model of firearm. The perception of danger, for such a person, is greater than the actual potential for danger, because cocked and locked carry is safer than most other pistols.

The 1911 Manual Safety


For a person to carry cocked and locked, the hammer is in the rearward position with the manual safety engaged. Thus, the safety has to be disengaged and the trigger must be pulled in order for a discharge to occur. As it happens, the 1911 manual safety is robust; more so than with many other pistols.

The 1911 manual safety acts as both a hammer and slide lock, in that the slide cannot be moved and the hammer cannot fall while the manual safety is engaged. The sear – the bar that moves out of the way so the hammer can fall – is completely locked by the manual safety by virtue of a cam that blocks the sear once engaged. When disengaged, the cam disengages from the sear and no longer blocks it. At that point, the trigger can actuate the sear, lifting the bar, dropping the hammer and firing the pistol.

Since the slide and the sear are locked with the safety engaged, the pistol is effectively seized until the safety is disengaged. A Glock, M&P, or any other pistol with only an integrated trigger safety, on the other hand, only requires a trigger be pulled.

However, more than just 1911 pistols feature a manual safety allowing for Condition One carry, including 1911-derived subcompacts (Colt Mustang, Sig Sauer 938 and 238) and Browning Hi-Power pistols. A good number of double/single action pistols have a manual safety as well; the safety on a CZ-75 can only be engaged whilst the hammer is cocked, making it specifically for cocked and locked carry.

Grip Safety Serves As Redundancy


At least with a 1911 pistol, a grip safety serves as a redundancy; the manual safety being engaged blocks the sear and thus won’t let the hammer fall. The grip safety puts an additional block in the firing mechanism by blocking the trigger bar from disconnecting the sear and thus allowing the hammer to fall.

A cocked and locked pistol that isn’t being held in the hand (thereby disengaging the grip safety) has two safety features engaged at once: the sear can’t be disconnected by the trigger as the trigger bow is not connected to the sear disconnect, and the sear is locked in place by the manual safety.

Additionally, the firing pin on Series 80 pistols is also blocked due to the firing pin block mechanism, thereby further preventing drop or slam fires.

Double/single action pistols capable of cocked and locked carry lack a grip safety, so that redundancy is not present in pistols of that design.

Pistols that lack any manual safeties, on the other hand, need only the trigger to be pulled in order to discharge. The act of pulling the trigger disengages the internal safety mechanisms and as has been observed, are susceptible to accidental discharge if anything – a finger, piece of clothing, etc – is allowed to enter the trigger guard. Granted, it isn’t that such pistols are unsafe, they aren’t – if handled properly.

However, on the basis of the safety mechanisms in place on a cocked and locked 1911…cocked and locked carry is actually one of the safest ways to carry a pistol.

Tags: 1911cockedsafety
Sam Hoober

Sam Hoober

Sam Hoober writes about DGU incidents gun accessories, gun safety, open and concealed carry tips. In his free time, Sam enjoys camping, hunting and spending time at the gun range as often as possible.

Next Post
How to Carry While Commuting: CCW in Vehicles

How to Carry While Commuting: CCW in Vehicles

5 2 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Connect with
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect with
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Please login to comment
33 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Previous Post

10 Things Every Concealed Carrier Should Do Before Leaving The House

Next Post

How to Carry While Commuting: CCW in Vehicles

Related Posts

Louisiana Man Shoots Co-Worker in Self-Defense After Co-Worker Repeatedly Strikes Him in the Head
Defensive Gun Uses

Louisiana Man Shoots Co-Worker in Self-Defense After Co-Worker Repeatedly Strikes Him in the Head

July 2, 2025
Homeowner Shoots Armed Intruder After Suspect's Gun Misfires During Alleged Attack
Defensive Gun Uses

Homeowner Shoots Armed Intruder After Suspect’s Gun Misfires During Alleged Attack

July 2, 2025
NFA Tax Removed but Fight Continues as ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Heads Back to House
Firearm Laws & Litigation

NFA Tax Removed but Fight Continues as ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Heads Back to House

July 2, 2025
Does North Dakota Accept Non-Resident Carry Permits? Here’s What We Found Out
Firearm Laws & Litigation

Does North Dakota Accept Non-Resident Carry Permits? Here’s What We Found Out

July 1, 2025

© 2025 USA Carry LLC

Navigate Site

  • State Guides
  • Maps
  • Articles
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Store
  • Deals
  • Giveaway
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps
  • Concealed Carry Permit Guides By State
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • American Samoa
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Guam
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Northern Marianas
    • Ohio
    • Oklahoma
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Puerto Rico
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • Virgin Islands
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • Washington D.C.
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Giveaway
  • Store
  • Daily Deals
  • Contact

© 2025 USA Carry LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps
  • Concealed Carry Permit Guides By State
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • American Samoa
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Guam
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Northern Marianas
    • Ohio
    • Oklahoma
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Puerto Rico
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • Virgin Islands
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • Washington D.C.
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming
  • Articles
    • Defensive Gun Uses
    • Concealed Carry
    • Gun Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Training
    • Firearm Laws & Litigation
    • CCW For Women
    • General Firearm
    • Open Carry
    • Self-Defense
    • Survival
    • Home Defense
  • Forums
  • Podcast
  • Giveaway
  • Store
  • Daily Deals
  • Contact

© 2025 USA Carry LLC

wpDiscuz
33
0
Join the conversation, please comment.x
()
x
| Reply
You are going to send email to

Move Comment
Gun Deals
Gun.Deals