1911 Half Cock

Topthis · February 17, 2013, 02:24 AM

...what is the Half Cock on the 1911 for? The only thing I can think of is that it give another option of Carry. Maybe a round in the chamber at Half Cock, would alleviate the need for the Thumb Safety being engaged?

RickB · February 17, 2013, 02:39 AM

It's to catch the fall of the hammer when you fumble it, so you don't shoot yourself in the foot.
Half-cock is not a good carry choice, as you still have to manually cock the hammer to get the gun into action, but the half-cocked hammer could be hit with enough of a blow to shear the half-cock and fire the gun; at full-cock the hammer is protected by the grip safety, and lowered all the way, a blow to the hammer won't fire the gun.

polyphemus · February 17, 2013, 07:48 AM

The grip safety blocks rearward trigger travel regardless of hammer position,
the reason why the hammer won't fall in half cock when the grip safety is
depressed is because the sear is trapped in the hook and can not rotate when
force is applied by the trigger.The half cock hook is so designed to arrest and
hold the hammer in the event of an unintended release.

Pilot · February 17, 2013, 08:09 AM

Others have said what the half cock can do, but it is as safe a way to carry a 1911 as another with a round in the chamber. While I do carry mine C&L, I'd have no problem carrying on the half cock notch if I wanted to take the time to cock the pistol prior to needing it. Hopefully Tuner will be along.

Nathan · February 17, 2013, 08:17 AM

I don't know for sure, but I would bet half cock would be very unfriendly to the sear nose I spent so much time cutting.

**Aguila Blanca** · February 17, 2013, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilot

Hopefully Tuner will be along.

1911Tuner already commented on this exact question, maybe two or three months ago.

1911Tuner · February 17, 2013, 10:51 AM

Quote:

I would bet half cock would be very nksmfamjp friendly to the dear nose I spent do much time cutting.

Less so than keeping it at full cock, where the force is all concentrated on the primary angle of the crown...not to mention less force applied by the parrly compressed mainspring.

Quote:

1911Tuner already commented on this exact question, maybe two or three months ago

Several times, and always ran into a shhhhhhheepdip storm.

But I'll do it again.

The half cock is, by design and intent a safety. Says so right there in the 1910 patents. All of Browning's other exposed hammer guns used the captive half cock notch as a safety, three of the better-known examples being the Model 92 and 94 rifles and the Model 97 shotgun, neither of which had a manual safety of any kind.

Mechanically...the captive notch locks the sear and hammer together and effectively disables the whole fire control group. The trigger and sear can't move, and the hammer can't fall. If that doesn't meet the requirements for a safety, I'd like to know what does.

Quote:

The half cock hook is so designed to arrest and
hold the hammer in the event of an unintended release

Another example of Browning's penchant for designing a part to perform two or more functions. The slide stop has five separate functions.

That ol' boy was pretty sharp.

DMacLeod · February 17, 2013, 11:45 AM

I was an MP stationed at Ft Bragg a few years ago (like 30+). We weren't allowed to carry one in the pipe (cocked and locked) so quite a few of us would carry one in the pipe and on half cock.

Never saw a negligent discharge or heard of one. It was explained to us by an armorer friend as 1911tuner did. He did it a little differently though, "ya could throw it across the room and it wouldn't go off".

RickB · February 17, 2013, 11:49 AM

Unless you threw it in a way that caused it to land on the hammer, and then it might go off, unlike full-cock or hammer-down.

1911Tuner · February 17, 2013, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Unless you threw it in a way that caused it to land on the hammer, and then it might go off, unlike full-cock or hammer-down.

It'd hafta land juuuuust right, especially with the standard A1 grip safety tang and spur hammer.

And no gun is as safe if it's dropped as it is if it's not.

And anyone who's so fumble-fingered that they drop their gun on a regular basis probably shouldn't carry one...or even handle one...or carry a DA revolver...or a SA with an empty chamber under the hammer.

Topthis · February 17, 2013, 05:42 PM

...sorry for the re-post. I did a search for Half Cock etc., and didn't really come up with anything that I was looking for. Thanks for the answers though and the clarification. Much appreciated.

Pilot · February 18, 2013, 06:53 PM

Thanks Tuner.

February 17, 2013, 02:24 AM	#1
Topthis Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2005 Posts: 863	1911 Half Cock ...what is the Half Cock on the 1911 for? The only thing I can think of is that it give another option of Carry. Maybe a round in the chamber at Half Cock, would alleviate the need for the Thumb Safety being engaged?

February 17, 2013, 08:09 AM	#4
Pilot Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2000 Posts: 4,193	Others have said what the half cock can do, but it is as safe a way to carry a 1911 as another with a round in the chamber. While I do carry mine C&L, I'd have no problem carrying on the half cock notch if I wanted to take the time to cock the pistol prior to needing it. Hopefully Tuner will be along. __________________ Pilot

February 17, 2013, 08:17 AM	#5
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,333	I don't know for sure, but I would bet half cock would be very unfriendly to the sear nose I spent so much time cutting. Last edited by Nathan; February 18, 2013 at 08:06 PM.

February 18, 2013, 06:53 PM	#12
Pilot Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2000 Posts: 4,193	Thanks Tuner. __________________ Pilot

February 17, 2013, 02:39 AM	#2
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	It's to catch the fall of the hammer when you fumble it, so you don't shoot yourself in the foot. Half-cock is not a good carry choice, as you still have to manually cock the hammer to get the gun into action, but the half-cocked hammer could be hit with enough of a blow to shear the half-cock and fire the gun; at full-cock the hammer is protected by the grip safety, and lowered all the way, a blow to the hammer won't fire the gun.

February 17, 2013, 07:48 AM	#3
polyphemus Senior Member Join Date: June 24, 2012 Posts: 1,055	The grip safety blocks rearward trigger travel regardless of hammer position, the reason why the hammer won't fall in half cock when the grip safety is depressed is because the sear is trapped in the hook and can not rotate when force is applied by the trigger.The half cock hook is so designed to arrest and hold the hammer in the event of an unintended release.

February 17, 2013, 11:45 AM	#8
DMacLeod Senior Member Join Date: February 19, 2008 Location: Maine Posts: 425	I was an MP stationed at Ft Bragg a few years ago (like 30+). We weren't allowed to carry one in the pipe (cocked and locked) so quite a few of us would carry one in the pipe and on half cock. Never saw a negligent discharge or heard of one. It was explained to us by an armorer friend as 1911tuner did. He did it a little differently though, "ya could throw it across the room and it wouldn't go off".

February 17, 2013, 11:49 AM	#9
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	Unless you threw it in a way that caused it to land on the hammer, and then it might go off, unlike full-cock or hammer-down.

February 17, 2013, 05:42 PM	#11
Topthis Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2005 Posts: 863	...sorry for the re-post. I did a search for Half Cock etc., and didn't really come up with anything that I was looking for. Thanks for the answers though and the clarification. Much appreciated.