First Shot? I'll go with Single Action
First Shot? I'll go with Single Action
Myself, I'd carry my P-64 with hammer down, a round chambered, the safety off, then use my thumb or the palm of my 'weak' hand to cock it when needed. With practice it's just as fast as double action. Some of you will say "I might drop it on the hammer with the hammer resting on the firing pin and BANG!" I bet that most of you who intend to fire double action for the first shot carry with the safety off anyway. I sure would! As for the danger of an A.D. if the pistol falls with the hammer down and the hammer hits a hard surface, the 'floating' (short, springloaded) firing pin should not touch the primer. I have read somewhere in the forum that the older model with the ROUND hammer spur had a LONGER firing pin and they might have had a darn good reason for shortening it on the triangular hammer new model! If I had the older round head model I'd put a primed EMPTY case in the chamber, lower the hammer, make sure the safety is off and give the hammer a whack with a plastic or rubber headed mallet to see what happens. Double action is fine for you folks that are good at it, and I've seen some that were very good, but most new shooters couldn't hit a bucket at 7 yards double action! Whichever way you pick, practice, then practice some more! Keep on ashootin'! Tommy2
First Shot? I'll go with Single Action
Good point tommy2. Besides, unless you break something when you drop it, the hammer can't travel far enough to hit the pin unless the trigger is pulled. That was one of the safety points that attracted me to the P-64.
When I carry a 1911 I do as you advise, cocked and locked scares me a bit. It didn't until I took one apart one day to fit an ambidextrous safety and I saw how little is actually keeping the hammer from falling. With the P-64 I like the safety off double action idea only because it is such a willful trigger that accidents are almost impossible, however your idea is almost positively faster and more accurate, after all, if you can't hit your target it doesn't matter how fast you are. My problem is that if a situation arises where I need to act fast with out time for consideration, I am not exactly sure how I will fire my first shot. I guess it is nice to have such a fine little pistol that gives you options that don't require thought.
When I carry a 1911 I do as you advise, cocked and locked scares me a bit. It didn't until I took one apart one day to fit an ambidextrous safety and I saw how little is actually keeping the hammer from falling. With the P-64 I like the safety off double action idea only because it is such a willful trigger that accidents are almost impossible, however your idea is almost positively faster and more accurate, after all, if you can't hit your target it doesn't matter how fast you are. My problem is that if a situation arises where I need to act fast with out time for consideration, I am not exactly sure how I will fire my first shot. I guess it is nice to have such a fine little pistol that gives you options that don't require thought.
First Shot? I'll go with Single Action
You both have brought up good points. If the "BG" is right on top of me, I may use double action, but with pratice, its real easy to thumb the hammer back. When I work security, I carry a cocked & locked 1911, But..because it scares some people, I use a holster that straps over the hammer. Either way, the P-64 can't be beat. 
First Shot? I'll go with Single Action
I used to carry my 1911 cocked and locked all the time without a bit of fear. It's on the night stand like that right now.
First Shot? I'll go with Single Action
The herculean double action trigger is a good safety...it is a bit tough, the single action trigger is nice, a little tiny creep and a nice break.
First Shot? I'll go with Single Action
The D/A pull on mine is only hard if you try to slowly pull it back and stage it. If you quickly, firmly, and smoothly pull it (as you would in an SD emergency) it is just fine. S/A pull is light, after the long trigger creep. Both were easy to get used to, with no modification to the gun.
FWIW: I prefer a stiffer D/A trigger pull on all of my D/A-S/A guns. The only pistol I own which I have set up for a lighter D/A pull is my S&W 6946....because it is DAO and must be lighter for smooth aimed followup shots.
Jack
FWIW: I prefer a stiffer D/A trigger pull on all of my D/A-S/A guns. The only pistol I own which I have set up for a lighter D/A pull is my S&W 6946....because it is DAO and must be lighter for smooth aimed followup shots.
Jack