New Definations and Old

I have been thinking about the definitions surrounding the "Readiness Conditions". It is mostly an effort to get the list straight in my mind as I talk to my kids about it.

Here is what I believe to be the classic list: 
  • Condition 0: Round in the chamber, hammer cocked, safety off.
  • Condition 1: Round in the chamber, hammer cocked, safety on.
  • Condition 2: Round in the chamber, hammer down.
  • Condition 3: Chamber empty, full magazine, hammer down.
  • Condition 4: Chamber empty, magazine removed, slide back and locked. 
They were created specifically for 1911 type architectures. Half of my handguns don't fit in these. My Glocks, XD9, Kel-Tec PC-AT and Beretta 96D basically cannot have a SA hammer cocked. None of the revolvers fit the bill either.

I am leaning to new definations:
  • Readiness 1: Will fire if trigger is pulled.
  • Readiness 2: Will fire if manual safety is switched.
  • Readiness 3: Will fire after a round is chambered.
  • Readiness 4: Will fire after a round is chambered and safety is switched.
  • Readiness 5: Will not fire, no ammunition, action closed.
  • Readiness 6: Will not fire, no ammunition, action open.
These readiness levels apply to all types of firearms, including all handgun variations, rifles, carbines and shotguns.

--The 4 Rules still apply at every level.
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5 comments:

  1. New Jovian ThunderboltJanuary 25, 2011 at 8:13 AM

    That's not how I learned it.

    Slightly different:

    Condition Four: Chamber empty, no magazine, hammer down. (peacetime military guard post or off duty Israeli carry)

    Condition Three: Chamber empty, full magazine in place, hammer down. (Israeli pistol carry)

    Condition Two: A round chambered, full magazine in place, hammer down.

    Condition One: A round chambered, full magazine in place, hammer cocked, safety on. (Cooper carry)

    Condition Zero: A round chambered, full magazine in place, hammer cocked, safety off.

    ReplyDelete
  2. New Jovian ThunderboltJanuary 25, 2011 at 8:13 AM

    Condition Four should read "off duty Israeli rifle carry"

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 8:52 AM

    I like the idea of some new definitions that fit all firearms.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJanuary 25, 2011 at 9:01 AM

    His match what I read on MArooned recently.

    http://stuckinmassachusetts.blogspot.com/2010/12/see-what-condition-my-condition-was-in.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bubblehead Les.January 25, 2011 at 1:24 PM

    Readiness 1 does not apply to Hammer- style Coach Guns or the older Single- shot Barn Guns. One of their attributes was to load them up, carefully drop the external hammers, place them on a mantle, and still be able to shoot a bad guy ten years later, just by pulling back the Hammers. Also applies to old-school Single action revolvers. Unless one considers the hammers themselves as a Safety? Also, what readiness would you put a modern, loaded Smith J-Frame 640 ( one made w/o the silly locking mechanism of the last few years)?

    ReplyDelete