Special Forces Carry and Firing procedure for handguns

[mikec62001]

What is the carrying and firing procedure special forces units such as Delta and the SAS use for handguns? What state is the weapon in when it is in its holster? Is the safety catch on..Is there a round usually in the chamber. I know that timing is extremely important when it comes to firing a weapon. But then again...where do you draw the line at being safe?

[ibstolidude]

I CANNOT speak for those 2 organizations..
anyone you does not carry a round in the chamber is certainly not in any hurry to use it.
I can say that I carried the M9 with a round in the chamber and the weapon off safe as substancial trigger pull is required to "raise the hammer" and fire the weapon on your first trigger squeeze.
but then that does not really answer yout question does it?

[mikec62001]

All I want is how do Special Forces units in general carry and fire handguns.. I gave the SAS and Delta as examples.

[mikec62001]

THanks for your input..appreciate it. THe only reason why I am interested to know is because I have seen SAS in training...carrying out stoppage procedures...whereby the weapon stops...trooper shouts "Stopage" he slings he weapon to the side and brings out his backup. Didn't look like he cocked the weapon...possibly took it off safe. I have speculation on how they might carry and fire handguns but I wanted to know if anyone knew.

[SABER 2-3]

round in the chamber....
mechanical safety engaged if so equipped(M-9 decocker in the up (fire) position)

[Gringo]

But if a pistol hasn't got an active safety catch (eg. SIG P226), then would it have to be carried in the double action mode?

[pakieser]

In an imminent action (combat), US Army personnel carry the M9 on-safe, with a round in the chamber. During non-combat operations, the M9 is carried with a loaded magazine, but empty chamber. This may have changed since I got out (1999).

USMC and USAF personnel carry the M9 off-safe, with a round in the chamber at all times.

For a single-action .45 (used by Special Forces) the gun would be carried "cocked and locked" with a round in the chamber and safety on.

It defies the design of a double-action handgun to carry it with the hammer cocked - any experienced shooter will carry a double action pistol (like the M9, Sig P226, etc) with the hammer at rest.

As a side note - almost all Isreali Defense Forces personnel carry the pistol without a round in the chamber. The exception to this is Anti-Terror units during imminent combat operations.

[CX20]

Mike;

I will ask my ex-Regiment colleague for you and will post what he says on here for you. I also work (from time to time) with an ex-SBS lad so if I bump into him I'll try and bring it up in conversation.

In my experience though, I carried fully made ready with a round in the chamber and safety catch on whenever I was armed. Our current issue pistols have SA/DA modes, and are always carried in DA mode with a round in the chamber.

[ibstolidude]

sorry pak - perhaps your unit (as most do) had a different SOP - my experiences are army and I carried the M9 as I posted above - round in chamber weapon off safe..

and incidently the majority of the US Army Special Forces carries the M9 - 9mm.

[Gringo]

what experiance do u have CX20?
I get the impresion that you're an ex policemen that was in a firearms unit? SO19?
Just curious.

[Argyll]

I belive CX20 was ex Forces and now serves as a Police Officer,maybe not SO19,but perhaps his local Constabulary ARU's(Armed Response Units)

[Gringo]

quite close.

[duck]

When you assault an objective, you want to achieve tactical surprise and keep total silence until everyone has reached starting positions. You cannot start fiddling with your guns at that point, you have to focus totally on the target. So, bullet in chamber, off-safety there, prepared out of hearing range. Nothing to do with fancy commandos, just basic military stuff. In other situations, varies depending on circumstances.