I've recently acquired a Colt Mustang Pocketlite and it will probably become my carry gun. What is the safe way to carry it with a loaded chamber. Hammer down, half cocked, or fully cocked, with the safety on? Thanks.

I carry mine cocked and locked.... IN a OWB holster Don Hume JLT.

Cocked & locked here. They're great little guns...enjoy yours.

Its just a baby 1911. Cocked and locked is the way to go.

I know I'm going against the tide here. Chamber loaded with hammer down and no safety. It's got a hammer block safety so no chance of a round going off if dropped. I KNOW I am the odd one out on this subject, but personally I feel a Cocked & Locked Auto with a safety that is flicked off way too easily by mistake is an accident waiting to happen. Just my .02 cents ........ Most guys that I know who carry this gun do so in a pocket holster and practice cocking the hammer back while it is being drawn.


By the way.... the new Colt Mustang is a very high quality gun and the two I've shot will feed anything and have never had any issues. The only problem I view this gun having is the .380 round it shoots, but that's another thread. GREAT LITTLE GUN!

I've never owned a Colt Mustang, but I have owned its analog, the SIG P238. It makes me nervous to try to lower the hammer on a live round (but isn't it funny, most of us do that routinely on a revolver!) so cocked and locked is the only way to carry a live round in the chamber, IMO. (Unless the gun has a decocker, of course.) If you have a good holster, that covers the safety, the safety shouldn't get knocked off...but if it does, it won't fire without a pull on the trigger, which should also be covered by the holster.

I've had three of them. Cocked and locked.

I have a Plus II and I leave it at home just like I leave my 1911's at home. They go to the range when I want to shoot them. I feel that it can be too easy to knock the safety off and fire the gun.

For a carry gun, I prefer a DAO. My current favorite for carry is the Kahr CM9 for pocket carry.

If I want to carry a larger pistol in a holster, I prefer Striker Fired or pistols which are DA/SA.

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Corripe Cervisiam

I've carried mine for decades. Since the right way~cocked & locked~ makes me too nervous, mine is condition 3....and yes I understand the down side of that.

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

I agree 100%!

Good topic as I've been pondering the same. I sometimes carry my Mustang cocked and in a pocket holster. I'm beginning to feel maybe I'd be better off if I carried it with the hammer down. I carry a 1911 cocked and locked but those have a grip safety too.
I met a guy a summer or two ago that shot himself through the hand with one. He was in the habit of carrying it with an empty chamber and used it at his father's farm and a round loaded into the chamber. Forgetting that he dropped the hammer when he was going to clean it and shot himself. Sure he made several mistakes but one was not following his same procedure every time.
I plan on finding a way to carry my Mustang and stick with that method.

I've had a Pocketlite for at least 20 years.......... it's been my light weight "last resort "gun.........when even my 337PD is too thick

it's the gun I carry if I can't carry a gun!!! LOL

Only carried in a pocket in a thin nylon holster if I can't dress around something better and the threat level of the venue is......... nil.

always worry about flicking the safety off as I "dig" it out of a tight pocket.........so condition 3 for me...........

I do not agree. It does not have a grip safety. JMB put one on his. I have a older Colt Pony Lite, the DA

As with the Sig 380 I would not stick one in my pocket cocked with just a thumb safety. A outside holster would be my only way.
But to each there own. I see guys shove Glocks down the front of their pants.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I agree IF I carried in a pocket I would carry as you do.

I carry my 238 (clone of the mustang) in either condition 1 (cocked and locked) or condition 3. I know it has a firing pin safety but front pocket carry makes me nervous to rely on the safety. It is a very strong safety and clicks off with a solid snap but still C&L is not my cup of tea generally.

Right now my 238 is condition 3 in the holster.

I would say that when I carry my EMP, it is condition 1 since it has a grip and slide safety. It is a true 1911 unlike the 238.

When I carry my PSP it is condition 0 which I like a lot. No safety, completely safe but too big for pocket carry.

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SWCA 1646