SA/DA in Connecticut

1775 Views 19 Replies 16 Participants Last post by tokerblue, Oct 27, 2009

97tbird

Discussion Starter · Oct 26, 2009

Does anyone have any information on carrying a SA/DA handgun in Connecticut. At my permit class the instructor said to never carry one because the lawyers will hang you out to dry if you ever needed to use it. That sounds kind of strange to me so I wanted to see if anyone else had any knowledge about it.

Thanks in advance!

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MitchellCT

· #2 · Oct 26, 2009

I am an attorney in the State of Connecticut.

I am PMing you my cell phone.

You and I need to talk about your CCW instructor.

I have several highly offensive things to say about what he taught you that I don't even know I'm going to say.

Suffice to say, its BS.

ming

· #3 · Oct 26, 2009

C'mon share with the rest of us. Of course it sounds like bs, but what may have led him to teach such a thing. Unless of course he was just full of the s part.

C9H13NO3

· #4 · Oct 26, 2009

Probably one of the ones that tells you not to use an aftermarket barrel, sights, defense ammo, or anything bigger than 9mm.

gottabkiddin

· #5 · Oct 26, 2009

Yeah, Please share...

KenInColo

· #6 · Oct 26, 2009

97tbird said:
... carrying a SA/DA handgun...

Thanks in advance!

By SA/DA, do you mean the first shot is DA (double action), followed by subsequent SA (single action) shot(s) until you decock the gun?

I did have an instructor caution us not to manually cock these type handguns prior to your first shot in a self defense situation. Some overzealous DAs interpret this as a deliberate & overt act, indicating that you had intent to fire your gun before the situation actually warranted.

BlueNinjaGo

· #7 · Oct 26, 2009

KenInColo said:
By SA/DA, do you mean the first shot is DA (double action), followed by subsequent SA (single action) shot(s) until you decock the gun?

I did have an instructor caution us not to manually cock these type handguns prior to your first shot in a self defense situation. Some overzealous DAs interpret this as a deliberate & overt act, indicating that you had intent to fire your gun before the situation actually warranted.

Um, excuse me if I'm wrong, but I think it's safe to say that if you pull your gun, you have intent to use it. So cocking the hammer back shows MORE intent to use it? Either you intend to, or not.

(Granted, we all hope we don't have to, and that simply pulling the firearm will deter the criminal, but we do not count on that. We only pull our firearms out to protect ourselves, family, and property.)

KenInColo

· #8 · Oct 26, 2009

BlueNinjaGo said:
Um, excuse me if I'm wrong, but I think it's safe to say that if you pull your gun, you have intent to use it. So cocking the hammer back shows MORE intent to use it? Either you intend to, or not.

(Granted, we all hope we don't have to, and that simply pulling the firearm will deter the criminal, but we do not count on that. We only pull our firearms out to protect ourselves, family, and property.)

I hear you. If I draw, it will be b/c I am in fear for my life or of great physical danger & it will probably be immediately followed by me firering.

Never-the-less, I did have an instructor mention that & I can see the reasoning behind the statement.

I have mastered the first DA pull on my edc. It is just as accurate as a SA shot.

archer51

· #9 · Oct 26, 2009

97tbird said:
Does anyone have any information on carrying a SA/DA handgun in Connecticut. At my permit class the instructor said to never carry one because the lawyers will hang you out to dry if you ever needed to use it. That sounds kind of strange to me so I wanted to see if anyone else had any knowledge about it.

Thanks in advance!

Statements like this make my BS meter peg out! Sounds like your instructor has no idea what he's talking about, but likes to hear himself spout off.

Janq

· #10 · Oct 26, 2009

Possibly the instructor did not make such a statement and rather the student misheard or misinterpreted what was stated/being advised.

This too happens as with students who either are not listening well (misheard) and/or as through content that is quite involved (misinterpreted/misunderstood).

It happens, a lot.

- Janq

tokerblue

· #11 · Oct 27, 2009

KenInColo said:
By SA/DA, do you mean the first shot is DA (double action), followed by subsequent SA (single action) shot(s) until you decock the gun?

I did have an instructor caution us not to manually cock these type handguns prior to your first shot in a self defense situation. Some overzealous DAs interpret this as a deliberate & overt act, indicating that you had intent to fire your gun before the situation actually warranted.

- How would anyone possibly know or prove that the hammer was already pulled back or not?

10thmtn

· #12 · Oct 27, 2009

I'm guessing at what the instructor meant...

With a DA/SA pistol, there is a long heavy trigger pull for the first shot. If the first shot is justified, no problem.

However...the second shot is SA, and only takes a light trigger pull to fire. If a DA says you did not "need" to fire the second shot, but you did anyway because of being accustomed to the first, long, heavy trigger pull...you could end up in trouble.

It is much easier to "accidentally" fire a second shot with a DA/SA than it is with a DAO or SA, where the trigger is the same with every shot. This transition from DA to SA is why I personally despise the DA/SA trigger. Under stress, it is just too easy to fire a second shot when you may not have meant to.

I'm guessing that may be what the instructor was getting at (?).

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Tigrebleau

· #13 · Oct 27, 2009

You know, if that "evidendce of intent" bs has any credibility because you cocked the hammer , then just reading or posting to this forum could be interpreted by a highly-motivated prosecutor as evidence of intent to do harm, at least here in NewJerseystan.

Sgt Z Squad

· #14 · Oct 27, 2009

I am LEO in Connecticut, I guess my P.D. is going to have issues since we have DA/SA pistols.

Total BS if what you wrote is accurate.

KenInColo

· #15 · Oct 27, 2009

tokerblue said:
- How would anyone possibly know or prove that the hammer was already pulled back or not?

a witness might/could see you

TX-JB

· #16 · Oct 27, 2009

Sgt Z Squad said:
I am LEO in Connecticut, I guess my P.D. is going to have issues since we have DA/SA pistols.

Yep, better order some Glocks...

Total BS if what you wrote is accurate.

Couldn't have said it better myself...

CTSubie

· #17 · Oct 27, 2009

I hope to never find out, but if I was in a situation that had me fire my weapon at someone I probably would not fire only 1 shot? At that point who cares if the subsequent shots are SA or DA?

NoNameMan

· #18 · Oct 27, 2009

CTSubie said:
I hope to never find out, but if I was in a situation that had me fire my weapon at someone I probably would not fire only 1 shot? At that point who cares if the subsequent shots are SA or DA?

I agree. Although things can go sour in the courtroom, my concern at the time of the shooting would be to stop the threat, period. If that should ever occur I'm in for plenty of BS regardless.

Couldn't the use of any gun be spun unfavorably? For example, a 1911 style carried in condition 1... although you and I may be 100% confident in it's safety, the hammer back sure looks scary to someone who doesn't know any better and it could be argued that it being cocked showed intent.

MitchellCT

· #19 · Oct 27, 2009

#1 The instructor was an idiot.

#2 Their is nothing wrong with DA/SA in Connecticut.

#3 The idea of not cocking a DA/SA pistol for the first shot is driven by the fact you loose feeling in your fingers under stress, and your hands tend to contract as a stress response - if you go SA for the first shot, you are setting yourself up for a negligent discharge due to human stress reaction.

#4 The only "courtroom" issue with cocking the gun is that it opens the door to a claim of negligence - that you didn't want to shoot him, but you did so because of the factors in #3.

This isn't an issue in most cases, but if you are holding someone at gunpoint after they comply with your command to stop, and the unexpected occurs and you twitch - BOOM. Now you got some explaining to do.

Could it be an issue with glocks, or 1911's...yes, but it is a minor side issue that isn't worth devoting much time on.

Don't make it more than it is.

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tokerblue

· #20 · Oct 27, 2009

KenInColo said:
a witness might/could see you

- I guess I'm not that paranoid. I would think that if a witness knew enough about a gun being in SA mode, they would know enough about guns in general. I would be more worried about the testimony of the witness and how they interpreted in the scene rather than if they saw a gun in DA or SA mode.

I only carry DAO, so I never really gave it much thought.

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