The Unofficial P64 Resource Forum

1972
$170.00 shipped from Gunbroker with 3 magazines and case.
There seems to be a half saftey position where the trigger is disengaged and the hammer is cocked but i didn't read a referance to this. can this pistol be carried cocked and on safe?

I envy you. I paid $150 for one with just one mag and no case. To answer your question: If I place the lower edge of the safety just touching the front of the red dot the hammer stays cocked but the firing pin is blocked and the trigger is disconnected from the sear. Testing this configuration with the hammer down, by pushing forward on the hammer, indicates that the sear still engages the safety notch on the hammer, which it will not do when the safety is fully applied. I see no reason you could not carry your P-64 cocked and locked except that there is no safety detent in this position and the safety could therefore be inadvertently moved to the "fire" position.

There's no position for "cocked and locked". The safety is just stiff and needs cleaning and working to smooth it up. When you move it down to cover the red dot, the hammer will fall, but not contact the firing pin. Most folks hold the hammer back with the right thumb while moving the safety lever to "on"with the left hand, then let the hammer down gently. It probably saves some wear and tear, but, truthfully, I don't think it's really necessary on a P-64 that is properly assembled and in good working order. Always point the gun in a safe direction to decock, though. It is always a good idea to play it on the safe side with firearms. Death is so irreversible. It is considered safe to carry one in the chamber with the safety on as long as you are sure the pistol is in good working order. You need to shoot it and become familiar with the decocking while at the range. Cleaning the gun really well to get the shipping oil off of all the working parts and lubing the gun properly before shooting it at all will pay off in smooth operation from the git go.

krasmussen,

Sweet deal,........ ;D however, IMO you are messing where messing is not advisable, bzinggg is correct, there is "NO HALF WAY SAFETY POSITION" on the P-64 Safety First Awways!!!

Papabear

Thanks for the replies. i'll just forget about half saftey idea and carry hammer decocked.

It is always a good idea to play it on the safe side with firearms. Death is so irreversible.

So is a bullet through your wife's bedroom mirror!

It may be repairable, but the damage is irreversible...

;D

Great deal, how is the double action pull?

Great deal, how is the double action pull?

I don't know yet. Is it okay to dry fire these? I have Snap caps on the ordered. Haven't been to the range yet either. i already want another.

I hope it is--my son and I have dry-fired mine scores of times...

I remember a few posts here regarding safety levers breaking, probably due to dry-firing. That, and the difficulty finding a spare firing pin (which is subjected to stress in dry firing) makes it a bad idea. I always let the hammer down with my thumb when de-cocking using the safety. The only exception is when I load from the mag by racking the slide with the safety on---in that case, the hammer follows the slide and dosn't really snap with full force.
I note that the manual for the Walther P1 advises to lower the hammer with the thumb when using the de-cocker on that pistol.
I have dry-fired my pistol to work in the double action and make it smoother, but I keep my thumb on the hammer and keep it from falling.

amd6547,

I have always done the same thing when using the safety lever to lower the hammer. I also collect Walther P.38, PP and PPK pistols and I have always done this when lowering the hammer.

I'm not trying to be difficult or anything, just curious--why thumb the hammer down when you de-cock? The hammer doesn't connect to the firing pin when you decock, right?--is it to protect the safety lever? Or more of a precaution in case the decock malfunctions and the hammer goes on to strike the pin?

I would think that it's to prevent possible cracking of the safety from repeated strikes by the hammer. When the safety is applied with the pistol cocked, the safety FIRST blocks the firing pin from being struck by the hammer and THEN de-cocks the the hammer by releasing the sear. You may notice that the safety moves downward quite easily until the rear edge of the lever just touches the red dot, then there is an increase in resistance. This is caused by the safety disengaging the sear so as to de-cock the pistol. I don't think there is any way that the gun could be de-cocked by the safety without the firing pin first being blocked.