Firearm Conditions & Safety Features

This guide covers firearm conditions and the safety features of the guns available in Receiver 2. This also touches on basic gun safety rules and discusses malfunctions, some of which are very dangerous.

Cooper's Conditions of Readiness

John Dean "Jeff" Cooper coined most of the five firearm conditions of readiness:

• Condition 4: the chamber is empty, the magazine is empty or removed, and the hammer is lowered
  
• Condition 3 ("Israeli carry"): the chamber is empty, the magazine is inserted, and the hammer is lowered
  
• Condition 2: a round is chambered, the magazine is inserted, and the hammer is lowered
  
• Condition 1 ("c*cked and locked"): a round is chambered, the magazine is inserted, the hammer is pulled back, and the safety is on
  
• Condition 0 ("ready to fire"): a round is chambered, the magazine is inserted, the hammer is pulled back, and the safety is off

Cooper based his conditions of readiness on the Colt M1911 semi-automatic pistol, which has a manual safety and an external hammer, but the ideas can still be applied to other handguns, shotguns, and rifles. For the sake of simplicity, the aforementioned definitions will be used in this guide.

Carry Conditions

In Receiver 2, unintended discharges due to unsafe drawing and holstering can result in near misses, self-injury, or even death. The in-game tips, help screens, and tape messages stress the importance of proper trigger discipline and muzzle discipline while drawing and holstering (i.e. hold down the holster key for the entire process), regardless of a firearm's state of readiness. However, you, the player, may wish to carry your firearm in a condition that will allow you to engage Killdrones quickly while at the same time minimizing the risk of negligent discharge should you fail to maintain trigger discipline at all times. To do so, you need to know the features of your firearm and understand the conditions of readiness.

Condition 4

In Condition 4, the firearm is essentially unloaded and clear of ammunition, eliminating the risk of unintended discharges entirely. It is safe to quickly draw and holster the weapon (i.e. tap the holster key), but readying the weapon involves the most steps. Therefore carrying in Condition 4 is not ideal for self-defense, but it is perfectly fine if you do not intend to use the weapon at all. In fact, carrying in Condition 4 while keeping magazines and ammunition stored away and your hands free is an effective tactic against Threat Echoes. Even if you are unable to pause your tape player before the voice of the Threat takes control and compels you to commit suicide with your firearm, it will already be in the safest condition.

Condition 3

Condition 3 primarily applies to semi-automatics. In Condition 3, the semi-automatic is loaded but is not ready to fire. With the chamber empty, trigger pulls should not cause an unintended discharge, and so it is possible to quickly draw and holster the semi-automatic with low risk. If the pistol uses an exposed hammer, having an empty chamber also means there's no risk that a sharp rap to the unc*cked hammer will cause a discharge. Readying the firearm is a matter of tapping the magazine, racking the slide (which usually c*cks the hammer or striker and strips a round from the magazine before chambering it), and disengaging the manual safety if present. Tap, rack, bang.

Condition 3 can also apply to single-action revolvers, especially ones where a hammer-mounted firing pin can rest directly on the primer of a loaded cartridge. Such a revolver can be carried safely with the hammer down on an empty chamber while the other chambers on the cylinder are loaded. Since pulling the trigger only releases the hammer, it is possible to quickly draw and holster the revolver in Condition 3 assuming the hammer doesn't get fully c*cked and the cylinder doesn't advance to next round in the process.

Condition 3 is not very applicable to double-action revolvers if at all: a full trigger pull on the revolver indexes the cylinder while c*cking the hammer before releasing it. Even if the trigger may require a heavier, longer pull with the hammer unc*cked, and even if the chamber lined up with the barrel is empty, you could still pull the trigger all the way with enough force and fire the revolver.

Condition 2

Condition 2 primarily applies to handguns with exposed hammers as well as certain double-action/single-action firearms. In Condition 2, such a firearm is loaded and has a round chambered with the hammer down. In this case, readying the firearm is a matter of c*cking the hammer and disengaging the manual safety if present. Without a manual safety, it is possible to quickly draw and holster the firearm assuming you do not pull the trigger and manage to overcome the heavy trigger pull weight of the double-action mode of the gun. With a round chambered, there is a risk that a sharp rap to the hammer of the firearm will discharge it, with or without internal safety mechanisms.

Condition 1

Condition 1 primarily applies to firearms with on-off manual safeties, usually semi-automatics and rarely revolvers. In Condition 1, the firearm is essentially armed with a manual safety engaged to prevent an unintended discharge. In this case, readying the firearm is a matter of switching the safety off. Carrying in Condition 1 works well for self-defense, as it allows you to quickly draw and holster without too much risk of negligent discharge.

Condition 0

In Condition 0, the firearm is ready to fire and only requires a trigger pull to discharge. Therefore, safely carrying a firearm in Condition 0 requires strict and proper trigger discipline while drawing and holstering. As long as this is done, carrying in Condition 0 allows you to immediately respond to Killdrones.

It should be noted that "Receivers never carry concealed firearms without a rigid, molded holster", even in the Dreaming. If they didn't, performing risky physical feats would probably result in unintentional discharges happening more frequently.

Safety Features

Receiver 2 features pistols that have different safety features meant to prevent unintentional discharges. Many of the pistols have the same kind of safety feature while some are more exclusive or specific.

Manual Safeties

Several of the semi-automatic pistols in Receiver 2 have on-off manual safety switches, which prevent the user from firing the weapon until disengaged.

• On the Colt M1911 the thumb safety switch is used to lock the slide and prevent the sear from releasing the c*cked hammer. This allows the M1911 to achieve a Condition 1 state as Jeff Cooper defined it.
  
• On the Desert Eagle the slide's safety switch blocks the firing pin and disconnects the trigger. This does not lock the slide like the M1911, making it possible to perform a press check or clear stoppages without worrying about pulling the trigger by mistake while doing so.
  
• Engaging the dec*ck/safety switch on the Beretta M9's slide blocks the firing pin and releases the external hammer by pushing on the sear. The slide can still move while the safety switch is on.
  
• The thumb safety switch on the Hi-Point C9 locks the slide in forward or rearward positions and blocks the sear.

Dec*ckers

Some double-action/single-action pistols have a dec*cker, which safely dec*cks the hammer or striker. Such a feature simplifies the act of dec*cking a hammer-fired pistol, which usually involves gripping the c*cked hammer, pulling the trigger, and carefully lowering the hammer all the way down (default: hold F, then hold LMB, then release F). Some striker-fired semi-automatics have dec*ckers, making it possible for them to be carried in Condition 2 and to relieve the tension on the internal springs when the guns are not in use.

• The hammer-fired SIG Sauer P226 does not have an on-off manual safety, but it has a dec*cker. Dec*cking the hammer or leaving the hammer down puts the weapon in double-action mode, which makes the gun less likely to go off by accident.
  
• As mentioned before, the Beretta M9's has a dec*ck/safety switch.

Internal and Passive Safeties

There are other safety mechanisms besides manual safety switches and dec*ckers featured in Receiver 2.

• The Colt Detective Special and newer versions of the S&W Model 10 from 1915 and later have a hammer block, an internal safety that prevents the hammer from striking a loaded round if the trigger is forward. This makes the revolvers more drop safe but does not guard against careless drawing and holstering in the game.
  
• The S&W Model 10, Colt Detective Special, Beretta M9, and SIG Sauer P226 are double-action/single-action pistols. With the hammer dec*cked, the guns have a heavy trigger pull weight in double-action mode, making them less likely to go off if the trigger is depressed but not pulled all the way while drawing or holstering; thus, the double-action trigger serves as a compromise between safety and readiness.
  
• In addition to the manual thumb safety, the Colt M1911 has a grip safety, which disengages when the user handles the gun in a firing position. This does not provide much protection against unsafe drawing and holstering in the game.
  
• The Colt M1911 and the Desert Eagle have half-c*ck notches that allow the hammer to neither rest on the firing pin nor be fully c*cked. The hammer can be pulled partially from the forward position (default: tap [F]) or lowered partially from the rearward position (default: hold [F], hold [LMB], release [F], then quickly release [LMB] shortly after) to put the hammer at a half-c*ck position. It should be noted that the half-c*ck notches are not carry locations, but rather passive safeties for when the hammer and trigger parts fail to maintain their intended relationship.
  
• The striker-fired Glock 17 pistol has three safety mechanisms: an external integrated trigger safety, an internal firing pin safety, and an internal drop safety. A Glock 17 in working condition should only fire when the trigger pulled, but these safety mechanisms do not provide protection against unsafe drawing and holstering in the game.
  
• The Hi-Point C9 has a magazine disconnect safety, which engages when the magazine is withdrawn from the receiver, even partially. Without a magazine inserted and seated properly, the user cannot fire the C9.

"Just tell me how I should carry my gun!"

Here are the carry conditions for the handguns available in Receiver 2, listed from safest to most ready. The conditions are based on Jeff Cooper's definitions. The "pseudo-conditions" are possibilities in the game, but may be unsafe or awkward in practice. Any firearm that is ready to fire, or in Condition 0, and not drawn or holstered carefully will result in a negligent discharge. The underlined carry conditions for each gun are the most ready conditions that have little to no risk of negligent discharge while drawing or holstering.

As of version 2.0.9 of the game, traveling through shrubs and bushes can cause a holstered hammer-fired pistol to be snagged and c*cked. This list assumes the player does not experience this prior to drawing the handgun. Otherwise, it is good practice to slowly draw the handgun and re-holster the weapon in a safe condition after moving through brush.

S&W Model 10 and Colt Detective Special

• Condition 4: cylinder empty, hammer forward, double-action mode
  
• Pseudo-Condition 3: cylinder loaded, hammer forward on empty chamber, double-action mode
  
• Condition 2: cylinder loaded, hammer forward on loaded chamber, double-action mode

Carrying these revolvers with the hammer forward on an empty chamber may be safer than Condition 2, but is not completely necessary since they have internal hammer block safeties and hammer rebound safeties. To avoid incidents with bushes and shrubs snagging and c*cking the hammer, carry these revolvers in Condition 4.

Colt M1911

• Condition 4: magazine removed, chamber empty, hammer forward
  
• Condition 3: magazine inserted, chamber empty, hammer forward
  
• Condition 2: magazine inserted, round chambered, hammer forward
  
• Condition 1: magazine inserted, round chambered, hammer back, slide forward with thumb safety on

To avoid incidents with bushes and shrubs snagging and c*cking the hammer, carry the M1911 with the thumb safety engaged.

Glock 17

• Condition 4: magazine removed, chamber empty
  
• Condition 3: magazine inserted, chamber empty
  
• Pseudo-Condition 1: magazine inserted, chamber empty, slide locked rearward
  
• Condition 0: magazine inserted, round chambered, slide forward

Locking the slide rearward on a pistol like the Glock 17 for carry is unusual. However, many holsters are capable of holding such a handgun with the slide locked back, which can be useful for some one-handed reload situations. There are also specialized holsters that allow a user to rack the slide to chamber a round before drawing. Your holster in Receiver 2 most likely does not have such a feature and mainly protects the trigger and other external controls. Furthermore, the game does not allow loading a magazine while the gun is holstered as of the 2.0.1 update.

Beretta M9

• Condition 4: magazine removed, chamber empty, hammer forward, double-action mode
  
• Condition 3: magazine inserted, chamber empty, hammer forward, double-action mode
  
• Condition 2: magazine inserted, round chambered, hammer forward, double-action mode

To avoid incidents with bushes and shrubs snagging and c*cking the hammer, carry the M9 with the dec*ck/safety engaged.

Desert Eagle

• Condition 4: magazine removed, chamber empty, hammer forward
  
• Condition 3: magazine inserted, chamber empty, hammer forward
  
• Condition 2: magazine inserted, round chambered, hammer forward
  
• Condition 1: magazine inserted, round chambered, hammer back, slide forward with slide safety on

To avoid incidents with bushes and shrubs snagging and c*cking the hammer, carry the Desert Eagle with the slide safety engaged.

Hi-Point C9

• Condition 4: magazine removed, chamber empty
  
• Condition 3: magazine inserted, chamber empty
  
• Condition 1: magazine inserted, round chambered, slide forward with thumb safety on
  
• Condition 0: magazine inserted, round chambered, slide forward with thumb safety off

It is possible to carry the Hi-Point C9 in Condition 0 like a Glock 17, but better safe than sorry.

SIG Sauer P226

• Condition 4: magazine removed, chamber empty, hammer forward, double-action mode
  
• Condition 3: magazine inserted, chamber empty, hammer forward, double-action mode
  
• Condition 2: magazine inserted, round chambered, hammer forward, double-action mode

Unlike the Beretta M9, the SIG Sauer P226 does not have a manual safety. To avoid incidents with bushes and shrubs snagging and c*cking the hammer, carry the P226 in Condition 3.

Colt Single Action Army

• Condition 4: cylinder empty, hammer forward
  
• Condition 3: cylinder loaded, hammer forward on empty chamber
  
• Pseudo-Condition 2: cylinder loaded, hammer half-c*cked on loaded chamber

The half-c*cked position on single-action revolvers like the SAA can act as a safety, as it prevents the hammer-mounted firing pin from resting on a primer while not allowing the revolver to fire. However, carrying with the hammer half-c*cked is still considered more dangerous than carrying in Condition 3. To avoid incidents with bushes and shrubs snagging and c*cking the hammer, carry the SAA in Condition 4.

Cooper's Gun Safety Rules

In addition to coining the firearm readiness conditions, Jeff Cooper also advocated four basic rules of gun safety:

• All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.
  
• Muzzle discipline: never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
  
• Trigger discipline: keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target.
  
• Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

Following these rules, carrying the gun in a safe condition, and using its safety features will help keep you and others safe in the case that something does go wrong and results in an unintentional discharge.

Stoppages & Malfunctions

In Receiver 2 firearms, especially semi-automatics, are prone to stoppages or malfunctions, which is why practicing gun safety is imperative. Malfunctions can be caused by operator error, poor maintenance, or dumb luck. As of version 2.0.8 of the game, there are several malfunctions that can be experienced.

Stovepipe
A stovepipe is a type of failure-to-eject stoppage where the casing of a spent cartridge is partially extracted and gets stuck in the ejection port. This can be cleared by racking the slide and is often caused by "limp wristing", where the operator fails to grip the gun firmly and keep their wrist straight.

Out-of-Battery
A firearm may fail to return to battery or cycle fully after firing. This stoppage can be cleared by pushing the slide to the firing position. Racking the slide also works, but may eject a usable round in the process.

Double Feed
A double feed occurs when the gun fails to extract a spent cartridge and tries to load a new round. This stoppage can be cleared by locking the slide back, ejecting the magazine, racking the slide to extract the spent casing, re-inserting the magazine, and chambering a new round.

A 'true double feed' occurs when the gun strips two rounds from the magazine and tries to load both at the same time. This kind of stoppage does not occur with the semi-automatic pistols in Receiver 2, but is sometimes experienced with M4, M16, and AR-15 rifles.

Failure to Feed
The top round of a magazine will sometimes fail to feed into the chamber due to problems with the magazine, limp wristing, or poor gun maintenance. If a failure to feed is caused by the magazine not being properly seated, the stoppage can be cleared by smacking the magazine into the mag well and racking the slide. If the round still fails to feed, the immediate action drill can be repeated.

Hammer Follow and Slamfire
Hammer follow occurs when the hammer follows the bolt and firing pin into battery, usually as a result of poor maintenance or breakage in the firing mechanism components. Such a malfunction in a semi-automatic can result in multiple rounds firing uncontrollably after a single trigger pull.

Slamfire is a form of unintended discharge where the bolt moves into battery while the firing pin or striker protrudes from the breach face and manages to strike the primer of a chambered round. Similar to hammer follow, this malfunction can result in multiple rounds firing uncontrollably.

In either case, the operator should keep the firearm aimed in a safe direction until it stops firing.