Ok, here is another Noob to 1911's question. What is the half cocked position for? All I see is that it holds the hammer off the firing pin.

If the sear lets the hammer go, it will get caught at half cock instead of shooting you in the ass.

Quoted: If the sear lets the hammer go, it will get caught at half cock instead of shooting you in the ass.

Ahhh. So it's a safety thing so you can carry it cocked more safely. I've got a couple of other pistols that have the same thing and always wondered.

Quoted: Quoted: If the sear lets the hammer go, it will get caught at half cock instead of shooting you in the ass. Ahhh. So it's a safety thing so you can carry it cocked more safely. I've got a couple of other pistols that have the same thing and always wondered.

Yes, but you should NEVER lower the hammer to half-cock on a loaded chamber, because you could accidently fire the weapon.  Just thought I should clarify that .  The half-cock is there just in case the hammer happens to slip due to some sort of mechanical failure.  Lowering the hammer to half-cock on a Series 80 1911 is probably less of an issue because of the firing pin safety, but I still wouldn't advise it.  

... Moreover, (despite that which is depicted in movies) there is no earthly reason why you would ever need to thumb the hammer back if you are carrying the weapon as it was designed to be carried. The one possible exception would be dry fire excercise (for many it's easier/faster to cock than rack to reset the trigger).

I thought it was so you wouldn't  go off half cocked...Sorry I just had to.

That half cock notch saved me from a few problems recently.  I was in a training class and several times, after a shot, I noticed that my hammer was at half cock.  It really disturbed me as I knew the hammer was following the slide down and the only thing that prevented a slam fire was the half cock notch.  I took the thing home and realized that the overtravel adjustment screw was WAY too tight.  I backed it off and that cured it.  Without the half cock, things would have been fairly exciting.