Corrected entry: The pistols that Enders and Ox are carrying are 1911A1s. This type of pistol is ONLY single action. In order to fire it you MUST pull the slide to the rear and release it. When Enders puts his .45 in the back of Yahzee's Japanese uniform pants, the hammer is down. Yet, when he pulls it in the Japanese camp, it has miraculously become cocked. This also occurs when Ox is killed. Yahzee, upon learning that Enders killed Whitehorse, picks up Ox's .45 again. The hammer is down indicating that there is no round in the chamber (and a Marine would have known that) and tries to shoot Enders.
gblontok
12th Oct 2007
Correction: Having the hammer down on a 1911A1 do not necessarily mean there is no round in the chamber. Here is how we do it: First, chamber a round by pulling and releasing the slide. Then, hold the hammer with two fingers to slowly put it down while pulling the trigger with a finger of the other hand. This is a safety procedure to prevent the chambered round from firing accidentally. In the scene, Enders simply cocked the hammer with his thumb as he pulled the pistol from Yahzee's backside.
gblontok