Posted on 05/26/2015 7:50:24 PM PDT by OK Sun
In the world of modern firearms which use centerfire cartridges, there are two major types of mechanisms used to trigger the cartridge primer. One uses a hammer and another uses a striker. Therefore, mechanisms that use a hammer are called hammer-fired and the ones that use a striker are called striker fired. As you can guess, each mechanism has its own group of supporters. In today's post, we will study what this all means.
In a hammer fired mechanism, the hammer is a heavy piece that is allowed to rotate about a pivot point. When the hammer is cocked, it compresses a spring. When the trigger is released, the spring pushes the hammer and forces it to rotate forward. The end of the hammer strikes the back end of a firing pin, which is a thin steel pin with a hardened tip. The front end of the firing pin strikes the primer of the cartridge, thereby detonating it. The image below shows how this works.
In some revolvers, the firing pin is attached to the hammer directly.
(Excerpt) Read more at firearmshistory.blogspot.com ...
Actually it’s the firing pin in a semi auto that actually strikes the primer. The hammer strikes the firing pin.
And I own and regularly shoot examples of both systems. Both systems have their strengths and their weaknesses.
But I will say that I’ve never felt a striker fired trigger that was a smooth and broke as cleanly as a hammer fired one, semi or revolver. Just my opinion, YMMV.
Thanks for the cool gifs.
L
Kind of cool moving illustrations.
I have always preferred to have a hammer on and auto pistol. It is not a make or break thing but yes, hammers are my thing.
John Browning put hammers both internal and external on some of his designs but he actually preferred strikers and thought just the one safety was enough to carry a gun cocked and chambered, tho again he put grip safeties on some.
I do like a decocker especially the kind on the Sigs. I can live with a P-38 decocker but it takes longer to use.
I suspect Browning liked to have the slide totally enclosed which is why he preferred a hammerless.
Try the striker fired vs. hammer fired LC9.
Period.
Life is too short to dance with ugly women or to shoot or own crappy guns.
A bit off the subject, but since we have so many knowledgeable gun owners here, I thought I’d ask.
Can someone explain, in non-technical terms, the difference between single action and double action? I’ve looked it up on a couple of websites, but I still didn’t quite get it.
Thanks in advance!
have both versions of the lc9.
the hammerfire has some nasty trigger slap.
It can get a little complex in guns like the Glock but basically, single action is when you manually cock the gun either by pulling the slide or thumbing the hammer back.
Double action is when you cock and fire the gun with a single pull of the trigger.
I have the hammer fired. You can take a nap between the beginning of the pull and the hammer dropping.
I can shoot it OK but it is pretty funny watching someone else fire it for the first time.
Double-action can be fired one of two ways: either by cocking the hammer and pulling the trigger, or by pulling the trigger all the way through the action. Single actions must be cocked first.
The famed Colt Peacemaker (Single Action Army) is an example of a single-action pistol. Most modern revolvers are double-action.
It’s easier to picture with a hammer fired weapon. Single action just drops the hammer. Double actions cocks the hammer then drops the hammer in the same pull.
Hammer fired is a little more complicated, there is single action, double action and variants that fall somewhere in between.
I have, but those striker-fired pistols are all Hk models.
High capacity assault weapon.
There is DA/SA, DA only and SA only.
In DA only, the trigger cocks and fires the gun. Usually a heavy long trigger pull.
In DA/SA, the DA mode is same as above, but the next shot is SA where the slide has cocked it and the trigger releases to fire the gun. The SA us usually a lighter shorter trigger pull.
In SA only, the hammer has to be cocked, usually by the slide, cocking is possible by pulling the hammer back (on a chambered round), but unlike the DA/SA, this is not safe in a SA pistol. If your thumb slips you could fire the gun and send the slide back to tear off your thumb.
Then there is striker fired, read the article for detail, but it is somewhere between DA only and SA only in feel. The trigger can only be cocked so to speak, via the slide, with rounds in the mag, pull the slide back and release it. You are now ready to fire. The trigger pull is far lighter than a DA only and heavier than a SA. Glocks have a factory trigger pull of 5.5 lbs, Many SA pistols have 3+ lbs pulls and many DA’s can be as much as 12-13 lbs. When firing a striker pistol, the trigger travel and pull is the same every shot.
All the above is referring to semi auto pistols. I like the striker fired pistols for self defense. They are simple and have a constant trigger. For fun or target work, I prefer some form of SA.
I’ve own two Springfields and have fired a couple of Glocks. Admittedly I’m spoiled on hammer fired ones. Colt and Kimber semi-autos, S&W, Colt, and Ruger revolvers. Never had the chance to try the HK system.
Not sure I could afford to right now. LOL.
Mrs L and I just bought a brace of Kimber 1911s. We are done buying guns for a bit I think.
L
And then you have DA/SA firearms, semi autos, where the first shot is shot as a DA (double action), and then after the first shot the slide automatically cocks the hammer by its movement, and so the rest of the rounds can be shot SA. Unless you decock the hammer. Then the DA/SA sequence starts over again.
And unless you are super serious anbout training, you may never master getting that first loonngg heavy double action shot to hit anything. Decided I wanted nothing to do with such a strange transition in trigger pull.
I really wanted to like the Sig, but after handling a few, decided no way. Passed up a Gunbroker SA Sigonly that would have been really sweet, but too much $$.
He put a grip safety on the 1911 because the military at the time demanded it.
The first ones he summited did not have a grip safety.
He corrected the mistakes of the 1911 when he designed the browning Hi-power.
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