Little facts that matter, Part 1
By MARJ LAW
Did you ever notice that no gun seller hands you the gun you choose out of the case?
Not immediately.
SHOWING A GUN
First, the seller pulls it from the display. He points the muzzle of the gun away from any person. His finger never touches the trigger. Then he drops the magazine. Then he pulls the slide back, looks inside, and finally turns it so you can see inside too. Every time.
This is safety. Safety is most important. You should always perform these actions, too. Every time you “look” at a gun.
You always always point the muzzle of the gun in a safe direction. Doesn’t matter where you are. Make sure that gun does not point towards any person. In the rare case of an accidental discharge, no one will get hurt.
There’s a reason why sellers drop the magazine and then show you the empty port. Many guns can fire if there is a round in the chamber, even when the magazine is out of the gun. That’s why the seller pulls back the slide, looks for himself (or herself), and then shows that there is nothing in the ejection port or the chamber.
When you show your gun to your friend, or anyone else, remember to keep your finger off the trigger, point safe, drop magazine, and show empty chamber. So far, people will think you know what you’re doing!
HAMMER VS.
STRIKER-FIRED
HANDGUNS
It’s easy. Hammer fired guns have a hammer in the back, right? Many do. However, you can’t tell there’s a hammer just by looking at the back of the gun.
Some hammer fired guns are “bobbed,” “shrouded” or “partially shrouded.” You might not even be able to see a hammer. That’s tricky!
And it doesn’t mean there is no hammer. So how do you know if you have a hammer or striker-fired gun?
Aim your muzzle in a safe direction. Lock the slide back. Turn the gun upside down so you can see the underside of the slide.
If you are holding a hammer-fired gun, you’ll see the round end of the firing pin. Remember, the hammer whacks the firing pin in a hammer-fired gun. The firing pin whacks the primer in your round and: Bang!
If you have a striker-fired gun, you’ll see this rectangular piece of metal with a hook on one end. That’s the striker. A spring grabs the hook and pulls the striker back. The striker whacks the primer and off we go! Bang!
SINGLE VERSUS DOUBLE ACTION
“It’s a double action/single action gun,” says Seller. You nod like you understand completely.
Well, maybe not. How do you know? What is this action thing? Is a gun single action, double action or both?
Single or double action refers to how much work that trigger has to do. Double means two. Double action means you’re making the trigger do 2 jobs: cocking the hammer and then releasing the hammer.
In single action you’re asking the trigger to do only 1 job: releasing the hammer.
In a single action gun, you pull back or “jack” the slide. Jacking the slide results in both loading a round and cocking the hammer. Pull the trigger and the gun fires.
In a double action gun, you jack the slide to load it, but this time, jacking the slide does not result in cocking the hammer. Go figure. Because the hammer is not yet cocked, you’re telling Trigger to both cock the hammer and then release it. And because Trigger is working harder, in most cases, you’ll find it’s more difficult to pull him.
Some guns are double action/single action. In the first shot, Trigger both cocks the hammer and then releases it. That’s double action. However, after this first round, the act of firing cocks the hammer for the next round. That’s now single action.
Naturally, it is easier to shoot those subsequent shots because you aren’t making Trigger do 2 jobs.
Some guns are always double action. Trigger always both cocks and then releases the hammer. In these cases, the first shot does not result in cocking the hammer. The trigger has to do that all over again for the next shot and it also has to release the hammer again. Every shot will be double action.
I once bought a Sig Sauer double action/double action gun. Pulling the trigger at the store wasn’t too hard. However, when I got to the range, I discovered that although the trigger wasn’t too hard, once I shot the gun several times, the trigger seemed to be a lot of work. Double action all the time can seem like work. It did to me. I sold the gun.
Why would anyone make a double action only gun?
Apparently, these guns are often used for police officers. Since pulling the trigger once is a job, and pulling it twice is a job again, then the officer really means to shoot the gun. Second and third shots requiring hard pulls are deliberate shots. You do want your officers to be sure that they mean to shoot.
Striker-fired guns are a different animal altogether than hammer-fired guns. Their engineering is different. You still have to jack the slide to load your first round.
According to hinterlandoutfitters.com, “Striker-fired actions mimic a double-action pull, but with lighter pressure and little movement of the trigger to discharge the pistol.”
Because of this, the terms single-action or double-action are generally not applied to striker-fired handguns.
BUY IT OR
DON’T BUY IT
Now you know that double-action triggers having 2 jobs can be harder to pull than single-action triggers with only 1 job. Most single-action triggers and striker-fired triggers can be easier, but this isn’t the case every time. You have to find what gun’s trigger works for you.
Some guns are mostly made of metal. They’re heavier than polymer-framed handguns. Generally, a heavier gun holds steadier in your hands. That’s good when you want to hit the target. And, often they have pretty wood grips. I like pretty.
However, do you want to tote around a heavy gun? Lug it in your purse? Hook its holster onto your pants and sag your pants down?
You can choose a lighter polymer-framed handgun. Some fit nicely into a carry purse. Some have short barrels and you can wear them in sticky holsters inside your waistband.
Often, polymer-framed guns have nice palm swells, finger grips, and stippling to keep your sweaty hands from slipping when you fire the gun. Hanging onto a gun makes for more accurate second shots. You might need this one day.
So, how do you choose one gun over another when you’re a newbie at the gun shop?
First, select several guns that feel good in your hands. Write down their makes and model numbers.
Next, go to a range that rents handguns. Find the ones you had chosen earlier. Shoot each one. How does it feel when you shoot it? Will you be able to practice shooting many times without tiring?
Will it fit in your purse or pants? Do you have money for the holster you’ll need? Have you checked the price of ammunition for the gun you like best?
These are some thoughts for finding your first new gun. Next week, we’ll discuss other factors to help you choose which one will work for you.
Marj Law is the former director of Keep Wakulla County Beautiful who has become an avid shooter in retirement.