Posted in Featured, Reality Check II | 1 Comment
Triggers: Two Or One?
As a firearms instructor I’m intrigued by the handguns students choose. Under the premise the selection is based on the student’s personal skills, which is sometimes questionable, I think some select a gun because it’s cool or the chicks dig it factor. Yet another, and probably the poorest reason for their selection, is the “if it’s good enough for a military spec-ops unit, it’s good enough for me” belief. On the other hand, cops are usually held to an agency regulation.
I’m particularly flummoxed by the willingness to buy double-action/single-action pistols, with little (if any) thought. Why did they choose the DA/SA system? Is it safer, and if so, what’s safer about it?
DA/SA guns are not safer by any stretch of the imagination, nor are they more dangerous than any other pistol. The issue of safety is relevant to keeping fingers off triggers — and muzzle direction — while handling. Based on my experience, the mode of operation is often baffling to the owners unless they’re well versed … and many are not.
Gun Mechanics 101
A DA trigger pull on most semi-autos means the first round is fired from a hammer down position, and requires a long and often heavy trigger pull. The first action cocks the hammer and the second portion fires the round, cycling the slide. Once the slide cycles it forces the hammer to remain cocked, meaning all remaining shots will be made single action.
With the hammer cocked, the trigger often has take-up, rearward movement until the “slack” is taken out, and further trigger movement (much lighter pressure than DA) moves the sear, firing the gun. The action then repeats itself.
This concept has been around for some time in guns like the HSC/PPK/PPKS and the German P-38 9mm pistol of WWII vintage. The first DA/SA pistol I personally owned was a Smith & Wesson Model 39, followed closely by a Model 59. The guns of that ilk were known as Wunder Nines since they were high cap and everyone thought they would solve any problem. How wrong they were.
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Amen. Working for a small rual city it comes down to officers to purchase thier own firearms. I am amazed by how many of our officers carry DA/SA Sigs and other officers planning to purchase Sigs because of the “cool factor.” Personally I have never been a large supporter of DA/SA or DAO weapon systems. I carried a M9 in the Army and hated the first trigger pull under stress fire training. Point being Dallas PD last week were involved in a shooting. Now, DPD issues a DAO P226 in 9mm. Short nasty version DPD stopped a vehicle the driver drew a weapon and fired at officers. Officers returned fire hitting the gunman in the leg and grazing a passenger inside the vehicle. When on the two way firing range and that addrenilan dump kicks in the first thing you loose is fine motor skills. I was not there but it doesn’t take a PhD to reasonably determine that the heavy, and long trigger pull could explain the “flyers,” that did not strike the threat center mass. In a fire fight you need every edge you can get and slapping away on a DAO is not conducive to winning that fight. The person who wins a firefight is the guy who can get the most lead effectivly on the target. It just baffels me that agencys issue officers weapons that hinder effective accurate shooting. Its just inviting agencys and officers to liablility. Test it yourself go do a 5 mile fast ruck march then drop your ruck, walk up to the firing line and try running your DAO. Then try the same stress fire with a Glock or 1911 ect… The results speak for themselves. Rant done.