by Gila Hayes
Training classes and shooting experiences lead to the right choice of which Petty speaks. After beginning classes have given you the knowledge to handle guns safely, seek out a public shooting range that rents handguns. Here you can try out a variety of operating systems with varied features and in differing calibers.
Handguns are categorized into two basic types: revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. To help make sense of the great variety of handguns available, let’s spend some time learning about different gun types and how they work.
Revolvers
The double-action revolver is the simpler of the two. Take a look at the diagram so the terms are more meaningful. Modern double-action revolvers fire when the trigger is pulled, simultaneously compressing the mainspring and cocking (drawing back) the hammer. At the same time, the trigger pull moves the cylinder to line up a chamber (and, if it is loaded, a cartridge of ammunition) with the firing pin. At the end of the trigger pull the hammer is released and falls, making the firing pin strike the primer and firing the cartridge.
On some revolvers the firing pin is integral with the hammer and strikes the cartridge as described above. On other brands of revolvers, the hammer is flat-tipped and strikes a transfer bar, which carries the impact to a spring-loaded firing pin. The blow overcomes the firing pin spring and the firing pin jolts forward to hit the cartridge primer. In either case, when the primer is hit, the impact sparks the primer compound, and the spark ignites the gunpowder.
Internals of the Smith & Wesson double action revolver include 1) hammer; 2) mainspring; 3) hammer block, which keeps hammer from hitting cartridge in case hammer stud breaks; 4) rebound slide, which moves trigger back into position once it is released; 5) hand, which moves cylinder into next position; 6) trigger; and 7) cylinder stop, which holds the cylinder in alignment with the barrel.
This revolver uses the design in which the firing pin is integral to the hammer.
The transfer bar of a Taurus revolver is rising into the position from which it transfers the hammer blow to the firing pin.
An older-fashioned revolver design is the single-action revolver, in which the shooter must manually cock the hammer before firing each shot. Manually cocking the hammer before each shot renders this action type too slow for self-defense work, but it is a fun type of gun for plinking and for sports like Cowboy Action Shooting.
Handguns must be cocked to fire and how this occurs is reflected in nomenclature like single-action, double-action or double-action-only. A cocked hammer is one that has been drawn back so there is some distance between it and the firing pin. Drawing back the hammer lines up two internal parts, the hammer hook and the shelf of the sear. When they engage, the hammer will remain under spring pressure in the cocked position until light pressure on the trigger releases the sear from the hook and lets the hammer slam forward.
On the double-action revolver, cocking can be accomplished in two ways: the shooter can manually pull the hammer back (thumb cocking), or continuous pressure on the trigger will both cock and fire the revolver (trigger cocking). When the trigger is pressed through the final 1/16” or so of the trigger pull, the hammer is released and slams forward. Many self defense revolvers have concealed hammers and thus operate in double-action-only (DAO) mode. DAO revolvers include the Smith & Wesson Centennial lines, as well as revolvers with bobbed hammers, including Taurus’ CIA model and the older M85CH, and Ruger’s SP101 bobbed hammer variation.
The modern double-action revolver (front) is fired through trigger cocking; the single action revolver requires the shooter to manually cock the revolver, as seen in the back.
The hammer of this Smith & Wesson Model 640 is shrouded, so it will not snag on concealment clothing. It is a double-action-only revolver.
Semi-automatics
The semi-automatic (or semi-auto) handgun cocks the hammer in one of two ways: slide-cocking or trigger cocking. When firing the first shot, or when we manually cycle the autoloader’s slide (colloquially called “racking the slide”) we manually cock the hammer (unless the gun design has an automatic de-cocking mechanism).
When the semi-automatic fires, the expanding gas generated by the burning gunpowder pushes the bullet out of the cartridge case and down the barrel, as is the process with any other modern firearm. As the bullet leaves the semi-automatic’s barrel, the gas pressure also propels the slide rearward, so it cocks the hammer again. The extractor, a small hook set in the slide at the ejection port, catches the rim of the now-empty cartridge case and jerks it out of the chamber. After traveling briefly rearward, the empty case strikes the ejector and is flipped out of the ejection port.
When the slide reaches the end of its rearward travel, it is pushed forward by the recoil spring, which was compressed when the slide recoiled. As the slide slams forward, it lifts a fresh round of ammunition from the magazine and pushes it into the chamber. When the round is in the chamber, the slide locks with the barrel (called “in battery”) and is ready to fire another round if the trigger is pulled again.
Like revolvers, semi-automatics can be either single-action or double-action. In a single-action semi-automatic, the hammer is cocked manually (unless we have just chambered a round by racking the slide, which automatically cocks the hammer). In a double-action semi-automatic, a long squeeze of the trigger cocks and releases the hammer.
Pressures from the firing ammunition send the semi-auto slide to the rear, ejecting the empty case and re-cocking the action of this Taurus Millenium pistol.
Disassembled Glock slide set up to show the role of the semi-auto’s extractor, the small “hook” seen to the lower left, holding on to the case rim.
Confused? Relax. You won’t be after your first range session with a qualified, firearms instructor.
After firing, most semi-automatics return to a cocked state. The safety of single-action semi-automatics should be engaged when the shooter brings the sights off target. A double-action semi-automatic should be decocked by mechanically lowering the hammer and placing the trigger in the far-forward double-action position. Many double-action semi-automatics have no manual safety; in these, the long trigger pull acts as its own safety. This carry mode for the double-action semi-automatic is no different from that of the double action revolver, considered one of the safest handguns made. Some double action semi-automatics also have a manual safety that can be engaged, blocking the trigger or hammer (gun designs differ) for further safety.
The traditional double-action semi-automatic initially cocks the hammer the same way as the revolver, with a long pull of the trigger compressing the mainspring. Trigger pressure compresses the mainspring and draws the hammer back into a cocked position, then the end of the pull disconnects the sear from the hammer and allows it to fall forward onto the firing pin. After the first shot, the slide’s cycle (discussed earlier) automatically re-cocks the hammer, so subsequent trigger pulls much are shorter and lighter.
To manually cock a double-action gun, the hammer is held beneath the shooter’s thumb and pressed down until it catches in the single action notch. As the thumb pulls the hammer back, the trigger moves to the rear, leaving only a short trigger pull, often about 1/8", from which the gun will fire with very little pressure on the trigger.
Decockers
Many modern semi-automatic pistols feature a decocking lever that lets the owner safely lower the cocked hammer from single-action to double-action mode. The semi-auto is slide-cocked and the trigger returns to single-action after the slide has cycled, either from manually chambering a round or after firing. A double-action trigger pull that requires a concerted effort to fire the gun (12 to 15 lbs. of pressure) is safer, so the hammer should be decocked whenever the gun is no longer aimed into the target.
Manually cocking a double-action gun.
Trigger cocking, a term I heard first from John Farnam, occurs when the shooter presses the trigger of a traditional double action semi-auto, causing the hammer to draw back to a cocked position, as is occurring on
this HK USP. This is also how we generally shoot the double-action revolver as well.
Years ago, during my first months of teaching women’s handgun classes, a new gun owner reported on the first morning of class that her new gun was defective because when she depressed what she believed was the safety lever “the gun would fire!” With consternation, my assistant and I listened carefully as she explained why she was certain this was the case. Experimenting with the unloaded gun the night before class, our student found that when she pressed down on the lever that served as both manual safety and decocking lever, the hammer fell forward, just as she had observed during live fire with other handguns.
When sold her new semi-automatic pistol, she was not introduced to the decocking feature, so she naturally feared if it lowered the hammer it would also discharge the gun. Her pistol was functioning exactly as it was designed to, but she hadn’t realized that. A wonderful feature of women-only gun classes is the ability to clear up such mechanical misunderstandings—and other topics—without embarrassment or further confusion!
Examples of semi-automatics that can be manually decocked include older Rugers, third-generation Smith & Wessons, the Walther PPK, SIG Sauer’s P239 and similar models, and Beretta and Taurus semi-autos and some variants in Heckler & Koch’s USP line. Some, like HK USPs, can be carried either decocked only, decocked and put on-safe, or placed on-safe in single action.
Still other semi-auto pistols can fire from and customarily are placed in double-action mode, but lack a decocking mechanism. These are not impossible to put into double-action, though the operation requires a safe, bulletproof backstop since the procedure involves working the trigger and carefully lowering the hammer by hand.
After the slide cycles, this Smith & Wesson Model 3913 is both cocked and off-safe.
The shooter thumbs down the decocking lever, and the Smith & Wesson’s decocking mechanism safely lowers the hammer without discharging the gun.
Single-action Semi-autos
Other semi-automatic pistols have single-action-only (SAO) triggers with no other option available. Single-action semi-automatics must be cocked to fire, too, and the trigger cannot accomplish that task. The single-action semi-automatic is cocked when the slide is “racked.” Every shot through the single action semi-auto fires with the same light pressure and short trigger pull. Probably the most famous single-action-only semi-auto is the .45-caliber 1911-style pistol, which you will frequently encounter on the firing range.
The excellent SIG P239 has a decocking lever conveniently positioned on the side of the frame, here beneath the shooter’s thumb.
After the shooter depresses the decocking lever, the SIG P239’s hammer is safely lowered and the gun can be holstered.
The single-action trigger pull is short and generally requires only three to six lbs. pressure to discharge the gun. The hammer must be cocked for the gun to fire, either by racking the slide to chamber the round or by the slide’s rearward movement during the firing cycle. When loaded and cocked but not being fired, these guns’ safeties must be engaged, often by flicking a frame-mounted lever up. Examples of single action handguns include the Colt, Springfield, Para-Ordnance and Kimber Government Model 1911-style guns and their clones, as well as Browning Hi Powers and handguns by less prominent manufacturers.
CZ RAMI pistol has no mechanical decocker, so author must take firm hold of the hammer, then press the trigger to release the hammer.
She slowly and gently lets the hammer down until it rests in the de-cocked position. Now, if she wishes to fire the gun, a long, heavy trigger pull will precede the first shot.
Whew! The hammer is safely down and the CZ RAMI is in double-action, where it will be most safely carried.
The industry added to traditional gun terminology when it coined the expression “double-action-only.” While double action is used to describe a gun fired through trigger cocking, a Double Action Only (DAO) firearm is one that has no provision for manual cocking—for example, a revolver with a bobbed or shrouded hammer or a semi-autopistol that mechanically and automatically lowers the hammer, decocking the gun, after each shot.
The single-action semi-auto, illustrated here by a Springfield Armory 1911, is cocked when the shooter racks the slide to load a round into the chamber.
When firing cycles the slide, ejecting the empty case as seen here, it will again cock the hammer.
Double-action-only semi-autos are designed to return the trigger to the long, far-forward position after each shot and are represented by Beretta’s Model 92D and by Ruger’s P89 DAO, to name only a few. The term “double-action-only” is in my opinion inaccurately applied to semi-automatic pistols that are striker-fired, such as the Glock line, Kahr handguns and others. These pistols have no hammer, so the striker is held under spring pressure until movement of the trigger moves a plunger that blocks the striker, freeing it to go forward and hit the primer.
Stopping Power: How Big Is Big Enough?
Before discussing defensive caliber and gun choices, it must be reiterated that no firearm or ammunition is guaranteed to stop an assailant. Individuals have differing capacities to withstand gunshot wounds. Self defense may require a number of shots to stop an assailant, especially if he is enraged, insane or using drugs. Acknowledging that there is no magic gun or bullet, let’s discuss the best choices available.
When considering a handgun for self defense, a minimum caliber should be the .38 Special revolver loaded with at least +P ammunition, unless you have compelling reasons for choosing a smaller caliber. (See Ammunition, Chapter 18). Many believe the .380 ACP ammunition is powerful enough to stop an assailant, and indeed, stories are told in which the round performed admirably. Yet, a confrontation with an assailant is dangerous enough without the disadvantage of a gun selected for small size and light recoil, but lacking the power to quickly stop a deadly assault.
Ruger entered the striker-fired semi-auto market in the fall of 2007 with the 9mm SR9.
Glocks, Kahr Arms, Smith & Wesson’s M&P pistol, and Ruger’s SR9 pistol have no hammers, but use a spring-loaded striker that is released through the trigger pull to hit the primer.
At one time, people chose the .380 ACP, because it was the only handgun small enough for easy concealment. Today, several manufacturers sell 9mm handguns that are literally as small as most .380s. Before compromising on a .380 ACP pistol, at least try the 9mm Kahr Mk9 handgun or the 9mm Smith & Wesson CS9. The .380 ACP cartridge has a small, light bullet that needs to be loaded to higher velocities to increase the likelihood it will stop an assailant, and even then it is not very powerful.
Guns that chamber ammunition smaller than .380 ACP are not sufficiently powerful for reliable use in self defense. Historically, .22 LR or .25 ACP caliber guns have failed to decisively stop assaults. The bullet doesn’t transfer enough energy to do much damage in body tissue. Probably the best hope for someone armed with a .25 caliber handgun is to try to penetrate to the brain’s medulla oblongata, yet these kinds of shots are very difficult, if not impossible, in dynamic self-defense situations. .22 LR ammunition may possibly be more effective than the .25, but the little bullets have a troubling tendency to zip through tissue, making only a small wound channel and causing only slow bleeding unless striking the spinal cord or brain’s medulla.
People have certainly perished from small-caliber wounds, although death usually occurs later from blood loss or much later from untreated infection. In self defense, the intent is to use a weapon of sufficient caliber to stop an assault decisively before you are injured. As a self-defense shooter, your goal is not the death of the assailant, rather to put an immediate stop to the assault.
The .380 ACP semi-automatic may be considered by people who suffer reduced hand strength, and who will practice and train to become extremely accurate with their gun. After one of our training courses, a student who suffers from degenerative arthritis chose a mid-sized Beretta Model 86 .380 caliber semi-automatic. This gun’s barrel tips up so the s
hooter can chamber the first round without having to manually cycle the slide, making it an excellent choice for people with physical conditions that diminish strength. These folks must continue to practice and take classes, to ensure undoubtedly that they can deliver rapid, accurate fire in self defense.
In other useful roles, the .380 ACP semi-automatic is often carried as a back-up gun worn on the ankle or in a pocket holster as a second gun, insurance against malfunction or failure by a primary gun of larger caliber.
Another important consideration in gun selection is the amount of time you are willing to commit to training and maintenance. If you have little time to train, you will be better served by the revolver. If you are interested in shooting and can budget time for good training, frequent practice, and regular maintenance you can benefit from the semi-automatic’s ease of shooting and ergonomic design.
Effective handgun selection requires truthful answers to several more questions. Does the buyer have sufficient upper body strength to work the slide of a semi-automatic gun? If you do not have much hand strength, you may find the slide of many semi-autos very difficult to manipulate. Remember, you have to manually cycle the slide for a lot more than just unloading the gun. The slide has to be drawn back to chamber the first round, to clear malfunctions, and to disassemble and clean the weapon after shooting practice. If it sounds like too much work, consider the user-friendly revolver.