Double Action Question

[IsraelisJewish]

Double Action Semi Auto Question: I can load my magazine and put in my semi auto. I can then pull the trigger and make it rack a round and shoot - double action. So why do I need to carry the weapon with one in chamber to be ready to go in a instant? Also (I am just starting out as a chl licensee), if I carried in that fashion would you recommend having the safety on? Or would the condition of the weapon be the ipso de facto safety? Thanks for the advice. Please go easy, I m a beginner.

[oohrah]

Do you actually own a DA semi-auto? The trigger does not make the slide rack. You must do that manually. Once you rack the slide, a round is in the chamber. Depending on the weapon, especially a DA, the hammer is not cocked, so the act of pulling the trigger essentially cocks the trigger then releases it to fire the projectile. Many DAs do not have a safety, because this action is a long heavy pull that makes an accidental discharge remote.

Since every weapon is different and you are a beginner, it will behoove you to get some basic instruction at a range, and try out a variety of different handguns to learn how they work. If you are serious about buying, you could also pick the brain of the guy at the gun counter, but sometimes, they are not that knowledgeable either. Once you acquire your own piece, spend some range time to really get to know how it works, before you really need it.

Most of us carry with a round in the chamber, because of the precious seconds lost trying to rack the slide. Then you use whatever safety features are available to avoid a negligent discharge.

[allisji]

Even though it may only take an additional quarter second or so to rack the slide (to feed the first round to the chamber), an emergency situation is not a time when you want your a failure to feed and a jammed gun before you even were able to get off the first shot. If you are nervous or tense you are more likely to lose your grip on the slide causing a failure to feed. If you already have a round in the chamber then you increase your odds of survival by being able to get at least one or more shots off when needed.

[FastCarry]

I think you are not in full understanding of how firearms function. Since your question has already been answered, For the sake of safety im going to recommend you review the different types of firearms and how they function. As a CHL you have a duty to be safe with your firearm, please.

[MechAg94]

I guess I would just mention this. The term "double action" originates with revolvers. It refers to the mechanism where the trigger pull cocks the hammer back and then drops it to fire the cartridge. The old single action revolvers required the shooter to cock the hammer first before pulling the trigger.

In semi-auto pistols, this still applies (most of the time). Using the Beretta 92 for example, if the hammer is uncocked, there is a longer trigger pull that cocks the hammer then fires the round. Once the gun is fired, the cycling action recocks the hammer and the gun will then fire in single action mode. The trigger action still has nothing to do with loading the first round. That is manual.

There are now striker fired pistols that have what is sometimes called a "double action trigger", but I think it is just a longer trigger pull designed in to theoretically make it safer. I say "most of the time" above because there are hybrid designs like this that try to please different shooters.

There are probably wikipedia entries and other web links that can go into detail on all this with pictures.

[VMI77]

Do you actually own a DA semi-auto? Depending on the weapon, especially a DA, the hammer is not cocked, so the act of pulling the trigger essentially cocks the trigger then releases it to fire the projectile.

It's probably what you meant but not clear to me from what you wrote....all my DA semi-autos remain cocked after loading a round into the chamber unless I engage the decocker (or safety on the Beretta and others).

[TXBO]

Do you actually own a DA semi-auto? Depending on the weapon, especially a DA, the hammer is not cocked, so the act of pulling the trigger essentially cocks the trigger then releases it to fire the projectile.

It's probably what you meant but not clear to me from what you wrote....all my DA semi-autos remain cocked after loading a round into the chamber unless I engage the decocker (or safety on the Beretta and others).

That makes it a selective double action/single action.....not simply a double action.

[VMI77]

Do you actually own a DA semi-auto? Depending on the weapon, especially a DA, the hammer is not cocked, so the act of pulling the trigger essentially cocks the trigger then releases it to fire the projectile.

It's probably what you meant but not clear to me from what you wrote....all my DA semi-autos remain cocked after loading a round into the chamber unless I engage the decocker (or safety on the Beretta and others).

That makes it a selective double action/single action.....not simply a double action.

OK, I didn't realize there were DAO semi-autos. I don't see the advantage over DA/SA or SA.

[rotor]

Do you actually own a DA semi-auto? Depending on the weapon, especially a DA, the hammer is not cocked, so the act of pulling the trigger essentially cocks the trigger then releases it to fire the projectile.

It's probably what you meant but not clear to me from what you wrote....all my DA semi-autos remain cocked after loading a round into the chamber unless I engage the decocker (or safety on the Beretta and others).

That makes it a selective double action/single action.....not simply a double action.

OK, I didn't realize there were DAO semi-autos. I don't see the advantage over DA/SA or SA.

You do understand that in a DA/SA auto that if for some reason the cartridge does not fire (hard primer?) you can pull the trigger again and hopefully the gun fires without racking the slide.

[allisji]

It seems like usually the DAO semi-autos are designed for pocket carry guns.

I carry a DAO semi-auto and that is the case, though I prefer IWB. The hammer is concealed in the back of the slide so that it can not be manually cocked and released. There is no safety lever. For pocket carry especially you have to be careful of anything that could snag during a draw.

[jmorris]

Do you actually own a DA semi-auto? Depending on the weapon, especially a DA, the hammer is not cocked, so the act of pulling the trigger essentially cocks the trigger then releases it to fire the projectile.

It's probably what you meant but not clear to me from what you wrote....all my DA semi-autos remain cocked after loading a round into the chamber unless I engage the decocker (or safety on the Beretta and others).

That makes it a selective double action/single action.....not simply a double action.

Ok, I've shot some DA semis and on all of them when I loaded the magazine and racked the slide to load a round the hammer was cocked. What DA semi leaves the hammer uncocked?

[VMI77]

Do you actually own a DA semi-auto? Depending on the weapon, especially a DA, the hammer is not cocked, so the act of pulling the trigger essentially cocks the trigger then releases it to fire the projectile.

It's probably what you meant but not clear to me from what you wrote....all my DA semi-autos remain cocked after loading a round into the chamber unless I engage the decocker (or safety on the Beretta and others).

That makes it a selective double action/single action.....not simply a double action.

OK, I didn't realize there were DAO semi-autos. I don't see the advantage over DA/SA or SA.

You do understand that in a DA/SA auto that if for some reason the cartridge does not fire (hard primer?) you can pull the trigger again and hopefully the gun fires without racking the slide.

I have several. I don't understand your response. Apparently there are DAO semi autos like the Keltec P32, I'm just not familiar with them. Again, I see no advantage of a DAO semi auto over SA or DA/SA semi auto. Especially since apparently DAO is a feature of small pocket semis, so magazine capacity isn't significantly improved over a revolver, and it comes at the expense of power since they seem to be .380s and I can get .357 in a revolver. I've NEVER had a round fail to fire and then subsequently fire after another trigger pull on any centerfire handgun.

[nyj]

With a name and post like that, I call troll.

[TXBO]

Do you actually own a DA semi-auto? Depending on the weapon, especially a DA, the hammer is not cocked, so the act of pulling the trigger essentially cocks the trigger then releases it to fire the projectile.

It's probably what you meant but not clear to me from what you wrote....all my DA semi-autos remain cocked after loading a round into the chamber unless I engage the decocker (or safety on the Beretta and others).

That makes it a selective double action/single action.....not simply a double action.

Ok, I've shot some DA semis and on all of them when I loaded the magazine and racked the slide to load a round the hammer was cocked. What SA semi leaves the hammer uncocked?

No single action will leave the hammer uncocked. A double action example would be Para Ordinance LDA (light double action).

[TXBO]

Do you actually own a DA semi-auto? Depending on the weapon, especially a DA, the hammer is not cocked, so the act of pulling the trigger essentially cocks the trigger then releases it to fire the projectile.

It's probably what you meant but not clear to me from what you wrote....all my DA semi-autos remain cocked after loading a round into the chamber unless I engage the decocker (or safety on the Beretta and others).

That makes it a selective double action/single action.....not simply a double action.

OK, I didn't realize there were DAO semi-autos. I don't see the advantage over DA/SA or SA.

Most would agree with you. That's why you don't see many of them but they're out there.