Semi-Auto Triggers: market trends, choices, and consequences

[JustOneGun]

Performance vs Safety, and which you prioritize is a matter of perspective but ultimately drives your choice. It really is that simple. The guys/gals who pick DA/SA or LEM will say "it's not any harder to shoot than a striker". Not true. Simultaneously, the striker guys/gals are selling "it's just as safe as a DA/SA or LEM". Not true.

We may only be splitting hairs with a few degrees of separation when it comes to safety and performance of each trigger type, but the differences do exist. Just choose, and own it.

If we're talking about individual choice then sure. Make your choice, take your chance. But you and I disagree about the difference a DA/SA makes to many peoples progress. The harder it is to learn the more people on the bell curve get stalled, never to improve, etc. There are also other issues concerning ability. There are a lot of psychological issues related to confidence and ability. Some people not only stall in progress but stall in other things such as tactics, etc. It's amazing to see some of those people that were left behind continue to expand when getting rid of the DA/SA. How much do they expand and improve? That's a bell curve in and of itself. Some just explode in ability. Others get a little better. Almost none get worse. It's amazing to see substandard people struggle with the DA/SA. It's like a cascade of failure where the shooter turns into a bag of bolts they more they press the trigger. That cascade of failure just goes away with the consistent trigger pull. Gone on day one, never to return.

I end with this....very few people like to admit that for whatever reason they were below average. Those that do usually see it and understand it after the fact. By then the damage is done. This is very true for civilians who don't get a lot of feedback during training.

[Doc_Glock]

[QUOTE=StraitR;637944Simultaneously, the striker guys/gals are selling "it's just as safe as a DA/SA or LEM". Not true.
[/QUOTE]

I actually think strikers are just as safe mechanically and safer from a human factors, gun handling standpoint than other types of triggers.

I seem to be a minority on PF. I think what we are debating in this thread is exactly how true the truisms in your post are.

[breakingtime91]

No trigger system will make up for their incompetence. To talk about them is to talk about people who are so scared of their Glock/Walther/whatever that they carry C3 so it doesn't "go off" when they don't want it to.

Then why are we even having this discussion? I am confused because we are stating that most people would be better served by a DA/SA because they are too incompetent to stay safe with a striker. Or have I misunderstood this line of discussion.

[Wondering Beard]

I actually think strikers are just as safe mechanically and safer from a human factors, gun handling standpoint than other types of triggers.

So long as the rules of safety are truly hammered in.

[Wondering Beard]

Then why are we even having this discussion? I am confused because we are stating that most people would be better served by a DA/SA because they are too incompetent to stay safe with a striker. Or have I misunderstood this line of discussion.

At this point, it would be normal to be confused. I believe I am actually confused.

FWIW, which isn't much, I'm not convinced that most people would be better served by DA/SA but I do agree that having some sort of feedback from the hardware reminding you that you are about to shoot (intentionally or unintentionally), such as an SCD, or a longer trigger pull, or a heavier take up, or a heavy wall, or a visual of the hammer moving, or .. fill in the blank, is a good thing to have.

[BN]

What are the thoughts on a DA/SA pistol that has the hammer cocked. Whether thumb cocked or at least one shot has been fired and the decision to not fire any more has been made?

[AJD21]

I actually think strikers are just as safe mechanically and safer from a human factors, gun handling standpoint than other types of triggers.

I seem to be a minority on PF. I think what we are debating in this thread is exactly how true the truisms in your post are.

Its OK. I find DA/SA guns to be easier to shoot outside of the first DA pull despite the truism that striker fired guns give a noticeable, immediate performance gain. A nice SA trigger on a 92, P226 or CZ-75 is generally nicer than most stock striker fired guns. But hey...that DA pull.

[Wondering Beard]

What are the thoughts on a DA/SA pistol that has the hammer cocked. Whether thumb cocked or at least one shot has been fired and the decision to not fire any more has been made?

Decock immediately.

I would perhaps even argue that, if you need to change targets (paper or flesh and blood) and there are no-shoots around (paper or flesh and blood) that you decock also.

P.S. I have a hard time imagining when I would thumb cock a hammer on a DA/SA pistol.

[blues]

At this point, it would be normal to be confused. I believe I am actually confused.

Which sort of implies that you are normal...but I digress...



(Yes, WB and I are buddies. If not cousins, as has already been established elsewhere. )


I would have to argue that if "most" folks I have worked with over the years can at least minimally master a SF firearm, there's hope for virtually everyone that populates this site...with the occasional exception. No snark intended...just my observations after these many years of observing the wide range of capability among LE officers from the 80s thru the 2000s.

[Bucky]

P.S. I have a hard time imagining when I would thumb cock a hammer on a DA/SA pistol.

My thoughts are, if you need to thumb cock the gun to make a shot, it's quite possibly a shot you shouldn't be taking?