Double action in a handgun is better than single action for self defense.

[sirrduke2010]

Double action makes it more difficult to have misfires in a tense situation. Generally in an emergency double action is easier and faster to use than single action.

 

[Magnum-Krazy]

For most of us thats most likely true, unless you're names Bob Munden -------------------




Ernie

 

[Kanewpadle]

Baloney. Like your other posts. I don't know why and where you come up with this stuff.

So lets settle this right now.

Quality training and practice followed by more practice and you won't have "misfires".

 

[Kanewpadle]

To add: Double action is for those who like it, or those too lazy to learn to use and practice with a single action gun.

Double action, striker fired, or "safe action guns" have been the cause of many negligent discharges by people that simply couldn't keep their finger OFF the trigger when they were supposed to.

 

[seagill]

What about a DA/SA pistol?

 

[oldman45]

I have carried both over the years in my line of work at the direction of those having power over me. I have worked many cases where each was used in self defense.

Maybe I have, but if I ever worked a case of accidental injury or death due to a SAO, I do not remember it. I have some sidearms with custom triggers that are so sensitive that breathing will almost set them off but never had an AD or a ND. Yet I carried those two guns for years.

Unless a person is well practiced, shooting DAO will pull their sight picture off.

I carry and shoot a 1911. It is always cocked. Never a misfire and never have shot the wrong person or missed my target. Never had a round go off too soon either.

We can come up with hypotheticals all week long. Yet there is no evidence of them becoming fact or real world experience.

Maybe we need to correct our aim to take in account all those thugs that are vertically challanged. I do not want to over shoot a three foot high person trying to rob me.

 

[oldman45]

The problem with shooting is most people learn to fire a gun. They seldom learn to shoot THEIR gun. They do not make it one with them. They cannot do some functions without looking at the gun. They will shoot one gun one day and another the next. One may have a safety and the other will not. They will pocket carry one day, ankle carry another and hip carry another.

The secret to being good with your gun is becoming one with the gun. Know the gun in darkness as well as daylight. Use the same gun daily. Know the feel of the gun, where each function is located.

An officer I have known for over 30 years was in a stressful situation. He pressed the magazine release thinking he was releasing the safety. All worked out ok but his entire time on the deparment, he only fired his gun once a year at qualifying.

If a person knows their gun well, the position of the hammer is of little consequence.

As to DA, if one can get a finger behind the trigger, the gun will not fire. In SA, there is not room for a finger behind the trigger. Many times, thugs will try to grab a gun with the idea of their finger getting behind the trigger or in front of the hammer. Almost as many times, the person with the gun will hesitate to fire long enough to have control of their gun compromised.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Whether it be DA, SA, DAO, or DA/SA, choose what works for you and keep your finger off the trigger.

Learning to manipulate the safety at the proper time and doing so safely takes practice. I know people that didn't want to bother with learning it so they chose striker fired guns, DA/SA guns, or DAO guns.

The problem is, they never took the time to learn those guns either. Two of them shot themselves in the foot.

So again, keep your finger off the trigger.

 

[Steve in Vermont]

Imagine someone driving a car once a year, and then for only a few hours under ideal conditions. Translate this to a firearm. Go to the range once a year, ideal conditions, fire a few boxes at a stationary target, go home, clean the gun and tuck it in your holster for another year. Everyone who carries a gun should feel that weapon is a part of them, an extension of themselves....it should feel "natural" (like driving). And like driving, this comes only through constant practice.

 

[growr]

I am probably at odds with many on this topic as I believe in being proficient with ALL of my firearms and carry a wide variety. The moment my hand touches any given gun I instantly know what it takes to make it run.
Different philosophy I know.... as many believe in having one gun only for carry so that you don't get confused.

Randy

 

[Moonman]

Firearms are a diminishing skills deal, you must PRACTICE-PRACTICE-PRACTICE, and then continue to Practice with regularity.

 

[jbull380]

What does Da or SA either one have to do with "misfires"? Are we talking about a firing pin or striker hitting a primer and nothing happening or what?

 

[chief38]

Now see what you started? and during the Holiday's too!!

I see it like this..........

I am 58 and have been packin' for 35+ years now. During that time I have ONLY carried revolvers (and I do own PLENTY of Autos as well). Last month I was going up to a friends country home in another state (yes I have a CCW in that State too) but I was not in the mood to carry a bag of guns with me even though we had planned to do some shooting. I grabbed my Dad's 1911 Colt .45 Auto that I inherited when he passed last March because I was feeling kind of nostalgic - Holiday Season you know. I holstered it and carried it on the trip for three days. Now let me say that I own a bunch of 1911's and I am thoroughly familiar with them but don't usually carry them. The whole time that I carried it I just did not feel comfortable. I love the gun and I think that for someone who has carried it and is totally familiar with bringing it into action quickly under stress, it is one of he finest weapons you could have, but I just felt like a fish out of water. It's back to the wheel gun for me!

I have seen people who only had one carry gun and they were quite proficient at using it. I would rather go up against a "newbee" with an 18 shot Glock than a guy with a Single Action who has practiced with it for years (like Munden as someone had mentioned).

I suppose one type of gun or another might be easier for a novice (temporarily I would hope), but someone who carries a gun on a daily basis should be thoroughly trained, practiced, and familiar with what they carry. As they say, practice makes perfect.

Happy New Year Fellow Members!!

Chief38

 

[cmort666]

I don't own ANY double action autos, just single action (M1911, BHP) autos, Glocks and double action revolvers.

I did a LOT of dry firing and shot in our club's double action revolver league. The latter (along with McGivern's "Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting) taught me a LOT about shooting a double action revolver.

No matter what you shoot, it takes practice to learn THAT gun.

 

[mc5aw]

Methinks this is another troll post designed to get a rise out of others.

 

[Out West]

The theory posited by the OP needs its terms defined. What is meant by "misfire"; how are "DA" and "SA" understood by the OP? Otherwise we wind up running around like Keystone Cops.

Out
West

 

[John Sobieski]

Double action makes it more difficult to have misfires in a tense situation. Generally in an emergency double action is easier and faster to use than single action.

Another home run!

Does the rate of "misfires" correlate to the "tenseness" of the situation?

Unrelated to your post, what are forum members talking about when we use DA, or DAO?

For example, with the Model 10 the trigger can either cock the hammer and fire, or fire a cocked hammer.

A Model 642 can only cock the hammer and fire, yet we use the term DAO for the 642 when the trigger only does one thing compared to the Model 10.

A M&P9 trigger only does one thing, too, like the Model 642. I believe the M&P9 is more like an SA 1911 than a Model 642.

Whatever you choose, isn't practice the key factor?

 

[LafayetteLA]

I am an old former police officer from the 1970's - I grew up on double action revolvers. I advocate gun ownership and practice - my wife and daughters and I will be at the local indoor range in 3.5 hours. The other side of the coin is that we feel that gun ownership is a fundamental right and there should be few, if any, laws, rules and regulations limiting ownership. I feel that a SA or striker fired semi in the hands of a trained individual is just as safe as a double action. Most new gun owners never become trained beyond what is required. Most will shoot their gun once or twice when new and then put it in a drawer ready for that burglar or zombie attack.

I do not advocate gun ownership to individuals I know will never take the time to practice.

 

[cwo4uscgret]

What?

Double action makes it more difficult to have misfires in a tense situation. Generally in an emergency double action is easier and faster to use than single action.

Did you dream this one up last night or do you have a book of stupid gun forum discussion questions that you randomly pick one from once in a while?

What experience do you have in shooting single action or double action only guns in a "tense" situation that you can make that claim?

I think the only legitimate comment that can be made regarding the use of a firearm in a tense, or defensive situation would be something like this:

The firearm in my hand, used to defend myself, is infinitely better then any other firearm that I could ever dream of using for that (or any other Alice in Wonderland Dreamland made up situation that you may think up.

or some equally inane combination of letters and words that say the same or similar message as the above opinion based on my almost 50 years of handling and shooting firearms; the last 38 years of them in one of three different blue US Government issued uniforms; including the uniform of a federal law enforcement officer and also a commissioned officer of the Coast Guard - allowing me to make at least an informed response based on my vast experience. Most of you will see what the innuendo of this reply is, others, well ask an adult for the decoder ring!

 

[Engine 21]

An old Texas Ranger always carried a 1911 sometimes (off duty) he would just stick the 1911 in his waist band always cocked. A new instructor saw the 1911 at the range and almost passed out.He said to the Ranger in a loud voice -"don't you know that's extremely dangerous?"

Ranger replied "yep - it's suppose to be - if you don't practice."

Enough said.