What is the difference between striker fired and hammer fired

Many individuals claim hammer-fired pistols to be tried and true, while others think striker-fired is the future with its ease of operation and safety features. Firearm enthusiasts often debate which platform is superior to the other. Throughout this article, we will go over some of the major differences below so that you can make a more informed and confident decision when it comes time for you to select your newest handgun.

Pro Tip: One of the easiest ways to differentiate between these two types of handguns is to look at the back of the slide or body to see if there is a hammer present.

However, some hammer-fired pistols will not have an exposed hammer. See Image H3. Hammer-fired handguns have been around for an incredibly long time and have not had to change much over the course of its history. This is mostly because the design needs very little innovation and has served their owners well for numerous generations.

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The information presented here is for general educational purposes only. When you pull the trigger, that internal striker is what rides forward to punch the primer. Most striker fired weapons can only be decocked by pulling the trigger. People say that because of the fact that you are ab l e to decock the hammer , you are unlikely to accidentally discharge the weapon.

Once you rack the slide and a round is chambered, you are able to decock the hammer, if you are not ready to shoot yet. In a striker fired weapon or a weapon with an internal hammer, you are NOT able to decock the hammer or striker. Usually, the only way to decock the hammer is to fire the weapon , although you can obviously pull the slide back and take the round of the chamber. My opinion is that both firearms are definitely safe in the right hands, but the external hammer does add an additional degree of safety.

Another reason that I think hammer fired weapons with an external hammer are slightly safer, is that you can actually see the position of the hammer, so you will know exactly what position the firearm is in. In my opinion, hammer fired weapons with an external hammer are excellent for new shooters. Being able to physically see the position of the hammer, and what pulling the trigger does to the hammer is a tremendous advantage to someone new to firearms.

However, this is just my personal opinion. Safe handling of any firearm will make it easy for a new shooter to learn and shoot.

Striker fired weapons are more commonly used as concealed carry weapons. By Handguns Mag. The series covers a range of personal defense and CCW topics.

See links below for the earlier entries:. And, inevitably, the next question is, which is better? So, what is the difference, and which is better? A hammer-fired pistol has a trigger that releases as in the Range Officer Elite or both cocks and releases as with the XD-E in double-action mode a hammer to strike a firing pin. That firing pin impacts the primer of the chambered round, causing the pistol to fire.

A pistol like the is a single-action, which means that the trigger merely releases a cocked hammer. To effectively use this type of pistol for self-defense, that means it ideally should be carried with the hammer cocked and the manual safety engaged. On the other hand, a pistol like the XD-E has a double-action trigger, which means that the gun can be carried with the hammer down, and a long and relatively heavy pull of the trigger both cocks and releases the hammer the XD-E also can be carried with the hammer cocked and the manual safety engaged.

The advantage of a hammer-fired pistol is that they tend to be conducive to accurate shooting and can have very clean and crisp trigger pulls. A striker-fired pistol is a different animal altogether. With this system, the striker inside the slide is under spring pressure. Live The Armory Life. The latest content straight to your inbox plus an automatic entry to each of our monthly gun giveaways! The advantages of a striker-fired system is that they have far fewer moving parts, and often have numerous internal safeties built in that ensure they are very safe.

They also tend to be a bit lighter, and are often found in polymer-framed pistols with the unique XD-E being an exception. So, which is better? Both systems have their pros and cons, and their supporters and detractors. If you can, try both types out for yourself if you are looking to select one or the other in your next handgun. Or, just do what I did — buy one of each! Go to forum thread. These articles are considered to be suggestions and not recommendations from Springfield Armory.