# Question about striker fired pistols



## FearNot (Feb 19, 2012)

My understanding is that with a striker fired pistol the safety is in the trigger so a separate manual safety is not necessarily needed, is that correct? Are ALL striker fired pistols like this or are the S&W guns the only ones so far that have the trigger safety? Also, does this mean that the gun has to be a double action only?


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

FearNot said:


> My understanding is that with a striker fired pistol the safety is in the trigger so a separate manual safety is not necessarily needed, is that correct? Are ALL striker fired pistols like this or are the S&W guns the only ones so far that have the trigger safety? Also, does this mean that the gun has to be a double action only?





> My understanding is that with a striker fired pistol the safety is in the trigger so a separate manual safety is not necessarily needed


It depends....some trigger pulls are still pretty light despite being striker fired and plenty of people have been "Glock legged" There are several striker fired pistols available with an additional safety.



> Are ALL striker fired pistols like this or are the S&W guns the only ones so far that have the trigger safety?


No and No.

Glock, Springfield, Smith M&P, Ruger SR9/40 etc. all have trigger safeties.



> Also, does this mean that the gun has to be a double action only?


Kind of...

Glocks and some others use a partially cocked firing mechanism where pulling the trigger finishes cocking the striker and releases it. Other guns such as the Springfield XD/XDM have a fully cocked striker where pulling the trigger ONLY releases the striker.

The partially cocked guns are considered double action only (it's topic of great debate every now and then), while the fully cocked strikers are single action only.

Clear as mud, right?


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## SigmaBoy (Mar 18, 2012)

Some striker fired pistols have a striker lock out thus blocking the striker against drop fire as one safety feature. Actuating the trigger releases that lock allowing the striker to hit the primer.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

I'm not a fan of stiker pistols.It isn't the design because I like bolt rifles,which operate on the same principle.The use in pistols doesn't really impress me though.Most put the safety in the trigger,which to me is the last place you want it.I think HK got it right with the P7,but it's an odd piece and expensive now that they're discontinued.Alot of people love them,and you may too,I finally kind of accept plastic but I still don't like the striker application.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

There are lots of older, striker-fired pistols which operate in a way that closely approximates a hammer-fired, single-action semi-auto. A few examples include the Browning M.1900, M.1910, and M.1922, and the Colt M.1908 in .25 ACP. Many of these older designs are European, meant for personal protection.


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