[Amistad]

Being a relative newcomer to having guns around (and having recently started carrying), I'm striving to be cautious and sober in all that I do concerning having a firearm in hand.

I feel more confident when carrying my SP-101, but really like the feel and assurance of carrying my P345. One thing that I ponder on -- when I insert a loaded magazine and then chamber a round, if the safety is on, the hammer comes forward. No problem -- I'm loaded, and I need a double-action pull before it can fire. But what if I insert a magazine and rack the slide with the safety off? The gun is then cocked, and a live round is in the pipe. I'm a bit "antsy" when flipping the safety down to decock the piece in this condition. Can decocking mechanisms malfunction so as to fire when the hammer comes forward? (I always point the gun towards the ceiling at such times "just in case" the unexpected happens. [:0]) Your reply is appreciated and welcomed.

Amistad

 

[Calvin Wiles]

For guns that can be decocked, thats the way the hammer should be let down. The hammer can't hit the firing pin when decocked. Anything is possible so always point the gun in a safe direction before decocking.

 

[kansas45]

quote:Originally posted by KP97DC

For guns that can be decocked, thats the way the hammer should be let down. The hammer can't hit the firing pin when decocked. Anything is possible so always point the gun in a safe direction before decocking.

This is true. My KP89DC is always at my side in this condition. I take it with me when I'm at the farm or fishing or most' any other outdoor activates.

 

[poncaguy]

how about when ur with that cute little blonde kansas45?.....all my Ruger pistols are decocker models, except my SR9. I lik e the way decockers work, very safe and ready to fire when you need to.........

 

[deputy125]

quote: Can decocking mechanisms malfunction so as to fire when the hammer comes forward?

nothing created by the hands of man is perfect.

Keeping the weapon pointed in a safe direction is always sound advice.
And yes, it has happened before due to poor design. The orginal ruger p85 reportedly had possible problems with an unintentional discharge when de-cocking. Seems that if the firing pin was broken, decocking could touch her off. This resulted in p85's being sent back to the factory and the p85MKII being born to correct this problem.

As far as the current design such as on my p-90, i would like to say it is impossible for that to happen, but murphy's law is always in the back of my mind. Safe gun handling procedures is always the right way to go.

Either way, the decock lever is the correct designed way to decock and much safer way to lower the hammer than to "thumb" it down---one slip there and you are in trouble.

 

[MACHINISTgunner]

quote:Originally posted by Amistad

Being a relative newcomer to having guns around (and having recently started carrying), I'm striving to be cautious and sober in all that I do concerning having a firearm in hand.

I feel more confident when carrying my SP-101, but really like the feel and assurance of carrying my P345. One thing that I ponder on -- when I insert a loaded magazine and then chamber a round, if the safety is on, the hammer comes forward. No problem -- I'm loaded, and I need a double-action pull before it can fire. But what if I insert a magazine and rack the slide with the safety off? The gun is then cocked, and a live round is in the pipe. I'm a bit "antsy" when flipping the safety down to decock the piece in this condition. Can decocking mechanisms malfunction so as to fire when the hammer comes forward? (I always point the gun towards the ceiling at such times "just in case" the unexpected happens. [:0]) Your reply is appreciated and welcomed.

Amistad

On some decocker mechanisms as the saftey/decocker lever is actuated it sequentially operates the mechanism. FIRST the mechanism operates/actuates to move/block/lock out the firing pin.In other words, the first part of the sequence makes the firing pin "safe" Once that occurs, the SECOND thing that happens in the sequence is that the hammer is released. ANY MECHANISM CAN FAIL SO ALWAYS DECOCK "in a SAFE direction".

 

[Polishrose]

When I use the manual safety(decock lever) on my P345, I also "ride" the hammer down with my thumb as well as pointing it in a safe direction. I know you don't have to but thats just the way it "feels" a bit safer to me...

 

[Amistad]

quote:Originally posted by Polishrose

When I use the manual safety(decock lever) on my P345, I also "ride" the hammer down with my thumb as well as pointing it in a safe direction. I know you don't have to but thats just the way it "feels" a bit safer to me...

That sounds good. Thanks for the reply!

Amistad

 

[Hooligan]

You're firing pin isn't engaged until you pull back the trigger. When you disassemble the pistol on the slide you'll notice a little button you can press in and out that engages the firing pin. And on the frame is a lever which will lift and press that button when the trigger is pulled back. When the trigger is full forward the firing pin is locked by that button. The firing pin cannot move so the action of the hammer coming down will have no effect. Also on Ruger actions though the action of rotating the decocker slides the hammer contact pad just slightly forward as to give the action one more safety feature. Happy shooting

 

[MACHINISTgunner]

quote:Originally posted by Hooligan

You're firing pin isn't engaged until you pull back the trigger. When you disassemble the pistol on the slide you'll notice a little button you can press in and out that engages the firing pin. And on the frame is a lever which will lift and press that button when the trigger is pulled back. When the trigger is full forward the firing pin is locked by that button. The firing pin cannot move so the action of the hammer coming down will have no effect. Also on Ruger actions though the action of rotating the decocker slides the hammer contact pad just slightly forward as to give the action one more safety feature. Happy shooting

Hooligan covered all the bases.[8D]

 

[MACHINISTgunner]

quote:Originally posted by Polishrose

When I use the manual safety(decock lever) on my P345, I also "ride" the hammer down with my thumb as well as pointing it in a safe direction. I know you don't have to but thats just the way it "feels" a bit safer to me...

I did it that way too for quite a while....I had so many 1911s that THEY trained me! But since I got used to the more modern safety/decockers I just decock without giving the thumb-on-the-hammer a second thought. This system is so much safer than the 1911 arrangement. I always make sure I decock in a SAFE direction.

 

[Hooligan]

To be fair to the 1911 it is a hundred year design now and in 2011 it would have had its patent for a full one hundred. Allot has changed since then including allot more moving parts. The triggers in most actions now are responsible for allot of multi tasking. But back then its only responsibility was pulling that sear clear of the hammer.

 

[MACHINISTgunner]

Originally posted by Hooligan

To be fair to the 1911 it is a hundred year design now and in 2011 it would have had its patent for a full one hundred. Allot has changed since then including allot more moving parts. The triggers in most actions now are responsible for allot of multi tasking. But back then its only responsibility was pulling that sear clear of the hammer.
[/quote Yes, that simplicity and the fact that it does not pivot are factors that make for such good triggers on the 100 year old 1911 design.