Due to their snag-proof lack of protruding hammer, striker-fired pistol designs have flooded the concealed carry market. Manufacturers such as Glock, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory all have popular models of striker-fired pistols. But, how does striker fire actually work?
To propel a bullet from its cartridge, the gun powder within the casing must be ignited. Centerfire and rimfire rounds have two slightly different means to accomplish this. Both feature primers on the back end of the casing. Centerfire ammo features primer only in the center of the back of the cartridge, whereas the primer covers the entire base of the casing of rimfire rounds.
With either type of ammunition, the rear of the casing must be struck with enough force to ignite the primer, which catalyzes the gunpowder explosion that ultimately propels the bullet from the cartridge through the gun barrel.
Manufacturers such as Kahr Arms, Beretta, and Springfield Armory all utilize similar variations of this function. For example, Springfield’s XD series fully tensions the firing pin spring upon chambering a round, compared to Glock’s partial tension until the trigger pulls and increases the spring tension.
Striker firing seems somewhat complex, but, in fact, it involves fewer parts than the older hammer-fired system (which will be the subject of future posts). There are a couple of benefits to striker-fired pistols in the area of concealed carry. Firstly, there is no external hammer, allowing for a more snag-free design. It also ensures that each trigger pull, from the first through the final round of the magazine, has the same weight of pull. Some consider the lack of external safety on striker-fired guns to be an advantage in self-defense situations because it allows the operator to fire upon their assailant(s) with fewer steps (no need to disengage a manual safety before firing). But, there are others who feel that it presents a safety risk to carry a pistol without external safeties. The preference for the more traditional hammer-fired or the more efficient striker-fired systems is still a subject of much debate. What is your opinion of striker-fired guns?
zemelb This is basically a clone of a Glock. I own both a Glock and the SW VE9. I prefer the SW.
Bring it over to a range in PA and bring lots of ammo. Enjoy the freedom of not reloading magazines so often. But be sure to understand how to transport across state lines. State laws in both states apply as well as federal laws. FOPA will explain federal transportation laws. PA will require you store the gun in the trunk (or away from easy reach in P/U trucks), in a box or range bag (I’d lock it in a hard case), unloaded, and the ammo transported in a separate case or bag. There are debates over transporting ammo in the same range bag, it’s considered legal to do so….but for the sake of not carrying a different bag/box in the trunk do you want to risk the potential of a cop who isn’t up on the laws? As for NJ transportation laws, that’s your job to figure out.
Enjoy the gun! While the gun snobs may look down on the VE, the real world has proven it’s a reliable tool.
I have a Ruger SR40C in which I love for concealed carry. It is pretty much the same weight as the Smith & Wesson and Berretta. It does have a small “click up, click down” safety on the rail in the perfect reach of my thumb. This allows me to put the safety on when I am storing it. The safety is very flush to the gun itself that it won’t snag on anything to allow it to move. I always leave the safety off when I conceal anyways.
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As a former deputy sheriff and firearm salesman I own a few striker fired handguns . If I was an officer today however I would not want to carry one . Due to adrenaline pumping and muscles flexing I would not want to carry a striker fired handgun on duty . I also find them due to the trigger pull to cause the gun to pull to the side and I have also caught myself thinking the weapon was about to fire and I jerked the weapon and I grew up in a gun shop and am now in my 60’s . I personally consider these firearms very dangerous and a second safety should be added to block the trigger from being pulled . I do shot my striker fired guns at the gun range but I prefer a snub nose revolver for a pocket pistol . I will carry my striker fired handguns in a holster but hesitant to having a round chambered . I have had 50 years experience with firearms . I consider striker fired handguns as the most dangerous handguns I have ever seen manufactured . I also saw recently the FBI will be carrying striker fired handguns . Also many police agencies have them . I ask myself are our police agencies bein militarized as striker fired handguns just seem to be the type of a weapon for war and not for officers in cities where bullets could penetrate people’s walls and windows of their homes . I know officers do not receive enough training due to budget cuts and officers today need but a high school diploma to be officers . It’s an accident that will happen without question .
My pistols are all 1911s and Hi-Powers — all single action.
I’m buying a S&W Shield in 9mm today, WITH a safety.
I’m digressing but almost 50 years ago, my TE weapon was the 1911A1 with its exposed hammer and two safeties – thumb and grip.
I was impressed with it then and I am impressed with it now. Over the years, I purchased two of them, one a Colt Series 70 CC and the other with a full size 5″ barrel model, also set up like the Series 70 – no firing pin safety.
With its full single action operation, I think that it’s a better shooter than the Sig, Beretta, H&K, etc all, with their DA/SA setup. Furthermore, the 1911’s safeties are more ergonomic than the others’.
The 1911 is a cherished icon from a century ago.
Love both of my 1911’s and use them just as I would a concourse condition 1955 Porsche 356A. I take it for a short ride down a country road on an Sunday afternoon,… and then back into the garage.
But in my humble opinion, neither the 1911 nor the other modern pistols with hammers and active safeties can measure up to the modern striker-fired pistols in a combat, street fight or home defense scenario.
1) the exposed hammer just gets in the way. I didn’t appreciate this fully until I bought my first Glock (19);
2) pistols with the traditional hammer are all metal and generally have to be more precisely machined than the polymer frame internal strikers. Plus the metal guns are heavier. John Browning had only steel to work with when designing and building the 1911, and he did an outstanding job! Gaston Glock, 70 years later, had the benefit of modern day polymers in designing and building another ingenious pistol. The 1911 is an antique. The Glock, the M&P and others like it are the modern day combat pistols;
3) safeties that have to be manipulated actively get in the way.. A pistol operator must observe Col. Cooper’s 3rd rule of gun safety, as well as rules #1, 2 and 4. Keep you finger off trigger and out of the trigger guard until you have acquired your target and have decided to engage. Having a safety mechanism to manipulate in a fight when adrenaline is high is going to lose precious time or worse. Glock’s trigger safety, firing pin safety (spring loaded plunger) and drop safety (trigger bar’s crucible linkage with the firing pin lug) are adequate;
4) striker-fired mechanisms are much simpler, less parts, easier to understand operation, much easier to repair without the services of a competent gunsmith (who would be absolutely essential for a 1911 repair). My point being, should a problem of develop, just buy the Glock OEM or good aftermarket parts – trigger, trigger bar, connector, spring trigger housing with ejector, pins, slide catch, plunger and spring, striker / firing pin and spring, extractor, barrel, recoil spring, etc, and you have essentially a new gun;
Bottom line, if you’re going to the range for some recreation, take your 1911 or your Sig226. They will most certainly defend you if need be in an emergency. But if you’re going to carry every day where the weapon will be subject to normal wear & tear abuse, reach for a reliable Glock, M&P, Springfield or another striker-fired pistol.