aboute single and double action gun

[tarunverma_1983]

Hi All,
Is single action gun is much better then the double action gun????
Or double action gun is much better then the single action??
Please Suggest.

[browning]

Hi All,
Is single action gun is much better then the double action gun????
Or double action gun is much better then the single action??
Please Suggest.

(this article has not been written by me and is from aol)

Single vs. Double Action firearms, with opinions

There has long been a debate over the relavence of Single vs. Double action in Firearms. It has been suggested that Double action is a "Clever solution in search of a Problem"...and I disagree. There IS a real and dynamic reason for double action, or at least there was when it was invented.

Back in "The Day", when all there were were Single action firearms, one had to carry the Pistol "Hammer down over an empty cylinder". This meant that you had Five, not Six, shots available, and before firing you had to not only draw the Firearm, you had to Cock the Hammer before you could fire. While the time involved was small, it could be significant when related to your survival.

The first major development of Double action Firearms came from England, with the Tranter double action. This design used a Rebounding Hammer that did not rest on the Firing Pin, or if the Firing Pin was Part of the Hammer, it was held away from the Cartridge Primer. The only time the Firing Pin actually contacted the Primer was when the Trigger was held fully back. The rest of the time, it was held away from the Primer by design...the Trigger sear wouldn't let it come into contact unless the trigger was fully down.

This meant two things: You could have a full load of SIX rounds in your Pistol's cylinder, and it was safe to carry that way; secondly, it was just the teensiest bit faster to fire, and in many conditions, Teensy meant living instead of dying. Now, the Double action design was originally American in nature, but it was applied to arms like the Pepper-Box pistol and the like, where the Hammer could be rested between "Cylinders" and the first squeeze simply moved the Cylinder/Barrel assembly into battery for the first shot...sort of like the "Half Cock" position in Revolvers of Double action, the Pull of the first shot is reduced in weight, since the Hammer only has to travel part of the way to release, instead of all the way from the Rest position.

There is much discussion as to the value of Single versus Double action in Firearms, and my opinion is this: There are situations where Each is Superior, and Each is Inferior. Double action Revolvers are probably the most user-friendly of Handguns; you just Load the Cylinder, close up the Action, and Squeeze the Trigger. There are no Safeties to release, no Cocking to do, just press the trigger, and Boom!, six times. There is no great manual of arms to learn, just keep it Clean, and Loaded, and it's there for you. The Down side is Accuracy...since the trigger pull is both longer and heavier than a Single action, one may pull it sideways, away from the intended targeting point, or down...both a part of the process of the double action "Turn the cylinder and cock the Hammer" process that goes on when you press the trigger. On the other side, a double action is very fast in very close fire...self defense is its specialty...just press and bang.

The Single action, on the other hand, has but one function...the trigger releases the hammer to strike the primer via the firing pin. Thus, since the single action is, in fact, simply a latch-and-release system, it can be both very precise and very light in its action...and is thus more easily built and more easily repaired. That is why, for so many years, there was no choice...it was single action or nothing. Double action was much more difficult to design, manufacture, and for a long time, was rather delicate in its construction and prone to breakage, usually at the most inconvenient of times.

Modern weaponry has evolved the semi-automatic firearm, or Pistol (as opposed to revolver). The semi-auto can be single or double action, but in either case the cycling of the Slide (the upper or Sliding Part of the Arm) is used to cock the Hammer, or set the Striker (a Firing Pin that is Spring loaded making a Hammer unnecessary). Either way, it's the trigger that releases the Sear (the Latch holding the Firing pin or Hammer back from striking the Primer in the Cartridge) and allows the process where the cartridge is discharged. The recoil from the Firing of the Cartridge is what "Resets" the Firing System so that the process can be repeated again until the ammunition runs out ( you ARE counting your Shots, aren't you?). Usually, a traditional Double action pistol fires Double action on the First shot only, the rest are Single action, until the Firearm isReset in some way(Frequently by running out of ammunition).

There is even a new sort of Double action: Double Action Only. In this system, the Hammer or Striker does not reset...Instead the Pistol thus designed is almost exactly like a Double action revolver...there is a Long pull of the Trigger, and when the shot is fired, the process must be done again, exactly the same way. Like the revolver, the Double Action Only Pistol has exactly the same long pull for each shot; Unlike the revolver though, 1> The Pull "Weight" can be changed to some degree without affecting the reliability of fire, and, 2> The capacity of the Pistol is still greater than the Revolver, for the most part. Additionally, Double action only pistols frequently have some sort of Trigger mounted Safety, or Grip Safety. In others, the Weight of the Trigger pull is considered sufficient to provide the Illusion of Safety.

Yes, Illusion of Safety....Whether there are Frame mounted safeties, Slide mounted safeties, or trigger mounted or grip mounted, or wherever they may be there are two things to keep in mind: First, Anything Mechanical Can Fail To Function As Designed, and, to work, they Have To Be Activated in some manner. Safety, real safety, is a thing of the Mind. A Habit. A Reflex. Usually, if you combine the two, there is a decent measure of Safety. Relying on either one...Singly..is a recipe for danger and Disaster.

The Evolution of Triggering systems is not over. As handguns and rifles evolve, the methods of triggering them off will evolve similarly. That is a Given..considering that the original method of firing off a "Rifle" or handgun was a burning ember, we've come a long way.

Which is best? That system which is best for you (and it's that personal) is the one that you can use the best. That includes how it Fits your Hand, how it Feels in use, and how you can most effectively use it....And that, friend, is as unique as you are.

Single, Double, or D.A.O. (Double action only)..These are all ways to Fire a Handgun, they all work about equally well, and the one that you choose should be the one you can use best, be most accurate with, and can trust most. Choose well...and you will have an enjoyable and dependable source of Recreation and Defence that will last you a Lifetime.

[shahid]

You can always cock a double action revolver and then carefully breathe out and gently squeeze the trigger for accurate shooting. But I am talking about a target shoot situation. Not personal defence.

Once long long ago, it was 1987, Mr. Julius Rebero ( Rebello ) spelling to check, visited Kanpur. My elder cousin was the ASP in Kanpur then and in the police lines he demonstrated us this method with his service revolver and my cousins, it was a Ruger .38.

[technical]

for self defence carry a da/sa pistol is best eg. a beretta 92,cz75 etc. you can carry these with a round in the chamber and hammer dropped. to fire just flipp off safety and pull the trigget. subsequent trigger pulls will be lighter.for target shooting and military sidearm, a single action pistol is the best. for further clarifications just ask