LooseGrouper
Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2005
- Messages
- 225
Explaining DA vs SA vs DA only...
Sorry if someone beat me to this but...
Assuming that we are starting with a loaded semiautomatic pistol (a round in the chamber), here's what the nomenclature means:
SA = each shot requires only a short, usually light trigger pull. The hammer must be in the fully cocked position to fire the first shot, and is cocked after each shot by the action of the slide. These are typically carried "cocked and locked," i.e. hammer cocked, saftey on, one in the chamber. Examples include Browning Hi-Power, 1911s, etc. The Ruger .22 pistols are single actions with hammers that are inside the mechanism, and thus to not allow manual cocking/uncocking.
DA (aka "traditional DA" or "DA/SA) = first shot requires a long, usually heavier (DA revolver-style) trigger pull. Each shot after that requires only a light, short pull like that of the SA semiautos described above. Hammer is cocked on the first shot by the trigger, and after each shot by the action of the slide. These type of pistols are usually carried with one in the chamber and the hammer down. Typically there is a decocking mechanism that allows the hammer to be safely lowered either after shooting, or after loading the first round into the chamber. Examples include Beretta 92F, Sig 225, 3rd Gen S&Ws, and tons of others.
DA only = each shot requires a relatively long, heavy trigger pull. "Traditional DA" models like those listed above often have DA-only variations on which the hammers will not stay in the cocked position. They usally don't have hammer spurs. Designs such as Glock, Springfield XD, and Kahr are usually lumped into this category even though their mechanism is slighted different (striker fired instead of a hammer) because the result is the same: each shot requires a relatively long, relatively heavy trigger pull (emphasis on the "relative" for striker fired guns).
NOTE: I hope this doesn't cofuse the issue, but as I understand it, guns like glocks and XDs have trigger resets that don't require the trigger to go all the way back to start for the second/third/fourth/etc shots. Let's just say the DA only guns go back to "safe" mode when you completely release the trigger.
Hope this is somewhat helpful.
LG
Sorry if someone beat me to this but...
Assuming that we are starting with a loaded semiautomatic pistol (a round in the chamber), here's what the nomenclature means:
SA = each shot requires only a short, usually light trigger pull. The hammer must be in the fully cocked position to fire the first shot, and is cocked after each shot by the action of the slide. These are typically carried "cocked and locked," i.e. hammer cocked, saftey on, one in the chamber. Examples include Browning Hi-Power, 1911s, etc. The Ruger .22 pistols are single actions with hammers that are inside the mechanism, and thus to not allow manual cocking/uncocking.
DA (aka "traditional DA" or "DA/SA) = first shot requires a long, usually heavier (DA revolver-style) trigger pull. Each shot after that requires only a light, short pull like that of the SA semiautos described above. Hammer is cocked on the first shot by the trigger, and after each shot by the action of the slide. These type of pistols are usually carried with one in the chamber and the hammer down. Typically there is a decocking mechanism that allows the hammer to be safely lowered either after shooting, or after loading the first round into the chamber. Examples include Beretta 92F, Sig 225, 3rd Gen S&Ws, and tons of others.
DA only = each shot requires a relatively long, heavy trigger pull. "Traditional DA" models like those listed above often have DA-only variations on which the hammers will not stay in the cocked position. They usally don't have hammer spurs. Designs such as Glock, Springfield XD, and Kahr are usually lumped into this category even though their mechanism is slighted different (striker fired instead of a hammer) because the result is the same: each shot requires a relatively long, relatively heavy trigger pull (emphasis on the "relative" for striker fired guns).
NOTE: I hope this doesn't cofuse the issue, but as I understand it, guns like glocks and XDs have trigger resets that don't require the trigger to go all the way back to start for the second/third/fourth/etc shots. Let's just say the DA only guns go back to "safe" mode when you completely release the trigger.
Hope this is somewhat helpful.
LG