DA/SA and "Learning Different Triggers"

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One thing that seems to have remained consistent over the years that I've served as a firearms instructor is that handgunners who are well versed and skilled with DA revolvers, seem to be able to shoot other handguns, of other designs, more easily than folks who learned their handgun skills on just plastic pistols.
That has also been my experience...it also applies to 1911 exclusive shooters.

What many folks seem to not realize is the all the trigger presses utilize the same technique, the only difference is the length of travel of the trigger before it trips the sear
 
But you can't deny striker fired guns are vastly more popular for gamer guns.
At the club level, you are correct, they outnumber all the other types of guns.
9mm touched on the cost aspect. They are definitely a lot cheaper compared to other guns. I think "run what you brung" also plays a huge part .
i.e. When I first started in USPSA, the only handgun I owned that was legal for production was a glock. So I ran that for a while.

Ben Stoeger won a bunch of consecutive national USPSA production titles with a Tanfo.

I believe he won half his titles with the Beretta 92.. You know the gun so many hate.. :)
 
I could see how being raised up on revolvers and those DA triggers could make everything else seem easier in comparison, but most cops on the street or military in the field have never even fired a revolver, at least not with their job. I think the last time I saw a revolver in the army was helicopter pilots in the 1st gulf war. Does ANY LE agency still use revolvers?
 
I guess it depends on the disciplines and techniques people like.
I love cowboy shooting , so SA is awesome in my book.
I use my wife's snub nose sometimes and it's a SA/DA. I don't like the DA.
I do some plate shoots and some local 3 gun events and love my 1911's as they have have about the same pull as my SA's.
Many people I know that are new to the sport of firearms wonder what to buy for 1st handgun. So I invite them over and show them the difference via dry firing.
If they are real interested afterwards with what I have I take them to the range to try the difference in each.
Only thing is , I do not own a 9mm. So it's either a 45LC SA or 45 1911. Or the 357/38 SA/DA snub nose.
Just my 2cents.
 
California Department of Corrections, approximately 24k officers, still issues the S&W M-15

Three questions: I thought they issued the 64, not the 15? And - how many actually take the revolver over the G22 on their list? And - are they too planning to dump the 40?
 
Learning competent DA/SA skills is absolutely a particular skill set. It's not for everyone but that doesn't mean there isn't a market for it.

I grew up on DA revolvers as well as SA revolvers. I purchased my first DA/SA several months ago having not shot much of anything DA in many years. I wanted a DA/SA just to have one. It was a P95 I got used dirt cheap so nothing to get excited about. Anyway, these were my plates slow shooting at 25ft first session with the gun.

First plate is DA second is SA.


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Granted it's not a cream of the crop gun. I personally would not want to take the time to learn how to shoot this gun for competition or carry. For those that do, I got no problems, more power to you.
 
Three questions:
I thought they issued the 64, not the 15?
Depending on the institution I've seen CO with both the M64 and the M15. Transport officers I've dealt with always carried the M15

And - how many actually take the revolver over the G22 on their list?
Due to budget issues, the G22 never went into circulation with the line officers. Special units did get their G35

And - are they too planning to dump the 40?
Who knows? It would depend on what ammo the State buys for the CHP...CDC usually piggy backs on the CHP ammo selection
 
Aren't correction officers typically the lowest priority when it comes to equipment like firearms? I knew one a few years back in NC. From what he told me, they are generally either static guards at the facility and only are armed during transport, in towers, or critical incidents, and their guns stay at the facility. He told me the older stuff is deemed adequate for them, since any foreseeable gunfight they would likely find themselves in would be one-sided, so their weapons were old 38's, mini 14's, and shotguns that were old state trooper hand me downs. I guess it varies on state, prison level, etc.
 
Must vary by state. Some of our state COs go through our academy's SWAT Basic course and have always seemed pretty well-armed (H&K MP5s, Colt M4s, S&W M&Ps, Remington 870Ps and Mossberg 590A1s and so forth) to me ... Dunno about CDCR, but it seems most of the county jail deputies here I've dealt with are issued Glocks of some stripe ...
 
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I have absolutely no use for DA/SA or DAO semi-auto handguns, as I've never seen one that didn't have [to me] a simply wretched trigger pull.

.....

DA/SA and DAO hammer fired guns offer me absolutely nothing of any benefit compared to a Glock with a 3.5lb. Ghost connector or an M1911 with a 4lb. trigger job.

I'd recommend trying out H&K's LEM trigger. It is technically a SA trigger, but in practice it is shot like a very light DAO trigger. Great trigger, actually my preferred trigger. On the second point, that is a bit of apples to oranges. A tuned Beretta 92 trigger, or even better a well worked over S&W revolver DA trigger would be a lot more comparable, go the opposite way and a box stock Glock or 1911. To each there own though, and I get some people just prefer the Glock trigger.

One thing that seems to have remained consistent over the years that I've served as a firearms instructor is that handgunners who are well versed and skilled with DA revolvers, seem to be able to shoot other handguns, of other designs, more easily than folks who learned their handgun skills on just plastic pistols.

I have had great success with requiring my remedial cadets to learn to shoot a DA revolver trigger. I'll start with a K22, go to a M66 for .38 spl. follow that with .38 spl +P duty rounds, and with some I'll even go up to .357 magnum as a confidence builder. They all universally have much better trigger control then most of their fellow cadets, which I ascribe to learning how to shoot a DA trigger. I could use a DAO semi-auto pistol, as we do have a rack full of 5946's, but I like being able to simply swap grips on a revolver to fit the shooters hands as neeed.

Does ANY LE agency still use revolvers?

Yep, and some big ones. We are the 13th largest municipal PD in the country (51st overall counting the feds and state agencies) and up until January 1st 2013 you could carry a S&W M66 as your primary duty pistol. We can still carry them as backups or plain clothes/UC guns. There are several large agencies I know of that allow their older officers to still carry a wheel gun if they still had one issued to them. Another thing to remember most LE agencies (not counting the jail staff for sherrifs) are less then 20 sworn officers. In Texas for instance a large agency is 200+ officers, and a medium is 20+, small less then 20. There are more small agencies then the rest combined. These small agencies alot of times can be very much a "bring what you got" affair, and I've seen quiet a few small agency cops and deputies with wheel guns on their hips.


-Jenrick
 
Absolutely nothing? Are you sure about that?

A lot of the old school guys have the ingrained habit of placing their thumb on the back of the hammer as they holster up. A nifty little helper with a DA gun.. not so useful with a Glock. So, there is at least one benefit on the table.
Yes, I'm completely sure. That benefits ME in no way whatever.
 
I have recently transitioned my main carry from a Glock/1911 to a DA/SA Sig and I found the only issue was the long DA pull at speed.

If I can stage the first shot, every bit as accurate as anythig I shoot. From the holster I tended to throw the first shot high. I still do, but only by about 3" at 10 yards.

The single action shoots the same as my Glocks, so I am used to that and fine with it.
 
I used to be very opinionated about firearms. Regarding DA/SA, I agreed that is was an answer to a question nobody asked and that it made no sense to have 2 different trigger pulls. Real "gun pros" all know that the 1911, or at least SAO, is the best option.
Flash forward to '05 when my first trip to a combat zone, I'm issued a P226 and an AK47 :what:. So much for opinions...now they don't mean squat 'cause I'm headed outside the wire on RTE Irish with 2 guns I wouldn't have picked ('cause they're stupid) and I haven't even so much as had a chance to test-fire them!

No option forced me to learn how to run each platform to its full potential (with the help of professional instruction, an accessory or 2 on the AK and lots of practice.)

Now, I just see guns as tools. Each one and each different action type will have a set of strengths and weaknesses. Keep the strengths, address the weaknesses through a combination of training, technique, and in some cases accessories and mods (like a replacement or RDS for the AKs crappy sights).

My carry guns are DA/SA now (P6 and 226). Advantage for high stress combat is that the DA pull offers extra margin of safety while also being devoid of an external safety lever to operate. Another advantage is the nice SA pull for all shots after #1 and the short reset. Bonus points for thumb control of hammer on re-holster. Disadvantages have been covered already.

Of course, if you are able to pick and buy/carry what you want, get what you like and shoot well. That is a nice option to have. I did 2 Army tours with an M9 after that 1st contractor stint...I don't like M9s much either. :D (I shoot them very well though :thumbup: )
 
An obvious advantage of having a hammer rather than a striker is the safety aspect of being able to place one's thumb over it when holstering...to both insure that it has been de-cocked (if applicable) and that nothing has entered the trigger guard to press the trigger to the rear (possibly causing the gun to discharge in the holster). This is a common safety technique taught in many more advanced handgun courses.

One may choose to ignore safe gun handling techniques at their own peril, but the existence of the advantage shouldn't be disparaged
 
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