Basic questions about pistols

[Riverblue]

I am new to this forum. I have rimfire rifles, shotguns, and rimfire revolvers for hunting small game and for target shooting, my primary interests. I have two snubnose revolvers in 38 sp for self-defense. I don't know much about pistols as I have always preferred revolvers. I am considering getting a pistol in 9mm at some point, and like the look of the CZ pistols. I have a few very basic questions: (1) do all pistols have a slide which needs to be pulled back to chamber a round before you can fire? I consider that extra step a minus in terms of the possible need for immediate firing in self-defense. I would be more interested in pistols that don't have this. Also when I tested a couple pistols (a Glock and a Walther I think) at one range, the slides were hard to pull. (2) When I look at the descriptions of some CZ pistols, some are described as "single action/double action" which confuses me because I don't see that they have an external hammer like revolvers which can be cocked. (3) Also some of the CZ's are described as "decocking versions" (CZ75 BD). What does that mean?
WHo's a pistol expert out there?

Riverblue

 

[RevolvingCylinder]

First off, the round is chambered before you begin carrying it so it isn't a step before firing it. When a pistol is DA/SA, it starts in double action with the hammer down. Squeezing the trigger will raise and drop a hammer like your DA revolvers. After that shot is fired, the hammer will be cocked. It will cock itself after every shot from then on. The decocker drops the hammer from the SA to the DA automatically so you don't need to lower the hammer manually.

I highly recommend the CZ 75 series pistols to you(my favorite 9mm pistol). With the exception to the decocker model you described, these are DA/SA with the option to safely carry them in SA(hammer cocked) with the safety on so that you don't even need to use the DA.
The decocker model should be carried in DA. It makes use of the decocker to lower the hammer automatically after you chamber a round so that you can carry it in DA since it has no safety.

 

[Jimmie]

A decocking lever gives you a mechanical built-in method to lower the hammer. It's basically like manually lowering the hammer with your thumb after pulling the trigger on a DA revolver. And if there's no exposed hammer, the only way to go back to double-action once you're in single-action.

Most pistols can be carried with a round chambered. They are either like a 1911 where you keep it cocked and the safety on ("cocked and locked"), they're like a Glock with a moderate "double action" trigger, or they're like a Sig with a true revolver-like double action trigger. Normally only the single action "cocked and locked" pistols even have a safety. All can be carried with a round in the chamber. For the 1911, disengage the safety and you're ready. For the Glock and Sig, it's like a revolver - draw, pull the trigger, and bang. Nothing extra to manipulate.

Drawing the slide back will only be to clear a malfunction or to load the first round of a new magazine in a new shooting session. Most will lock the slide back when the mag empties, so you just drop the slide and don't need to pull it back.

1911s can be carried with the chamber empty and the mag full, although it's not widely accepted as a good idea for self defense.

 

[RNB65]

(1) do all pistols have a slide which needs to be pulled back to chamber a round before you can fire?

Yes, all semi-auto pistols have a manual slide. They're not difficult to operate. Just need a little practice.

I consider that extra step a minus in terms of the possible need for immediate firing in self-defense.

You carry the gun with a round loaded into the chamber, so all you have to do is draw and pull the trigger. The only extra step is when you load the gun.

When I look at the descriptions of some CZ pistols, some are described as "single action/double action" which confuses me because I don't see that they have an external hammer like revolvers

CZ's have external hammers. DA/SA means that the first round can be fired double action from the hammer down position and subsequent shots are fired single action with the hammer cocked by the cycling of the action.

Also some of the CZ's are described as "decocking versions" (CZ75 BD). What does that mean?

A decocker is a lever which safely lowers the hammer to the down position. The Sig P22x series are another popular line of pistols that use decockers.

 

[geekWithA.45]

Welcome!

Autoloaders generally* have a slide that needs to be actuated to chamber a round, thus placing it into firing position. The accepted practice is to carry with a round chambered. Even single actions like the hipower and the 1911 have enough safety mechanisms built into them that this is safe, as long as you keep your wits about you.

DA/SA is different in autoloaders than a revolver. Normally, a DA/SA is carried hammer down (decocked), which is performed either with a manual decocking lever, or is automatically decocked. The first shot is a DA shot, and subsequent shots are SA, as the motion of the slide cocks the hammer.

Sometimes, the hammer does not have a spur, and cannot be manually cocked, which gives the appearance of the absence of a hammer. This is distinctly different from striker fired weapons, like the Glocks.

If the slides where hard to pull, and you have normal male handstrength, chances are you weren't using good technique. If you happen not to be a man, good technique may be enough, and there are also some "cheater" tricks that small handed females use to see them through.

Consider taking the NRA handgun course, it's pretty much handguns 101, covers all the various operating systems.




*There are some very wierd exceptions, like lugers that prevent the statement from being absolute.

 

[Riverblue]

Thanks for the feedback. I am going to see if any range in my area has CZ pistols to rent and try. I want to see up close what that external hammer that RNB65 said they have looks like. It sounds like the decocking option is an advantage for safety's sake. I am pleased to hear from Revolving Cylinder that he highly recommends the CZ's.