Decocking without a decocking lever

[PythonFan]

My CZ75B stainless should be here tomorrow; I can't wait.

Anyway, how do you safely decock it if I want to lower the hammer to the "half-cock" position for DA use instead of cocked and locked.

The way I was shown by a gun shop guy was to hold the pistol pointed in a safe direction, place your left thumb over the firing pin while holding the slide and hold the hammer with your right thumb. Then, carefully depress the trigger and slowly lower the hammer with your right thumb until it touches the left thumb. That way, if it slips out of the right thumb, it will land on your left thumb rather than on the firing pin and not cause a ND.

This seems like a safe way to do it to me but I want to ask the experts before I try it. Any other methods of decocking? Of course I will practice this many times before trying it with a live round in the chamber.

Thanks.

 

[10-Ring]

I was alwas taught that any time you pull the trigger & there is no safety that has been activated, there is a risk of the firearm going off. I was also taught that if you your not ready to destroy something, don't pull the trigger. So for me, I wouldn't lower a hammer in the manner you have described.

 

[TriggerMan]

I never decock, but the few times I have I just point in a safe direction,grab the hammer between my left thumb and first joint of my index finger, pull it back, squeeze the trigger and slowly release hammer, practice a bunch with a empty weapon.

 

[Steelharp]

My CZ Compact is my main carry, and I feel better with it decocked, but I love the C&L option.

I put my left hand over the slide, with my thumb and forefinger grasping the sides of the hammer (the holes). I push it back all the way, slightly pull the trigger to allow the hammer to move past full cock, then let go of the trigger and slowly lower the hammer to half cock.

I frequently point it at my computer while doing this, just in case I get lucky.

 

[Ditchtiger]

decocking

I've been more comfortable pinching the hammer with thumb and forefinger,(pointer). Not as safe but you will retain a better grip on the handgun and I feel I have more control over the gun. Doing it the other way feels funky.

 

[Stephen Ewing]

One thing I'd suggest keeping in mind for de-cocking manually is that you keep in mind what happens if you slip and have a negligent discharge.

If you do it Steelharp's way, the front end is still dangerous, and you're not going to like what happens at the back end, but it doesn't involve, say, breaking your right thumb.

Just a thought that explains why I do it the same way Steelharp recommends.

Cheers

 

[wally]

Use the search, there was a long discussion of this.

Some guns aren't safe to decock. The CZ75 is not one of them. The way I do it is lay the off hand thumb on the hammer, between the striking surface and the slide, while holding the gun in a normal grip with the strong hand. Press down slightly on the hammer with the off hand thumb and slowly pull the trigger. as soon as you feal the hammer release, release the trigger, your offhand thumb will now be holding the full weight of the hammer spring and with the trigger released the firing pin block is re-activated.

As you pull your off hand thiumb up and out between the hammer and slide nothing can go wrong as the firing pin block is engaged since your finger is off the trigger and outside the trigger gaurd. Worse that can happen is you pinch your thumb between the slide and the hammer, but its actually easier to do than describe. Try it on an unloaded gun and you'll be a believer. The half-cock notch is where you want the CZ75 hammer down to -- its where the decock only models will put it.

Basically nothng can slip because nothing is being held, you are using your thumb as a mechanical interfernce to block firing pin contact same as a decocker would do.

--wally.

 

[Luis Leon]

Decocking a CZ75B

I own/shoot a CZ75 P01 so I'm use to a decocker. When I got my CZ75B, which I feel better carrying with the hammer at half-cock, I had the same question. I tried lowering the hammer various ways. For me, the method described by Wally works best. It feels more secure than all the other methods I initially tried.

This past Saturday I shot my CZ75B at a IDPA match, so I got to practice lowering the hammer on a live round, it was a non-issue. The gun shot beautifully, I really, really loved this gun, it makes me look good.


regards,

Luis Leon

 

[PythonFan]

Thanks guys. The way Wally described is what I was trying to describe. It helps to have him describe it in more detail than I was able as I have not tried it yet.


I tried a search but I got SO many hits because everything with decock and manual got included.

 

[HMMurdock]

I do it the old fashioned way, like you were first instructed. I have done it to thousands of firearms in my time and never had a problem. Not a once. Never heard of a problem except for the classic gun store stories of "I heard of a guy once that..."

Just practice it with the gun unloaded and it'll be second nature.

I'm sure I'm going to get lambasted for advising it, but I'm just going with what I know. In work in LE and most of the guys I know do it one handed-- Thumb pulling back on the hammer, depressing the trigger, and easing the hammer to its desired location (half cock or no cock). And again, no problems that I have ever encountered. This is how they used to do revolvers.

If you can't handle this, get a SA/DA Sig with a decocker or a Glock with no external hammer and call it a day.

Good luck and stay safe.

TRL

 

[htcw454]

Manual

In my CZ 40B manual it describes how to decock, at work now so don't have access to it, but read book

 

[Cawdor]

You can download the CZ 75 manual here.

 

[mbott]

My opinion is that being able to decock a firearm should be a part of the basic skill set.

--
Mike

 

[wally]

The CZ manual (page 20) describes to the hold the hammer with thumb and index finger of the off hand. Its possible to slip and have a ND if you use this method, or the strong hand thumb "revolver-like". The method I was taught, worst case is you bruise your thumb.

No method overcomes the need to always have the muzzle pointing in a safe direction. I've heard stories of the Walther P38 mechanical decocking system failing leading to a full auto emptying of the magazine. Fortunately I've never witnessed such an event.

--wally.

 

[PythonFan]

Got my gun today. I tried both the thumb over the firing pin and holding the hammer between the thumb and index finger of the weak hand and they both seem pretty easy and safe. I have decocked on a revolver one handed many times but don't think I will try it on this.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. I am not sure whether I am going to keep this gun in condition one or condition two, but I sure want to be competent at both. Likewise, I want to practice using the DA trigger some of the time, so I feel that I need to be comfortable decocking.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[wally]

If you slip with a revolver, assumimg the muzzle is pointing in a safe direction all you have is embarrasment. Slipping with the auto will bloody your off-hand. With the interfering thumb method there is nothing to slip, and worst that can happen is you pinch/bruise your thumb.

--wally.

 

[PythonFan]

Just a follow up.

I have had my gun over a month now and have decocked lots and lots of times using the thumb over the firing pin method (wally method?). Works great, seems completely safe as long as one pays attention to what one is doing and does not get distracted. I just leave it in the half cock notch.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Navy87Guy]

I think you should just start calling it "the Wally Way". It has a ring to it!

Jim