Years ago I was served as a Firearms Instructor at the Federal law Enforcement Training Center for my agency. There were 24 of us at that time from different federal agencies as well as retired military staff who had been shooters of renown. After a year or so serving in that position a staff member pretty much felt that they could answer any question that came along regarding firearms, marksmanship or tactics.
One day a student raised his hand during the basic orientation lecture and asked me the question, “Why do they call one trigger pull ‘double action’ and the other ‘single action’ when single action takes two actions to fire and double action takes but one?”
I had to tell him that I didn’t know and would get back to him. After the class I asked the other staff members who exhibited the same response.
It took a while, but I found out. The words “Single” and “Double” refer to what the trigger does when it is pulled. In single action one thing occurs when the trigger is pulled, the weapon fires. In double action two things occur when the trigger is pulled, the weapon is both cocked and fired with one pull of the trigger.
If you are saying, “Hey, I knew that,” then good for you, but just maybe someone out there has wondered the same thing as I did when asked that question.
Respectfully,
kent
One day a student raised his hand during the basic orientation lecture and asked me the question, “Why do they call one trigger pull ‘double action’ and the other ‘single action’ when single action takes two actions to fire and double action takes but one?”
I had to tell him that I didn’t know and would get back to him. After the class I asked the other staff members who exhibited the same response.
It took a while, but I found out. The words “Single” and “Double” refer to what the trigger does when it is pulled. In single action one thing occurs when the trigger is pulled, the weapon fires. In double action two things occur when the trigger is pulled, the weapon is both cocked and fired with one pull of the trigger.
If you are saying, “Hey, I knew that,” then good for you, but just maybe someone out there has wondered the same thing as I did when asked that question.
Respectfully,
kent