Gun recommendation thread. (General Discussion) - Page 6

DA/SA: double action/single action

Double action: the hammer is cocked back during the first part of the trigger pull without locking, and then release to strike the firing pin during the second part. It makes for a longe, heavier trigger pull, but you don't have to cock the hammer or rack the slide if there's already one in the chamber. No thinking- just point and click.

Single action: you cock back the hammer manually (either by racking the slide or with your thumb) and then pull the trigger to release it. On a modern handgun the slide will then go back to remove the spent round from the chamber, thereby cocking the pistol the automatically. This leads to short, crisp trigger pull.

DA/SA: it starts out DA, but the trigger adjusts to SA if the hammer is cocked (so either by manually cocking it, or after the first round fires).

Think of a gun's firing mechanism (regardless of the type...hammer fired double action, hammer fired single action, striker fired double action only, combinations the three, etc.) as a mouse trap.

SA- (single actions or SA like a 1911 platform) are meant to be carried with the hammer cocked, and have an external safety (and often times an internal firing pin safety a la Series 80 1911s) to keep the sear from inadvertantly dropping the hammer on the chambered round. Pro to this is a light and short trigger pull. Con would be one more step in getting the pistol into the fight. Some people also feel uncomfortable "cocked and locked."

DAO- Other guns (talking bout double action only or DAO...Glocks and most polymer wonder 9's) are meant to be carried with the mouse trap either unset or partially set. The trigger pull cocks the hammer or striker back and also releases it, hence the term "double action." Pro to this is a simple manual of arms and commonality. Con would be a slightly mushier and longer trigger travel. Keep in mind, that although you don't have a manual safety, you still have internal safeties. Also keep in mind that a safety doesn't prevent YOU from discharging the weapon. It prevents discharges due to drops and mechanical failures.

DA- Then you have double-actions (like the Bereta 92 or Walther PP), which are meant to be carried hammer down with a safety on. The first trigger squeeze is double action, and each subsequent pull is single action. The slide cocks the hammer on its rearward trip.
Usually, they have a manual safety/de-cocker that's slide mounted, which is a negative for me.

Nothing wrong with buying used guns, as long as you know what to look for and how to perform safety checks.

Edit- Hgalek beat me to it.

Hgalek and Boognish covered the important parts.

the Glock 19 has no external safety. it has a little lever on the trigger, but that's only to prevent negligent discharges. people like the glock because it's the same trigger pull every single time. with double action/single action guns like the HK, your first shot is gonna be a long and hard pull, with subsequent shots being noticeably easier.

your best safety is your trigger finger. keep it off the trigger until you're ready to put the threat down.

it seems like you're still a newb. i would take classes first, rent guns at the range, and practice the fundamentals of shooting (preferably with the .22lr) for at least a thousand rounds, then getting more exposed to the different calibers before even considering a gun purchase of your own.

The G19 should be easier to learn on. The HK has a higher chamber axis, and you'll be getting more muzzle flip on it. The HK is also stupidly expensive.

..

This is vastly overrated in 9mm. You're not going to get enough muzzle flip to really matter. (in 40mm, I'd probably care, in .45 I have no experience with anything but the HK45, 1911 and M&P, all of which share similar angle and bore axis characteristics). Where bore axis matters to me is balance in the hand - a compact gun with high bore axis is going to ride weird (ex Sig P290). HK USPs just feel off - so much of the weight is above your hand.

I've learned that, more than anything, what matters to me is the slide release/support hand thumb.
Glocks, M&Ps, XDs, 1911s - it's all good. HKs, Sigs - I'm going to have to actively hold my support hand thumb off the gun to not accidentally depress the slide release. I'm sure if I only shot guns where it was an issue, muscle memory would take over eventually and I'd be fine - but I'd rather stick to guns where it simply isn't an issue.

(note: first guns were a CZ 75B and 1911 - I learned thumbs high and in the latter case, ride the safety with the dominant thumb)

True, with a caveat.

As I understand it, the evidence shows that length of pull has more to do with negligent discharges than weight of pull. The human finger is far stronger, with adrenaline pumping, than the heaviest trigger. Under stress, it's doubtful that most of us could tell 4# from 8# from 12# in a short span (such as pulling a trigger). But the act of pulling a longer trigger (with a normal revolver or DA/SA weight) is a harder thing for a stressed mind to do.

Length also comes into play when a trigger catches on a piece of clothing or holster (a not altogether unknown way to experience a ND in a shooting class).

My preference for a carry/class/competition pistol is for an easily used thumb safety and being really fucking careful when reholstering. My secondary choice would be a traditional DA/SA gun of some kind.