TyNV wrote:
What is Strike and fire? The M&P .40 is a Strike and Fire firearm.
Is it the same as Single Action or double action with a different name?
Someone please explain.
Sorry if this is a stupid question to ask but I would appreciate the help.
Thanks, TyNV
I think what you mean is "
striker fired".
There are two basic ways to detonate a firearms primer, either by a hammer with a firing pin attached, or which strikes a separate firing pin, OR by a "striker", which is more or less the firing pin alone, which is
mechanically retracted and released to strike the primer.
A Colt Single Action Army revolver and an M1911 pistol are examples of hammer fired fire firearms. In the SAA, there is a firing pin attached to the hammer so that when the hammer falls, it strikes the primer. In the
M1911, there are a separate hammer and spring loaded firing pin. When the hammer falls, it strikes the firing pin, driving it forward against the firing pin spring to strike the hammer. When the hammer is at rest, the spring retracts the firing pin (which is shorter than the tunnel in which it travels) so that its point does not touch the primer.
A Glock 19 and a S&W M&P are striker fired pistols. They do not have separate hammers. Instead, the firing pin itself is retracted and released
by the firing mechanism to strike the primer.
Striker fired pistols generally have fewer parts and a simpler mechanism than hammer fired firearms, especially ones with separate firing pins. Also, their safety mechanisms can be simpler since they have fewer mechanical actions to prevent.