Thumbing Hammer when loading

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  • Trapper Jim

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    For INGOERS that play with External Hammer Firearms, I thought we would do an informal survey on how many thumb cock the hammer before racking the slide on pistol or lever actions when charging the chamber?
     

    T.Lex

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    Never. :)

    Lke, I don't think it ever even occurred to me.

    I guess the idea would be to save wear on the hammer or something?
     

    BehindBlueI's

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    I guess the idea would be to save wear on the hammer or something?

    It makes the slide easier to rack. The hammer spring is now out of play. If you have marginal hand strength it can be a big difference. When my dad could still carry a semi-auto I showed him to do it that way. Since I have no hand strength issues I have no need for the extra step.
     

    T.Lex

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    It makes the slide easier to rack. The hammer spring is now out of play. If you have marginal hand strength it can be a big difference. When my dad could still carry a semi-auto I showed him to do it that way. Since I have no hand strength issues I have no need for the extra step.

    Fair 'nuff.
     

    gregkl

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    I don't.

    When I was younger hunting deer with a 35 REM lever action, I would charge the barrel and let the hammer down. Then cock it when I was ready to shoot. I can't imagine being able to lever a round in without spooking the deer.
     

    1911

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    Ive used it as a tactic to introduce to physically weaker shooters, older ladies and such, to allow them to manipulate the slide easier..but as far as personal use, no, i dont ever thumb the hammer back before chambering a round
     

    russc2542

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    Only for inspection, cleaning, maybe dry-fire, or teaching a weak-handed shooter how to get by. In prep for actual shooting, no. So I guess for the original question about doing it when chambering a round, no I do not.
     

    Trapper Jim

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    Back in the day on the line to make ready it was common for shooters to thumb back the hammer and hold it while they charged their gun. Holding the hammer while dropping the slide was always an indication of an uncertain sear/hammer that could follow. Many 1911 owners tweaked their actions past the safe point. If your hammer follows on anything upon charging easy or radical you have an unsafe gun.
     

    AmmoManAaron

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    I have an older Colt Commander that it sure helps to do it on...

    Had that issue on an old surplus semi auto pistol...seems like it was either a broomhandle or something else, maybe a tokarev? Heck, maybe both. Cocking the hammer before chambering a round made things a lot easier whatever it was. That's been years ago, so I don't remember the details of which gun.
     

    churchmouse

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    It makes the slide easier to rack. The hammer spring is now out of play. If you have marginal hand strength it can be a big difference. When my dad could still carry a semi-auto I showed him to do it that way. Since I have no hand strength issues I have no need for the extra step.

    ^This^^^^
     

    Twangbanger

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    Back in the day on the line to make ready it was common for shooters to thumb back the hammer and hold it while they charged their gun. Holding the hammer while dropping the slide was always an indication of an uncertain sear/hammer that could follow. Many 1911 owners tweaked their actions past the safe point. If your hammer follows on anything upon charging easy or radical you have an unsafe gun.

    I can remember old bullseye guys telling me they held the _trigger_ back while charging the gun. The reasoning was that you are gripping the gun firmly while dropping the slide and all safeties are disengaged, so if the hammer followed and the trigger is forward, the disconnector is _not_ engaged, so it's not just going to fire one round - it's going to cook off all 5 of them. So in the event of a hammer-follow, having the trigger held back engaged the disconnector and at least limited the hypothetical damage to the shooting bench and your ego to just the chambered round. (I guess your idea of just holding the hammer back dispenses with all this unpleasantness...but it never occurred to me to point that out, while in the midst of such imparted wisdom). My first thought was, "Gee, I never thought of that," and my second thought was that they must be shooting one of those unsafe old "tweaker" guns you speak of, with the trigger job done by so-and-so in one of the prisoner shacks between days at Camp Perry.

    A legal 3.5 pound minimum trigger should never do that, however, these kinds of tips seemed to come from the guys wearing band-aids on their thumbs for pulling alibi re-shoots, back in the days before the rules were changed...so that tells you the type of person you're probably dealing with.
     
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    Trapper Jim

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    I can remember old bullseye guys telling me they held the _trigger_ back while charging the gun. The reasoning was that you are gripping the gun firmly while dropping the slide and all safeties are disengaged, so if the hammer followed and the trigger is forward, the disconnector is _not_ engaged, so it's not just going to fire one round - it's going to cook off all 5 of them. So in the event of a hammer-follow, having the trigger held back engaged the disconnector and at least limited the hypothetical damage to the shooting bench and your ego to just the chambered round. (I guess your idea of just holding the hammer back dispenses with all this unpleasantness...but it never occurred to me to point that out, while in the midst of such imparted wisdom). My first thought was, "Gee, I never thought of that," and my second thought was that they must be shooting one of those unsafe old "tweaker" guns you speak of, with the trigger job done by so-and-so in one of the prisoner shacks between days at Camp Perry.

    A legal 3.5 pound minimum trigger should never do that, however, these kinds of tips seemed to come from the guys wearing band-aids on their thumbs for pulling alibi re-shoots, back in the days before the rules were changed...so that tells you the type of person you're probably dealing with.


    Yep to this. If I had my way there would be no alibi rules in Bullseye. When I run a rimfire match the shooter has ten rounds only to fire and score each string. It is his problem if he brought crap that don't run.
     
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