Striker Fired ?

ConRich · September 13, 2018, 03:47 PM

Would someone please explain what this term means. I have been playing with firearms of all types for over 60 years now, but have to admit that I have failed to keep up with the new weapons that have surfaced in recent years.

TIA,
Rich

RickB · September 13, 2018, 03:54 PM

It means the firing pin, or striker, is driven forward to fire the chambered round by a spring that is compressed by the firing pin itself.

Imagine a typical bolt-action rifle, with the firing pin running down the middle of the bolt, surrounded by a coil spring. When you rack the bolt, the spring is compressed, and pulling the trigger releases the firing pin.

Contrast that with a gun with an external hammer, in which the loaded spring is acting on the hammer which then strikes a blow to the firing pin, sending it forward to fire the chambered round.

Wag · September 13, 2018, 04:13 PM

Here's a good graphic specific to Glocks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1VD1D1hLsQ

--Wag--

TunnelRat · September 13, 2018, 04:14 PM

One interesting part is it isn't new technology. The Borchardt pistol was striker fired. Some people forget this aspect.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Fishbed77 · September 13, 2018, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Would someone please explain what this term means. I have been playing with firearms of all types for over 60 years now, but have to admit that I have failed to keep up with the new weapons that have surfaced in recent years.

New technology? Bolt action rifles have been using strikers for around a century and a half, and as mentioned, there have been striker-fired pistols for well over a century.

bac1023 · September 13, 2018, 09:11 PM

New?

Striker fired pistols have been around 120 years.

**44 AMP** · September 14, 2018, 11:11 AM

Quote:

The Borchardt pistol was striker fired. Some people forget this aspect.

Indeed, 1893 for the Borchardt. For those who don't know that gun, it was a striker fired, toggle action pistol. More than a bit "wonky" in terms of design and ergonomics, but was the pistol that Georg Luger redesigned into the world famous Pistole Parabellum.

Luger kept the striker fired, toggle action concept and changed almost everything else into something more user friendly, and the rest is history...

Today, when you see someone use the term "striker fired" in forum discussions, what they are usually talking about is the modern style, usually polymer framed pistols, GLock being the best known. The confusion comes from the way that they talk about "striker fired" (Glocks & similar) as if there was nothing else in the striker fired group.

RickB · September 14, 2018, 11:46 AM

The only two striker-fired guns I've ever owned are a Luger and a Colt .25, both about 100 years old.
It's true that "striker-fired" has become shorthand for plastic-framed pistol designed in the last 30 years.

briandg · September 14, 2018, 12:00 PM

no hammer.

Look at pretty much any modern bolt action rifle and you will see an approximately correct explanation of how the striker fired handgun works. Turning the bolt is how you retract and lock the pin of most rifles. Working the slide forward on a pistol usually sets the pin on a handgun. Some have no actual set for the trigger and they are cocked and fired by a long single pull of the trigger.

The long ,heavy, spring loaded firing pin is linked to a sear, usually, pulling the trigger trips the sear and the striker (pin) is driven forward by the spring and punches the primer.

The designs can be complicated, but the principle is really simple.

willr · September 14, 2018, 04:34 PM

I really like my Mauser 1914. It, too, is striker fired. It also has the best action of the slide that I know of. Insertion of the magazine releases the slide, rather than the "pulling back of the slide" to release it. I don't know about the Borchardt as I've never seen one.
willr

pblanc · September 14, 2018, 04:40 PM

The great majority of striker-fired pistols these days have the striker partially and often nearly completely pre-tensioned by slide reciprocation. So if the striker is released and the slide does not cycle or is not racked, as for with a light primer strike, for example, the trigger will be dead. Therefore unlike most hammer-fired pistols, the majority of striker-fired pistols do not have second strike capability.

Be aware that there are some modern pistols that resemble striker-fired pistols because they have no visible hammer, but utilize an internal hammer to strike the firing pin, as in the SCCY pistols.

Sharkbite · September 14, 2018, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Be aware that there are some modern pistols that resemble striker-fired pistols because they have no visible hammer, but utilize an internal hammer to strike the firing pin, as in the SCCY pistols.

The new S&W 380 EZ and the Ruger security 9 have internal hammers as well

ConRich · September 14, 2018, 07:37 PM

Thank you for clearing that up for me.

I seem to have been mislead by the ads and reviews about the new breed of conceal carry pistols that are "striker fired", like it was some new, better, safer way to carry.

Thanks,
Rich

Iron bottom · September 14, 2018, 08:16 PM

To me, strikers are one cheap item. A little stamped sheet metal and molded plastic. Two or three small machined items. How many of them have decent rails?
Do you not know when you have been taken? Do you pay close to a thousand dollars for a plastic fire arm?

cslinger · September 14, 2018, 08:35 PM

Quote:

How many of them have decent rails?

As in slide rails??? Most striker fired guns have all steel rails. Stronger then alloy in general.

Cheapshooter · September 14, 2018, 10:28 PM

"Close to a thousand dollars"? Must be selling them in two or three packs now!

willr · September 15, 2018, 12:28 PM

What pblanc says is right. However, even an interior hammer weapon is not always capable of double action for second strike.
willr

Ben Dover · September 15, 2018, 05:18 PM

Quote:

To me, strikers are one cheap item. A little stamped sheet metal and molded plastic. Two or three small machined items. How many of them have decent rails?
Do you not know when you have been taken? Do you pay close to a thousand dollars for a plastic fire arm?

I'll take one of those light "cheap" plastic Glocks or SIGS over an all steel boat anchor any day!

**4V50 Gary** · September 15, 2018, 05:29 PM

The P-08 Luger is striker fired. Striker is held back by the sear until released. I don’t think anyone here will call a Luger cheap. The C-96 Broomhandle is firing pin fired. Like RickB said, an external hammer drives the firing pin forward.

tallball · September 15, 2018, 08:50 PM

My Mauser Models 1910 and 1914 are both striker-fired. It's not a brand-new idea.

Nathan · September 16, 2018, 08:02 AM

Quote:

I seem to have been mislead by the ads and reviews about the new breed of conceal carry pistols that are "striker fired", like it was some new, better, safer way to carry.

We need to be careful about that. We all know only the guns marked Universal Safe Action are safe enough not to have any safety lever at all!

Where has marketing gone with that lately?...probably too busy helping legal out to rework the marketing.

TunnelRat · September 16, 2018, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathan

We need to be careful about that. We all know only the guns marked Universal Safe Action are safe enough not to have any safety lever at all!

Where has marketing gone with that lately?...probably too busy helping legal out to rework the marketing.

At least they're too busy to have to read the same tired claims about the lack of safety over and over like some of us on this forum.

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September 13, 2018, 03:47 PM	#1
ConRich Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 299	Striker Fired ? Would someone please explain what this term means. I have been playing with firearms of all types for over 60 years now, but have to admit that I have failed to keep up with the new weapons that have surfaced in recent years. TIA, Rich

September 13, 2018, 03:54 PM	#2
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	It means the firing pin, or striker, is driven forward to fire the chambered round by a spring that is compressed by the firing pin itself. Imagine a typical bolt-action rifle, with the firing pin running down the middle of the bolt, surrounded by a coil spring. When you rack the bolt, the spring is compressed, and pulling the trigger releases the firing pin. Contrast that with a gun with an external hammer, in which the loaded spring is acting on the hammer which then strikes a blow to the firing pin, sending it forward to fire the chambered round. __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

September 13, 2018, 04:13 PM	#3
Wag Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2010 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 988	Here's a good graphic specific to Glocks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1VD1D1hLsQ --Wag-- __________________ "Great genius will always encounter fierce opposition from mediocre minds." --Albert Einstein.

September 14, 2018, 11:46 AM	#8
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	The only two striker-fired guns I've ever owned are a Luger and a Colt .25, both about 100 years old. It's true that "striker-fired" has become shorthand for plastic-framed pistol designed in the last 30 years. __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

September 14, 2018, 12:00 PM	#9
briandg Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2010 Posts: 5,468	no hammer. Look at pretty much any modern bolt action rifle and you will see an approximately correct explanation of how the striker fired handgun works. Turning the bolt is how you retract and lock the pin of most rifles. Working the slide forward on a pistol usually sets the pin on a handgun. Some have no actual set for the trigger and they are cocked and fired by a long single pull of the trigger. The long ,heavy, spring loaded firing pin is linked to a sear, usually, pulling the trigger trips the sear and the striker (pin) is driven forward by the spring and punches the primer. The designs can be complicated, but the principle is really simple. __________________ None. Last edited by briandg; September 14, 2018 at 12:06 PM.

September 13, 2018, 04:14 PM	#4
TunnelRat Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2011 Posts: 12,214	One interesting part is it isn't new technology. The Borchardt pistol was striker fired. Some people forget this aspect. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

September 13, 2018, 09:11 PM	#6
bac1023 Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 1,106	New? Striker fired pistols have been around 120 years.

September 14, 2018, 04:34 PM	#10
willr Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2006 Posts: 356	I really like my Mauser 1914. It, too, is striker fired. It also has the best action of the slide that I know of. Insertion of the magazine releases the slide, rather than the "pulling back of the slide" to release it. I don't know about the Borchardt as I've never seen one. willr

September 14, 2018, 04:40 PM	#11
pblanc Senior Member Join Date: March 23, 2008 Location: Indiana Posts: 697	The great majority of striker-fired pistols these days have the striker partially and often nearly completely pre-tensioned by slide reciprocation. So if the striker is released and the slide does not cycle or is not racked, as for with a light primer strike, for example, the trigger will be dead. Therefore unlike most hammer-fired pistols, the majority of striker-fired pistols do not have second strike capability. Be aware that there are some modern pistols that resemble striker-fired pistols because they have no visible hammer, but utilize an internal hammer to strike the firing pin, as in the SCCY pistols.

September 14, 2018, 07:37 PM	#13
ConRich Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 299	Thank you all Thank you for clearing that up for me. I seem to have been mislead by the ads and reviews about the new breed of conceal carry pistols that are "striker fired", like it was some new, better, safer way to carry. Thanks, Rich

September 14, 2018, 08:16 PM	#14
Iron bottom Member Join Date: May 26, 2005 Posts: 52	To me, strikers are one cheap item. A little stamped sheet metal and molded plastic. Two or three small machined items. How many of them have decent rails? Do you not know when you have been taken? Do you pay close to a thousand dollars for a plastic fire arm?

September 14, 2018, 10:28 PM	#16
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	"Close to a thousand dollars"? Must be selling them in two or three packs now! __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

September 15, 2018, 12:28 PM	#17
willr Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2006 Posts: 356	What pblanc says is right. However, even an interior hammer weapon is not always capable of double action for second strike. willr

September 15, 2018, 05:29 PM	#19
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,831	The P-08 Luger is striker fired. Striker is held back by the sear until released. I don’t think anyone here will call a Luger cheap. The C-96 Broomhandle is firing pin fired. Like RickB said, an external hammer drives the firing pin forward. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

September 15, 2018, 08:50 PM	#20
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	My Mauser Models 1910 and 1914 are both striker-fired. It's not a brand-new idea.