My question is this,, Im looking at getting a semi- auto pistol, are all the semi-autos considered DOUBLE ACTION??? please someone tell me what this means???????????????????????????,,

"Double action" means that you can fire either from pulling the trigger with the hammer down, thus cocking it by pulling the trigger, or by firing it with the hammer already cocked. Sigs are a good example of this type of action.

"Double action only" means that the hammer follows the slide down every time and every time you pull the trigger you cock the hammer. Just like pulling the trigger on a revolver with the hammer down.

"Single action" means that the hammer must be cocked, either manually or by the slide cocking it, before it will fire. The Colt 1911 is a single action auto.

Then you have guns like a Glock or Springfield XD that are striker fired and essentially function just like a single action auto in that the slide moving rearward cocks the striker inside the gun. However, you can not manually cock the hammer since there isn't one but you can short stroke the slide to recock the striker. Even though they function more like a single action I think they are classified as double action only.

I'm curious. I've always avoided double action revolvers and semi-autos because of the heavy trigger pull. It drives me nuts. What causes this and why is it in Doubles and not singles. Is it because it's pulling the trigger back?

When you fire a gun from the double action (hammer down) position you must compress the hammer spring with the pull of the trigger. When you fire from the single action position the hammer spring has already been compressed manually and all you have to do with the trigger is break the tension between the sear and hammer.

A double action firearm can be fired in either mode so I don't understand why you would avoid one simply because of the heavy pull from the hammer down position. You can always cock it manually. Being a double action firearm it provides you with a very quick means of recocking the gun should you experiance a misfire. Pull the trigger again and the firing pin strikes the primer again. Basically you can simply pull the trigger until it goes bang. In a single action gun you will have to either manually recock the hammer or manually rack the slide in order to get it to go bang. Much much slower for most people.

Now, a double action only firearm you can only fire it from the hammer down position and must compress the mainspring every single time you pull the trigger. Unless a person is practiced it this type of firearm it tires the trigger finger quickly and is usually much less accurate.

Bull,

Thanks for the explanation. I'll give you an example. I shop my friend's baby eagle in 40 SW. Loved the gun, but the first pull on the trigger after racking the slide was heavier than the succeeding pulls. I was told that this was because it was DA. I've shot other semi autos that do the same. The first shop having a heavier pull.

Spud