Noob question

[Guest MrSkippyJ]

My friends sig has a decocker, my M&P doesn't. I have some snap caps but I still can't keep an empty uncocked chamber without dry firing. Does it matter if its cocked all the time or am I just missing something here?

[CatsEye]

It won't hurt to dry fire it and it won't hurt to leave it cocked.

[Guest bkelm18]

I personally don't like dry firing on an empty chamber, but there is absolutely no harm in leaving it "cocked".

[CatsEye]

I've dry fired my M&Ps thousands of times without a single problem. Some people still don't like to dry fire but it won't hurt a thing on your M&P. Even if you aren't comfortable doing it a lot there should be no concern doing it to de-cock. Edited January 8, 2013 by CatsEye

[Guest MrSkippyJ]

Cool, thanks everyone!

Did I at least get some of the terminology right?

[TGO David]

Yep.  So let's address the initial question a bit further...

 

Your friend's SIG is a double-action / single-action (DA / SA) handgun with an external hammer.  Single-action means that the trigger does not cock the hammer but merely releases it.  Double-action means that the trigger is capable of both cocking and releasing the hammer.  A handgun denoted as both double-action / single-action is capable of being operated in either form.  Single-action trigger pull is usually much lighter and shorter than when pulled completely through via double-action.

 

The de-cocking mechanism safely lowers the hammer from a cocked position, returning the cocked handgun to double-action mode.

 

The reason your M&P does not have a de-cocking lever is because it is a "striker fired" design.  It does not have a hammer, but rather an internal striker which is cocked by cycling the slide, either manually or semi-automatically with each complete action of the slide during a normal firing sequence.  The striker is kept in a "safe" position normally by the design of the sear which incorporates a striker (or firing pin) block.  The block is lowered as the trigger is pulled and the sear disengages.

Edited January 8, 2013 by Daniel

[Guest MrSkippyJ]

Ahh, thank you. I have so much to learn!!

[Guest carter]

if it wasn't ok to dry fire a glock they would of made it differently... after all that was the 17th pistol he made not his first... and smith copied a lot of glock design so... if its not ok i feel they would of provided a snap cap

[Poor_Dog]

Right or wrong, I was always taught at an early age avoid dry fireing a rim fire, everything else was fine

[Moped]

Ahh, thank you. I have so much to learn!!

Ask away and we will learn you! :)

[graycrait]

In Ruger MKIII, II and I pistols, as well as Ruger 10/22s, it is OK to dry fire on an empty chamber (please check first). The bolts and firing pins are designed so that that the firing pin will not hit the edge of the barrel chamber as usually happens with other rimfires as long as the firing pin stop is installed as it normally is.