Tgace
Grandmaster
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2003
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Well...as a constructive offshoot of the long "experience" thread, I started thinking about ways to use my "experience" to benefit folks here. My technical expertise in MA is not advanced enough for me to give anybody advice or critique on technique. But there are some things that I am pretty experienced in. What Im going to post here isnt technically MA and may be more firearms related, but in light of my earlier statement of belief that MA is in a good postion to lead the "combatives" field, I feel that maybe those folks who incorporate firearms into their training may find it useful. I was kind of hoping the thread could lead to other folks posting "other than MA" info that could be useful in a MA "combatives" program.
Since this is one of my favorite topics, I figured Id put together a little primer on handgun operation basics for the martial artist. Its very basic and is based on the assumption of a gun grab. Many instructors may teach to deflect the weapon and attack the BG. Take it for what its worth.
HANDGUNS
Handguns, by and large (there are some other designs), come in 2 different flavors, Revolvers and Automatics. Almost everybody knows the difference between the two so I wont go into too much detail regarding their parts and basic differences.
REVOLVERS: The wheel gun. The old cowboy guns were single action, which means that the hammer has to be cocked by hand and pulling the trigger drops the hammer on the round. Almost all modern revolvers are double action. This means that when you pull the trigger the hammer starts moving back, the cylinder turns bringing a new round under the hammer and the hammer falls on that round, all in one stroke. Many revolvers have a half **** safety this means that if you pull the hammer back with your thumb to the first click, the hammer cant be moved by the trigger. The shooter has to **** the hammer the rest of the way manually and then pull the trigger. If the shooter desires less travel in the trigger he can **** the hammer all the way back, enabling firing with less trigger movement and more accuracy.
Advantage: Hardly ever jams or malfunctions. Point and shoot.
Disadvantage: Ammo capacity. Frequent re-loading.
What this means to the martial artist: Stop the cylinder from revolving and the weapon wont fire. If the hammer is back or moving back, get a finger or web of your thumb between the hammer and the round and the weapon wont fire. Half **** it (good luck in a fight but I suppose its possible) and the BG has to **** it by hand to get it to fire. Note: Some revolvers have shielded or internal hammers that you cant block. (designed for concealment, less snagging and no chance of anything blocking the hammer)
AUTOMATICS: A removable magazine holds bullets under spring tension and feeds them into the weapon. When fired, recoil forces the slide of the weapon back, ejecting the empty case. Springs force the slide closed, stripping the next round off the magazine.
Trigger actions vary; theres double/single where the first round is fired like a revolver. The subsequent rounds are single action, pulling the trigger just drops an already cocked hammer. This is because the slide moving back automatically cocks the weapon. Some autos are double action only. Each round fired is similar to a revolver (supposedly designed as a safety feature to present accidental discharge). Some autos, like the classic 1911 .45cal, are single action only. The weapon is carried in various ways but it must have the hammer cocked for the first shot. Pulling the trigger with the hammer down wont work. All these types of autos have safety levers that prevent moving the hammer when engaged. A few have half-**** safety features. Many have de-**** levers that safely drop a cocked hammer without firing so the next shot will be double action again. Some autos like the Glock, have a proprietary firing system that isnt single or double action (Glock calls it a safe action) pulling the trigger moves levers that release a spring loaded firing system. Glock handguns come with no safety levers. They are point and shoot. They do have a series of features that assure the weapon will only fire by pulling the trigger. You can drop it out of a plane and it wont go off accidentally.
Advantage: Ammo capacity. Ease of reloading. Can fire faster and more accurately with less training than a revolver. (yes a trained wheel gun man can match an auto, but it takes more practice)
Disadvantages: Prone to malfunction with improper shooting technique or maintenance. Untrained shooters may fumble with or forget to disengage safety levers.
What this means to the martial artist: Grab the slide before the weapons fired and it will fire; however it will most likely result in a jammed weapon (and probably cuts and burns to your hand). Like a revolver, block an exposed hammer (if it has one) and it wont fire. Move the slide portion of the weapon back far enough (out of battery) and it wont fire. Hit the magazine release button and he will only have the one shot in the gun.
****= I guess this board has auto-filters for commonly used vulgarities. The **** means setting the hammer into position, also slang for a mans genitalia. Odd. it will let me spell cocked, but not ****. How would I describe a male rooster???:idunno:
Since this is one of my favorite topics, I figured Id put together a little primer on handgun operation basics for the martial artist. Its very basic and is based on the assumption of a gun grab. Many instructors may teach to deflect the weapon and attack the BG. Take it for what its worth.
HANDGUNS
Handguns, by and large (there are some other designs), come in 2 different flavors, Revolvers and Automatics. Almost everybody knows the difference between the two so I wont go into too much detail regarding their parts and basic differences.
REVOLVERS: The wheel gun. The old cowboy guns were single action, which means that the hammer has to be cocked by hand and pulling the trigger drops the hammer on the round. Almost all modern revolvers are double action. This means that when you pull the trigger the hammer starts moving back, the cylinder turns bringing a new round under the hammer and the hammer falls on that round, all in one stroke. Many revolvers have a half **** safety this means that if you pull the hammer back with your thumb to the first click, the hammer cant be moved by the trigger. The shooter has to **** the hammer the rest of the way manually and then pull the trigger. If the shooter desires less travel in the trigger he can **** the hammer all the way back, enabling firing with less trigger movement and more accuracy.
Advantage: Hardly ever jams or malfunctions. Point and shoot.
Disadvantage: Ammo capacity. Frequent re-loading.
What this means to the martial artist: Stop the cylinder from revolving and the weapon wont fire. If the hammer is back or moving back, get a finger or web of your thumb between the hammer and the round and the weapon wont fire. Half **** it (good luck in a fight but I suppose its possible) and the BG has to **** it by hand to get it to fire. Note: Some revolvers have shielded or internal hammers that you cant block. (designed for concealment, less snagging and no chance of anything blocking the hammer)
AUTOMATICS: A removable magazine holds bullets under spring tension and feeds them into the weapon. When fired, recoil forces the slide of the weapon back, ejecting the empty case. Springs force the slide closed, stripping the next round off the magazine.
Trigger actions vary; theres double/single where the first round is fired like a revolver. The subsequent rounds are single action, pulling the trigger just drops an already cocked hammer. This is because the slide moving back automatically cocks the weapon. Some autos are double action only. Each round fired is similar to a revolver (supposedly designed as a safety feature to present accidental discharge). Some autos, like the classic 1911 .45cal, are single action only. The weapon is carried in various ways but it must have the hammer cocked for the first shot. Pulling the trigger with the hammer down wont work. All these types of autos have safety levers that prevent moving the hammer when engaged. A few have half-**** safety features. Many have de-**** levers that safely drop a cocked hammer without firing so the next shot will be double action again. Some autos like the Glock, have a proprietary firing system that isnt single or double action (Glock calls it a safe action) pulling the trigger moves levers that release a spring loaded firing system. Glock handguns come with no safety levers. They are point and shoot. They do have a series of features that assure the weapon will only fire by pulling the trigger. You can drop it out of a plane and it wont go off accidentally.
Advantage: Ammo capacity. Ease of reloading. Can fire faster and more accurately with less training than a revolver. (yes a trained wheel gun man can match an auto, but it takes more practice)
Disadvantages: Prone to malfunction with improper shooting technique or maintenance. Untrained shooters may fumble with or forget to disengage safety levers.
What this means to the martial artist: Grab the slide before the weapons fired and it will fire; however it will most likely result in a jammed weapon (and probably cuts and burns to your hand). Like a revolver, block an exposed hammer (if it has one) and it wont fire. Move the slide portion of the weapon back far enough (out of battery) and it wont fire. Hit the magazine release button and he will only have the one shot in the gun.
****= I guess this board has auto-filters for commonly used vulgarities. The **** means setting the hammer into position, also slang for a mans genitalia. Odd. it will let me spell cocked, but not ****. How would I describe a male rooster???:idunno:
