Switch from striker fired to hammer fired

[Djp55]

Hey all,

I'm making the switch from my M&P Pro to a Tanfo for production USPSA. I fully understand the load and make ready process for my striker fired rig, pretty straight forward. The Tanfo doesn't have a decocker (I don't think any of them do), so at what point do I lower the hammer?  I know there are allegedly three methods to decocking, support hand pinch, strong hand thumb or support have thumb roll. Is any inherently better than the other?  Any other advice/words of wisdom to someone making the switch other than dry fire the hell out of it?

[MNshooter]

You have to manually lower the hammer. Pick a method and stick with it (I pinch the hammer). Practice dry until your comfortable. Pucker factor was very high for me moving from Glock to Shadow 2. Now it is second nature. Good luck!

[rooster]

I don’t shoot a hammer gun but I see a lot of shooters that do.  Just about all use the thumb roll.  Some do it so fast that it’s scary, but so far I have never seen an ad doing it.  I used to have a Taurus that you had to lower the hammer and I did the pinch method.  I was shown to keep your palm over the top of slide not in front because in theory if it went bang the slide would ride through your fingers.  If you pinched directly behind the gun if it went off then the slide would smash into your hand.

[Djp55]

Thanks for the info. At what point during load & make ready do y'all go about this? Early on? Right before reholstering? Any requirements? Also, once it's decocked do I need to use the safety? My understanding is no but I want to be sure

[rooster]

The ro will tell you to make ready.  Then you take gun out of holster, insert mag, rack slide, thumb roll, reholster.  I’m not sure but I don’t think you can apply safety once hammer is lowered.  If in production class first shot has to be double action.  If in limited class you can start with hammer cocked and safety applied.  If your not sure what to do ask ro before touching gun.  He will walk you through the stage procedure.  

[Snowb1rd]

I went from an M&P to a CZ Shadow, and just focused on dry practicing the "thumb roll" until I could do it confidently. Find a method you feel comfortable with and practice! Feels almost natural to me now.