Vincerama Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 OK, I hate the "must be at full decock" rule for DA/SA guns when there is a safe halfcock position that allows the shooter to release the trigger after "clicking" it off the full cock notch. However that's irrelevent in my case.M Make Ready! OK, so let's decock this (SP-01) ... Gun pointed downrange, grasp hammer with left hand index finger and thumb, pull trigger ... Oops, did I make sure I had a grip of the hammer? Was it too oily? Did I pull the trigger at the same time that I was grabbing the hammer? Bottom line I wasn't focussed enough on it. The "BANG!" and the slide slamming into my fingers sure got my attention! This happened two years ago, and since then I've heard from other much better shooters that it has happened to them too. So ... watch out...when you grasp the hammer, BEFORE pulling the trigger, pull the hammer back a bit to ENSURE that you have full control of it. OR, use the technique where you put your thumb UNDER the hammer (between it and the firing pin), pull the hammer and then ease your thumb out from under it. Most importantly ... just pay attention to what you are doing! And ... I'll not do THAT again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzw26n Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Yeah, it's something everyone shooting DA/SA should be conscious of, thanks for sharing. (reminding us) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronicTwitch Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 Try the thumb under the hammer and roll it out technique. Either way, that small step to make ready is probably the most important. I've done the hammer slip myself in practice. Stings a bit, and my ego took a few minutes to recover too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beastly Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 I haven't screwed up rolling my weak hand thumb from under the hammer, at least not yet... The pinch technique seems more prone to failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smitty79 Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 I haven't screwed up rolling my weak hand thumb from under the hammer, at least not yet... The pinch technique seems more prone to failure. Yup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himurax13 Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 Decocking while pinching the hammer with the support index finger and thumb method is almost as unsafe as decocking with your shooting hand thumb and trigger finger. If you simply place your support hand index finger or thumb between the hammer and firing pin, while slightly riding the hammer, then pull the trigger, then slide your support hand index finger/thumb out, you will find out that is a much safer method. I have done this hundreds of times on live rounds with sweaty and oily hands and there was never a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 do you guys decock manually when you practice. When I was shooting production, I would manually decock several dozen times every live-fire session (pinching with thumb and forefinger). never had a problem. never had a problem in a match either, but since I was doing it so much more often in practice, I would have expected it to crop up there first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted August 14, 2015 Share Posted August 14, 2015 exactly ... at 2,000+ rds/month of training with my typical rep being a 4 or 6 shot drill, that's approximately 400 decocks/month & that doesn't include dry fire where I'm 3 times that in reps. I've got close to 50K thru my Shadow & not a single AD .... I don't believe it's fair to call the pinch method "unsafe" .... or maybe I just have more natural talent than most ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sliv2 Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 I haven't screwed up rolling my weak hand thumb from under the hammer, at least not yet... The pinch technique seems more prone to failure. Agreed. It's also a deliberate part of my make ready process, not some absent-minded action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayDee Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 @vincerama, Which hammer does your SP01 have? Stock or aftermarket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vixty Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I think it depends on what hammer spring your using as well. I use an 8,5 in my shadow so there is very little tension on the hammer so its very easy to lower, however sometimes I will let the hammer down on my TS and forget that it has a heavier hammer spring and it almost slips out of my fingers. I guess easier de-cocking is another benefit to running a lighter hammer spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocMedic Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Question, why is it unsafe to decock the hammer with your shooting thumb? I've been dry firing my new CZ for a bit now and any time I try to decock the gun with my weak hand thumb I feel like I have less control and there's a potential for my thumb to slip off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 I thought the CZ 75 had a decocker and safety. Learned something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himurax13 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 It is unsafe to decock with your shooting thumb simply because your thumb could slip off the hammer while decocking. The same could be said about the OP's method as well. If you place your support thumb or index finger in front of the hammer, depressed the trigger, then roll the thumb/finger out, then released the trigger the chances of an accidental discharge is almost zero. The CZ75 models either come with a manual safety or a decocker. Not both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Thanks for sharing, So much of what we do in shooting is subconscious, this is something that needs to be a conscious thought amongs the matter. The method of thumb in front and rolling it out gets your thumb with crud on it, oil, not to mention. it feels silly, a solid grip on the hammer with the weak hand, and i've never had a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 It is unsafe to decock with your shooting thumb simply because your thumb could slip off the hammer while decocking. The same could be said about the OP's method as well. it's only unsafe if you have the gun pointed in an unsafe direction. I've seen each method hundreds of times now, with no AD's, but even if there had been one, all the guns were pointed in a safe direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullMetalJacket Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Single action FTW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himurax13 Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 It is unsafe to decock with your shooting thumb simply because your thumb could slip off the hammer while decocking. The same could be said about the OP's method as well.it's only unsafe if you have the gun pointed in an unsafe direction.I've seen each method hundreds of times now, with no AD's, but even if there had been one, all the guns were pointed in a safe direction. Until you get DQ'ed. The method I mention would work if your hands are sweaty, bloody, or covered in bearing grease. The others, not so much. I have seen the thumb and the pinch decocking methods lead to a DQ during local matches. Not a great way to spend $30 and a day of your life. Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimitri Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 When you decock, pinch the trigger with your weak arm thumb and index finger. Then PULL IT BACK (it will go back a few milimeters). Then pull the trigger and lower the hammer. Pulling the hammer back is a good method to ensure that you have the proper grip. If it slips at this point it will not AD, so you can fix the grip and start again (having said that, I must admit that while I never had an AD, I still don't like the decocking procedure, so I shoot my SP-01 in Standard Division) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 (edited) It is unsafe to decock with your shooting thumb simply because your thumb could slip off the hammer while decocking. The same could be said about the OP's method as well.it's only unsafe if you have the gun pointed in an unsafe direction.I've seen each method hundreds of times now, with no AD's, but even if there had been one, all the guns were pointed in a safe direction. Until you get DQ'ed.The method I mention would work if your hands are sweaty, bloody, or covered in bearing grease. The others, not so much. I have seen the thumb and the pinch decocking methods lead to a DQ during local matches. Not a great way to spend $30 and a day of your life. Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk for sure, if you do it wrong, you can get dq'd, no matter what method you use. I would say it's important to do it right, no matter what method you use. Hundreds of people do it right thousands and thousands of times, using whatever method they choose. That's why I do it all the time in practice. So I get used to doing it even with sweaty hands, or when I'm distracted. Edited August 20, 2015 by motosapiens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeinctown Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I like the idea of using my finger in front of the hammer. Even dry firing I had my thumb slip off the original hammer a few times after I had lubed the gun. That round shape doesn't lend well to the thumb method where the finger in between does. I guess with a different hammer shape the control may not be an issue. This is one time were I really like my Sigs. Lever on the side of the gun and it is decocked with good control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
himurax13 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 It is unsafe to decock with your shooting thumb simply because your thumb could slip off the hammer while decocking. The same could be said about the OP's method as well.it's only unsafe if you have the gun pointed in an unsafe direction.I've seen each method hundreds of times now, with no AD's, but even if there had been one, all the guns were pointed in a safe direction. Until you get DQ'ed.The method I mention would work if your hands are sweaty, bloody, or covered in bearing grease. The others, not so much. I have seen the thumb and the pinch decocking methods lead to a DQ during local matches. Not a great way to spend $30 and a day of your life. Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk for sure, if you do it wrong, you can get dq'd, no matter what method you use. I would say it's important to do it right, no matter what method you use. Hundreds of people do it right thousands and thousands of times, using whatever method they choose.That's why I do it all the time in practice. So I get used to doing it even with sweaty hands, or when I'm distracted. That kind of mistake goes back to what we call operator error. The whole point of sliding your index finger or thumb in front of the hammer is to take away most of the kinetic energy away from the hammer so that even if you foul it up, the primer won't go off. Sweaty, greasy, or bloody hands will not keep one from decocking properly if that method is used. Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowdyb Posted August 27, 2015 Share Posted August 27, 2015 I've had it slip in practice twice in two years. Both times were totally related to me being in a hurry. 100% my fault. I use the pinch method for what it's worth. Thank you for the reminder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeerBaron Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 I thought the CZ 75 had a decocker and safety. Learned something. some models have a decocker, some don't. the designation 'D' in the model usually indicates that particular gun has a decocker - ie CZ 75BD. The popular SP01, SP01 shadow and 75 Shadow do not have decockers. all have manual safety only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 WH finger in front of hammer. Mechanical obstruction > Sweaty pinch on oily metal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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