Striker assy vs. firing pin assy

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745SW

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I did a search a while back but no joy. My question is why does the striker assy differ from a firing pin assy. Appears the max protrusion of a striker from the breechface is much shorter than a firing pin. Tip area and/or tapper appears shorter as well. My guess is to help prevent out of battery firing of the striker fired pistol. All thoughts welcome.:)
 
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They are all different.

Glock has their odd shaped striker, S&W has a more traditional style. Others have their own way...

Maybe Glock thinks the elongated surface provides a more reliable ignition on difficult primers...

Maybe it's other reasons.
 
How?

I am not familiar with how they differ?

We may have to take into account that there are at least three different firing pin (for weapons that use hammers) types.

Inertial (e.g. 1911 pattern guns)

Frame-mounted firing pins (e.g. Ruger revolvers, struck with a transfer bar which is driven by a hammer)

Hammer-mounted firing pins (S&W centerfire revolvers and Colt single actions)

I know of two firing pin types for striker-fired weapons. Those firing from an open bolt where the firing "pin" is no more than a bump in the breechface (e.g. M3A1 .45 caliber submachine gun "Grease Gun") and the more typical types, usually inertial pins similar to the M1911 pattern.

Does this information help or just muddy the waters? I hope it helps refine your question.

Lost Sheep

edit: When I started this post, there were no other answers. I HAVE TO learn to type faster.
 
Hmm. Well, a striker is a type of firing pin. If the reference is to a shape like the Glock vs a rounded end like the 1911 firing pin, I can only say that Glock chose that shape for some reason I of which I am not aware. The "dome shaped" tip has generally been the standard since the first use of center fire primers, and very few designers have deviated from it.

Jim
 
I'm guessing different types of tips leave different types of indentations on primers. If someone could post photos showing such differences it would be nice to see what they look like.

Presumably everyone uses a blunt tip to avoid puncturing a primer when struck.
 
"Striker" and "firing pin" are often interchangeable terms, although "striker" generally implies a firing pin (yes) that is impelled somehow, most usually by a spring. Not a hard, fast rule, but this is not an exact science.:D

As always, YMMV.
 
i was told the striker from a striker fired gun doesnt need to move far out of the breechface because it has more mass behind it in combination with a strong spring compared to the light firing pin from a hammer fired gun.

i never measured the force of the striker or firing pin to compare but it sounds right.
 
Except for the 1911 family which has almost unlimited firing pin protrusion, the hammer fired guns I see have about the same protrusion as the striker fired guns. So I don't know who provided that "understanding".

The striker spring is certainly not stronger than the typical hammer mainspring, although you might say its force is applied directly instead of by impact.
 
I'm guessing different types of tips leave different types of indentations on primers. If someone could post photos showing such differences it would be nice to see what they look like.

Presumably everyone uses a blunt tip to avoid puncturing a primer when struck.
Click to expand...

I don't have time to post pictures, but the Glock spent primers show a slightly wider striking area (radical) when compared to a conventional firing pin primer strike. This in my opinion isn't necessary but Glock likes to be different. :rolleyes:
 
Jim Watson has seen much more than I have. :o I checked the protrusion of the hammered Walther P5 and found it to be about the same as the strikered Glock 19. The FP (firing pin) protrusion can't be said to always be longer than a striker.
 
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Like a lot of things, terms drift a bit, over time, and with different folks using them.

"Striker fired" came about as an easy quick classification for guns that didn't have a visible hammer. More precise terms describing the details of the actions are striker fired, hammer fired and concealed hammer fired.

What is called the striker in some pistols is called the firing pin in others.

Also, don't fall into the trap of assuming that the most common designs today are the only ones that fall into the "striker fired" group.

The GLock is striker fired, but so is the Luger, and they are much different mechanically.

In general use today, if a hammer hits it, its usually called a firing pin. If a spring drives it, it's usually called a striker, but there is no hard and fast rule and the terms are essentially interchangeable.

The spring driven "strikers" of bolt action rifles are almost always called firing pins. Unless you are British :D:rolleyes:
 
Consulting a Numrich schematic diagram, I see that my .32 ACP Mauser 1910 has a firing pin, even though there is not a hammer smacking it on the aft end.

This is so confusing.

I think I'll just go strike, er firing pin, my head against the wall.:D

Bart Noir
 
As for how it works, much less what it's called, another major difference is the space it takes up.

Strikers generally require longer slides which stick out over the hand further. Hammer fired turn the spring down 90 degrees and house it in the grip.

The result is a smorgasbord of lengths and profiles - but again, (donning flame suit,) the hammer designs can be more compact. By all means compare the various Ruger LCP series guns to see how that works out.

Your choice. If I had my way the LCP hammer with safety and light short trigger would be the choice, but since they didn't do that, oh well. I sold it and bought a P938. YMMV. The new "Rohrmington" .380 is another example. Shorter slide than a striker would typically require.

A lot of the smaller pocket pistols tend to use hammers, the larger holster carried duty guns go striker. Again, a generalization with plenty of exceptions, but a definite trend over the years.
 
The use of a striker allows the bore axis to be lower that it typically is for a hammer equipped pistol. This is because the hammer has to have a certain length above the hammer pin, to get enough rotational force before smacking the firing pin.

Lower bore axis is a plus in controlling muzzle flip.

Bart Noir
 
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