Despite the fact that a striker and a hammer serve the same purpose, they are actually a little bit different.

Ever wondered when a striker fired weapon may be better than a hammer fired weapon?

In this article, we will go over the differences between the two and a comparison about when each firing mechanism is better to have.

For starters, striker fired and hammer fired refer to how the firearm actually fires a bullet.

What's Hammer Fired Weapon?

A hammer fired weapon, as the name may imply, has a hammer.

A perfect example is a revolver and any 1911 semiautomatic pistol.

When you rack the slide of a hammer fired weapon, it cocks the hammer back.

When you pull the trigger, the hammer will fall, which strikes the firing pin. The firing pin then springs forward and punches the primer of the cartridge, which then initiates the propellant that sends the bullet down range.

However, one thing to keep in mind is that not all hammer fired weapons have external hammers. There are some weapons that have internal hammers that you will not be able to see.

What about Striker Fired Weapon?

Striker fired weapons are fired by an internal striker.

Think about any Glock firearm. These all work with an internal striker.

When you rack the slide of a striker fired weapon, the internal striker is cocked. When you pull the trigger, that internal striker is what rides forward to punch the primer. Most striker fired weapons can only be decocked by pulling the trigger.

What's the different between Striker Fired and Hammer Fired? Which's better?

One common thing that you hear is that hammer fired weapons are safer.