A hammered-fired handgun is a type of firearm that uses a hammer to strike the firing pin, which in turn strikes the primer of a cartridge, causing it to ignite and discharge the bullet. This ignition process is what propels the bullet out of the gun’s barrel.
In a hammered-fired handgun, the hammer is typically cocked back manually by the user or automatically as part of the gun’s cycling mechanism when a round is chambered. When the trigger is pulled, the hammer is released, and it strikes the firing pin, which then strikes the primer.
This type of firearm design is commonly found in many traditional revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. It is distinguished from striker-fired handguns, where there is no visible hammer, and instead, the firing pin is partially cocked or fully cocked by the action of the slide or other components when the gun is ready to fire.
Hammer-fired handguns often have external hammers that are visible on the rear of the gun, and the user can often manually decock or lower the hammer to a safety position when the gun is not in use to reduce the risk of an accidental discharge.