Correct de-cocking procedure?

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wolfie999
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Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by wolfie999 »

Hi everybody,
Noob with another question about the P-64...
What's the correct way to de-cock/lower hammer with a live round in the chamber?
Should one just slide the safety on and let it click hard on the stops or is it better to kind of ease the hammer down whilst sliding into safe position.
I intend to use my P-64 as my primary carry piece and plan to have a round in the chamber and hammer de-cocked/on safe.
Thanks for any advice. :)
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fully machined
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by fully machined »

All this is done with the muzzle pointed down range or "safe direction"
I take my trigger finger out of the trigger guard and point it forward along side and underneath the slide.
I use my trigger finger here to support the pistol on that side to hold it straight. I then come up with my thumb and grab safety with first thumb joint and move safety down to drop hammer and put pistol on safe. I want to have control of the pistol in case of an accidental fire to safe discharge. I do not want any fingers or hands in the way of the slide or pistol action.
I would not recommend touching the hammer while using safety.
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wolfie999
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by wolfie999 »

Ah, thanks, that's how I've been "practicing" the motion but won't actually put a round in the chamber until I get the pistol to the range for the first time, hopefully this week.
Just to clarify...
You just use the safety lever alone and let it click down to safe and do not ease down hammer?
Thanks. :)
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fully machined
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by fully machined »

Yes, the "safety decocker" is a feature so you will not have touch the hammer when using it.
I know, it looks weird and scary and I always handle the pistol like its going to fire.
Never had a discharge, but have not actually used the decocker much.
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Curly1
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by Curly1 »

Give us a range report Wolfie.
Laugh Hard and Often.

Gary
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wolfie999
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by wolfie999 »

Thanks guys, indeed, I feel a bit nervous about clicking it into safe, but I'm also uneasy about releasing the hammer whilst trying to slide it into safe mode!
:)
Anyhoo, gonna get to the range in a day or so, will post a range report.
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RobsTV
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by RobsTV »

I would also add that if you intend on later racking the slide, you should flip the safety back to off or ready to fire position position first, while slide is already in it's normal fully forward position. While not all P64's behave the exact same way, probably due to varying degrees of wear and tear, mine will frequently not allow the slide to go fully forward if the slide is racked with safety on.

If slide remains at that less than forward position, (caused by racking slide with safety on), there is a chance that when flipping safety to ready to fire position, the slide and hammer may snap slightly forward, firing off the round in the chamber. This accidental discharge method happened twice here.

If I turn off safety prior to racking slide, never any issues, and all works great. The above has me leaving the safety off all the time. I will occasionally use the safety/decocker to lower hammer, but then immediately will position safety back into ready to fire mode. Works great.
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Curly1
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by Curly1 »

You can also test any decocking feature to see if it is working correctly by using the pencil test.

If the pencil jumps while using the decocker while holding the pistol up then the firing pin is hiting the erasure end in the barrel, not good.
Laugh Hard and Often.

Gary
rickn8or
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by rickn8or »

Just to set your minds at ease, take your own (unloaded) P-64 and test it this way:

With it cocked and the safety on, take a screwdriver or punch and see how far you can push the firing pin.

Start coming out out of the "fire" position, note the "ears" on the safety coming up around the end of the firing pin. Take the punch again and see how much less movement you have on the firing pin.

Keep moving the safety toward the "safe" position. At the point just before the top of the "ears" are level with the top of the firing pin, try to move the firing pin again. Note that the "ears" are closer to the hammer at this point and the end of the firing pin is slightly below the ears.

With the safety lever about half way across the red dot, the firing pin should be locked in the safety and the "ears" are still above the firing pin.

A slight bit more movement should release the hammer. Try the firing pin movement again. It should be locked, and an examination of the hammer face should show wear on the edges where the hammer has hit the "ears" more than the firing pin.

In summary, about half-way between "fire" and "safe", the trigger disconnects, and the protective "ears" start coming up and around the end of the firing pin. As the lever is moved further toward "safe", the firing pin locks and then the hammer is released.

I had to prove it to myself, as it took me a long time to come to trust a decocker.

The only thing I dislike about carrying with a round in the chamber and the safety off is it defeats the firing pin lock. I'm pretty sure that a P-64 dropped on the muzzle with the safety off wouldn't discharge because of the hefty firing pin spring, but I wouldn't want to be a test case.

Experimenting with the safety detent spring has lead me to believe that cutting approximately 1/3 off the length will go a long way to getting that compromise between too stiff and falling on while shooting. (But I'll still argue that "Up for fire, down for safe" is exactly bass-ackwards!)
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Curly1
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by Curly1 »

I agree it's easier to get the safety to fire position going down.
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wolfie999
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by wolfie999 »

Thanks everyone, lots of good ideas and procedures.
Many thanks, good bunch in this forum and I appreciate that.
:)
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wolfie999
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Re: Correct de-cocking procedure?

Post by wolfie999 »

Hey Folks!
I finally got in some range time with the P-64, I love it! :)
I used Hornady Critical Defense which seems to be a bit snappy on the hand, it did surprise me that it hurt worse than my .45, but as it is my carry piece and that is its primary purpose, I figure if I ever have to use it in self defense, I'm not going to care about the recoil. ;)
I realized as I was down to the last 4 rounds in the box, I better shoot some video, here's a quick 4 shots from my P-64:
http://youtu.be/9WgcEU9CJWs
Thanks for all the help, good board, great people! :)
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