Carrying Freedom Arms 83 Fully Loaded Using Hammer Block?

[.455_Hunter]

What is fundamentally wrong with carrying a FA83 fully loaded in a full flap holster and using the factory block safety hammer position as designed?

Seems to me that the exact chain of events required for an ND in such a set-up are orders of magnitude more fanciful than something accidentally pulling the trigger on a typical safety-less striker gun.

And yes, I am fully aware of what the factory manual says- and it states the same for a FA97, which has an automatic transfer bar. Being subservient to lawyers is unfortunate.

 

[tuckerdog1]

YEA! I didn't pay all that money for a 4 shooter

Tuckerdog1

 

[PO2Hammer]

I think it's because you have to pull the hammer to half cock to load it and they want you to ease the hammer down on an empty chamber. But you don't have to go to full cock or line up a chamber to ease the hammer down.

Once loaded I don't see any further danger and I load my 357 F/A 97 to a full 6. I'm more worried about dry firing on an empty chamber, a big no-no with F/A's.

 

[eldon519]

They got sued which is probably why all the warnings exist. Supposedly a guy shot himself in the leg with a .454, and I think lost his leg. My suspicion is that he had the hammer all the way down on a loaded chamber.

But ask yourself this: why bother to engineer and include a safety in the design if it can't be trusted? Whatever you think the answer to that question is will guide how you load your gun from there after.

 

[jski]

Freedom Arms doesn't use a "transfer bar", à la Ruger?

If not, why not?

 

[eldon519]

The FA97 uses a transfer bar, but it is different in that it rests in a channel in the hammer itself. With the trigger pulled, the transfer bar slides upwards in the channel towards the end of the hammer where it is positioned to contact the firing pin. Without the hammer pulled, the transfer bar rests lower in the hammer leaving a void in the channel that receives the firing pin when the hammer is down so that the hammer does not touch the firing pin.

The FA83 uses some other system that I am less familiar with, but if I recall correctly, when you pull the hammer back just a little bit, a little blocking bar moves between the hammer and the frame to prevent contact between the hammer and firing pin. When you fully cock it, the blocking bar moves out of the way. In theory it might be a little less safe because the default is unsafe and you rely on the blocking bar to work and keep you safe, whereas the transfer bar default is safe and you rely in the transfer bar to actually work to make it fire.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Without the hammer pulled, the transfer bar rests lower in the hammer leaving a void in the channel that receives the firing pin when the hammer is down so that the hammer does not touch the firing pin.

So why would that not be safe in a flap holster that covers the hammer and trigger?

Deaf

 

[eldon519]

I think the 97 is probably safe in just about any holster, especially if it covers the trigger. Despite being different in design, it pretty much operates the same as a Ruger transfer bar.