Hammer-fired carry guns are not a new thing. The original 1911 style pistol has been carried for self-defense and used for home-defense for more than a century, often in its “cocked-and-locked” position.
But with the advent of polymer striker-fired guns, the Glock being a particularly popular one, hammer-fired guns became somewhat less popular. And when those polymer, striker-fired guns gradually became smaller and smaller, eventually being built in a subcompact size that could fit into a pocket or inside-the-waistband holster for easy concealment, striker guns took over the lion’s share of the concealed carry market.
The difference between hammer-fired and striker-fired guns is quite simple and lies in the firing mechanisms. In a nutshell, a hammer-fired pistol has a visible hammer that, when the trigger is pulled, strikes the firing pin to fire the gun. A striker-fired pistol, on the other hand, has no hammer. When the trigger is pulled, the striker block is moved out of the way, allowing the firing pin to push forward and strike the primer, igniting the round.
Hammer-fired pistols typically have better triggers than striker-fired guns, although some advances have led to some pretty darned good triggers on striker-fired guns. Hammer-fired guns also typically have a couple of external safety mechanisms, while striker-fired guns rely more on safeties within the trigger.
While striker-fired pistols have ruled the concealed carry roost for the past few decades, several new (and some not so new), small hammer-fired carry pistols are rapidly gaining popularity. Let’s take a few that might just appeal to your customers who are looking for their next carry gun.
Walther PD380
The Walther PD380 is a carry gun for novice and experienced shooters alike. Its minimal recoil, easy-to-rack slide and double-action/single-action (DA/SA) trigger make it ideal for rapid follow-up shots and carrying with the hammer down.
The PD380 features a comfortable grip that fits well in most hands, promoting better control and accuracy during shooting. Weighing around 21.5 ounces, the gun is easy to carry for extended periods, making it an ideal EDC gun. The design includes controls that are accessible for both right- and left-handed shooters, increasing its versatility. The PD380 also features manual safety and trigger safeties, providing an additional layer of security when handling the firearm.
Chambered in .380 ACP, this little gun doesn’t have the punch of the 9mm, but it also produces manageable recoil, making it suitable for those who might be sensitive to heavier recoiling calibers. Available in black and purple frames with a black slide and black and angel green frames with a stainless slide, the MSRP is $479.
FN Reflex
This hammer-fired carry gun has a neat trick up its sleeve — the hammer is inside the gun, so impossible to snag on clothing or anything else when drawing or re-holstering the Reflex. The single-action-only (SAO) trigger is crisp and clean, and breaks at 4.5 to 5.5 pounds — about perfect for a concealed carry pistol.
The pistol has a 3.3-inch cold hammer-forged barrel and an overall length of just 6.2 inches.
Weight is only 18.4 ounces unloaded. For its size, the little Reflex packs a lot of firepower. The flush-fit magazine holds 10 rounds of 9mm ammo, while the gun’s extended magazine holds 15! Sighting is made easy with a set of three-dot iron sights featuring a high-visibility Tritium front sight insert with an orange painted ring. Since FN understands different shooters have different safety preferences, they’ve offered the reflex in non-manual (NMS) and manual safety (MS) models. MSRP for the little pistol, which is available with either black or flat dark earth frame and slide, is $599.
CZ P-07
The CZ P-07 was the first handgun to feature the convertible Omega trigger system. A simplification of the CZ 75’s hammer ignition method, the Omega’s trigger parts are interlocking in nature, allowing full disassembly and reassembly without the need for gunsmithing experience or tools.
A versatile pistol, the convertible decocker/safety system can be easily changed in minutes for whether the user wants to carry the pistol cocked and locked like a 1911 or decocked for a double-action first pull of the trigger. The black polymer frame helps keep the weight down to 27.7 ounces empty, and the stippled grips help the user get a firm hold on the gun in any condition.
The cold hammer-forged barrel of the P-07 is 3.75 inches long, and the overall length of the gun is 7.2 inches. Fixed three-dot sights round out the package, and the double-stack magazine holds 10 rounds of 9mm ammo. Both the slide and frame are black. MSRP is $489.
Kimber Micro 9s
Kimber’s Micro 9s are downsized versions of the popular 1911 format, and they are very high-quality pistols. With barrels machined from stainless steel frames from the finest aluminum, Kimber says the Micro 9s are manufactured to the tightest allowable tolerances.
One of the most important Micro 9 design advantages is a single-action trigger with a short, smooth pull that ensures accuracy and builds confidence. The thumb safety, slide release and magazine release are pure 1911 as well. Other standard features include a lowered, flared ejection port for flawless ejection and a beveled magazine well for fast, positive reloads. The steel sights are mounted in machined dovetails, and the extended magazine holds seven rounds of 9mm. Kimber says the Micro 9s are ideal for shooters with small hands, as well as those who insist on mild recoil combined with enough power for concealed carry or home protection.
The barrel length is 3.65 inches, and the overall length is 7.09 inches. The empty weight is just 1.2 pounds. With 14 different models available, your customers should be able to find just the right Micro 9 for their purpose.
Smith & Wesson CSX
A new entry to the hammer-fired carry gun market, the S&W CSX has already turned a lot of heads. The gun is built on an aluminum alloy frame with interchangeable polymer backstraps, providing the user the ability to customize the level of concealment and ergonomic fit. Chambered in 9mm, the CSX has an impressive 12+1 capacity and also comes with an additional 10-round magazine for deeper concealment.
The gun has an aluminum alloy frame, and the top of the slide is serrated to reduce glare. A chamfered ejection port helps ensure no snags when drawing the pistol from the holster, and the CSX’s flat-faced, single-action trigger with an integrated safety lends itself to consistent finger placement for improved accuracy. The slide includes EZ-tab integration for simpler racking.
With Smith & Wesson’s black Armornite, the CSX is made to hold up to the elements. Ambidextrous slide releases and manual safeties round out the list of features. MSRP is $619.
Taurus THC
Available in both 9mm and .40 S&W, the THC from Taurus offers quality at a very attractive price point — even to customers on a shoestring budget. All of the guns in the company’s TH series are modern reinventions of the classic hammer-fired SA/DA semi-auto platform.
With a gray polymer frame and matte black alloy steel slide, the gun is good looking as well as functional. There’s also a version available with matte black slide and a flat dark earth frame. The DA/SA trigger on both is better than those found on many striker-fired guns, and finger grooves on the grip ensure a good purchase on the gun.
The THC’s 17-round magazine capacity is a lot for a sub-7-inch gun that is just over 5 inches high. The length of the matte stainless steel barrel is 3.54 inches, and the overall length is 6.85 inches. The unloaded weight of the gun is just over 1.5 pounds. With Novak drift-adjustable front and rear sights, getting on target with the THC is an easy task. In the end, the THC has a lot to offer at a very low MSRP of $376.95.
HK USP Compact
Heckler & Koch is known for its top-quality handgun designs, and the USP Compact certainly lives up to that billing. The USP Compact is a small-frame pistol offered in 9 mm, .40 S&W .45 ACP. Based on the full-size USP models, these smaller pistols combine compact size with optimum effective shooting performance.
Unlike some subcompact semi-automatic pistols that use a hard-to-shoot “two-finger grip” frame, the USP Compact uses a narrow, full-hand grip frame with a choice of interchangeable extended or flush-fitting magazine floorplates. The DA/SA trigger is pure HK, very crisp and lends itself to good accuracy.
The USP Compact carries plenty of rounds on board to get the job done in typical concealed carry and self-defense situations. In the 9mm model, the flush-fit magazine holds 10 rounds, and the extended mag holds 13. The .40 S&W capacity is 10 or 12 depending on the magazine used, and the .45 ACP capacity is eight or 10.
This pistol isn’t for customers on a tight budget, however, as MSRP for the HK USP Compact starts at $1,149.
Girsan Witness2311 Brat
Turkish gun manufacturer Girsan has built a reputation for quality firearms over its 30-plus years of manufacturing, and its guns are carried by Turkish military and police.
The Girsan Witness2311 Brat, imported by Cocoa, Florida-based EAA, packs a lot into a highly concealable package. The Brat is a compact, double-stack 1911 with a 3.4-inch barrel. Designed for concealed carry, it comes with an 11-round magazine in .45 ACP or 17-round magazine in 9mm for more protective firepower. Standard features also include Novak-style 3-Dot sights, an extended beavertail grip safety, ambidextrous thumb safety, skeletonized hammer, removable magazine well, full-length accessory rail and a hard travel case.
The Brat weighs in at 1.4 pounds and carries an MSRP of only $679.
