The S&W M3913 was a compact, 8-shot 9mm and was certainly "best of breed." Light, handy and reliable, there was only one other gun of the type that even came close.

A recent pistol product announcement was met with some derision as being "unwanted by anyone" -- this a comment on 'social' media. I found the idea interesting and took a look back at the hammer-fired trigger-cocking pistol. I'm not going back to the Walther PP/PPK era but wanted an examination of why anyone would think it's a good idea in this era of the striker-fired 'wonder gun.' Pistols of the early 20th Century weren't really known for being drop safe and carry safe with a round chambered. It didn't matter if the hammer was at rest, in some intercept notch or cocked, people were more of the "grab pistol, rack slide and hope for the best" crowd. This time-killer meant that the double action revolver which included drop-safe features was still a big draw for those who carried handguns for defense. Adding the two concepts should help. Well, it really didn't. Even the Walther P-38 was best carried with a round chambered over a loaded magazine, hammer "decocked" by the slide-mounted safety – and with the safety left on. It's my understanding that failure to keep that safety on could, in rare circumstances, allow firing if the gun was dropped. "I never drop my gun." Okay, check back with me after you've lived as long as I have. We'll chat. If I'm still around.

The M3913 was selected as the carry gun for Deadly Force Instructor school at Firearms Academy of Seattle, Fall 1998.

It wasn't just drop safety, but an unreasoned fear of the cocked single action pistol – when you could see the hammer. The Colt 1903 Pocket Model was often carried cocked because the hammer was hidden and "what you can't see won't hurt you." Until it does. The cocked hammer phobia is silly because many of the afflicted carried the US Rifle, Caliber .30, M1 in really tenuous conditions. It couldn't be loaded in any manner, fashion or form without the hammer being cocked – and it was so carried. Same with your fighting shotgun when the chamber is loaded. I've worn a Colt .45 Auto on duty in uniform and remember those who'd were aghast at seeing the hammer cocked. I worked with a guy who carried a Colt Government Model Series 70 on duty in uniform – left handed – and remember he carried it hammer down on a loaded chamber, basically using it like the 1873 Model P. My longest running law enforcement job was with an agency who went to the 2nd Generation S&W Auto in 45 caliber in 1986. Those guns and the 3rd Generation that followed were carried continuously until 2003. In terms of trigger cocking autos, just assume I have some experience with the system.

Trigger management is the name of the game on trigger-cocking autos like this SIG P239.

Were they safe? Well, the troops seemed to be. I don't recall lots of problems with NDs, but they've since been into 'modern striker fired autos' since 2003 and have had only one incident of which I'm aware. That one would have happened had it been a Model 10 .38, a 1911 or about anything else. It was operator error. What struck me was the reliability of the S&W autos. Over my years with various pistols of the 1911 persuasion, reliability was all over the map. When I started, it was due to "gun show" magazines as much as anything else – that and kitchen table "custom action jobs." The so-called DA autos were reliable. The M9/M92 was, as far as I'm aware, reliable too and the SIG autos that are now considered in the "Classic" line have a great rep for reliability. They're hampered by different trigger presses required to make a hit and the fact that you really need to decock the pistol to holster it. I've had instructor/armorer types from around the country tell me that it was just a matter of 'training.' I have my experience and the experience of the city officers next door that tells me it's more than that. I was stunned to see actor Daniel Craig, public policy challenged as he is, pointedly decock the Walther in his first Bond film. Perhaps if we'd offered the payday that he got to our deputies . . . no. It was likely a matter of "takes and retakes" to get it right. There's a minor resurgence in the hammer fired trigger-cocking auto. I find it interesting and will watch it. I'm not calling a trend, but I never expected to see nearly nation-wide concealed carry either. -- Rich Grassi