MovieChat Forums > Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2014) Discussion > Anyone with gun knowledge

Anyone with gun knowledge

posted 10 years ago by Diss
3 replies | jump to latest

I'm bothered by the operation of the gun, but I'm only familiar with single action automatics (Glocks and the 1911), and not double action, so correct me if I'm wrong. Yes it seems to be a minor detail, but the entire plot of the last chapter is based on this, including the ending. She pulls the trigger at least twice, which on my gun (Glock 17), is not possible. The Walther PPK is a double action gun, I just don't know if you can do this with a double action gun.

I could do this once, if I pull the slide back with no mag in the gun (or an empty magazine), pulling the trigger will click, but not return the trigger to the firing position. You need the energy of the bullet firing to operate the slide again to eject the round, and return the gun to a firing state.

Could anyone familiar with double action (traditional double action) clarify this for me?

[–] trollkillah 10 years ago

A double action pistol, the same as a double action revolver, will go through a complete firing cycle; pull trigger, hammer goes back and returns to strike bullet. In some ways, double action pistols are safer than single action, which are usually kept in condition 1, AKA cocked and locked,( bullet in chamber, hammer back, safety on), until ready to shoot. One last thing: once a double action pistol has been fired, it goes into single action mode, with the hammer staying cocked, and a hair trigger, until you run out of ammo. By the way, NEVER attempt to decock with a hot chamber, with any pistol, single or double action. If you must, eject the magazine and rack the slide to clear the chamber, making absolutely sure the chamber is clear before lowering the hammer.

[–] wyliec 10 years ago

Some double action pistols are designed with 'second strike' capability - under the theory that often if a round doesn't fire with the first hammer strike, as second strike will fire the round. This is seldom necessary with current manufacturing quality of firearms and ammunition.

Single-Double action pistols do indeed go into single-action mode after a double-action initial firing. Often single-double action pistols have no safety intended to be carried uncocked requiring a double-action first shot or manually cocking the hammer. Many pistols have a specific decocking lever allowing safe lowering of the hammer on a loaded chamber.

Today, a great number (if not the vast majority) of pistols are double-action only. Each round fired requires the full cycling of the hammer - the pistol is never in a single-action state.

The scenario depicted in the movie is accurate.

[–] beersandshots 10 years ago

Just for the sake of nit-picking accuracy, the Glock is neither SA nor DA, it is a Striker Fired Action (SFA).

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