{"id":6285,"date":"2021-05-07T22:12:51","date_gmt":"2021-05-08T03:12:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/?p=6285"},"modified":"2021-05-07T22:17:26","modified_gmt":"2021-05-08T03:17:26","slug":"guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/","title":{"rendered":"Guns &#8211; Handgun State Diagram (Automatic), and Common Movie Continuity Errors"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Previously, I&#8217;ve written about gun-related movie myths in &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/movie-myths-guns-part-1\/#How_Guns_Work\">Movie Myths: Guns &#8211; Part 1<\/a>&#8220;, and in there, I described in detail how guns work &#8211; both automatics and revolvers.<\/p>\n<p>Since that time, I&#8217;ve thought about making a state diagram that helps explain some of the common gun-related continuity errors that you regularly see in movies and TV.<\/p>\n<p>The result is the diagram that you will see in this article, along with a higher-resolution PNG and PDF that you can download for free, which would make a nice wall decoration for any gun enthusiast.<\/p>\n<p>Download the <a href=\"\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Gun State Diagram_v3.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PDF here<\/a>, or the <a href=\"\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Gun State Diagram_v3.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PNG here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Read on for more information about state diagrams and gun-related movie continuity errors&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#quick-recap\" >Quick Recap<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#what-the-heck-is-a-state-diagram\" >What the Heck is a State Diagram?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#quick-recap-semi-vs-fully-automatic\" >Quick Recap: Semi vs Fully Automatic<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#quick-recap-single-action-vs-double-action-vs-double-action-only\" >Quick Recap: Single Action vs Double Action vs Double Action Only<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#handgun-state-diagram-automatic\" >Handgun State Diagram (Automatic)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#states-and-transitions\" >States and Transitions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#a-few-words-on-gun-safety\" >A Few Words on Gun Safety<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#safe-handling\" >Safe Handling<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#safe-carrying\" >Safe Carrying<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#safe-storage\" >Safe Storage<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#common-continuity-errors\" >Common Continuity Errors<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#error-unloaded-but-not-unloaded\" >Error:\u00a0 Unloaded, But Not Unloaded<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#error-loaded-but-not-loaded\" >Error:\u00a0 Loaded, But Not Loaded<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#error-firing-single-action-uncocked\" >Error:\u00a0 Firing Single Action, Uncocked<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#error-cocking-the-hammer-menacingly\" >Error:\u00a0 Cocking the Hammer Menacingly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#error-racking-the-slide-menacingly\" >Error:\u00a0 Racking the Slide Menacingly<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/guns-handgun-state-diagram-automatic-and-common-movie-continuity-errors\/#conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"quick-recap\"><\/span>Quick Recap<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Let&#8217;s review a few things before we dive in to the diagram.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-the-heck-is-a-state-diagram\"><\/span>What the Heck is a State Diagram?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Technically called a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/State_diagram\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">state-transition<\/a> diagram, it shows all possible states of a device (logical or physical), and how the device moves from one state to another.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you turn on a lamp, its state is &#8220;on&#8221;.\u00a0 It can&#8217;t be turned &#8220;on&#8221; while it&#8217;s on, but it\u00a0<em>can<\/em> be turned &#8220;off&#8221;.\u00a0 If you remove the bulb, the rules governing the state changes are still in effect, despite the fact that the state is effectively hidden.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6292\" style=\"width: 538px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6292\" class=\"wp-image-6292 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Simple-State-Diagram.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"528\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Simple-State-Diagram.png 528w, https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Simple-State-Diagram-300x273.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6292\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In states 1 and 3, the lamp is on. In states 2 and 4, the lamp is off. However, in states 3 and 4, the state is effectively hidden, but the rules for state changes are still in effect.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you start at state 1, the bulb is lit.\u00a0 If you turn the lamp off, you transition to state 2.\u00a0 By removing the bulb, you transition to state 4.\u00a0 If someone else were to walk up to the lamp at this point, they would see that the bulb is removed, but they wouldn&#8217;t know if the lamp is in state 3 or 4.\u00a0 This is known as a hidden state.\u00a0 If you reinstall the bulb, the state becomes obvious (or the bulb is burned out).<\/p>\n<p>A state diagram is a model for how the lamp works.\u00a0 It can&#8217;t, for example, go from state 4 to 1 without passing through states 2 or 3.\u00a0 If you see someone in a movie turn off a lamp and remove the bulb, in your mind, you know the lamp is in state 4.\u00a0 If the hero comes along a few minutes later, and lights the lamp simply by screwing in the bulb, you intuitively know that this can&#8217;t happen.\u00a0 The hero broke the &#8220;rules of the lamp&#8221;, and this is distracting to the viewer.<\/p>\n<p>A handgun is a little bit more complicated, which is why you often see gun-related continuity errors in TV and movies, and rarely see lamp-related continuity errors.<\/p>\n<p>Like a lamp, guns have hidden states.\u00a0 Unlike a lamp, a gun has many more states that are interconnected with a much more complex set of rules.\u00a0 When a gun enthusiast watches a movie or TV show in which a handgun fails to follow these rules, it can be distracting.<\/p>\n<p>A state diagram helps reduce continuity errors by providing a set of rules that determine what actions are valid for each state.\u00a0 For example, you can&#8217;t fire a gun unless it&#8217;s chambered, or perhaps less obvious, you can&#8217;t fire a single-action handgun unless you cock the hammer.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"quick-recap-semi-vs-fully-automatic\"><\/span>Quick Recap: Semi vs Fully Automatic<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>As I previously discussed in <a href=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/movie-myths-guns-part-1\/#Automatic_Action\">Gun Myths<\/a>, the term &#8220;automatic&#8221; doesn&#8217;t necessarily mean &#8220;fully-automatic&#8221;.\u00a0 It means that the gun &#8220;automatically&#8221; loads the next round when fired.\u00a0 In review:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Semi-Automatic (Semi-Auto):\u00a0 The gun fires one round when the trigger is pulled.\u00a0 The next round is loaded automatically, but the gun does not fire again until the trigger is released and then pulled again.<\/li>\n<li>Fully-Automatic (Full-Auto):\u00a0 The gun fires, and then continues to load and fire subsequent rounds until the shooter releases the trigger.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The vast majority of &#8220;automatic&#8221; handguns are\u00a0<em>semi<\/em>-automatic, and that&#8217;s what we will be focusing on.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"quick-recap-single-action-vs-double-action-vs-double-action-only\"><\/span>Quick Recap: Single Action vs Double Action vs Double Action Only<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Single action (SA) means that the hammer must be manually cocked in order for the gun to fire.\u00a0 Firing cycles the slide, which cocks the hammer, so this only needs to be done manually for the first shot.\u00a0 After that, the gun is always ready to fire after each shot, until the magazine runs out of bullets.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>No single-action gun can be fired if the hammer is not cocked.\u00a0 The shooter must manually cock the hammer and then pull the trigger.<\/li>\n<li>The two most notable types of single-action, semi-automatic guns include 1911s (plus clones and variants), and Desert Eagles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Double action (DA) means that the gun can be fired uncocked (with the hammer down).\u00a0 Pulling the trigger forces the hammer backward, until it reaches the cocked position, at which point the hammer drops and the gun fires.\u00a0 This all happens with one smooth motion, referred to as a &#8220;long&#8221; trigger pull.<\/p>\n<p>Most double-action handguns can be fired as if they are single-action by manually cocking the hammer.\u00a0 This is also the default state after the first round is fired, and the slide cycles.\u00a0 Firing with the hammer cocked is known as a &#8220;short&#8221; trigger pull.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Double-action handguns can be fired with the hammer cocked (short trigger pull) or lowered (long trigger pull)<\/li>\n<li>Some handguns are Double-Action Only (DAO), which means that the gun lacks a single-action mode.\u00a0 The hammer fully lowers after each round is fired, requiring a long trigger pull to fire the next round.<\/li>\n<li>Smith &amp; Wesson, HK, Baretta, and SIG are generally double-action, as are most Walther \/ Makarov clones and variants.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Similar to DAO, striker-fired handguns use a captive spring-loaded firing pin (called a striker) to impact and thus ignite the primer of each cartridge.\u00a0 Made hugely popular by Glock in the 90&#8217;s, now many major manufacturers offer striker-fired models:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Glock (all models)<\/li>\n<li>SIG P320<\/li>\n<li>HK VP9.\u00a0 Interestingly, the HK VP70, which was designed in the late 1960&#8217;s and produced as early as 1970, is one of the first &#8220;modern&#8221; striker-fired pistol designs.<\/li>\n<li>Smith &amp; Wesson M&amp;P Series<\/li>\n<li>Springfield Armory XD Series<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Generally, striker-fired handguns can be treated as DAO with respect to state and state-transition rules.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"handgun-state-diagram-automatic\"><\/span>Handgun State Diagram (Automatic)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6360\" src=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Gun-State-Diagram_v3_Inset2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Gun-State-Diagram_v3_Inset2.png 900w, https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Gun-State-Diagram_v3_Inset2-300x206.png 300w, https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Gun-State-Diagram_v3_Inset2-600x413.png 600w, https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Gun-State-Diagram_v3_Inset2-768x528.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"states-and-transitions\"><\/span>States and Transitions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"background-color: #444470; width: 5%;\" scope=\"row\"><strong><span style=\"color: #00ffff;\">State<\/span><\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color: #444470; width: 65%;\" scope=\"row\"><strong><span style=\"color: #00ffff;\">Description<\/span><\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"background-color: #444470;\" scope=\"row\"><strong><span style=\"color: #00ffff;\">Transitions<\/span><\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>A<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Magazine Unloaded, Round in Chamber<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Although some guns have what&#8217;s known as a magazine safety that prevents the gun from being fired when the magazine is removed, most do not.<\/p>\n<p>This makes state A the most dangerous one &#8211; people often remove the magazine without checking the chamber, not realizing that the gun can still be fired.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>When unloading an automatic, always remove the magazine first, then check the chamber.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td>Insert Mag (cocked): E<\/p>\n<p>Insert Mag (cocked + safety): B<\/p>\n<p>Insert Mag (hammer down): C<\/p>\n<p>Rack the Slide: G<br \/>\n(Removes round from chamber)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>B<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Loaded, Chambered, Cocked with Safety On<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Called &#8220;Cocked and Locked&#8221;, state B offers the greatest state of readiness without actually being able to fire.<\/p>\n<p>Because the hammer is cocked and under spring tension, carrying a gun in this state is only considered acceptable for people who have the proper training and experience.\u00a0 Critics argue that the handgun operator could accidentally bump the safety off, leaving the gun in an unsafe state.\u00a0 Proponents argue that it&#8217;s fast and accurate:\u00a0 Pull the gun, sweep the safety off as you aim, pull the trigger (pull, sweep, fire).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td>Remove the Mag:\u00a0 A<\/p>\n<p>Disengage the Safety:\u00a0 E<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>C<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Loaded, Chambered, Hammer Down<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>A Single Action (SA) handgun can&#8217;t be fired in this state.\u00a0 The operator must cock the hammer before it can be fired.\u00a0 Some SA handguns allow the operator to engage the safety with the hammer down, while others do not.<\/p>\n<p>Although a Double Action (DA \/ DAO) handgun\u00a0<em> can<\/em> be fired in this state, it&#8217;s considered safer to carry than cocked and locked for two reasons:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The hammer is not under spring tension<\/li>\n<li>Quite a bit of force is normally required in order to actuate a &#8220;long&#8221; trigger pull, which actuates the hammer in the process<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Most DA handguns allow the operator to engage the safety in this state, further improving the safety factor when carrying.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td>Remove the Mag:\u00a0 A<\/p>\n<p>Cock the Hammer:\u00a0 E<\/p>\n<p>Pull the Trigger (Safety disengaged):\u00a0 F<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>D<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Magazine Loaded, Chamber Empty<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Racking the slide chambers a round, making the gun ready to fire.<\/p>\n<p>This is considered the safest way to carry a handgun, but requires the most amount of manual effort to draw and fire, and requires the use of two hands.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td>Remove the Mag:\u00a0 G<\/p>\n<p>Rack the Slide:\u00a0 E<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>E<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Loaded, Chambered, Hammer Cocked (Ready to Fire)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Some Double Action (DA \/ DAO) handguns have a decocker, which safely lowers the hammer while relieving spring tension.\u00a0 Some decockers are built in to the safety (called a &#8220;hammer-drop safety&#8221; or &#8220;decocking safety&#8221;) while others are a separate lever, usually mounted in the frame near the trigger.<\/p>\n<p>To manually decock a Single Action handgun or a Double Action without a decocker, point the gun in a safe direction, put the thumb of your shooting hand over the hammer (applying tension), and pull the trigger.\u00a0 This releases the hammer, which you can then carefully lower by reducing the pressure of your thumb against the hammer.<\/p>\n<p>A Double Action Only (DAO) handgun immediately moves to state C.<\/p>\n<p>Firing a DA with the hammer cocked is known as a &#8220;short&#8221; trigger pull.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td>Remove the Mag:\u00a0 A<\/p>\n<p>Engage the Safety:\u00a0 B<\/p>\n<p>Lower the Hammer:\u00a0 E<\/p>\n<p>Pull the Trigger:\u00a0 F<\/p>\n<p>DAO:\u00a0 C<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>F<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>FIRING<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>In this state, the hammer drops and hits the firing pin, which impacts the primer.\u00a0 Each cartridge (or &#8220;round&#8221;) contains a primer, powder, and bullet.\u00a0 The primer ignites the powder, pushing the bullet through the barrel of the gun with great force and therefore, at great velocity.<\/p>\n<p>When an automatic handgun is fired, the slide is forced backward, usually in one of three ways:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Blowback<\/strong> (also known as &#8220;straight blowback&#8221; or &#8220;direct blowback&#8221;), where the recoil forces directly actuate the slide through Newton&#8217;s third:\u00a0 For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.\u00a0 The force of the exploding powder pushes the bullet forward, but also pushes the gun backward.\u00a0 This recoil force is channeled in to the slide, which recoils sharply.\u00a0 Direct blowback is usually relegated to smaller calibers and cheaper handguns.\u00a0 Due to mechanical simplicity, these guns are easier to manufacture, but larger calibers require a much stiffer recoil spring, making the gun less reliable and harder to operate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gas operation.<\/strong>\u00a0 The slide remains locked as the bullet traverses the barrel, until it passes a tiny hole called the gas aperture.\u00a0 The gas pressure behind the bullet is diverted in to a rearward-facing piston, which both releases and cycles the slide.\u00a0 This type of mechanism is very reliable, but more difficult to design and manufacture.\u00a0 Most military-style rifles are gas operated, but some (usually high-end) handguns, such as the Desert Eagle work in the same manner.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Delayed Blowback<\/strong> uses a mechanical impingement to delay cycling the slide, allowing gas pressure to drop to safe levels before opening the chamber.\u00a0 These come in two flavors:\n<ol>\n<li>Mechanical Delay &#8211; the rearward force imparted by the exploding powder doesn&#8217;t directly actuate the slide.\u00a0 Instead, it operates a mechanical lockwork (such as a cam) which absorbs some of the kinetic energy and introduces delay.<\/li>\n<li>Friction Locking &#8211; the high pressure of the exploding powder imparts rearward force against a mechanism that stays locked due to friction against two moving parts that are in direct contact.\u00a0 As the pressure in the barrel drops, the force of friction drops, and just enough pressure is still contained in the barrel in order to impart rearward force, which cycles the slide.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>When the slide cycles, several things happen in rapid succession.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The slide hits the seer, which disconnects the trigger.\u00a0 The seer has two functions &#8211; it prevents the gun from firing fully-automatic, and also prevents the gun from being fired out-of-battery (chamber not completely closed), which can be extremely dangerous.<\/li>\n<li>As the slide moves backward, the rear edge pushes the hammer back, re-cocking it, preparing for the next shot.<\/li>\n<li>As the slide continues to move rearward, it pushes against the recoil spring.\u00a0 At some point, it hits the end of its rearward travel, and the recoil spring begins to move the slide forward.<\/li>\n<li>As the breach face passes the magazine, the lower edge grabs a round from the magazine, forcing it forward against the feed ramp, in to the barrel.<\/li>\n<li>As the slide completes its forward travel, the breach closes, the slide disengages the seer (re-engaging the trigger), and the gun is ready for the next shot.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If the gun is fully-automatic, and assuming the trigger is still being pulled, the hammer would drop as soon as the seer is released, causing the next round to fire automatically, and this will continue until the magazine is empty.<\/p>\n<p>If the gun is semi-automatic, the trigger stays disconnected until the shooter releases it.\u00a0 Pulling the trigger again fires the next round.<\/p>\n<p>If there are no more bullets left in the magazine, most guns lock the slide open, and the gun must be reloaded before it can be fired again.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td>Mag NOT Empty (DA \/ SA): E<\/p>\n<p>Mag NOT Empty (DAO):\u00a0 E then immediately C<\/p>\n<p>Empty Mag: J<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>G<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Unloaded (Magazine Removed), Chamber Empty<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Properly unloading a handgun involves removing the magazine, making sure that the chamber is empty (by racking the slide), and releasing spring tension on the hammer by decocking.<\/p>\n<p>This is the best state for storing a handgun.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td>Insert Mag:\u00a0 D<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>H, I, J<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Reloading<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>When the last round is fired, a tab on the magazine&#8217;s follower engages the slide lock, causing the slide to lock open (J).<\/p>\n<p>Reloading consists of removing the empty magazine, and inserting a loaded one (I).<\/p>\n<p>To make the gun ready to fire, the shooter releases the slide using the slide release, or with a slight rearward pull of the slide (H).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td>J &#8211; Eject Mag:\u00a0 I<\/p>\n<p>I &#8211; Insert Mag:\u00a0 H<\/p>\n<p>I &#8211; Remove Mag:\u00a0 J<\/p>\n<p>H &#8211; Release Slide:\u00a0 E<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>States D, G, H, I, and J are all more or less &#8220;safe&#8221;, with the chamber empty, and states A, B, C, and E are more or less &#8220;ready to fire&#8221; with a round in the chamber.<\/p>\n<p>Most people store a handgun in state G, with no magazine loaded and the chamber empty.\u00a0 Inserting a magazine moves the gun to state D, but the chamber is still empty.<\/p>\n<p>For home defense, you might keep a handgun in state D stored in a lock box or safe near your bed or in your bedroom closet.<\/p>\n<p>From state D, racking the slide loads a round from the magazine in to the chamber, and the gun is ready to fire in state E.\u00a0 &#8220;Racking&#8221; or cycling the slide involves pulling the slide fully-rearward and then briskly releasing it, which allows the slide to spring forward, loading a round from the magazine in to the chamber as it goes.<\/p>\n<p>Pulling the trigger (short trigger pull), of course, fires the gun (F).\u00a0 If there are additional rounds in the magazine, the slide cycles, loading the next round from the magazine in to the chamber, returning to state E, which is ready to be fired again.<\/p>\n<p>If the magazine is empty when fired, the gun goes from state F to J, where the slide locks back.\u00a0 The shooter then ejects the empty magazine using the magazine release (I), loads a new magazine (H), and from here, returns to state E (ready to fire) by either pressing the slide release (usually on the left side) or by partially-racking the slide.\u00a0 Since the slide is already locked back in state H, only a slight rearward motion is required, which releases the slide lock.\u00a0 Letting go of the slide then causes it to spring forward, loading a round from the magazine in to the chamber.<\/p>\n<p>From state E (ready to fire), there are two &#8220;quasi-safe&#8221; states:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>State B is called &#8220;cocked and locked&#8221;, where the gun is loaded, chambered, and the hammer is cocked, but the safety is engaged.\u00a0 Some double-action guns allow this state, while others do not.\u00a0 Disengaging the safety returns the gun to state E (ready to fire).<\/li>\n<li>In state C, the magazine is loaded, a round is chambered, but the hammer is lowered.\n<ul>\n<li>For a single-action handgun, this renders it unable to fire.\u00a0 A single-action handgun must be manually cocked, returning it to state E before it can be fired.<\/li>\n<li>A double-action or striker-fired handgun may be fired with a long trigger pull, which makes state C\u00a0<em>slightly<\/em> safer than state E.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A Double-Action Only (DAO) or striker-fired gun, when fired (state F), basically transitions through state E then directly to C, where the slide cycles and a new round is loaded (E), but then the hammer or striker is reset to an uncocked position (C).\u00a0 Each round fired from a DAO or striker handgun requires a long trigger pull.<\/p>\n<p>And last, but not least, to unload the handgun, the shooter first removes the magazine, transitioning from states B, C, or E to state A.\u00a0 At this point, there is still a round in the chamber, which can be a very dangerous situation.\u00a0 Because states A and G look very similar, it&#8217;s easy to forget that the gun could still fire.\u00a0 Some guns have what is called a &#8220;magazine safety&#8221; that prevents this, but most do not &#8211; they are capable of firing without a magazine inserted, which takes the gun from state A through F to G.\u00a0 However, this should not be considered a standard operation.\u00a0 To finish unloading from state A, racking the slide ejects the unfired cartridge, and takes the gun to state G, and the final step is to release spring tension on the hammer by decocking (not shown on the diagram).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-few-words-on-gun-safety\"><\/span>A Few Words on Gun Safety<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"safe-handling\"><\/span>Safe Handling<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>State A (round chambered but magazine unloaded) is the most dangerous state.\u00a0 When people inadvertently injure themselves or others with a handgun, it&#8217;s most often because they forget to remove the last round from the chamber.<\/p>\n<p>This is why you should always assume that every gun is loaded, and make it a habit to manually check the chamber whenever you pick up a gun, or especially when someone hands you one.\u00a0 To check the chamber, move the slide rearward about a half-inch, which is enough to see the brass cartridge case if a round is chambered, or the mouth of the barrel if not.<\/p>\n<p>Because A and G look so similar, most guns have what&#8217;s called a &#8220;round in chamber&#8221; indicator, which is usually a red pin, tab, or bar that protrudes slightly when a round is present in the chamber, but the appearance can vary widely.\u00a0 This allows the shooter to readily determine the state of the gun, and some guns even have an indicator that protrudes enough to be felt in the dark, if the shooter runs a fingertip down the slide.<\/p>\n<p>When you pick up a gun, or someone hands you a gun, ALWAYS:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Keep your finger off the trigger<\/li>\n<li>Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction &#8211; usually up or down, but not pointed toward anything that bleeds, could get damaged, or cause the bullet to ricochet<\/li>\n<li>Check the round-in-chamber indicator, or pull the slide back about a half-inch in order to visually inspect the chamber, to make sure the weapon is unloaded<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Never point a gun at yourself or anyone else, even as a joke, even if you think the gun is in a safe state.<\/p>\n<p>Never put your finger on the trigger until the gun is aimed at a target and you intend to shoot.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"safe-carrying\"><\/span>Safe Carrying<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You should never carry a gun in state E, because it is in its most ready state.\u00a0 Just a slight pressure against the trigger will cause it to fire.\u00a0 Even though most modern guns have ample safety features specifically-designed to prevent an accidental discharge, it&#8217;s more about the shooter&#8217;s awareness and experience.\u00a0 Also, older, cheaper, or worn firearms might not have these safety features, and could be subject to an accidental discharge, even if holstered.\u00a0 It&#8217;s just not safe to carry a gun in this state.<\/p>\n<p>If you carry a gun, you need to make the best choice which balances between readiness and safety.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>For DAO, double-action, and striker-fired guns in state C, the gun is ready to fire, but requires a long trigger pull.\u00a0 This is the default mode for these types of guns, and is considered &#8220;safe&#8221; as long as the shooter is trained NOT to grab the trigger, and as long as the gun is carried in a holster which covers the trigger.<\/li>\n<li>For single-action handguns, state C effectively prevents the gun from being readily fired, because the hammer must be manually cocked in order to move the gun to state E.\u00a0 Modern guns prevent the hammer from contacting the firing pin when lowered, or have a half-cock setting.\u00a0 If the gun lacks such a safety mechanism, it should be carried chamber-empty.<\/li>\n<li>In state B (&#8220;cocked and locked&#8221;), the gun is ready to fire, but the safety is engaged.\u00a0 This requires the shooter to draw the gun, and then click the safety off before it can be fired.\u00a0 Critics of this mode make the argument that\u00a0 state B isn&#8217;t necessarily safe because the hammer is under spring tension, and because of this, the shooter, with the gun holstered, could accidentally disengage the safety.\u00a0 For example, if the holstered gun accidentally knocks against a piece of furniture, the exposed safety could become disengaged, leaving the gun in state E, at which point the gun is no longer safe to carry.\u00a0 If you carry a gun cocked and locked, you should have a holster that either covers or protects the safety so that it can&#8217;t accidentally become disengaged.<\/li>\n<li>In state D, the chamber is empty, requiring the shooter to first draw the gun from its holster, and then manually rack the slide in order to load a round from the magazine in to the chamber, before it can be fired.\u00a0 This is the safest state in which to carry a gun, but the least ready, as it generally requires two hands to chamber a round.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"safe-storage\"><\/span>Safe Storage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For normal storage, any gun should be kept in its safest possible state:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Magazine removed from the gun<\/li>\n<li>Chamber empty<\/li>\n<li>Decocked &#8211; If you store a gun long-term with the hammer cocked, the spring could be damaged<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In addition:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Magazines should be unloaded (ammunition removed)<\/li>\n<li>Guns and ammunition should be stored separately, each in a locked case, cabinet, safe, or drawer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Optionally, guns can be partially-disassembled for the highest level of safety.\u00a0 For example, removing the slide from a handgun, or the bolt from a rifle prevents it from being fired unless the operator knows how to reassemble it first.<\/p>\n<p>For home defense, a handgun needs to be stored in a more ready state &#8211; D or G (preferably state D, with a loaded magazine inserted) inside a sturdy, secure handgun lock box that&#8217;s lag-bolted in to a wall or floor.\u00a0 Do some research before you buy a handgun lock box &#8211; many, including some expensive models, are embarrassingly easy to bypass with simple tools, or by removing the hinge pin.\u00a0 Pro-tip:\u00a0 Keep at least one extra mag and a flashlight inside your handgun lock box.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"common-continuity-errors\"><\/span>Common Continuity Errors<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Now that we&#8217;ve explained how the state diagram works, let&#8217;s explore how it can help us address some common continuity errors.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"error-unloaded-but-not-unloaded\"><\/span>Error:\u00a0 Unloaded, But Not Unloaded<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Tragically, and way too frequently, people accidentally shoot themselves or someone else because they confuse state A for state G.\u00a0 After removing the magazine, the shooter assumes that the gun is unloaded and therefore safe, forgetting that most guns can still discharge a chambered round, even without a magazine inserted.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, you often see this mistake in movies and TV, where someone removes the magazine, and then assumes that the gun is &#8220;safe&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"error-loaded-but-not-loaded\"><\/span>Error:\u00a0 Loaded, But Not Loaded<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The opposite error is to assume that a gun is ready to shoot after simply inserting a magazine, where the shooter has confused state D with state E, which is a common movie mistake.<\/p>\n<p>A very similar mistake that you often see in movies is when the good guy runs out of bullets, and the slide locks back (J).\u00a0 He ejects the magazine (I), and the camera cuts to him grabbing a new one.\u00a0 As he inserts it, the camera cuts back to his gun, which is now somehow in state G, so that when he inserts it, the gun moves to state D &#8211; quite incapable of being fired because the chamber is still empty.\u00a0 Yet, he immediately resumes firing at the bad guy without racking the slide first.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"error-firing-single-action-uncocked\"><\/span>Error:\u00a0 Firing Single Action, Uncocked<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>A single action handgun in state C can&#8217;t be fired, unless you cock the hammer first, taking the gun to state E.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"error-cocking-the-hammer-menacingly\"><\/span>Error:\u00a0 Cocking the Hammer Menacingly<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In this scene, the good guy points his gun at the bad guy, and threatens him.\u00a0 The bad guy says, &#8220;you don&#8217;t really mean it&#8221;, at which point the good guy cocks the hammer.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s break this down a bit.<\/p>\n<p>There are two scenarios:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The gun is single-action, in which case the gun was perfectly safe to begin with, because a single-action handgun must be cocked (C to E) before it can be fired.\u00a0 If this was the case, the bad guy wasn&#8217;t actually being threatened until the good guy cocked the hammer, making the original gun-pointing-gesture meaningless.<\/li>\n<li>The gun is double-action, in which case the gun would have fired cocked or uncocked.\u00a0 Although cocking the hammer might have some dramatic effect, it essentially has no function.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"error-racking-the-slide-menacingly\"><\/span>Error:\u00a0 Racking the Slide Menacingly<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Same scene as above, but instead of cocking the hammer menacingly, the good guy, with his gun pointed at the bad guy, racks the slide menacingly.<\/p>\n<p>Again, there are two scenarios:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The gun wasn&#8217;t chambered, in which case the good guy had been pointing an empty weapon.<\/li>\n<li>The gun WAS chambered, in which case the good guy just ejected an unfired round, which is pointless, and rather comical.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A slight variation, sometimes you&#8217;ll hear the sound of the slide being racked as the good guy (or bad guy) pulls his gun from its holster, but we don&#8217;t actually see him rack the slide.\u00a0 This happens because the sound effect person doesn&#8217;t know how guns work.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Please download, print, and enjoy the handgun state diagram.<\/p>\n<p>Download the <a href=\"\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Gun State Diagram_v3.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PDF here<\/a>, or the <a href=\"\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/Gun State Diagram_v3.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PNG here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The next time you watch an action movie, watch closely for continuity errors!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Previously, I&#8217;ve written about gun-related movie myths in &#8220;Movie Myths: Guns &#8211; Part 1&#8220;, and in there, I described in detail how guns work &#8211; both automatics and revolvers. Since that time, I&#8217;ve thought about making a state diagram that helps explain some of the common gun-related continuity errors that you regularly see in movies [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-good-design-bad-design","category-the-light-side"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6285"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6285\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6392,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6285\/revisions\/6392"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/justinparrtech.com\/JustinParr-Tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}