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120-586: The Beaumont–Adams revolver is a black powder, double-action , percussion revolver. Originally adopted by the British Army in .442 calibre (54-bore, 11.2 mm) in 1856, it was replaced in British service in 1880 by the .476 calibre (11.6 mm) Enfield Mk I revolver . On 20 February 1856, Lieutenant Frederick E. B. Beaumont of the Royal Engineers was granted a British patent for improvements to

240-478: A cartridge seated within the gun barrel chamber . This is accomplished by actuating a striking device through a combination of mainspring (which stores elastic energy ), a trap mechanism that can hold the spring under tension , an intermediate mechanism to transmit the kinetic energy from the spring releasing, and a firing pin to eventually strike and ignite the primer. There are two primary types of striking mechanisms – hammer and striker . A hammer

360-502: A push-button -like thumb-actuated trigger design, and others like the Springfield Armory M6 Scout use a squeeze-bar trigger similar to the "ticklers" on medieval European crossbows . Although the word "trigger" technically implies the entire mechanism (known as the trigger group ), colloquially it is usually used to refer specifically to the trigger blade. Most firearm triggers are "single-action", meaning that

480-411: A quicker initiation of fire, but compromised by having a longer, heavier trigger pull, which can affect accuracy compared to the lighter, shorter trigger pull of a single-action fire. In a DA/SA semi-automatic pistol , the trigger mechanism functions identically to that of a DA revolver. However, this is combined with the ability of the pistol slide to automatically cock the hammer when firing. Thus,

600-555: A switch that initiates the operation of other non-shooting devices such as a trap , a power tool , or a quick release . A small amount of energy applied to the trigger leads to the release of much more energy. Most triggers use a small flattened lever (called the trigger blade ) depressed by the index finger , but some weapons such as the M2 Browning machine gun or the Iron Horse TOR ("thumb-operated receiver") use

720-483: A French weapon during the siege of Senlis and again in 984 at the siege of Verdun . Crossbows were used at the battle of Hastings in 1066, and by the 12th century they had become common battlefield weapons. The earliest extant European crossbow remains were found at Lake Paladru , dated to the 11th century. The crossbow superseded hand bows in many European armies during the 12th century, except in England, where

840-725: A breech-loading revolver which was adopted by the British government in place of the Beaumont–Adams. It was a solid frame pistol with six chambers, in .450 caliber. After official acceptance of his pistol, Adams left the London Armoury Company and established his own factory, the Adams Patent Small Arms Company. His pistol was manufactured in three distinct variations (differences related mainly to methods of spent cartridge ejection) between 1867 and about 1880. The models were tested and adopted by

960-477: A cartridge or loading the chamber, the hammer or striker will rest in a partially cocked position. The trigger serves the function of completing the cocking cycle and then releasing the striker or hammer. While technically two actions, it differs from a double-action trigger in that the trigger is not capable of fully cocking the striker or hammer. It differs from single-action in that if the striker or hammer were to release, it would generally not be capable of igniting

1080-435: A degree of safety in the field compared to having a conventional, very light trigger. There are two types: single set and double set. Set triggers are most likely to be seen on customized weapons and competition rifles where a light trigger pull is beneficial to accuracy. A single set trigger is usually one trigger that may be fired with a conventional amount of trigger pull weight or may be "set" – usually by pushing forward on

1200-590: A hole in the bottom of the notch, forcing the string out. This rod is usually attached perpendicular to a rear-facing lever called a tickler . A later design implemented a rolling cylindrical pawl called a nut to retain the string. This nut has a perpendicular centre slot for the bolt, and an intersecting axial slot for the string, along with a lower face or slot against which the internal trigger sits. They often also have some form of strengthening internal sear or trigger face, usually of metal. These roller nuts were either free-floating in their close-fitting hole across

1320-428: A hollow bronze enclosure . The entire mechanism is then dropped into a carved slot within the tiller and secured together by two bronze rods . The string catch (nut) is shaped like a "J" because it usually has a tall erect rear spine that protrudes above the housing, which serves the function of both a cocking lever (by pushing the drawn string onto it) and a primitive rear sight. It is held stationary against tension by

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1440-491: A man named Cao Lỗ (or Cao Thông) to construct a crossbow and christened it "Saintly Crossbow of the Supernaturally Luminous Golden Claw" (nỏ thần) , which could kill 300 men in one shot. According to historian Keith Taylor, the crossbow, along with the word for it, seems to have been introduced into China from Austroasiatic peoples in the south around the fourth century BC. However, this

1560-467: A manual safety that additionally may serve to decock the hammer. Some have a facility (generally a lever or button) to safely lower the hammer. As a disadvantage, these controls are often intermingled with other controls such as slide releases, magazine releases, take-down levers, takedown lever lock buttons, loaded chamber indicators, barrel tip-up levers, etc. These variables become confusing and require more complicated manuals-of-arms. One other disadvantage

1680-427: A massive base frame and powerful windlass devices. The arrow-like projectiles of a crossbow are called bolts or quarrels . These are usually much shorter than arrows but can be several times heavier. There is an optimum weight for bolts to achieve maximum kinetic energy, which varies depending on the strength and characteristics of the crossbow, but most could pass through common mail. Crossbow bolts can be fitted with

1800-424: A metal (i.e. bronze or steel) grid serving as iron sights . Modern crossbow sights often use similar technology to modern firearm sights, such as red dot sights and telescopic sights . Many crossbow scopes feature multiple crosshairs to compensate for the significant effects of gravity over different ranges. In most cases, a newly bought crossbow will need to be sighted for accurate shooting. A major cause of

1920-411: A noticeable spring resistance that can functionally mimic a two-stage trigger. The trigger break is named for the sudden loss of resistance when the sear reaches the point of release, which is described as resembling the breaking of rigid materials when the strength fails under stress . The actuation force required to overcome the sear resistance during the break is known as the trigger weight , which

2040-687: A period of aiming, or holding that form while aiming. Both demand some physical strength to do so using bows suitable for warfare, though this is easier using lighter draw-weight hunting bows. As such, their accurate and sustained use in warfare takes a lot of practice. Crossbows avoid these potential problems by having trigger-released cocking mechanisms to maintain the tension on the string once it has been spanned – drawn – into its ready-to-shoot position, allowing these weapons to be carried cocked and ready and affording their users time to aim them. This also allows them to be readied by someone assisting their users, so multiple crossbows can be used one after

2160-527: A police pistol. These weapons also generally lack any type of external safety. DAO is common among police agencies and for small, personal protection firearms. The primary drawback is that the additional trigger pull weight and travel required for each shot reduces accuracy. Pre-set triggers offer a balance of pull weight, trigger travel, safety, and consistency. Glock popularized this trigger in modern pistols and many other manufacturers have released pre-set striker products of their own. The primary disadvantage

2280-488: A result an external safety is sometimes employed. Double-action triggers provide the ability to fire the gun whether the hammer is cocked or uncocked. This feature is desirable for military, police, or self-defense pistols. The primary disadvantage of any double-action trigger is the extra length the trigger must be pulled and the extra weight required to overcome the spring tension of the hammer or striker. DA/SA pistols are versatile mechanisms. These firearms generally have

2400-496: A single-action mechanism altogether, more commonly DAO revolvers are modifications of existing DA/SA models, with identical internals, only with access to the hammer prevented, either by covering it with a shroud or by removing the thumb spur. In both cases, the goal is to prevent the possible snagging of the hammer spur on clothing or holster. Due to the imposed limitation in accuracy, the majority of DAO revolvers have been short-barrel, close-range "snub" weapons, where rapidity of draw

2520-655: A skilled archer, often necessitating the use of a pavise (shield) to protect the operator from enemy fire. Along with polearm weapons made from farming equipment, the crossbow was also a weapon of choice for insurgent peasants such as the Taborites . Genoese crossbowmen were famous mercenaries hired throughout medieval Europe, whilst the crossbow also played an important role in anti-personnel defense of ships. Crossbows were eventually replaced in warfare by gunpowder weapons. Early hand cannons had slower rates of fire and much worse accuracy than contemporary crossbows, but

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2640-677: A strong competitive advantage and Samuel Colt shut his London factory due to a drop in sales. In the US, the Massachusetts Arms Company was licensed to manufacture about 19,000 units of the revolver in .36 calibre, of which about 1,750 were purchased by the Union Army at the beginning of the American Civil War . They also made a pocket version in .31 calibre. In 1867, Robert Adams' brother John Adams patented

2760-777: A tool for hunting, and later an effective weapon against the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. Montagnard fighters armed with crossbows proved a highly valuable asset to the US Special Forces operating in Vietnam, and it was not uncommon for the Green Berets to integrate Montagnard crossbowmen into their strike teams. The earliest crossbow-like weapons in Europe probably emerged around the late 5th century BC when

2880-549: A tree at 140 paces. Crossbows were used in numbers as large as 50,000 starting from the Qin dynasty and upwards of several hundred thousand during the Han. According to one authority, the crossbow had become "nothing less than the standard weapon of the Han armies", by the second century BC. Han soldiers were required to arm a crossbow with a draw weight equivalent of 76 kg (168 lb) to qualify as an entry-level crossbowman, while it

3000-510: A variety of heads, some with sickle-shaped heads to cut rope or rigging; but the most common today is a four-sided point called a quarrel . A highly specialized type of bolt is employed to collect blubber biopsy samples used in biology research. Even relatively small differences in arrow weight can have a considerable impact on its flight trajectory and drop. Bullet-shooting crossbows are modified crossbows that use bullets or stones as projectiles. The ancient Chinese crossbow often included

3120-426: A way to catch the hammer on release; while the other two have three-position safety selectors and a way to capture the hammer on release. In these triggers, the third position activates the pull and release mode, while the center selector position causes the trigger to only drop the hammer when pulled. A set trigger allows a shooter to have a greatly reduced trigger pull (the resistance of the trigger) while maintaining

3240-487: A while longer in some break-action shotguns and in dangerous game rifles, where the hunter did not want to rely on an unnecessarily complex or fragile weapon. While single-action revolvers never lost favor in the US right up until the birth of the semi-automatic pistol , double-action revolvers such as the Beaumont–Adams were designed in Europe before the American Civil War broke out and saw great popularity all through

3360-426: Is a pivoting metallic component subjected to spring tension so when released will swing forward to strike a firing pin like a mallet hitting a punch / chisel , which then relays the hammer impulse by moving forward rapidly along its longitudinal axis. A striker is essentially a firing pin directly loaded to a spring, eliminating the need to be struck by a separate hammer. The firing pin/striker then collides into

3480-464: Is almost nothing but passing references in the military historian Vegetius (fl. + 386) to 'manuballistae' and 'arcuballistae' which he said he must decline to describe as they were so well known. His decision was highly regrettable, as no other author of the time makes any mention of them at all. Perhaps the best supposition is that the crossbow was primarily known in late European antiquity as a hunting weapon, and received only local use in certain units of

3600-504: Is also known as traditional double-action (TDA), as the vast majority of modern "double-action" handguns (both revolvers and semi-automatic pistols ) use this type of trigger instead of "double-action only" (DAO). In simple terms, "double-action" refers to a trigger mechanism that both cocks the hammer and then releases the sear, thus performing two "acts", although it is supposed to describe doing both strictly with one trigger pull only. However, in practice most double-action guns feature

3720-446: Is also used. The lock refers to the release mechanism, including the string, sears, trigger lever, and housing. A crossbow is essentially a bow mounted on an elongated frame (called a tiller or stock) with a built-in mechanism that holds the drawn bow string , as well as a trigger mechanism, which is used to release the string. The Chinese trigger was a mechanism typically composed of three cast bronze pieces housed inside

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3840-545: Is clear from surviving inventory lists in Gansu and Xinjiang that the crossbow was greatly favored by the Han dynasty. For example, in one batch of slips there are only two mentions of bows, but thirty mentions of crossbows. Crossbows were mass-produced in state armories with designs improving as time went on, such as the use of a mulberry wood stock and brass. Such crossbows during the Song Dynasty in 1068 AD could pierce

3960-526: Is contradicted by crossbow locks found in ancient Chinese Zhou dynasty tombs dating to the 600s BC. In 315 AD, Nu Wen taught the Chams how to build fortifications and use crossbows. The Chams would later give the Chinese crossbows as presents on at least one occasion. Crossbow technology for crossbows with more than one prod was transferred from the Chinese to Champa , which Champa used in its invasion of

4080-412: Is essential and limited accuracy is already an acceptable compromise. The purpose of a DAO action in a semi-automatic is mostly to avoid the change in trigger pull between the first and subsequent shots that one experiences in a DA/SA pistol, while avoiding the perceived danger of carrying a cocked single-action handgun, although it also avoids having to carry a cocked and loaded pistol, or having to lower

4200-406: Is not always considered a bad thing by some shooters. An overtravel stop will arrest the motion of the trigger blade and prevent excessive movement. When user releases the trigger, and it travels to its resting position. On semiauto firearms the movement eventually passes by reset position where trigger-disconnector mechanism resets itself to its resting state, in which pulling the trigger releases

4320-465: Is only one known depiction of it. The 11th century Chinese military text Wujing Zongyao mentions types of crossbows using winch mechanisms, but it is not known if these were actually handheld crossbows or mounted crossbows. Another drawing method involved the shooters sitting on the ground, and using the combined strength of leg, waist, back and arm muscles to help span much heavier crossbows, which were aptly called "waist-spun crossbows" (腰張弩). During

4440-497: Is popular on hunting rifles. A two-stage trigger is often called pressure trigger and is popular on competition rifles. Some fully adjustable triggers can be adjusted to function as either a single-stage or two-stage trigger by adjusting the takeup. Setting the takeup travel (also known as the first stage) to near zero essentially makes the trigger a single-stage trigger. Some single-stage triggers (e.g., Glock Safe Action trigger, Savage AccuTrigger ) have an integral safety with

4560-439: Is so called because it spreads abroad an aura of rage [ nù ] ( 怒 ). Its stock is like the arm of a man, therefore it is called bi ( 臂 ). That which hooks the bowstring is called ya ( 牙 ), for indeed it is like teeth. The part round about the teeth [i.e. the housing box] is called the guo ( 郭 ) ["city wall"], since it surrounds the gui ( 規 ) [lug] of the teeth [i.e. the locking nut]. Within [and below] there

4680-400: Is that pulling the trigger a second time after a failure to fire will not re-strike the primer. In normal handling of the firearm, this is not an issue; loading the gun requires that the slide be retracted, pre-setting the striker. Clearing a malfunction also usually involves retracting the slide following the " tap rack bang " procedure. Crossbow#Medieval Europe Crossbows and bows use

4800-430: Is that while a single-action revolver requires the user to manually cock the hammer before each firing, a single-action semi-automatic pistol only requires manual cocking for the first shot, after which the slide will reciprocate under recoil to automatically recock the hammer for a next shot, and is thus always cocked and ready unless the user manually decocks the hammer, encounters a misfiring cartridge , or pulls

4920-410: Is the xuan dao ( 懸刀 ) ["hanging knife", i.e. the trigger blade] so called because it looks like one. The whole assembly is called ji ( 機 )["machine" or "mechanism"], for it is just as ingenious as the loom . The earliest European designs featured a transverse slot in the top surface of the frame, down into which the string was placed. To shoot this design, a vertical rod is thrust up through

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5040-399: Is the difference between the first double-action pull and subsequent single-action pulls. DAO firearms resolve some DA/SA shortcomings by making every shot a double-action shot. Because there is no difference in pull weights, training and practice are simplified. Additionally, the heavier trigger pull can help to prevent a negligent discharge under stress. This is a particular advantage for

5160-426: Is the earliest and mechanically simplest of trigger types. It is called "single-action" because it performs the single function of releasing the hammer/striker (and nothing else), while the hammer/striker must be cocked by separate means. Almost all single-shot and repeating long arms (rifles, shotguns , submachine guns , machine guns, etc.) use this type of trigger. The "classic" single-action revolver of

5280-399: Is to rack the slide, clearing the round and recocking the hammer. While this can be advantageous in that many rounds will fire on being struck a second time, and it is faster to pull the trigger a second time than to cycle the action, if the round fails to fire on the second strike, the user will be forced to clear the round anyway, thus using up even more time than if they had simply done so in

5400-509: Is usually measured with a force gauge in newtons in SI units , or alternatively kilograms or grams in metric units, and pounds and/or ounces in US customary units . The break is often considered the most critical stage of the trigger pull for achieving good practical accuracy, since it happens just prior to the shot being discharged and can cause some unwanted shakes from the shooter's hand at

5520-618: The gastraphetes , an ancient Greek crossbow, appeared. The name means "belly-bow"; the concave withdrawal rest at one end of the stock was placed against the belly of the operator, and he could press it to withdraw the slider before attaching a string to the trigger and loading the bolt; this could store more energy than Greek bows . The device was described by the Greek author Heron of Alexandria in his Belopoeica ("On Catapult-making"), which draws on an earlier account of his compatriot engineer Ctesibius ( fl. 285–222 BC). According to Heron,

5640-633: The Adams revolver which allowed them to be cocked and fired either by manually cocking the hammer as in single-action revolvers or by just pulling the trigger. Beaumont was granted a US Patent (no. 15,032) on 3 June of the same year. At that time there was intense competition between Adams and Colt , which was rapidly expanding its sales and had opened a London factory competing with the British firearms trade, manufacturing firearms with interchangeable parts. The older 1851 and 1854 Adams revolvers were self-cocking, also known as double-action. The Adams revolver

5760-703: The Battle of Maling in 342 BC. The Book of Han , finished 111 AD, lists two military treatises on crossbows. Handheld crossbows with complex bronze trigger mechanisms have also been found with the Terracotta Army in the tomb of Qin Shi Huang (r. 221–210 BC) that are similar to specimens from the subsequent Han dynasty (202 BC–220 AD), while crossbowmen described in the Qin and Han dynasty learned drill formations, some were even mounted as charioteers and cavalry units , and Han dynasty writers attributed

5880-655: The Khmer Empire 's Angkor in 1177. When the Chams sacked Angkor they used the Chinese siege crossbow. The Chinese taught the Chams how to use crossbows and mounted archery Crossbows and archery in 1171. The Khmer also had double-bow crossbows mounted on elephants, which Michel Jacq-Hergoualc'h suggests were elements of Cham mercenaries in Jayavarman VII 's army. The native Montagnards of Vietnam's Central Highlands were also known to have used crossbows, as both

6000-558: The Smith & Wesson Centennial , the Type 26 Revolver , and the Enfield No. 2 Mk I* and Mk I** revolvers, in which there is no external hammer spur, or which simply lack the internal sear mechanism capable of holding the hammer in the cocked position. A double-action/single-action (DA/SA) trigger is a hybrid design combining the features of both single- and double-action mechanisms. It

6120-542: The Smith & Wesson Model 27 , S&W Model 60 , the Colt Police Positive , Colt Python , etc. Early double-action revolvers included the Beaumont–Adams and Tranter black-powder muzzleloaders . There are some revolvers that can only be fired in double-action mode (DAO), but that is almost always due to existing double-action/single-action models being modified so that the hammer cannot be cocked manually, rather than from weapons designed that way from

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6240-487: The arquebus (which proliferated in the mid to late 15th century) matched crossbows' rate of fire while being far more powerful. The Battle of Cerignola in 1503 was won by Spain largely through the use of matchlock arquebuses, marking the first time a major battle had been won through the use of hand-held firearms. Later, similar competing tactics would feature harquebusiers or musketeers in formation with pikemen, pitted against cavalry firing pistols or carbines . While

6360-548: The gastraphetes was the forerunner of the later catapult , which places its invention some unknown time prior to 399 BC. The gastraphetes was a crossbow mounted on a stock divided into a lower and upper section. The lower was a case fixed to the bow, and the upper was a slider which had the same dimensions as the case. It was used in the Siege of Motya in 397 BC. This was a key Carthaginian stronghold in Sicily , as described in

6480-447: The longbow was more popular. Later crossbows (sometimes referred to as arbalests ), utilizing all-steel prods, were able to achieve power close (and sometime superior) to longbows but were more expensive to produce and slower to reload because they required the aid of mechanical devices such as the cranequin or windlass to draw back their extremely heavy bows. Usually these could shoot only two bolts per minute versus twelve or more with

6600-469: The medieval era , both Chinese and European crossbows used stirrups as well as belt hooks . In the 13th century, European crossbows started using winches, and from the 14th century an assortment of spanning mechanisms such as winch pulleys, cord pulleys, gaffles (such as gaffe levers, goat's foot levers, and rarer internal lever-action mechanisms), cranequins, and even screws. The smallest crossbows are pistol crossbows. Others are simple long stocks with

6720-476: The 14th century, steel prods came into use. Traditionally, the prod was often lashed to the stock with rope, whipcord , or other strong cording. This is called the bridle . The Chinese used winches for large crossbows mounted on fortifications or wagons , known as "bedded crossbows" (床弩). Winches may have been used for handheld crossbows during the Han dynasty (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), but there

6840-776: The 1st century AD by Heron of Alexandria in his book Belopoeica . A crossbow machine, the oxybeles was in use from 375 BC to around 340 BC, when the torsion principle replaced the tension crossbow mechanism. Other arrow-shooting machines such as the larger ballista and smaller scorpio from around 338 BC are torsion catapults and are not considered crossbows. Arrow-shooting machines ( katapeltai ) are briefly mentioned by Aeneas Tacticus in his treatise on siegecraft written around 350 BC. An Athenian inventory from 330 to 329 BC includes catapults bolts with heads and flights. Arrow-shooting machines in action are reported from Philip II's siege of Perinthos in Thrace in 340 BC. At

6960-477: The 7th century BC in ancient China and as early as the 1st century AD in Greece (as the gastraphetes ). Crossbows brought about a major shift in the role of projectile weaponry in wars, such as during Qin's unification wars and later Han campaigns against northern nomads and western states . The medieval European crossbow was called by many names, including "crossbow" itself; most of these names derived from

7080-547: The British Army and Navy, with the last, the M1872 Mark III, seeing the widest use. The John Adams revolver remained the official sidearm of the British Army until replaced by the Enfield Mark I in 1880. Traditional double-action A trigger is a mechanism that actuates the function of a ranged weapon such as a firearm , airgun , crossbow , or speargun . The word may also be used to describe

7200-543: The Greek and Chinese crossbow but it is not clear what kind of release mechanism they used. Archaeological evidence suggests they were similar to the rolling nut mechanism of medieval Europe. There are essentially no references to the crossbow in Europe from the 5th until the 10th century. There is however a depiction of a crossbow as a hunting weapon on four Pictish stones from early medieval Scotland (6th to 9th centuries): St. Vigeans no. 1 , Glenferness , Shandwick , and Meigle . The crossbow reappeared again in 947 as

7320-565: The Song dynasty, stirrups were added for ease of drawing and to mitigate damage to the bow. Alternatively, the bow could also be drawn by a belt claw attached to the waist, but this was done lying down, as was the case for all large crossbows. Winch-drawing was used for the large mounted crossbows as seen below, but evidence for its use in Chinese hand-crossbows is scant. Around the third century BC, King An Dương of Âu Lạc (modern-day northern Vietnam ) and (modern-day southern China ) commissioned

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7440-414: The arcuballista was a crossbow is due to Vegetius referring separately to it and the manuballista , which was torsion powered. Therefore, if the arcuballista was not like the manuballista, it may have been a crossbow. According to Vegetius these were well-known devices and hence he did not describe them in depth. Joseph Needham argues against the existence of Roman crossbowmen: On the textual side, there

7560-550: The armies of Theodosius I, with which Vegetius happened to be acquainted. On the other hand Arrian 's earlier Ars Tactica , from about 136 AD, also mentions 'missiles shot not from a bow but from a machine' and that this machine was used on horseback while in full gallop. It is presumed that this was a crossbow. The only pictorial evidence of Roman arcuballistas comes from sculptural reliefs in Roman Gaul depicting them in hunting scenes. These are aesthetically similar to both

7680-424: The ban on certain types of crossbows, the weapon experienced an upsurge in civilian usage as both a hunting weapon and pastime. The "romantic young people from rich families, and others who had nothing particular to do" formed crossbow-shooting clubs as a way to pass time. Military crossbows were armed by treading, or basically placing the feet on the bow stave and drawing it using one's arms and back muscles. During

7800-429: The battlefield. Medieval crossbows were also very inefficient, with short shot stroke lengths from the string lock to the release point of their bolts, along with the slower speeds of their steel prods and heavy strings, despite their massive draw weights compared to bows, though modern materials and crossbow designs overcome these shortcomings. The earliest known crossbows were made in the first millennium BC, as early as

7920-465: The break and is typically a short distance and can be considered an inertially accelerated motion caused by the residual push of the finger coupled with the sudden decrease in resistance after the trigger break. It can be a very critical factor for accuracy because shaking movements during this phase may precede the projectile leaving the barrel and is especially important with firearms with long barrels, slow projectiles and heavy trigger weights, where

8040-605: The capital of Lu , and date to the 6th century BC. Bronze crossbow bolts dating from the mid-5th century BC have been found at a Chu burial site in Yutaishan, Jiangling County , Hubei Province. Other early finds of crossbows were discovered in Tomb 138 at Saobatang, Hunan Province, and date to the mid-4th century BC. It is possible that these early crossbows used spherical pellets for ammunition. A Western Han mathematician and music theorist, Jing Fang (78–37 BC), compared

8160-403: The cartridge primer positioned ahead of it, which contains shock-sensitive compounds (e.g., lead styphnate ) that sparks to ignite the propellant powder within the cartridge case and thus discharges the projectile . The trapping interface between the trigger and the hammer/striker is typically referred to as the sear surface. Variable mechanisms will have this surface directly on

8280-490: The characteristics and use of crossbows in chapters 5 and 12 respectively, and compares a drawn crossbow to "might". The Huainanzi advises its readers not to use crossbows in marshland where the surface is soft and it is hard to arm the crossbow with the foot. The Records of the Grand Historian , completed in 94 BC, mentions that Sun Bin defeated Pang Juan by ambushing him with a battalion of crossbowmen at

8400-447: The cocked position when it is pulled to the rear and the trigger is not depressed. In a revolver , this means that simply squeezing the trigger when the hammer is lowered will both cock and release it. If the user uses their thumb to pull the hammer to the back, but does not press the trigger, the mechanism will lock the hammer in the cocked position until the trigger is pressed, just like a single action. Firing in double-action mode allows

8520-452: The crossbow mounted on them. These could be shot from under the arm. The next step in development was stocks of the shape that would later be used for firearms , which allowed better aiming. The arbalest was a heavy crossbow that required special systems for pulling the sinew via windlasses. For siege warfare , the size of crossbows was further increased to hurl large projectiles, such as rocks, at fortifications. The required crossbows needed

8640-616: The factory. A release trigger releases the hammer or striker when the trigger is released by the shooter, rather than when it is pulled. A binary trigger is a trigger for a semiautomatic firearm that drops the hammer both when the trigger is pulled, and also when it is released. Examples include the AR-15 series of rifles, produced by Franklin Armory, Fostech Outdoors, and Liberty Gun Works. The AR-15 trigger as produced by Liberty Gun Works only functions in pull and release mode, and does not have

8760-421: The first place. The Taurus PT 24/7 Pro pistol (not to be confused with the first-generation 24/7 which was a traditional pre-set) offered this feature starting in 2006. The Walther P99 Anti-Stress is another example. A double-crescent trigger provides select fire capability without the need for a fire mode selector switch. Pressing the upper segment of the trigger produced semi-automatic fire, while holding

8880-496: The first shot, they would fire subsequent shots like a single-action pistol. These pistols rapidly gained popularity, and the traditional single-action-only pistols rapidly lost favor, although they still retain a dedicated following among enthusiasts. Today, a typical revolver or semi-automatic pistol is a DA/SA one, carried in double-action mode but firing most of its shots in single-action mode. A double-action trigger, also known as double-action only (DAO) to prevent confusion with

9000-481: The hammer from accidentally dropping, or a " decocker " – a lever that safely and gently drops the hammer (i.e. decocks the gun ) without fear of the gun firing. The latter is the more popular because, without a decocker, the user is forced to lower the hammer by hand onto a loaded chamber, with all of the attendant safety risks that involves, to return the gun to double-action mode. Revolvers almost never feature safeties, since they are traditionally carried un-cocked, and

9120-430: The hammer is manually lowered again. This gives the positive aspects of a single-action trigger without the need to carry "cocked and locked" (with a loaded chamber and cocked hammer), or with an empty chamber, which requires the user to chamber a round before firing. A potential drawback of a DA/SA weapon is that the shooter must be comfortable dealing with two different trigger pulls: the longer, heavier DA first pull and

9240-656: The hammer on a loaded chamber, if one only fires a partial magazine. A good example of this action in a semi-automatic is the SIG Sauer DAK trigger, or the DAO action of the Sig P250 . For striker-fired pistols such as the Taurus 24/7 , the striker will remain in the rest position through the entire reloading cycle. This term applies most often to semi-automatic handguns; however, the term can also apply to some revolvers such as

9360-493: The hammer or striker always rests in the down position until the trigger pull begins. With semi-automatics, this means that unlike DA/SA weapons, the hammer does not remain cocked after the first round is fired, and every shot is in double-action mode. With revolvers, this means that one does not have the option of cocking the gun before shooting and must always shoot it in double action mode. Although there have been revolvers that were designed with trigger mechanisms totally lacking

9480-684: The hammer requires the user to physically cock it prior to every shot; unlike a DA/SA gun, which cocks itself every time the slide is cycled. There are many examples of DA/SA semi-automatics, the Little Tom Pistol being the first, followed up by the Walther PPK and Walther P38 . Modern examples include weapons such as the Beretta 92 , among others. Almost all revolvers that are not specified as single-action models are capable of firing in both double- and single-action mode, for example,

9600-454: The infantry to be armed with crossbows. During the Song dynasty , the crossbow received a huge upsurge in military usage, and often overshadowed the bow 2 to 1 in numbers. During this time period, a stirrup was added for ease of loading. The Song government attempted to restrict the public use of crossbows and sought ways to keep both body armor and crossbows out of civilian ownership. Despite

9720-411: The instant of firing. Shooter preferences vary; some prefer a soft break with a smooth but discernible amount of trigger travel during firing, while others prefer a crisp break with a heavier weight and little or no discernible movement. A perceivably slow trigger break is often referred to as a "creep", and frequently described as an unfavorable feature. The trigger overtravel happens immediately after

9840-559: The latter half of the 19th century, with certain numbers being sold in the US as well. While many European and some American revolvers were designed as double-action models throughout the late 19th century, for the first half of the 20th century, all semi-automatic pistols were single-action weapons, requiring the weapon to be carried cocked and loaded with the safety on, or uncocked with an empty chamber ( Colt M1911 , Mauser C96 , Luger P.08 , Tokarev TT , Browning Hi-Power ). The difference between these weapons and single-action revolvers

9960-445: The lower segment of the trigger produced fully automatic fire. Though considered innovative at the time, the feature was eliminated on most firearms due to its complexity. Examples include MG 34 , Kulsprutegevär m/40 automatic rifle , M1946 Sieg automatic rifle , Osario Selectiva, and Star Model Z62 . A progressive , or staged trigger allows different firing rates based on how far it is depressed. For example, when pulled lightly,

10080-642: The mid-to-late 19th century includes black powder caplock muzzleloaders such as the Colt 1860 "Army" Model , and Colt 1851 "Navy" Model , and European models like the LeMat , as well as early metallic cartridge revolvers such as the Colt Model 1873 "Single Action Army" (named for its trigger mechanism) and Smith & Wesson Model 3 , all of which required a thumb to cock the hammer before firing. Single-action triggers with manually cocked external hammers lasted

10200-503: The military crossbow had largely been supplanted by firearms on the battlefield by 1525, the sporting crossbow in various forms remained a popular hunting weapon in Europe until the eighteenth century. The accuracy of late 15th century crossbows compares well with modern handguns, based on records of shooting competitions in German cities. Crossbows saw irregular use throughout the rest of the 16th century; for example, Maria Pita 's husband

10320-476: The moon to the shape of a round crossbow bullet . The Zhuangzi also mentions crossbow bullets. The earliest Chinese documents mentioning a crossbow were texts from the 4th to 3rd centuries BC attributed to the followers of Mozi . This source refers to the use of a giant crossbow between the 6th and 5th centuries BC, corresponding to the late Spring and Autumn period . Sun Tzu 's The Art of War (first appearance dated between 500 BC to 300 BC ) refers to

10440-418: The more common hybrid DA/SA designs, is a trigger that must perform the double function of both cocking and releasing the hammer/striker. Such trigger design either has no internal sear mechanism capable of holding the hammer/striker in a still position (so cocking and releasing have to happen in one uninterrupted sequence), or has the whole hammer shrouded and/or with the thumb spur machined off, preventing

10560-408: The more significant resistance drop can make the trigger finger overshoot and shake in an uncontrolled fashion. Having some overtravel provides a "buffer zone" that prevents the shooter from "jerking the trigger", allowing the remnant pressing force from the finger to be dampened via a "follow-through" motion. Although a perceivable overtravel can be felt as adding to the "creep" of the trigger break, it

10680-482: The new revolver in a variety of calibres and sizes, from pocket pistols to large military versions. The United Kingdom officially adopted the 54-bore (.442 calibre) Beaumont–Adams in 1856, Holland and Russia following soon after. To meet the growing demand for its weapons, Deane, Adams & Deane contracted companies in Birmingham and Liége to manufacture their weapons under licence. The new revolver gave Robert Adams

10800-415: The optional ability to cock the hammer separately, reducing the trigger to perform just one action. This is opposed to "double-action only" firearms, which completely lack the capability to fire in single-action mode. In a DA/SA trigger, the mechanism is designed with an internal sear that allows the trigger to both cock and release the hammer/striker when fully pulled, or to merely lock the hammer/striker in

10920-427: The other while others reload and ready them. Crossbows are spanned into their cocked positions using a number of techniques and devices, some of which are mechanical and employ gear and pulley arrangements – levers, belt hooks, pulleys, windlasses and cranequins – to overcome very high draw weight. These potentially achieve better precision and enable their effective use by less familiarised and trained personnel, whereas

11040-553: The primer. Examples of pre-set strikers are the Glock , Smith & Wesson M&P , Springfield Armory XD -S variant (only), Kahr Arms , FN FNS series and Ruger SR series pistols. This type of trigger mechanism is sometimes referred to as a Striker Fired Action or SFA. Examples of pre-set hammers are the Kel-Tec P-32 and Ruger LCP pistols. Pre-set hybrid triggers are similar to a DA/SA trigger in reverse. The first pull of

11160-525: The same elastic launch principles, but differ in that an archer using a bow must draw-and-shoot in a quick and smooth motion with limited or no time for aiming, while a crossbow's design allows it to be spanned and cocked ready for use at a later time and thus affording them unlimited time to aim. When shooting bows, the archer must fully perform the draw , holding the string and arrow using various techniques while pulling it back with arm and back muscles, and then either immediately shooting instinctively without

11280-488: The same time, Greek fortifications began to feature high towers with shuttered windows in the top, presumably to house anti-personnel arrow shooters, as in Aigosthena . The late 4th century author Vegetius , in his De Re Militari , describes arcubalistarii (crossbowmen) working together with archers and artillerymen. However it is disputed whether arcuballistas were crossbows or torsion-powered weapons. The idea that

11400-494: The sear. The reset event does not occur in double action firearms and in full auto firearms. There are numerous types of trigger designs, typically categorized according to which functions the trigger is tasked to perform, a.k.a. the trigger action (not to be confused with the action of the whole firearm , which refers to all the components that help handle the cartridge, including the magazine , bolt , hammer and firing pin / striker , extractor and ejector in addition to

11520-442: The second piece, which is shaped like a flattened "C" and acts as the sear . The sear cannot move as it is trapped by the third piece, i.e. the actual trigger blade, which hangs vertically below the enclosure and catches the sear via a notch. The two bearing surfaces between the three trigger pieces each offers a mechanical advantage , which allow for handling significant draw weights with a much smaller pull weight. During shooting,

11640-401: The set trigger, and then pulling the firing trigger. A double set, double phase trigger can be operated as a standard trigger if the set trigger is not pulled, or as a set trigger by first pulling the set trigger. Double set, double phase triggers offer the versatility of both a standard trigger and a set trigger. Pre-set strikers and hammers apply only to semi-automatic handguns. Upon firing

11760-433: The shorter, lighter subsequent SA pulls. The difference between these trigger pulls can affect the accuracy of the crucial first few shots in an emergency situation. Although there is little need for a safety on a DA/SA handgun when carrying it loaded with the hammer down, after the first shots are fired, the hammer will be cocked and the chamber loaded. Thus, most DA/SA guns either feature a conventional safety that prevents

11880-406: The shortest, lightest, and smoothest pull available. The pull is also consistent from shot to shot so no adjustments in technique are needed for proper accuracy. On a single-action revolver, for which the hammer must be manually cocked prior to firing, an added level of safety is present. On a semi-automatic, the hammer will be cocked and made ready to fire by the process of chambering a round, and as

12000-499: The simple and composite warbows of, for example, the English and the steppe nomads require years of training, practice and familiarisation. These advantages for the crossbow are somewhat offset by the longer time needed to reload a crossbow for further shots, with the crossbows with high draw weights requiring sophisticated systems of gears and pulleys to overcome their huge draw weights that are very slow and rather awkward to employ on

12120-550: The sound of shooting a crossbow is vibration of various components. Crossbow silencers are multiple components placed on high vibration parts, such as the string and limbs, to dampen vibration and suppress the sound of loosing the bolt. In terms of archaeological evidence, crossbow locks dated c.  650 BC made of cast bronze have been found in China . They have also been found in Tombs 3 and 12 at Qufu , Shandong, previously

12240-536: The start. European crossbows from the 10th to 12th centuries used wood for the bow, also called the prod or lath , which tended to be ash or yew . Composite bows started appearing in Europe during the 13th century and could be made from layers of different material, often wood, horn, and sinew glued together and bound with animal tendon. These composite bows made of several layers are much stronger and more efficient in releasing energy than simple wooden bows. As steel became more widely available in Europe around

12360-462: The stock, tied in with a binding of sinew or other strong cording; or mounted on a metal axle or pins. Removable or integral plates of wood, ivory, or metal on the sides of the stock kept the nut in place laterally. Nuts were made of antler, bone, or metal. Bows could be kept taut and ready to shoot for some time with little physical straining, allowing crossbowmen to aim better without fatiguing. Chinese crossbow bows were made of composite material from

12480-599: The success of numerous battles against the Xiongnu and Western Regions city-states to massed crossbow volleys. The bronze triggers were designed in such a way that they were able to store a large amount of energy within the bow when drawn but was easily shot with little resistance and recoil when the trigger was pulled. The trigger nut also had a long vertical spine that could be used like a primitive rear sight for elevation adjustment, which allowed precision shooting over longer distances. The Qin and Han dynasty-era crossbow

12600-428: The trigger and hammer or have separate sears or other connecting parts. The trigger pull can be divided into three mechanical stages: When considering the practical accuracy of a firearm, the trigger takeup is often considered the least critical stage of the trigger pull. Often triggers are classified as either single-stage or two-stage based on the takeup. A single-stage trigger is often called direct trigger and

12720-399: The trigger is designed only for the single function of disengaging the sear , which allows for a spring -tensioned hammer / striker to be released. In "double-action" firearm designs, the trigger also performs the additional function of cocking the hammer – and there are many designs where the trigger is used for a range of other functions. Firearms use triggers to initiate the firing of

12840-409: The trigger is pre-set. If the striker or hammer fail to discharge the cartridge, the trigger may be pulled again and will operate as a double-action only (DAO) until the cartridge discharges or the malfunction is cleared. This allows the operator to attempt a second time to fire a cartridge after a misfire malfunction, as opposed to a single-action, in which the only thing to do if a round fails to fire

12960-448: The trigger on an empty chamber (for older weapons lacking "last round bolt hold open" feature). In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Walther introduced the first "double-action" (actually DA/SA hybrid) semi-automatic pistols, the PPK and P.38 models, which featured a revolver-style double-action trigger, allowing the weapon to be carried with a round chambered and the hammer lowered. After

13080-434: The trigger). While a trigger is primarily designed to set off a shot by releasing the hammer/striker, it may also perform additional functions such as cocking (loading against a spring) the hammer/striker, rotating a revolver 's cylinder , deactivating internal safeties , transitioning between different firing modes (see progressive trigger ), or reducing the pull weight (see set trigger ). A single-action (SA) trigger

13200-514: The trigger, or by pushing forward on a small lever attached to the rear of the trigger. This takes up the trigger slack (or "take-up") in the trigger and allows for a much lighter trigger pull. This is colloquially known as a hair trigger . A double set trigger achieves the same result, but uses two triggers: one sets the trigger and the other fires the weapon. Double set triggers can be further classified into two different phases. A double set, single phase trigger can only be operated by first pulling

13320-418: The user from manipulating it separately. This design requires a trigger pull to both cock and trip the hammer/striker for every single shot, unlike a DA/SA, which only requires a double-action trigger pull for the first shot (or a typical DA/SA revolver, which can fire single action any time the user wishes but uses double-action as a default). This means that there is no single-action function for any shot, and

13440-413: The user will hold the crossbow at eye level by a vertical handle and aim along the arrow using the sighting spine for elevation , similar to how a modern rifleman shoots with iron sights . When the trigger blade is pulled, its notch disengages from the sear and allows the latter to drop downwards, which in turn frees up the nuts to pivot forward and release the bowstring. The nu ( 弩 ) [crossbow]

13560-416: The weapon can be carried with the hammer down on a loaded chamber, reducing perceived danger of carrying a single-action semi-automatic. When the user is ready to fire, simply pulling the trigger will cock and release the hammer in double action mode. When the weapon fires, the cycling slide automatically cocks the hammer to the rear, meaning that the rest of the shots fired will be in single-action mode, unless

13680-416: The weapon will fire a single shot. When depressed further, the weapon fires at a fully automatic rate. Examples include FN P90 , Jatimatic , CZ Model 25 , PM-63 , BXP , F1 submachine gun , Vigneron submachine gun , Wimmersperg Spz-kr , and Steyr AUG . Each trigger mechanism has its own merits. Historically, the first type of trigger was the single-action. This is the simplest mechanism and generally

13800-505: The word ballista , an ancient Greek torsion siege engine similar in appearance but different in design principle. In modern times, firearms have largely supplanted bows and crossbows as weapons of war, but crossbows remain widely used for competitive shooting sports and hunting, and for relatively silent shooting. A crossbowman is sometimes called an arbalist , or historically an arbalister . Arrow , bolt and quarrel are all suitable terms for crossbow projectiles, as

13920-404: Was vire historically. The lath , also called the prod , is the bow of the crossbow. According to W. F. Peterson, prod came into usage in the 19th century as a result of mistranslating rodd in a 16th-century list of crossbow effects. The stock (a modern term derived from the equivalent concept in firearms ) is the wooden body on which the bow is mounted, although the medieval tiller

14040-474: Was also an early example of a modular design , as the bronze trigger components were also mass-produced with relative precise tolerances so that the parts were interchangeable between different crossbows. The trigger mechanism from one crossbow can be installed into another simply by dropping into a tiller slot of the same specifications and secured with dowel pins . Some crossbow designs were also found to be fitted with bronze buttplates and trigger guard . It

14160-558: Was claimed that a few elite troops were capable of arming crossbows with a draw-weight in excess of 340 kg (750 lb) by the hands-and-feet method. After the Han dynasty, the crossbow lost favor during the Six Dynasties , until it experienced a mild resurgence during the Tang dynasty , under which the ideal expeditionary army of 20,000 included 2,200 archers and 2,000 crossbowmen. Li Jing and Li Quan prescribed 20 percent of

14280-545: Was favoured by British officers in the Crimean War and colonial conflicts due to the stopping power of its larger 54 bore (.442 cal) bullet (compared with their main competitor, the smaller .36 cal Colt Navy revolvers), and the speed of the Adams trigger-cocking action for close-quarters fighting (over the more cumbersome Colt action). In partnership with George and John Deane, the company of Deane, Adams & Deane produced

14400-525: Was killed by a crossbowman of the English Armada in 1589. There are no references to crossbows in Islamic texts earlier than the 14th century. Arabs in general were averse to the crossbow and considered it a foreign weapon. They called it qaus al-rijl (foot-drawn bow), qaus al-zanbūrak (bolt bow) and qaus al-faranjīyah (Frankish bow). Although Muslims did have crossbows, there seems to be

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