What is a Striker Fired Pistol?

When it comes to semi-automatics it seems that almost every manufacturer is making some form of striker fired pistol. This raises some questions. Why are striker fired pistols dominating the handgun market? What are striker fired pistols? And what are the pros and cons of using one?

Today we’ll answer these questions and provide some of the top models to consider when purchasing your next semi-automatic.

Striker-Fired Pistol Deep Dive

First off we are going to define what a striker-fired pistol is, compare it to hammer fired options, and then go over the advantages and disadvantages it has.

What Is a Striker-Fired Pistol?

A striker-fired pistol is a handgun that uses a spring-loaded firing pin (called a striker) instead of a hammer to ignite the cartridge.

How it works is when the trigger is pulled, the trigger transfer bar pushes by the internal safeties clearing the path for the striker and firing pin to go forward. Once the trigger is pulled fully to the rear, the striker is allowed to go forward under the inertia of the spring, striking the primer and detonating the ammunition.

While the assembly might look complicated it is actually much simpler than other firing mechanisms since the firing pin and its related components are all connected. Hammer fired semi-automatics have to separate components for the firing pin, the hammer, and sometimes more complex triggers to achieve the same result.

Striker-Fired vs Hammer-Fired Pistols

Striker-fired pistols differ from hammer fired in a few ways. The most prominent is an external hammer that is used to fire the pistol. Seeing the hammer move back and forth is more intuitive for new shooters to see the process of the gun firing.

Because of the external hammer, many hammer-fired pistols will feature an external safety and/or a decocker depending on the model. The outer hammer can be impacted by the environment (dirt, dust, and lint) to the point where the gun may not fire

Advantages of Striker-Fired Pistols

Striker-fired pistols have a number of benefits from their design that make them a good option for the modern consumer. They are widely available with numerous reliable companies making some form of striker-fired pistol.

The lower external parts make snag free designs easier to implement. The internal nature of the striker makes maintenance easier when compared to hammer-fired examples. Many striker fired designs are lighter weight, mostly due to the use of polymer instead of steel or aluminum.

Another benefit is the consistent trigger pull. Some shooters can have issues with different trigger pulls that double action/single action (DA/SA)  guns have. This is mostly a training issue, but if they start on a double-action-only gun like most striker-fired guns it is easier for them to develop good habits.

Disadvantages of Striker-Fired Pistols

Despite striker-fired handguns being extremely popular there are still drawbacks to them. This largely comes down to personal preferences but there are some mechanical disadvantages to using a striker-fired pistol.

The primary disadvantage is the lack of restrike capability. If a round isn’t detonated, a striker-fired gun will not be able to be recocked and used on that same round. A DA/SA gun can just have the trigger pulled again or the hammer recocked to try and fire the round.

On top of this, some may find the lack of ability to decock the gun alarming. This is because once the striker is primed it will always be ready to fire. The gun would have to be fully unloaded and dry fired to release tension off the striker.

Another aspect is that a DA/SA gun will tend to have a heavier initial trigger pull. DA/SA guns are often referred to as “The thinker’s gun” because that heavy trigger pull can buy the user time to process the situation and stop the firing process if the situation changes. This provides better control and makes the gun more appealing.

The least significant disadvantage is the perception that striker-fired guns lack a safety. Some models do have external safeties but most modern striker-fired only have internal safeties. This doesn’t allow for some users to see the safety and that makes them assume there are no safety parameters.

This is absolutely not true. Many striker-fired manufacturers go to great lengths to illustrate the multiple safeties built into the guns themselves like trigger integrated safeties and internal firing pin blocks. To the point that most of these methods are industry standard. 

Best Striker-Fired Pistols in 2025

The market is full of options so here are five of the best options available in 2025.

1. Glock 19 Gen 5

The Glock 19 has been the gold standard of self-defense and law enforcement since roughly 2010. The Gen 5 variant has incorporated many improvements to the design and performance of the Glock 19 line.

A stock Glock 19 is one of the most reliable pistols available on the market, providing boringly consistent performance that is required in a self-defense tool. While it can be upgraded for different characteristics, these can impact that reliability.

Rated as a compact pistol, the Glock 19 has the capacity of a full sized handgun with a more convenient size. This helps with concealed carry and it is often approved for duty use for police officers.

• 4.02 inch barrel
• 7.28 inch overall length
• Capacity: 15 – 17, 24, and 33 round mags available
  
  

2. SIG Sauer P320

The P320 is the civilian equivalent to the M18, the US Army’s newest sidearm. This brings another option to the market if you want something more reminiscent of a DA/SA gun with a striker-fired system.

The full-sized version of the P320 is closer in size to the Glock 19 while being slightly larger. This adds a fractional improvement to the sight radius. Additionally all P320 models are optics compatible unlike the Glock 19 where a special model would be needed.

There are some concerns over the quality control of some of the P320s, but these are being ironed out. Most off the shelf P320s will be reliable and safe to use. If you’re unsure, have the pistol checked out by a competent Sig Sauer armorer/gunsmith.

• 4.07 inch full sized barrel
• 8 inches overall length
• Easily swap out slides and barrels
  
  

3. Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0

The M&P9 is a great “not a Glock” option. The M2.0 offers even more benefits than the original M&P line in the form of better reliability, better ergonomics, and overall quality. The grip is fully customizable in the backstrap and it has a better factory trigger than a Glock.

More M&P offerings are coming with an optics cut on the slide, allowing you to add a red dot sight should you so desire. A full-sized M&P9 will have a similar space allotment as a Glock 19 but with fewer things that need to be altered for a better user experience.

One of the major downsides to the M&P series is the more expensive magazines when compared to Glock. This shouldn’t be worried about since Glock has some of the most affordable mags on the market, everything else by comparison is priced higher. Check out our full review of the M&P 2.0 here.

• 4.25 inch barrel
• 7.4 inches overall
• Better factory parts
  
  

4. Springfield Hellcat

As the semi-automatic market tries to mirror the revolver market, the Springfield Hellcat tries to fill the role of a j-frame revolver. Its small size, good capacity, and optics ready slide makes it a very viable concealed carry option. Especially for those who want the smallest semi-auto they can get.

This “micro-compact” handgun offers 11 or 13 rounds of 9mm in a 6 inch package. This allows for better concealment. The small sight radius is offset by the ability to mount a micro red dot which aids in aiming, especially for those who are having issues seeing iron sights. For more on the Springfield Hellcat check out our review here.

• 3 inch barrel
• 6 inch overall length
• Best in class capacity
  
  

5. Walther PPQ

Of all the off the shelf options, the Walther PPQ is one of the best. From build quality to trigger quality, the PPQ (especially the compact version) is an amazing choice for a handgun. It has almost all the benefits of a Glock as well as most of the improvements coming standard.

The only major drawback is aftermarket support. Holsters, magazines, etc. are not as prevalent as Glocks or M&Ps. Usually with those options being low in stock. Beyond that the PDP brings additional performance and quality to the EDC market. For more on the Walther PPQ check out our review here.

• 4 inch barrel
• 7.5 inch overall length
• Match grade trigger
  
  

Who Should Use a Striker-Fired Pistol?

Anyone who has been trained to use a handgun can and should use a striker fired pistol. This can be new shooters, every-day carriers, law enforcement, and the military.

If there is a need for durable, reliable handguns a modern striker fired pistol will fit the bill. This includes defending the home, protecting from robberies, or use on duty

Final Thoughts: Is a Striker-Fired Pistol Right for You?

Striker-fired pistols are the most common type of semi-automatic handgun on the market. This is because the design is reliable and more standardized than hammer-fired guns. Since the striker is a sealed system there is less issues with getting the gun dirty and causing a misfire.

For the casual self-defense user a Glock 19 Gen 5 will provide all the utility you need. If that doesn’t fit your preferences an M&P9 will be the next best choice. Compare the top striker-fired handguns here.(internal or affiliate link)

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