Abstract: A firearm has an external hammer that is manually cocked in order to rotate the trigger to its ready-to-fire position. The hammer has an elongated vertically extending recess formed therein, such that when the hammer is adjacent the firing pin, an end portion of the recess is juxtaposed to the firing pin, and the hammer does not engage the firing pin. An elongated safety member is disposed within the recess and movable between retracted and extended positions, the extended position being such that the hammer may drive the safety member into engagement with the firing pin, and the retracted position being such that the safety member cannot engage the end of the firing pin but may lodge beneath its under side. A cam carried by the trigger cooperates with the hammer for controlling the position of the safety member. During firing the safety member swings with the hammer, and the firing pin is actuated by the combined kinetic energies of both.

Abstract: A firearm has an external hammer that is manually cocked in order to rotate the trigger to its ready-to-fire position. The hammer has an elongated vertically extending recess formed therein, such that when the hammer is adjacent the firing pin, an end portion of the recess is juxtaposed to the firing pin, and the hammer does not engage the firing pin. An elongated safety member is disposed within the recess and movable between retracted and extended positions, the extended position being such that the hammer may drive the safety member into engagement with the firing pin, and the retracted position being such that the safety member cannot engage the end of the firing pin but may lodge beneath its under side. A cam carried by the trigger cooperates with the hammer for controlling the position of the safety member. During firing the safety member swings with the hammer, and the firing pin is actuated by the combined kinetic energies of both.