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semi autos typically use a system where the hammer strikes the firing pin which is located in the slide. the 1911 is of this type, and uses various safety systems to prevent accidental discharge.

glock auto pistols use a striker, or firing pin that does not use a hammer, but has a spring that causes the firing pin (striker) to strike the primer. i believe that there are other autos using a similar system as the glock.

striker fired autos usually have no safety, since the striker is at rest until the trigger is pulled, then the spring is stretched and the firing pin is brought to the ready position and released. glock refers to this system as “safe action” meaning the gun cannot fire unless the trigger is pulled

there are some semi autos which use a spring mounted firing pin that is drawn to the rear when the pistol is c0cked, and held in place by the trigger sear until the trigger is pulled. the firing pin then detonates the primer, and is reset to its c0cked position by the rearward movement of the slide. this system is most often found in smaller, cheaper semi autos.

there have been many different actins over the years, but most were variations of the three above.

1911’s are fire arms that have full metal frames and a certain angled grip that fits very comfortably in the hands of the shooter it also has only a single stack clip they are very commly seen in many shooting competitions and are availible in double action only and single/double models the biggest difference is quality and 1911s have a number of safety features some guns do not have such as grip safety wich is a button on the backstrap of the gun that must be depressed in order to fire and most models come with a dovetail on the back which stops your hand from getting in the way of the top slid when it is racking back depending on what you want/need 1911 is good for home defence but you should probobly go to a firing range rent a couple of different hand guns and find the one you are most comfortable with shooting

1911s, with exception of ParaOrdnance, are single action - which means that the hammer has to be c0cked either by racking the slide or manually pulling it back. The trigger pull can therefore be lighter since it only has to release the hammer - that also means an untrained person might fire the weapon accidentally when they put their finger on the trigger.

Most striker fired weapons are double action which means the trigger pull has to move the striker back to the position where it will fire when the trigger is pulled further back to release the striker. Somewhat easier to avoid accidental discharge.
The striker fired pistols can be left in defensive location (drawer?) with little stress on springs and be instantly ready - frequently they do not have a safety since there are usually several internal safety devices as well as the long heavy trigger pull
the 1911 would either be ready to fire with safety on or the hammer would have been lowered and would require pulling the hammer back to make it ready to fire
the springs really aren’t an issue
for the untrained, especially under pressure, the 1911 might be a little more subject to operator firing the gun prematurely but it does have a better trigger
personally I prefer a double action auto for carry - either with hammer (H&K) or striker fired (Taurus)
for bedroom drawer, I prefer 1911 or revolver

Big E,

Colt M-1911’s and the various copies have hammers, and are single-action pistols. That means that the hammer must be c-o-c-ked before the first shot is fired. Thereafter, the slide c-o-c-k-s the hammer as it cycles, extracting and ejecting the fired cartridge and chambering a fresh round.

Striker fired pistols, such as Glocks, S&W Sigmas and others do not have a hammer. They are fired by means of a spring powdered firingpin/striker that has no external parts. Most better quality striker fired pistols are double-action pistols. That means that for the first shot, all you have to do is flick the safety to Fire, and pull the trigger. Pulling the trigger will both c-o-c-k the firing pin and release it to fire the weapon.

Now let me make a suggestion or three, and please don’t take it wrong, I mean no insult. I am simply trying to help a person without firearms experience.

If you know so little about firearms that you have to have the difference between a M-1911 and a striker fired pistol explained, you really don’t need to buy a centerfire pistol as what I assume will be your first handgun, or perhaps even your first gun period.

For your own safety, and the safety of your family and neighbors, you need to properly learn firearms safety, as well as the basics of gun handling and marksmanship. There is only one way to do that. You need to shoot a lot, and training by a professional would help a lot. Unless you are filthy rich, the only way you can afford to shoot enough to become proficient with a handgun is to start with a .22 LR handgun. You can buy 500 rounds of .22 ammunition for less than the cost of a box of 50 centerfire cartridges. I believe that the best handgun to learn the basics would be a .22 revolver from Smith & Wesson, Ruger, or Taurus. After you’ve mastered the lessons of safety, gun handling and marksmanship, you can move on to a more powerful centerfire handgun. Again, I consider a revolver, especially a medium frame Smith & Wesson revolver chambered for .357 Magnum to be the best choice for a first centerfire handgun. A big advantage to a .357 Magnum revolver is that you can also use .38 SPL ammunition for practice until you become accustomed to the heavier recoil of a centerfire handgun. If you still want a semi-automatic, you will be better informed about choices and the features you like.

If I offended you, I apologize. That was not my intention. I was just sharing experience and opinions from over 30 years of packing a handgun on a daily basis. And one more thing. I’ve never known a good shot, especially a handgunner, who did not start with a .22.

Doc