Wow, wow, wow. I don't get this at all. I must ask WHY? Why did they change it from the way the 24/7-DS worked? Why, when the 24/7 DS worked perfectly?
Let's look at this for a second, shall we?
1. Starting premise: Some people like their first shot SA (option A, let's say), and some people like it DA (Option B, let's say- for adrenaline/safety reasons). Fine, both ways are legitimate ideas. Simple user preference. Crunchenticker or not. (Granted, if not crunchenticker, then a manual safety is arguably highly desirable for safety, but that's a separate issue).
2. On traditional DA/SAs without a decocker, this was a problem if you wanted option B, because you'd have to manually decock by letting hammer down - not safe, arguably. (though it's pretty safe with proper technique and a half-cock notch - I do it sometimes with my CZ 85, and feel 99.99999% safe).
3. So, as a result of this problem, we invented the de-cocker. Problem solved - renders irrelevant whether exposed hammer or not (in the case of these new-fangled striker-fired guns).
4. THIS GUN HAS A DECOCKER!!!! (Right?)
5. So, on the 24/7 DS and all other DA/SAs with decocker that I'm aware of, the "Default" trigger setting when you rack it initially is SA-first-shot (Option A). If you don't like it (want Option B), then decock it. If you want to stay with Option A, then flip on the manual safety (if there is one), and go.
6. Now, this G2 inexplicably changes the default setting to Option B for the first shot.
7. Sure, there is a convoluted, confusing trick to make it go back to option A, which runs contrary to everything we instinctively know, for people who have shot pistols all their lives.
8. So WHY change the default and introduce this confusion? I could see this design making sense if there were no de-cocker, but there is.
Is the idea that noobs might fire accidentally before decocking? Yeah, I guess it's possible. But now we have a situation where if you want to go to Option A (change the default) for carry, you have to hold the trigger back, then insert a loaded mag, and then let the slide forward while holding back the trigger, correct? It seems to me that at a minimum, this creates a bad habit by having your finger in and around the trigger area when you shouldn't (while racking). So this bad habit seems to me, is a lot more unsafe in the long run than the risk of an ND "before you have a chance to decock it" for those that like Option B.
More importantly, what if you're holding the trigger back part way while letting the slide go forward to chamber your 1st round, then at the end of that, you accidentally pull just a little too much and let the trigger go all the way back - it would fire, correct!?! Or is it the case that the trigger must be ALL the way to the rear, like an ordinary cycling/reset for this trick to work? I sure hope it's the latter!
Is THIS the feature of the 800 series that was "added" to the 24/7 to come up with the G2, or what? I'm not familiar with the 800 series. What exactly, are the differences, between the 24/7 and the G2, besides this difference in the default first trigger pull, if anything?
What am I missing?
I'm probably missing *something* because here's how stupid I am: I actually owned a 24/7 OSS-DS in .45 for awhile. Kept in the pickup. Didn't shoot it much, but did shoot it at the range a couple of times. Then sold it as redundant. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT HAD A DECOCKER ON IT! Wow, I'm an idiot. I simply used the lever as a manual safety - didn't know you could pull it down to de-cock. I liked that pistol a lot, and it was even cooler than I realized. Guess I should start reading the instruction manuals.
Now I want a longslide OSS-DS in 9mm for my girlfriend and myself, and sure hope they are still available, because her being a noob, that confusing "trick" thing on the G2 is just too much for her to learn, I think - and also, as mentioned, unsafe. AND, with arthritic hands, she NEEDS an easy SA first shot (every shot).
Going backwards here, are we, Taurus? I thought only Microsoft products got worse with each passing year.
I've always liked Taurus as an innovater, and they still get an A for effort on some of these things - but lately.... don't get me started on
-- polymer frame revolvers (Public Defender polymer) - how is the cylinder gap blast not gonna cut through the topstrap? Is there a strip of steel attached to the underside of the topstrap?
-- Raging Judge Magnum - this seems like a bunch of catastrophic failures begging to happen - first off, 6 shots instead of 5. I have a RB .454 casull (a 60k psi round), with a 5-shot cylinder of the same size. I don't think metallurgy has come that far in 5 years to allow an extra round to be crammed in without sacrificing a lot of strength. Second, compounding the problem, the gun is actually MARKED .45 colt (in addition to .454 casull and .410 shotshell). That means when people 'ring the cylinder' with .45 Colts, stick in .454 casulls in the 55-60K psi range, blow their faces off, these one-eyed plaintiffs are gonna sue the pants off Taurus, right or wrong, and Taurus they won't have much of a defense because they put right on the gun that it's OK to shoot .45 colts. Unless they have a new magical steel, I don't like where this is heading.
--Raging Judge Ultralight - similar issue - looks like a RB because it IS a RB. But it's not even tested/approved as being strong enough for .454 (holding 7 instead of 5 or 6). However, since it's a RB, people are gonna think "Raging in name; big gun with red backstrap - oh .454 casull must be ok" - AND, guess what, since it's long enough for 3" shotshells, .454 casulls will drop right in. Hell, .460s may even fit. Not good.
-Circuit Judge - what the hell? They announced that they were gonna come out with two models - one with a rifled barrel that would thus be optimized for .45 Colt (which I was waiting for / wanting to get), and another separate model with a smoothbore, optimized for .410. What did they actually do? Come out with just one model with the worst of all worlds - that same shallow rifling that is used in the judge (unnecessary in a longgun for legal reasons). Now the shot won't shoot right - it will still donut hole, and the .45 colt probably wont either with that shallow rifling. AND, if you're GONNA put the rifle in it, why on earth is it still 18", instead of 16"? AND, the silly insert/choke that that is supposed to un-spin the shot load is simply a smoothbore insert - not "straight-rifled" like NEF uses in their Survivor combo gun. How is a smoothbore gonna "un-spin" the momentum of the shot charge? Hopefully they will come out with the 2 different versions eventually. I really want one for .45 colt use only, with full rifling. With that shallow rifling, you must use .452 or .453 bullets to get any consistent accuracy. Standard .451s are crap in Judges, so a lot of factory ammo is useless.
Oy, I hope I'm wrong. See above part about me being an idiot - so maybe I am!
P.S. Too bad BATFE put the kaibosh on the Raging 28 - with slugs, that would have been some serious self-defense medicine!
P.P.S. "De-Cocked" - oh man, I HATE it when that happens!