hammercocking

Hammercocking is a term used to describe the act of engaging or preparing a hammer mechanism by manual or mechanical means in devices that rely on a hammer to deliver an impact. The term is most commonly encountered in discussions of firearms and of other hammer-based machinery, but its usage varies by field.

In firearms, cocking the hammer raises the hammer to a readiness position, enabling trigger release. In single-action and some older designs, hammercocking is a basic part of loading or preparing to fire. In many modern firearms, the action may be double-action or internal hammerless, in which case the term is less applicable, though enthusiasts may still refer informally to "hammercocking" when describing the mechanism's preparatory phase.

Outside firearms, hammercocking can describe the preparation of hammer-driven tools or machines, such as mechanical presses or crafts tools that use a hammer and an actuating mechanism. In clockmaking or certain toy or demonstration devices, a similar action may be described with the same term. The word is largely informal and its precise meaning depends on context.

Origin and usage: the term combines "hammer" with "cock," an old mechanical verb meaning to set or raise the hammer. It is not a standardized technical term, and official manuals typically use more precise language like "cock the hammer" or "set the hammer."

See also: hammer, cocking mechanism, firearm terminology.