The gun is designed with a magazine disconnect which means, the trigger will not engage the sear unless a magazine is inserted. So your gun is functioning perfectly, it's just the way it was designed, I don't particularly care for it myself. Enjoy that new gun, loads of fun to shoot, and cheap too. For everything you will ever want to know about the operatoins of this gun check out the P22 Bible http://www.freespeech.com/1917-1911M_P22_bible.pdf

thanks.. thats all i needed to know..

that bible, should come with every firearm.. def appreciated