Tunnel vision and selective memory....
Why do shrouded hammer guns exist? Why, for convenience, of course.
First off, remember that, generally, revolver designs date from a much earlier time, and reflect earlier preferences, and beliefs. Even the most "modern" revolvers are current work ups of old designs, and those earlier designs were influenced by their times and attitudes.
Believe it or not, there was a time (and it was a long time) that the bulk of DA revolver owners believed in SA shooting for sport, recreation, and practice, and that the DA function of their guns was for close range emergency use, only.
interestingly enough, today we have people that take nearly the opposite position, believing that DA guns should only be shot DA and the SA function has no place on a "defensive" revolver.
WE tend to suffer from tunnel vision in these matters, focusing on the main, or primary intended use, and mode of use, forgetting that lots of people use their guns in other ways.
It seems to me that this design incorporates the virtual inability to cock the hammer and fire single action, while adding the real concern of the exposed mechanism that could catch on clothing or just get debris in there and increasing the chance of failure... Seems like it's just the worst of both worlds.
I might just not understand it.. Why wouldn't you either conceal the hammer, or add a small lever that would make it practical to use?
Shrouded hammer guns are not the "worst of both worlds", they are actually an intelligent compromise. Compared to the regular revolver, the shroud reduces the chances of the hammer spur snagging on clothing during the draw, and reduces the chances of a malfunction (due to the hammer being caught or debris getting in the mechanism if the gun is fired from inside a pocket.
No, the hammer isn't supposed to "fight you" the whole way. It is supposed to cock exactly like every other revolver. If yours doesn't, it needs service.
A concealed hammer gun does not give you the ability to fire the gun SA. Not a big deal to some people, but a big deal to others. A shrouded hammer allows for safe manipulation of the hammer for SA shooting should the shooter so desire. Today's experts all tell us how DA can be mastered, can be shot accurately, and should be the way you shoot a revolver in a close range defensive situation. And, they are right. All these things can be done, and can be learned to be done by just about everyone with the desire to do so.
BUT, not everyone does learn, or desires to. The simple fact is that of all of our defensive handguns, 99.9%+ of the rounds shot through them are not shot in a self defense situation. They are shot in practice of some kind, structured training, or just casual practice plinking. A shrouded hammer gun has the same utility as a standard (non shrouded) gun. A concealed hammer gun does not have the same range of options.
Most people, even today, learn to shoot revolvers single action at first. Because the light, short, crisp trigger pull (compared to the DA trigger pull) enhances the beginner's ability to actually put rounds on target. This relatively simple thing can be the difference between someone who develops an active interest in shooting (and in improving their skills) and someone who just goes through the motions.
Also, not everyone has the desire or the ability to have more than one gun, but still wants to be able to use their gun in the most versatile way. There is nothing you can do shooting single action that you cannot do shooting double action, BUT the level of skill needed to shoot DA accurately at longer ranges is much more than what is needed to make hits at the same range shooting SA. For some, that's an important thing. For others (particularly good DA shooters), not so much.
While that belly gun might not be the optimal gun for dropping a coyote at 40yds it is a do able thing, and much more easily done with a gun that can shoot SA than one that shoots DA only. There are a lot of us that could do it SA, but would miss if we tried it DA.
I'm probably in the minority about this, but I have always felt that the important advantages of shooting DA (speed, primarily,) don't mean much if you don't hit your target.
the shrouded hammer gun is a carryover from an earlier time, but still has some practical use and advantages, for some people. Not for everyone, but if it is something that might matter to you, then its something important, for you. Personally, I would chose a shrouded hammer gun over a concealed hammer gun, only because having the ability to shoot it SA, should I choose, is an option I like having. It gives up virtually nothing over the concealed hammer version, and has advantage over the standard hammer guns if you carry in a pocket.
Ideas about what is the best way to use guns, and what features make them better at what they do, come and go. Truly good ideas endure. Ideas that have some degree of usefulness can hang around for generations, and even ideas that some deem poor can last for a long time, if enough people find some utility that outweighs their drawbacks.
At one time, it was fairly common to find revolvers that had the front part of the triggerguard removed. There was a belief that doing this made the gun a little faster to get into action, and that the faster you could get off that all important first shot, the more likely you were to survive a gunfight.
We still tend to believe that the faster we are able to get off a shot the better our odds of survival, but no body seems to think cutting off the front of the triggerguard is what makes you faster, anymore....
I also have a difficult time agreeing with those who feel that having a defensive gun that has both SA and DA modes is a poor choice. Some believe that if you have SA on a defensive gun (and do most of your practice shooting SA) that you will not use the DA when you really need it, and might die as a result. No Kidding, I have actually heard people say "SA will get you killed".
I happen to disagree, as I also disagree with those who feel a safety is a bad thing to have, because they might "forget" to take it off, under stress. They are fully welcome to their opinions, and might even be correct, for some individuals. What I disagree with is those opinions being taken as blanket statements, applying to everyone. That's my opinion.
