DA vs SA

C

Chief Jones

New member
Recently decided to make an effort to do at least 50% of my revolver practice in DA mode. Was a real trial after years of always firing SA. One thing that I noticed yesterday was that I seem to be shooting BETTER in DA than SA. I guess it's because of the added concentration?? This was especially noticable when shooting my snub. Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon?

Woody Jones
CW4 USA retired
 
I think shooting a good, smooth double action lest you set up a better pace in your shooting...long smooth trigger gives you the time to line up the sights, catch your breath a little and gives you a better surprise trigger break. Single action its too easy to line up the sights and when they are lined up you just might kinda "snatch" the trigger just a little throwing your front sight off just a tad before the hammer falls. I've found it works for me...the longer you shoot double action, the shorter the intereval between shots as you get into the rhythm of shooting...my best guess anyway...
 
DA vs. SA

I have heard of this phenomenon before (seems I recall Massad Ayoob mentioning it in an article, too), and the previous poster is hitting on what I have always thought, that the "surprise trigger break" is the key to the accuracy. In the DA shot, you are really forced to watch the basics and concentrate on keeping the sights aligned. That, I think, improves the quality of the effort/shot.
 
Personally, I like shooting D/A for most of my shooting. It
really does help when one has a revolver with a crisp, and
clean "buttery smooth" action to work with.:cool: I just so
happen to have that with my Smith & Wesson 629-5, 5"
"Classic" .44 magnum.:) :D

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Unload your gun. Check again. Hold it up sideways, and cock it.

Note where the hammer is.

Now lower it, and do a couple of DA dry-fires.

With most DA actions, the DA trigger sequence won't bring the hammer back as far as it goes when you cock it for SA. The difference is often startling. What it adds up to is less "lock time" (after sear release but before ignition). The longer the lock time, the less inherent accuracy you've got.

So there's more inherent accuracy in the DA stroke...unless you really master the SA, and can "hold it still" during the hammer fall.

With a DA, the secret to shot-to-shot speed is to begin each follow-up trigger stroke as fast as possible, and then finish the stroke just as you've got the sights back on target and down from recoil. It's called "staging the trigger".
 
What Jim said!

Then what Sgt127 said!

Earlier this week, I was showing a friend some things with a LaserBlaster and his Ruger P95D. When he complained of his thumb getting sore from cocking it, I told him to just shoot DA.

He was astounded that he was more accurate DA than SA, but I could see that he was concentrating on holding the sight picture during the long DA pull and he was jerking the trigger SA.

I mostly shoot DA and stage the trigger as the sights are coming on target. Arms, hands, and everything are steady and taut as the entire firing sequence from raising the gun to firing is one smooth continuous motion. When all that feels right, the shot is as good as I've ever done.
 
Woody,

You may want to take notice of your grip. If your grip is a little loose, shooting DA will sometimes improve your groups.

What happens is, the longer heavier trigger pull actually allows the tigger to become another "steadying point". Whereas the SA pull is so light and fast, that you don't get the little bit of triangulation.

Good Luck...

Joe
 
Not I......not yet.....but I'm-a-workin' on it!

Even though the majority of my guns have been (or are) DA's, I still can hit more accurately with an SA pull. I'm also aware that I need more practice on DA and many other more experienced shooters say that once they get DA down, ALL of their shooting improves. Kinda like learning to drive with a stickshift; learn the one and you can drive just about anything.
 
I am pretty sure that the better accuracy in DA mode is a result of the fact that, just before the trigger breaks, you are applying maybe 8 - 10# of force to the trigger (depends on the trigger job). Then to break the shot, you only add a couple of more pounds. So, the trigger muscle sees a change of about 20% to execute the shot. In SA mode, the trigger pull goes from 0# and then you apply about 4# to break the shot. Going from rest to 4# pull is more likely that the muscle movement will result in the hand moving the gun slightly. In simple english, the DA trigger break is an extension of the trigger pull. The SA break is a whole complete function for the hand to do.
 
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