In my area, SA is ill-advised due to potential legal issues in case of a self defense situation.
I can't think of any situation where SA shooting creates any valid legal issue. Could you elaborate, or give an example, please?
Don't know why most every thread on here needs to turn into a pissin' match.
My guess would be, because certain people
want it that way. It seems to come out strongest in threads that are about, or are twisted into discussions of tactics "needed" in defensive shooting.
I've seen a number of people over the years who create their own arbitrary standards, and tell everyone that if you don't do it (exactly) the way they tell you to do it, you are going to die, Die,
DIE!!!
And amazingly, they will justify that attitude with either an uber-rare situation, or more commonly with what happens in "most gunfights" and sometimes both, together. Some of those same folks get rather peckish when someone points out the flaws in their logic.
When it comes to "hammer or hammerless" (meaning shrouded / internal hammer) my personal choice is that if a gun has a hammer, I want access to it. How, when, and why I choose to use it, is my business, but I do want, and demand the option.
I'm ok with a shrouded hammer if the shroud allows me to cock the hammer. I don't want one where the hammer is 100% enclosed. I want the option of choice.
In a defensive revolver, a spur on the hammer makes little sense. Those who disagree will often state that it is necessary for that rare and unlikely "longer shot". They seem to not ever explain a realistic scenario where cocking the hammer on a double action is a wise or logical thing to do.
If we agree that "little sense" is not the same as "no sense" I can go along with the statement, in general. But I would also submit for consideration, that the "rare and unlikely" longer shot might not be a longer shot, it could be a shorter "normal" range shot where precision is required. We do focus hugely on human vs human but there are other defensive uses that people who never set foot off the pavement rarely see or consider.
One example is snakes. Specifically the venomous ones. Another is feral/rabid animals. Personally I am much more accurate shooting Single Action, and I want that option for those "rare and unlikely" times when I need to make a precise shot on a fairly small target.
Sticking to the "belly guns", I've got a Colt Cobra. It has a hammer. Also has a sweet DA pull. It gives me options. DAO doesn't do that. Fully shrouded /internal hammer doesn't do that.