SA Revolver CCW

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DennisE

New member
Okay, assume I've heard all the arguements against it. Assume I really, really understand there are "better" choices. Assume that despite all this I'm interested in doing it on occasion. Assuming all this, what are the "best" SAs for CCW? Best to me is in terms of sufficient caliber, reliability and concealability. Or, if you do carry a SA revolver CCW, what did you choose? Thanks for the input! :) DennisE
 
A Ruger .357 Vaquero with a 4 5/8" barrel. The Blackhawk would be a choice except that big sights are a drawback. The Bisleys are out on butt size. Other guns (Colt, Uberti, etc.) are the old design and not (again IMHO) reliable enough. .44 Magnum is out unless loaded down, as recovery time is too slow, although it can be argued that only one shot should be needed.

I would go with blue rather than SS because I don't like any defense gun that shines; it could pick up enough light to make like a neon sign saying "here I am, shoot me".

A second choice might be the Single Six in .32 Magnum, but one needs more practice to make up for the lighter round and it has target sights.

A lot of criticism of the SA is due to its slow reloading, and I agree. But I also say that if you put the first shot where it needs to go, reloading is irrelevant.

Jim
 
My vote is for the Colt Single Action. I believe it's quality is the best and you can keep the gun fully loaded as you shoot. Turn the cylinder until you hear the click, eject the empty and feed a new round in. If a threat occurs, simply cock the gun and a fresh round is ready to fire. It's not a handicap for the person proficient with a single action. My feeling about caliber is "Anything that starts witha 4!"
 
Slow reloading speed isn't an issue with a Smith & Wesson No. 3.

Breaktop, auto ejecting.

You can be reloaded and firing again while someone with a traditional single-action with a case puncher is still punching cases.
 
I've done some digging on this myself...

The ultimate is the Freedom Arms model 97 frame in six-shot .357, with a 5.5" barrel, adjustable sights, and the optional express rear sight and front brass bead. It has a transfer bar safety, heft is pretty close to the SAA and lighter than the Blackhawk/Vaqueros.

The problem with anything else is the lack of a transfer bar or true hammerblock safety, heft (Ruger's Blackhawks/Vaqueros are bigger than an SAA) or total stupidity in the area of sights.

The sights are actually one of the biggest problems.

When Ruger set up the rear sight on the current Blackhawk and Single Six, it was the dumbest friggin' thing Ruger ever did. They copied earlier Colt target setups.

MORONS. Idiots.

You can't "fast knuckle" a Blackhawk without getting hung up on the rear sight blade. It's also impossible to do a Tritium rear sight setup with anything similar, because there's no space for the tubes.

There's no reason you can't have a dovetailed rear sight setup just like a slidegun, forward along the topstrap by at least 1/2", preferrably 3/4" or 1". None whatsoever. But even on the GP100 and other DA guns, Ruger stays with the same type of adjustable sight Colt and S&W did 90+ years ago, ignoring sight development from the semi-auto world.

Sigh.

It's frustrating. It's bad enough on a DA gun, it's brain-dead on an SA.

What else...the Ruger Single Six in .32Mag has a lot of potential, but only if you can handload for it and roll up your own effective carry ammo. CorBon was considering shipping agood .32Mag defensive load but cancelled the project.

Cimarron imports an Italian smaller-frame .38Spl of Cimmarron's design that would be perfect, except there's no safety. And it's iffy with +P., and the sights need big work.

Short of the FA97, the best answer would probably be to start with a Vaquero, add a custom Tritium front sight and paint the rear - or find a gunsmith creative enough to get a REAL rear sight grafted on.

IF you're going to go really custom, I suspect the Blackhawk would be the better starting platform, removing the factory sight, filling in the channel, smoothing the rear and doing a dovetail for a REAL sight at the forward end of where the original channel was.
 
32 H&R mag

Ruger vaquero in 32 H&R magnum. Smaller frame, short barrel, and lighter weight. The 32 h&r mag does provide some good punch although there are better calibres.
 
It would be a Colt 4-3/4" SAA for me, tuned for reliability. I've had spring problems with the cheap guns and Colts both, except for those that have had a good SAA 'smith go through them.

You can get a FA 97 in 4.25" barrel, even with adjustable sights, by custom order -- some think it is too short, but it is a sweet little SA.
 
There are alot of us that use their SA for CCW. My "woods" gun is a Ruger SBH, 4 5/8" barrel in high gloss stainless. In general I'll have it loaded down to 900fps with a 200gr bullet. This translates to a slightly faster rate of sight recoveryand follow up shots. I carry it in a high riding holster from Uncle Mikes. What? Uncle Mikes doesn't have a holster for the SA revolver thats high ride? My SBH fits quite nicely into the Large DA Revolver holster. With a light jacket it stays well hiden there too in and out of the woods.
I had consitered having the finish changed to a wire brushed look to make it more dull. I just could not bring myself to have it done though. Deer only see the front of it anyhow and it doesn't have the gloss look from that end.
If it wasn't for the fact that I use the same revolver for hunting I would choose a short barreled Vaquero in 357 and I would still want the SS version for durability. Rugers are the best bang for the buck.
 
I have thought about CCW with a SA wheelgun. My idea of the perfect situation is a double crossdraw shoulder rig with a Vaquero in each side. :)
 
popbang

I saw a guy who had a single action set up for concealed carry. The barrel was cut back to four inches and the but had been rounded off. It wasn't the smallest thing, but he sure liked it.
 
There was a great discussion about this a few months back...

If you click my "all posts by user" button, there should be a thread on this same topic, which covered a bunch of good points. A lot of folks were against it, a lot of folks saw nothing wrong with it.
So far as good SA guns off the shelf: if I had to choose a stock SA carry piece, it'd be either a 3" 45 Colt Vaquero, or a 32H&R Single Six.
If you want to spend a grand on custom to get something personal and slicked-up, here's a few custom pieces that have been done in the past:

-32 H&R 5-shot Bearcat (a TFL poster stated that Linebaugh built one of these)

-41 Special Single-Six (covered in a G&A article by G. Sitton a few years back. 41 Spl is a wildcat, shortened 41 Mag, generating as much energy as the 357 mag with less pressure and a larger slug.)

-a "45 Backpacker". That's a cut-down Blackhawk weighing 28 oz. Gary Reeder builds these: http://www.reedercustomguns.com/revolvers/45backpacker.htm

These are a few exotic options, but still less money than what your run of the mill custom 1911 would cost. There are a few holster makers making CCW rigs for single actions. El Paso Saddlery (www.epsaddlery.com) has an IWB model for $50 or so.

Reliable, unorthodox, but an interesting option.
 
Why that would be a Ruger Blackhawk in .41 Magnum and a 4 3/4 inch barrel! It's the best .41 Magnum single action currently available. ;)

Load it with Winchester 175-grain Silvertips (1250 fps) or Federal Classic 210-grain JHPs (1300 fps).

- Anthony
 
I often carry a Colt's SAA .357 with a 5 1/2" barrel. I also have a SAA in .45 Colt with a 4 3/4 inch barrel, but I am much more accurate with the longer barrel.

Barrel length is seldom a factor in concealed carry.


If you choose a Colt's, remember to only load 5 rounds. Load the first chamber, skip the next, load four more, and then cock the gun. Then lower the hammer on the empty chamber.


Under duress, my first shot with a Colt's single action is more accurate than my first shot with any other handgun.

I have fired thousands of rounds of .22LR, .22WMR, .38, .357, .44 Special, and .45 Colt through a dozen or so of these guns, and have never once had a misfire or a jam.

I can't say that about any autoloading pistol I own.

I carry the gun in a Bianchi #1L belt hoster, and I tuck the holster into my strong side hip pocket. Don't misunderstand: the holster is on a belt (a Bianchi # B4, if it matters). But I use the hip pocket to conceal the bottom half of the holster.

This rig makes a definite bulge in my shirt or jacket, or whatever I am wearing at the time.

I have thought abought calling Milt Sparks and seeing if T.K. would consider building an IWB holster for the Colt's SAA.

I have many holsters and belts, but the two best that I own were built by Milt Sparks.

What about it, T.K.? :)
 
True confessions time:

I have toted, at one time or another, either concealed or in the open in the gun shop:
1) A 4 5/8" blued .357 Mag Blackhawk
2) A 4 5/8" stainless .44 Mag Bisley Vaquero
3) A 4 5/8" blued .32 H&R Mag Super Single Six

Not my first choice, but single-action sixguns have been killin' folks deader'n Elvis for 130+ years.
 
Hey Capnrik

I don't know who TK is, but I've had a Milt Sparks IWB Summer Special for the 4-3/4 Colt SAA ...

Nice rig, couldn't get used to it, gave it back to the fellow who gave it to me ...

It was new and made sometime last year.
 
Hey, MRH...

Well, I'll be dipped...I will call and ask for such a critter Monday A.M.

T.K. would be Tony Kanaley, who owns and operates Milt Sparks Holsters.

I have never met him or spoken with him, but his products and customer service have earned my respect.

Thanks for your reply; I really want one of those holsters! :)
 
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