Single Action revolvers. Why?
- Thread starter Pond James Pond
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Sharpsdressed Man
Moderator
Shoot one. Then you'll either "get it", or they will do nothing for you, and you won't.
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bedbugbilly
New member
Ive shot SA for 50 years or so - mainly cap and ball. I have several DA revolvers and I very rarely shoot them DA - I shoot 'em SA. It's a lot of things - part of it the history of the SA revolver. I don't like the longer trigger pull when shooting DA and it takes away (for me) my sighting concentration.
As far as "fanning" a SA . . . I'll double what Hawg said . . . you can end up owning a big paperweight. Yea, yea . . . I know it can be done . . . and maybe you can get get shots off fast . but they certainly aren't going to be accurate. If somebody disagrees with me fine . . . show me your target and grouping after you've "fanned" your SA. That stuff is best left to the pulp fiction written about the "old West".
If a person has never shot SA . . . you should have the experience of shooting a '51 Colt Navy, a '60 Colt Army or a Remmie . . . lot's of smoke, lots of fun. Or you should try a SAA clone. If I could only take one gun to the range to shoot, it would be my Ruger New Vaquero every time. I'd choose it over my Python, my SR9 and my vintage 38 spl. Colt and S & W. It just doesn't get any better than shooting SA.
As far as "fanning" a SA . . . I'll double what Hawg said . . . you can end up owning a big paperweight. Yea, yea . . . I know it can be done . . . and maybe you can get get shots off fast . but they certainly aren't going to be accurate. If somebody disagrees with me fine . . . show me your target and grouping after you've "fanned" your SA. That stuff is best left to the pulp fiction written about the "old West".
If a person has never shot SA . . . you should have the experience of shooting a '51 Colt Navy, a '60 Colt Army or a Remmie . . . lot's of smoke, lots of fun. Or you should try a SAA clone. If I could only take one gun to the range to shoot, it would be my Ruger New Vaquero every time. I'd choose it over my Python, my SR9 and my vintage 38 spl. Colt and S & W. It just doesn't get any better than shooting SA.
Cowboy events, no. 1
Our club has several cowboy shooting events each year. Single action revolvers required, plus we dress western for those shootouts. (Also use lever action rifles, a different story.)
I tried Heritage .22's and .32H&Rmagnum with only fair results, not good enough accuracy.
Now have the Ruger Blackhawk in .357magnum 6.5" barrel. Adjustable rear sight can be zeroed for excellent accuracy. Nice low recoil too in it's heavy weight. Plus trigger pull is minimal with the hammer cocked.
And with full loads like Federal 158gr SJSP can even be used for hunting.
I'll mention that I don't shoot 38spec ammo in my Ruger. I have special reloads in .357mag cases, loaded to 38spec level. This way I avoid the carbon buildup in the cylinder and have lower recoil also. Detail at the usrange site.
I do have a SA/DA snub nose S&W M&P360 that I carry for SD. Fits in my pocket in a Mika holster. Not accurate enough for target competition but excellent for CWC. Great out to 5+ yds.
But for sheer fun, the SA is the way to go.
If you've never shot in a cowboy event, forget it, you wouldn't understand.
og....old but not stupid!
Our club has several cowboy shooting events each year. Single action revolvers required, plus we dress western for those shootouts. (Also use lever action rifles, a different story.)
I tried Heritage .22's and .32H&Rmagnum with only fair results, not good enough accuracy.
Now have the Ruger Blackhawk in .357magnum 6.5" barrel. Adjustable rear sight can be zeroed for excellent accuracy. Nice low recoil too in it's heavy weight. Plus trigger pull is minimal with the hammer cocked.
And with full loads like Federal 158gr SJSP can even be used for hunting.
I'll mention that I don't shoot 38spec ammo in my Ruger. I have special reloads in .357mag cases, loaded to 38spec level. This way I avoid the carbon buildup in the cylinder and have lower recoil also. Detail at the usrange site.
I do have a SA/DA snub nose S&W M&P360 that I carry for SD. Fits in my pocket in a Mika holster. Not accurate enough for target competition but excellent for CWC. Great out to 5+ yds.
But for sheer fun, the SA is the way to go.
If you've never shot in a cowboy event, forget it, you wouldn't understand.
og....old but not stupid!
Crunchy Frog
New member
I shot DA revolvers for years. Of course most that shooting was in SA mode.
The first time I fired a single action revolver was in a SASS cowboy match.
You'd be surprised how quickly and accurately an accomplished cowboy action shooter can drive a SA revolver. They don't do it by fanning, not in SASS matches anyway because fanning is specifically prohibited. The fast shooters use the weak hand thumb for cocking.
The first time I fired a single action revolver was in a SASS cowboy match.
You'd be surprised how quickly and accurately an accomplished cowboy action shooter can drive a SA revolver. They don't do it by fanning, not in SASS matches anyway because fanning is specifically prohibited. The fast shooters use the weak hand thumb for cocking.
Shotgun693
New member
I just like'm. I shoot'm a bunch and am real good with'm. BTW, 'Die Hard' was just a movie.
Five really big advantages of SA wheelguns patterned after the 1873 Colt SAA:
1) Accuracy. The cylinder is fixed in place. Each time you swing the cylinder closed on a DA wheelgun, you're forming a new alignment between the cylinder and barrel. In an SAA-type design, that alignment is locked in place. If it's set right, it doesn't get unset.
2) Toughness. Fewer moving parts. If you're bringing one handgun along on a deep back-country trip, an SA wheelgun is least likely to fail you of any repeating handgun. NOTE: the one downside of the SAA pattern is that the base pin (the "axle" that the cylinder spins on) can come loose, esp. with serious calibers under stout recoil such as the 44Mag or above. A stronger cross-latch spring or an aftermarket base pin with a locking set-screw head is recommeded for a serious-duty SA. Both fixes are user-installable and less than $30 for the most expensive fix, more like $5 or less for a stronger latch spring.
3) Ergonomics. The SAA was designed by people who worked with hand tools daily, as opposed to computer workstations doing industrial design today. The SAA feels so damned good in the hand if you know what you're doing with it. It can also handle big recoil better than any other, assuming the fit of the gun is proper for the user.
4) Because of those ergonomics and the fewer-parts thing, an SAA-pattern can be lighter than a comparable DA wheelgun for the same horsepower level. A 39oz 44Mag SA will be more comfortable to shoot one-handed than the same weight DA wheelgun shooting 44Mag.
5) VERY fast "first strike speed". Done right, drawing and firing an SAA-type is damned fast, even without getting into "fanning" techniques that tear the gun up. You draw while cocking it, and use the cocking stroke to help pull the gun clear of the leather.
The downside is the reload speed sucks. I'm working on improving that. So far I've got mine to gas-eject the empty shells as I shoot. I have a magazine feeding system in the design phase, waiting only on some cash I have coming from a lawsuit to do a custom cylinder in 9mm. At that point my total rate of fire should match or perhaps slightly beat a DA wheelgun 
.
1) Accuracy. The cylinder is fixed in place. Each time you swing the cylinder closed on a DA wheelgun, you're forming a new alignment between the cylinder and barrel. In an SAA-type design, that alignment is locked in place. If it's set right, it doesn't get unset.
2) Toughness. Fewer moving parts. If you're bringing one handgun along on a deep back-country trip, an SA wheelgun is least likely to fail you of any repeating handgun. NOTE: the one downside of the SAA pattern is that the base pin (the "axle" that the cylinder spins on) can come loose, esp. with serious calibers under stout recoil such as the 44Mag or above. A stronger cross-latch spring or an aftermarket base pin with a locking set-screw head is recommeded for a serious-duty SA. Both fixes are user-installable and less than $30 for the most expensive fix, more like $5 or less for a stronger latch spring.
3) Ergonomics. The SAA was designed by people who worked with hand tools daily, as opposed to computer workstations doing industrial design today. The SAA feels so damned good in the hand if you know what you're doing with it. It can also handle big recoil better than any other, assuming the fit of the gun is proper for the user.
4) Because of those ergonomics and the fewer-parts thing, an SAA-pattern can be lighter than a comparable DA wheelgun for the same horsepower level. A 39oz 44Mag SA will be more comfortable to shoot one-handed than the same weight DA wheelgun shooting 44Mag.
5) VERY fast "first strike speed". Done right, drawing and firing an SAA-type is damned fast, even without getting into "fanning" techniques that tear the gun up. You draw while cocking it, and use the cocking stroke to help pull the gun clear of the leather.
The downside is the reload speed sucks. I'm working on improving that
. So far I've got mine to gas-eject the empty shells as I shoot. I have a magazine feeding system in the design phase, waiting only on some cash I have coming from a lawsuit to do a custom cylinder in 9mm. At that point my total rate of fire should match or perhaps slightly beat a DA wheelgun .Most guys won't admit it, but they never really grew up and they still want to play cowboys and indians in their adult life like they did as kids. That is the real reason for most guys, but there are some practical ones.
There are some SA revolvers that have been specifically designed for hunting. Everything else being equal they are stronger and are a good choice for the very powerful rounds designed for hunting. The SA design is not much of a disadvantage on a hunting revolver. They do tend to have much slower lock times than most DA revolvers which can hurt accuracy.
There are some SA revolvers that have been specifically designed for hunting. Everything else being equal they are stronger and are a good choice for the very powerful rounds designed for hunting. The SA design is not much of a disadvantage on a hunting revolver. They do tend to have much slower lock times than most DA revolvers which can hurt accuracy.
Rifleman1776
New member
Hard to add to what others have said.
It is an American nostalgia thing.
Plus, the feel good in the hand.
I shoot a DA Redhawk also. And quite well, I might add.
But, my SA Single Six is just a more funner gun to shoot.
It is an American nostalgia thing.
Plus, the feel good in the hand.
I shoot a DA Redhawk also. And quite well, I might add.
But, my SA Single Six is just a more funner gun to shoot.
Katsumi Liquer
New member
Insufficient research. My first "big bore" revolver was a 10.5" 44 Mag. Super Blackhawk. When I acquired it new from an internet dealer in 2002, I inadvertently overlooked the fact that it was a single action revolver, and was, um, "surprised" that the cylinder would not swing out when I handled the gun for the first time.
Yes, loading and unloading the SB is a chore, but in return, I have a revolver that will regularly yield sub-2" offhand groups at 25 yards with full-power 44 Mag. handloads, and do so without beating up the shooter's hand.
Yes, loading and unloading the SB is a chore, but in return, I have a revolver that will regularly yield sub-2" offhand groups at 25 yards with full-power 44 Mag. handloads, and do so without beating up the shooter's hand.
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It's the sound of the multiple "clicks" as everything turns into place that I like. I own a few double action 45's and they're great for what they are. But the single actions are just a pure pleasure to shoot. If you shoot a lot it does get a little slow and messy, but that's just part of the game. The rest of the game is a great feeling and accurate gun that are really a blast to shoot.
I think everyone should own a 1911 and a 45 Colt single action. My Ruger 45 Colt is a proven deerslayer. And it gets shot very often.
I think everyone should own a 1911 and a 45 Colt single action. My Ruger 45 Colt is a proven deerslayer. And it gets shot very often.
Edward429451
Moderator
I like SA because their tough and efficient. You get a lot of gun in a small package as compared to DA's.
Shotgun693
New member
As an Off Duty job I worked for Jack-In-The-Box. While off duty I could carry whatever I wanted. I carried one of my Colt's SAA. When I'd talk with the local gang bangers they'd be scared of that Colt. They were really impressed that it was a .45!!! As most gang bangers don't know squat about guns, it worked to my advantage that they were afraid of my gun. Of course they never knew about my SXS 12 ga in the truck.
Single Six
New member
In a world filled with plastic frames, rails, laser-flashlight-thingies to hang from the rails, Aimpoint scopes, etc...sometimes it's just nice to put all of that aside in favor of a relaxing trip back through time. I can think of no better way to do this than with a good SA revolver.