Why use a DA over a SA?

T

tukkus

Inactive
I'm just now getting more involved with handguns and rifles, Ill be getting my permit soon and I want to buy some revolvers for target practice.

Since Im new to handguns I wasnt aware of single action and double action until I took my safety course a couple of days ago. In the firing range one of the guys practicing with his handgun at a paper target about 15-20' away missed the target completely with all his shots(about 12 rounds). Our instructor tried giving him some help but it didnt help much. Later in the classroom the instructor told us that guy was using a double action handgun which is more difficult to aim.

So it got me thinking about why someone would want to use a double action handgun over the single action(which seems to me an easier weapon to use for accuracy).
 
Well, are we talking revolvers or pistols?

With a revolver, double action is faster than single action (usually) because you do not have to cock the trigger. And you can fire single handed. But yes, it can be less accurate if you don't have great trigger control.

With a pistol, single action and double action are relatively equivalent in speed. But you may want double action because the trigger pull is longer and it is harder to get a negligent/accidental discharge. A single action pistol will usually be more accurate than a double action pistol.
 
The basic distinction between DA and SA is that the double action both cocks the hammer and releases it, while a single action only releases the hammer - which must either be cocked manually or by the movement of the slide for an autoloading pistol. So the advantage of DA is that you don't have to cock the handgun first.

For instance, if you shoot a revolver in SA, you have to cock the hammer between each shot using your thumb. In DA you just pull the trigger. So DA is simpler and faster.

Similarly SA pistols need to be cocked first by retracting the slide, which cocks the hammer. But a SA pistol will cock itself with each subsequent shot.
 
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A DA revolver takes some getting used to- at least it did for me. I'm still not near as accurate shooting DA, and I'm using a Colt! I have tried some other DA revolvers at pin shoots- I found I was better off "thumbing" with my weak hand......

I CAN hit an IDPA target shooting DA, but I am not near as precise or as fast as I am with a 1911.
 
Also, to the OP. A double action revolver can also be fired single action. You also get the added bonus of faster reloads (the whole cylinder swings out so you can eject and reload all 6 shells whereas a single action has the cylinder fixed in the gun and can only reload one shell at a time via the loading gate). Buy a Ruger GP100 in either a 6 inch or a 4 inch barrel. 6 inch if primarily for hunting and targets, and 4 if it's a hybrid fun/carry gun. Costs around 550, will last your lifetime, and is heavy enough to fire hot .357 mag rounds without recoil. .38 special recoil feels like a firm handshake in that gun, and it's scary accurate.
 
Well my two cents are these:
I have an Iver Johnson with revolver that's missing the SA sear, which means it fires DA only. Staging the trigger causes my hand to tense up and shake a bit and prevents me from making a precise shot. I can easily hit a man sized target out to about 30' easily in center mass with the DA shot, but I can't put the round in the ten like I can with my Sig firing single action.

Second cent?: In a carry gun, DA is much safer to carry than SA, since the trigger and hammer take more force to fire. The first shot isn't as accurate fired DA, compared to an SA, but the follow ups (on an auto-pistol) will be single action will be "more accurate" than the first. I do "drills" at the range loading one round in the chamber and one in the magazine, firing the first DA and the second SA as a follow up to try and hone my double tap on the first shot skills. At speed, the rounds both end up approximately the same distance from dead center. When I take my time with each shot the SA, with the lighter and shorter trigger pull, is much more accurate.

The conclusion of my two cents? Go with what you like. You shoot cowboy and want a carry gun? A Colt SAA or clone may work well. You want a carry gun and have never shot before: trying out a Tupperware with a DAO or Glock style action would be a good idea. But, it really depends on what you want and what you're talking about.

(Conclusion, 1911 style gun carried safety on, loaded with practice)
 
Also a plus for a DA pistol is that if the round dosnt fire for some reason all you have to do is pull the trigger again and more than likely it will fire, or in a revolver move to the next round. Had this happen just today with some cheap practice rounds out of my brand new walther pk 380. Maybe happend 5 times out of a box of fifty. Box of twenty gold dots it didnt happen, but it could!!
 
In a carry gun, DA is much safer to carry than SA, since the trigger and hammer take more force to fire.
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Horsefeathers.

A 1911, carried "cocked and locked" won't fire unless the grip safety is depressed, the manual safety is off, AND the trigger is pulled.

All that a DA revolver (or a Glock, for that matter) needs if for the trigger to get pushed back.

The first shot isn't as accurate fired DA, compared to an SA, but the follow ups (on an auto-pistol) will be single action will be "more accurate" than the first.
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Col. Jeff Cooper called this "shot cocking"..... flinging one round downrange, hoping you hit, to get the gun into SA mode where you are comfortable....

Practicing enough will overcome this handicap ..... but why START with the handicap?
 
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I'm just now getting more involved with handguns and rifles, Ill be getting my permit soon and I want to buy some revolvers for target practice.
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Because of the first line of the OP's post, I'm going to assume we're talking about revolvers.

A single action revolver loads through a loading gate, one cartridge at a time. After firing, each empty is pushed back out through the loading gate, also one at a time. To fire the gun, the hammer must be manually cocked, and then the shooter has a reatively easy, crisp trigger pull. The hammer must be cocked each time before firing.

A double action revolver can be fired the same way as a SA revolver, but also has the option of shooting double action. The trigger pull is longer and heavier when shooting double action, but once mastered it is a very fast, and very effective way to shoot. Also, the cylinder on a DA revolver swings out to load the chambers, so a speed loader can be used for very fast reloads once the shooter is practiced at it, and the empties are ejected all-at-once. At worst, a DA revolver is still faster to reload than a SA revolver.

To the OP, you're instructor was right that a DA revolver is harder to master...if you shoot it DA. However, that's no excuse for poor shooting with a double action revolver. It takes a bit of practice to master it, and some dry firing will help too, but it's truly the best way to shoot a revolver for self-defense purposes.

Practice it, and master it; you'll never regret doing so.

Daryl
 
DA verses SA...Bill Shakespeare take on it

The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers --Dick the Butcher, Henry VI, Act 4, Scene 2

After that there will be no need of DA only:D
 
Thanks for the replies, now Im leaning more towards a DA revolver. I like the idea of a quick reload and I can still get the same accuracy by pulling the hammer back myself if I want.

I was looking at the Ruger DA revolvers but they dont have anything in a .22. Eventually I will get a pistol and move onto larger guns but for now I want to get familiar with a .22(cheap ammo) and try my friends handguns before I decide what my next will be.
 
I believe that if you practice your trigger control you can be just as accurate with DA as you can with SA. Both of my revolvers are DAO. I also have three semi-autos; one is DAO, one is DA/SA and the other is SAO. I think I shoot equally as well with all of them, factoring out barrel length, etc. I learned to shoot pistols on DA service revolvers so I guess I am used to the trigger and don't mind DA at all.
 
The man who did my ccw class really advocated purchasing snap caps and practicing trigger control by firing the snap caps. Now since the OP is new: snap caps are dummy cartridges which protect your gun's firing pins when practicing. You can "snap" them (pull the trigger of your gun to simulate firing) hundreds of times without wearing them out.

The instructor was also strongly opposed to a single action (revolver type) pistol as a carry gun. They are loads of fun for target shooting and if you can carefully and quietly cock them, great hunting weapons.

Practice, practice, and practice until you can master trigger contol (holding the weapon steady on target) as you fire and you will be a happy camper.

When it comes to semi automatic pistols I am a definite fan of the 1911's which are single action but can be safely carried, cocked & locked....
 
If you are looking at a double action .22 revolver, then you need to check out the S&W K-22 family.

Smith also makes a lighter kit gun the Model 317.

Your other options are Colts of various flavors and a great deal of expense. Taurus and Charter Arms are the low end of the double action .22 market.
 
A double action revolver can also be fired single action.
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This is true, if it's really a DA and not a DAO (double action only). There are some DA revolvers with bobbed hammers that can still be cocked (although not easily), whereas a true DAO revolver doesn't have that ability. For example, the DAO Ruger SP101 has a different hammer assembly, not just a bobbed hammer, that prevents it from being cocked--if you managed to pull the hammer all the way to the rear by using your thumb, it won't stay there.

Just wanting to be clear. If you already knew this, worth what you paid for it. :) And I like DA and SA revolvers ... not a fan of DAO (at least not yet).
 
I agree with Buzzcook,,,

The S&W .22 revolvers are absolutely top notch handguns,,,
But you will pay for that quality 'cause they ain't cheap.

Used you will find these two quite often,,,
They are referred to as K-22's,,,
Meaning K-frame in .22 LR:

Model 18 Combat Masterpiece with adjustable sights and a 4" barrel
This handgun is the .22 version of the Model 15 in .38 Special.

Model 17 Masterpiece with adjustable sights and a 6" barrel,,,
This handgun is the .22 version of the Model 14 in .38 Special

Depending on their condition these guns can go from $350 to $700 each,,,
Pricey but well worth the expense for a good one.

The modern ones are the S&W 317 and the S&W 617,,,
Pricey but again, worth the money.

If you don't want to spend that kind of money,,,
Consider a Charter Arms Target Pathfinder,,,
American made, nice quality.

I shoot with several friends who own Charter Arms handguns,,,
Not anywhere as nice as a S&W,,,
But very serviceable.

You will be tempted by the lower price of the Taurus handguns,,,
They are loved or hated by many people,,,
I've had mixed experience.

I own two brand new Taurus .22 revolvers:

One has been trouble free from day one,,,
I shoot it with pleasure all the time.

The other has never been right,,,
Despite two trips to their repair center,,,
I don't shoot it very much because it's not reliable.

Their designs are sound,,,
Their quality control is terrible,,,
They let too many bad guns leave the factory.

"Nuff said about Taurus.

That's my 2-cents worth.

.
 
I knew someone had a term for the way my semi-auto is set up. "Shot Cocking". I leave my handgun in the holster with one in the chamber and it takes a double action function to get things started. After that, all single action. I don't mind. Don't have to think. Draw and start shooting.
 
Practice makes perfect. I own several revolvers in various calilbers, all Smith & Wesson double action revolvers. I haven't fired any of them in single action mode in years. Being able to shoot double action accurately is simply a question of trigger control and anyone can learn how to do it, provided that their hands are large enough. Put your trigger finger on the trigger at the base of the first joint, the "crease" behind the first knuckle on your trigger finger. That will give you enough leverage to pull the trigger straight back without torquing the gun. Then, dryfiring the gun, without ammunition in it, concentrate on pulling the trigger back smoothly and steadily, without causing the gun's front sight to dip or to twist to the left or right. Keep at it, a few dozen times a day. After a couple of weeks it will be second nature to you. You might try dry firing in front of a mirror, that may help you see whether the gun's moving through the firing cycle.

One tip: lay a coin flat on the top of the barrel just behind the front sight. Now, dry firing, see if you can pull the trigger six times without the coin falling off. When you can do that, you've mastered the technique!
 
When I first started shooting, I shot dual action exclusively for several months and decided one day to try out single action for awhile. I was hooked! Weird thing is when I went to try dual action shooting again just recently I noticed I developed a bad flinch :mad: Definitely not good since I love shooting big bore revolvers so I will be staying far and away from SA!
 
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