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Anyone carrying a single action revolver?

4K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  troutwest66 
#1 ·
...now looking for cowboy action guns and I wonder if they would be practical to carry for SD.

I often carry a DA revolver which I like since I believe the gun will almost always go bang, bang at the BGs.

...ahhhh, they are on the large size, however. We can open carry here in TN but I generally don't.
 
#2 ·
If you can operate the pistol fast enough, why not? I've seen some of those "Cowboy shooters" empty a cylinder of ammo in real short order. However, they are shooting cowboy loads in either .44, or .45. Can they run that fast with full loads, and still make hits? I don't know, but I'll choose a DA/SA over a SA only any time.
 
#3 ·
the 2 issues i see are:

1, many cowboy action guns like cowboy action loads.. and those laods are not the ones i'd use for self defense! ( yes. i know there are full power ++ SA's out there.).

2, Unless you are planning on fanning the hammer, a da or semi auto might give you more ammo downrange if needed, faster.
 
#6 ·
Probably lack of experience, would be my guess. A 4" barrel is a 4" barrel, one might be a tad more accurate than another, but mostly gun barrels are a lot more accurate than we are.
 
#5 ·
for me it all depends on trigger weight as to what gun shoots more accurately in my hand, assuming sights are correctly setup.

A revolver with a light SA pull shoots fine.. so does a semi auto with a light pull.

I'd just hate to think i had to thumb each one over to get a followup shot... ( for me anyway )

I'm more of a semi auto fan than a wheel gun.. though that is not to say i don't have some favorite wheel guns. Unfortunately, my wheel guns I like the most would not be carry weapons. like a nice 38/200 webley or my colt anaconda long bbl model.
 
#7 ·
It has nothing to do (in my opinion) with the barrel. It's how the gun fits the hand. I am much more accurate with S&W Hand Ejectors than with any automatic. If the only thing that mattered was how accurate the barrel was, they would not make stuff like the Ruger 2245, "with a grip angle JUST LIKE a 1911". A regular Ruger with the Luger angle would do just as good for practice.

I also disagree with, "many cowboy action guns like cowboy action loads". No, many cowboy action SHOOTERS like cowboy action loads. These wussy loads allow them to get back on target quicker. Same as bullseye shooters used to be big fans of S&W K38 Target Masterpieces, and 38 Special Target Wadcutter ammo. Wussy load. All it had to do was make it to the target. But the gun was (and still is) quite capable of handling full-power 38s.

Having said all that, I would not carry a Single Action for self defense. Couple of reasons. One is that, next to a muzzle-loader, it's about the slowest reload out there. Maybe five should be enough, but there might be six of 'em, or (unbelievable, I know) I MIGHT miss.

And then there is the possibility that the DA will say, "Oh, you do that 'cowboy shooting' thing. That's where you dress up like a gunfighter and pretend you're Wyatt Earp having a shootout with Doc Holiday. And now you've taken it to the next level."

Of course, the best way to prevent that is to make sure that your gun and ammo is the exact same gun and ammo the local cops carry, and I don't do that.
 
#8 ·
I also disagree with, "many cowboy action guns like cowboy action loads". No, many cowboy action SHOOTERS like cowboy action loads. .
I was just going by what i was told by Legendary Guns when i looked into getting into coyboy action guns.

Their response was that like you, much of it was for the shooter not the gun, but however some guns might not like heavier grain bullets ( pressure? ) and to check with each manufacturer to see if their guns are capable of firing modern full power fixed ammo... so that's where i was going on that thought. I guess it's more correct to say 'depending on the specific gun'.. etc.
 
#10 ·
Here in Alaska, whether you spot it or not, it's pretty much a given that many folks are carrying. For much of my better half's career as a state investigator her carry gun was (and still is) a 7 1/2" barrel .41 Mag SA, with which she can pop clothes pins at 20 yards or so. She's 5'9", the SA balances perfectly for her, fits her hand well with regular factory grips, she's comfortable with full-house 210gr JHP loads, and doesn't really give a hoot who sees her carrying it. My kinda girl!
 
#12 ·
If it's the gun you are most comfortable with, shoot the best, why not. Yes they are slow to reload although when I was a kid Thell Reid could shoot 12 rounds of .45 Colt and hit, in 17 seconds. Depends on how much you practice. I do not want to face a man that is really comfortable using a .45 Colt thank you very much.
 
#13 ·
Years ago while in college in Emporia Kansas we had two deputy sheriffs that patrolled the two colleges in town. Both carried single action revolvers (I know one was a .357 Ruger with a 4" barrel). I would ride with them some nights and one night we went to a downtown hotel rented by my college on a suspicious person call. Seems a guy had escaped custody from the local court house and we walked into the lobby only to find the guy standing at the front desk. I can still hear the sound of that Ruger clearing leather and being cocked (as I'm sure the fugitive can too). It wasn't as loud as a pump shotgun, but it had every bit of the attention grabbing sound. It echoed through the lobby and the blood drained from the suspects face. The deputy told the man to pick up the desk phone and decide who he wanted to call. The suspect asked what do you mean? The deputy said you can call the city police or the local morgue. He chose the local police.
 
#15 ·
Depends on the gun.

Browning-designed single action automatic is carried with the chamber loaded, the hammer cocked and the safety on.

Walther-designed or Beretta-designed double action automatic is carried with the chamber loaded, the hammer down and the safety off.

Those are the only two types of autoloaders I carry. But yes, cocked or not, always one in the chamber so the slide does not need racked.

There are several automatics out there that are not safe to carry with a loaded chamber. I even own a couple of them. But I don't carry them. So carry-condition is irrelevant.
 
#16 ·
It has nothing to do (in my opinion) with the barrel. It's how the gun fits the hand. I am much more accurate with S&W Hand Ejectors than with any automatic. If the only thing that mattered was how accurate the barrel was, they would not make stuff like the Ruger 2245, "with a grip angle JUST LIKE a 1911". A regular Ruger with the Luger angle would do just as good for practice.

I also disagree with, "many cowboy action guns like cowboy action loads". No, many cowboy action SHOOTERS like cowboy action loads. These wussy loads allow them to get back on target quicker. Same as bullseye shooters used to be big fans of S&W K38 Target Masterpieces, and 38 Special Target Wadcutter ammo. Wussy load. All it had to do was make it to the target. But the gun was (and still is) quite capable of handling full-power 38s.

Having said all that, I would not carry a Single Action for self defense. Couple of reasons. One is that, next to a muzzle-loader, it's about the slowest reload out there. Maybe five should be enough, but there might be six of 'em, or (unbelievable, I know) I MIGHT miss.

And then there is the possibility that the DA will say, "Oh, you do that 'cowboy shooting' thing. That's where you dress up like a gunfighter and pretend you're Wyatt Earp having a shootout with Doc Holiday. And now you've taken it to the next level."

Of course, the best way to prevent that is to make sure that your gun and ammo is the exact same gun and ammo the local cops carry, and I don't do that.
I was referring to "accuracy" as in a ransom rest. I agree that the most accurate gun you may shoot has to do with how the gun fits you.
 
#18 ·
Shooting a SA two handed can be deadly... for the bad guy.:cool: If one arm is injured then you're slinging lead like the Lone Ranger. My biggest concern is reloading fast enough. Autos and DA revolvers with speed loaders make more sense. Now, if the SA is what you have then carry it. Use good defensive ammo. Velocities of 750-850 fps with 250-255 grain bullets are plenty in a big bore. .45 Colt starts out big so any expansion of the bullet will be effective. Even softer lead bullets would be better than FMJ .45 ACP. By the way the .45 ACP was designed to work in the 1911 and equaling the performance of the .45 Colt if I have my facts right. Another reload solution would be to carry two guns like SASS competitions. Might not be all that practical though. Probably just added more questions but hey, we're having fun, right?:D
 
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