Not sure if this is the right area to post this, but I was curious to get peoples' philosophy on single vs. double with S&W revolvers. I've primarily used my guns for range/backwoods plinking, and almost always go single action. I find it hard to be accurate in double action. I always figured I'd only really go double action if I was in some sort of close quarters type defense situation.

On the other hand, I know some people are quite adept at shooting in double action. I always slow way down my trigger pull to keep it under control, so for me it seems like I can go nearly as fast in single action if I'm concerned at all about accuracy.

Suppose you wanted to get six shots into an 8" target at 30 feet as fast as possible. Do you go double action, or single?

1. I'm having trouble envisioning a LIKELY self-defense scenario where I'd be engaging at thirty feet. Generally, holdup men don't yell at you from across the parking lot to let you know you're being robbed. In most other likely scenario's I'd have access to SEVERAL rifles, some of them with 6-24 power scopes.
2. There are tricks to enhancing ones accuracy with a double action revolver. One that I've had great success with is squeezing the trigger until my finger contacts the frame or grip, then stopping to allow the sights to settle. I then finish with a reasonable approximation of a single action shot.
3. I recommend that you get yourself a copy of Ed McGivern's "Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting" and practice some of the techniques therein, starting with dry firing. The "John Carter of Mars" style of prose is tough for some people to get through, but it's well worth the effort.

30 feet is across the living room for me or if someone broke into the windows. I would have no problem shooting DA as that is what I have practiced. I use a rapid trigger take up then slow as the trigger reaches it's break point. I want to be surprised when the trigger breaks while always being in control of the gun.

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Front sight and squeeze

I can envision a lot of SD scenarios at 30' or more. I practice both DA & SA.

There isn't thirty feet line of sight anywhere in my whole home.

I can envision a thirty foot shot somewhere else, but I can envision a lot of things that aren't LIKELY.

Could I do it?

Sure. I've shot revolvers out to two hundred yards.

Would I try to do it double action?

Not given a choice.

Yeah, I didn't mean to imply that 30 feet was a common SD distance, just trying to get a sense of the conditions under which people use DA vs. SA. A man sized target at 30 feet leaves plenty of room for slop, but not the small target. I'd choose SA under the conditions I suggested.

Years ago, I shot SA all the time too, thinking DA was "just for emergencies." I guess it was easier to hit something SA, and that was my focus. But I was shooting for fun, and DA is fun, too. For me, more fun. Now I only shoot DA, just because. For me, DA revolvers are for DA shooting.

Seeing as how my primary self defense gun is a 442 I practice primarily in double action. I'll set a pizza box out at about 30' and practice point shooting for center of mass, or pizza box.
Even with other revolvers, I'll shoot primarily double action.
If double action's good enough for Jerry Miculek, it's good enough for me.
World Record 12 Shots In Under 3 Seconds - YouTube

I practice both SA & DA shooting. With a stiff +P defense load and under a tremendous amount of stress I very well might shoot SA if at 30+ feet. Anything under 15 feet would definitely be a DA shot, but depending on the circumstances and how much cover the perp was behind, and how large a target I had to shoot at would determine how I would take the shots. Two good hits beat 5 solid misses!

I practice almost entirely in double action. I think if you can master the double action trigger it will help with shooting just about anything. That said, I do occasionally shoot single action and find my accuracy with SA is pretty awesome. It has also gotten better as my DA has improved.

I can no longer walk the woods as I used to; but if I could, I figure any shooting I'd do with my 10-5 would be single action unless I were fending off some critter attacking me. For SD I play the odds, and assume that any situation requiring me to draw my EDC would likely be up close and sudden like the great majority of SD shootings (according to FBI figures). For that I don't want the option of SA, partly because as I've aged my hand sensitivity has declined markedly and I'd fear an unintended discharge. For that reason and others I carry a DAO revolver. I want it to require a definite decision to fire.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I carried a Smith revolver as duty weapon for 15 yrs and instructed LEO's in revolvers for 22 years.....we taught DA exclusively...we shot from 3 to 45 yds..some agencies even modified their revolvers to DA only....I also competed for years in PPC and IPSC.....I have seen many accomplished revolver shooters who could shoot very impressive groups at 50 yds with a 38 spl revolver shooting 38 wadcutter's double action....almost all of my carry revolvers have been "despurred"....as I would never thumb cock a revolver in a defensive shooting situation.....simply am not hardwired to do that.....spent years training, and have thousands and thousands of double action trigger pull repetitions built into me...I will fight the way I trained...I trained thousands of "boots" to shoot double action K frame magnums, and recertified several hundred annually at my duty station....learning to shoot double action simply requires some basic skill development and then practice, practice, practice.
Skilled double action shooter can deliver amazing accuracy, engaging multiple targets in scant seconds, just watch some of the modern competitors like Jerry Miculek when he shoots his 625.

I've shot double action almost exclusively for the past 35 years. Probably shoot single action less than one percent of my rounds. This is at ranges from 3 yards out to "you've got to be kidding" range. I am not a great shot but I'm confident out to 50 yards in DA mode. As in any other skill, practice, dry fire and a smooth, polished action will help you learn to develop good DA trigger control.

You must use what works for you. For me, that means I carry a striker fired weapon. I own, and very much enjoy shooting a 10-5. I do not carry it for self defense.

Yes, I can shoot reasonably accurately in DA mode. However, I really dislike shooting DA. I have carried an SA/DA revolver in the past, because it was the weapon I was required to carry.

Now that I can make my own choice in a carry weapon, I chose what I want, and what works best for me. For some, that means an SA/DA weapon, for others a DAO, and for yet others striker fired. Only you can determine what works best for you. Pay attention to what your situation dictates, and be prepared to practice sufficiently to be proficient, and confident with your weapon.

What would striker fired be considered?

I practice mainly DA since thats how I carry but none of my semi autos are true DA. Either stricker or DAO. Revolvers are different of course

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

Is 30 feet the new 21 feet?

My DA shooting has improved a lot with weekly practice. The best DA groups now look like my SA groups from 6 months ago. Now I practice almost exclusively DA.

Sounds like a lot of guys shoot DA all the time "on principle" or because they are in a self defense frame of mind. As a purely practical matter though, everyone surely has a range (combined with target size) where they would be better off to thumb the hammer and make the shot SA.

After watching some Jerry Miculek videos I'm definitely inspired to make my DA better. So far most of what I've seen has him blazing away at a human sized steel at maybe 10 feet. But I did see one video with him hitting small-ish steel much further (without hardly slowing down). Really amazing.

I thought so too, until I was shooting a bowling pin match at 50 Yards (!) with a Model 25. The first time through I shot SA and missed several pins. The second time I thought, what the heck, and shot DA. Hit them all. For me, there's something about keeping the sights in alignment as I make that long pull that helps me hit better. And the practice helps when I shoot other guns, too.

I always default to double action, that way you have a choice for either. Really can't go wrong! And with a lot of practice (live fire and snap caps) you an really perfect any action.

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Still just a kid at heart

I was at the range shooting revolvers in double action. Went to shoot my wife's 4" 66-3 and decided to try thumbing the hammer back for single action.
I was glad that I'm so ocd about safety. I had my finger off the trigger and kept the gun pointed downrange. I thought I was just resting my finger on the trigger when, Bang! The gun went off. I'm so used to the double action trigger pull that the broadsides of barns are safe when I try to shoot single action.

I have a laser on my 442 that I use for dry fire practice at home. I put the red dot on something across the room and keep it there as I pull the trigger. Really helps with trigger control.

I haven't cocked the hammer on one of my S&W revolvers in 20 years. I always shoot double action. USPSA, Steel challenge, IDPA, hunting deer and hogs, I always shoot double action. Many of my revolvers have been modified to fire double action only. Some still have the hammer spur (mostly to fit in my shoulder holsters and thumb snap holsters) and some have the hammer spur removed. The only revolver I shoot single action is my Blackhawk 357. With practice you can become very adept at shooting double action.

Thanks for all the replies. I have to say that I'm still skeptical. I've got a few nice 1911's for example with very light triggers. Would anyone in their right mind claim they could shoot better if the triggers were modified to 15 pounds with 3/4" of pull? Likewise with quality rifles, or even scoped high caliber S&W revolvers. I can't believe you aren't paying a price to work through all that pull.

Having said that, I can believe that for law enforcement people you may be ahead to have a consistent groove and simply remove from your mind the option of ever cocking the hammer. And, I do intend to practice and get better...

I shoot almost exclusively DA. Largely for the reason given that in a SD situation I'm very likely to be shooting DA, but also b/c my non-revolver carry guns are DAO semis, and there's no option to avoid their long trigger pull so best to practice with long trigger pull on them all.

For the times I'm just distance/accuracy shooting at the range I still shoot DA on my revolvers, but mostly I shoot a Ruger Standard of late and don't really shoot my revolvers at all in that capacity. I'll got 25 yards with them but never had much desire to do 3" groups with my J frames. Mostly I practice putting all 5 in the 5x on a B-21 target at 7 to 15 yards in a quick, proficient manner.

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Chuck M

If you are going to defend yourself with a revolver, double action is a must. In a self defense situation, you will most likely need to shoot more than once. I am not capable of shooting a double action revolver any where near as fast in single action as double action. Nobody else I know of is either. I am capable of nearly the same accuracy in double action as single action on any target that is within self defense range. Milliseconds count in a self defense situation. A double action revolver can be shot very fast and very accurately. It takes dedicated practice. Save the single action for target shooting or hunting. Just my opinion. It's your life and your decision, but don't make that decision based on the fact that shooting double action will take some work. If you are having a lot of trouble with it, find a good instructor, and there are plenty of good books to get tips from.

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Peter
S&WCA #2620

Two of my three J-frame .38s are DAO, and I haven't spent much time shooting SA for quite a while. When I entered LE, I was taught DA for everything but the 50-yard line, back when we still qualified from that distance.

DA only for defensive situations is not hard to learn. All you really need to do is dedicate some time each day to dry fire drills. Just be sure to keep the ammo far away from the revolver, and check it twice before beginning practice. Dry firing will go along way to mastering the DA action. The standard is to NOT disturb the front sight picture when pressing the trigger and dropping the hammer. Don't train to "stage" the trigger as this may be a hinderence. Once you feel pretty good with DA, then go to the range and shoot some ball and dummy drills (load three rounds at random. Spin cylinder and get six trigger presses. see where you dip when the gun goes click instead of bang. fill remaining charge holes with three rounds and get six trigger presses. Repeat).

I don't hunt and know absolutely nothing about it, but it seems to me that single action would come in handy for long range shots - you know, Elmer Keith style.

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Peter
S&WCA #2620

[QUOTE=Collects;137428815]When hunting and shooting single action, does the "click" of cocking the hammer scare off the game?

I have scared off deer many times with the "click" of taking off the safety.
QUOTE]

You've really got to work on shooting deer at ranges beyond 10 feet.

Good thing I own a DAO revolver. The few times I've tried a SA revolver it felt jumpy and odd. I know my hands didn't fit well but I sure didn't like the hair trigger feel of the SA mode. DA for me is still slower than I'd like, I'm working on getting faster for the follow up shots but I'm fairly accurate out to 25 yards for 3 shots in a row. Quite good at SD distances now. IDPA practice has helped a lot.

Me too. I think this can really improve yur DA work, even for guns with iron sights only.
I do 99% of my shooting with my j-frames DA only at 7 yards. I don't think shooting a DA revolver in SA mode is appropriate for self-defense, unless you're trying to shoot the gun out of the bad guy's hand or similar..

Having decided to carry the 442 and 642 Centemmials,
all practice is done in DA. Like a previous poster(s), my
SA work is lousy. I now shoot only DA. Trying to shoot
other firearms SA, gives a "hair-trigger" experience.
I went with 442/642, since they're designed for DA, just
point and shoot. SD with SA seems awfully dangerous to me.
JMHO, TACC1.

Having retired just before my department went to automatics, i can say that every in-service session, range or even FBI course i went through with REVOLVERS, we shot exclusively DA. Most range sessions were timed, with no time for SA. Whether you were shooting from a barricade at 25-35 yards, strong hand or weak hand, upright or prone, drawing from the holster 7-10 feet away. It was DA. Having said that, now-a-days when i go to the indoor range, i shoot both ways. I start off with SA with my J frame and end with DA.

I'm not sure about the "new 21 feet." My question is this. Granted, Mr. Bad Guy's not supposed to be in your house. Does this mean you commence firing as soon as the glass breaks? 30 feet, at night, when you've just been roused from sleep. Are any friendlies within that 30 feet, (Sleeping on the couch, using the rest room, other rooms in between),? If you wear glasses, did you put them on, or just grab your piece? A lot comes into play here, stuff a prosecutor or defense attorney could have a field day with. Just thinking out loud......

Double action only! EVER!

When I was instructing, I started my students out double action on the first shot, never let them use single action. The possibility of an accidental discharge is far too great with a cocked revolver.

Most of my students learned DA quickly and successfully. The ones that struggled were the "cowboys" who had misspent their youth firing 22 single actions. ;=}

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"Sacramento" Bruce Conklin

I keep a pair of electronic ear protectors next to my bed stocked with fresh batteries. I can turn them up to hear faint sounds in the other end of the house. And I do not want to fire a round or two in a closed hallway without the ear protection.

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"Sacramento" Bruce Conklin