My father just got his cpl and is looking for a good carry revolver. He has a few hang ups on carry a revolver because there is no safety and he cant wrap his head around the fact the first pull is usually heavy but he only likes revolvers (old school I guess). He likes the revolvers that have a hammer on them the best and we were looking at Model 637 which he liked because it is a lot like his 357mag. Is there any way to make him feel comfortable carry this? Can you half caulk the hammer so it cant fire or do I just need to find a good holster for him.

Any Input is welcome. Thanks

With a decent holster it is nearly impossible to have the cylinder turn while the gun is in the holster. The moment imparted by the force against the cylinder walls pretty much keeps the cylinder in place. And with the hammer block striking the hammer will not cause the gun to fire.

Bottom line is a modern revolver in a holster is one of the safest guns, if not the safest gun, to carry.

All pulls on a revolver with the hammer down at rest will be all the same. Heavy is best defined to your own tastes. I know of no double action revolver that the hammer can be half cocked for carry. Putting it into full cocked mode to carry know as single action if the hammer is in a cocked position and that is a 100% unsafe.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

Unless you manually cocked the hammer all shot from a revolver will be double action and heavy(er).

There are no safety or half cock on revolvers. Their "safety" is the fact that a double action is heavy. It's not easy to just accidentally pull that trigger.

Your dad has to learn or realize that the mechanics of the gun are not the same as "a feeling" or "a look". When he parks his car does he also use wheel chucks? In park a car isn't going anywhere. This is what I had to go through with my dad but he still doesn't carry because the gun he wants hasn't been invented yet!

AFIK, all double action revolvers have a positive block (or transfer bar) device which prevents the hammer from touching the firing pin when the hammer is down and the trigger forward. Pulling the trigger removes this block. If you are cocking the revolver with your finger off the trigger and slip, the trigger will move forward as the hammer falls, blocking the firing pin. The force needed to pull (or restrain) the trigger is on the order of 10 to 12 pounds.

A few single action revolvers, like the Ruger New Vaquero, have a transfer bar, activated by the trigger, which does the same thing.

Neither are safe to uncock, because you must hold the trigger to drop the hammer from a full cock position. There is no half-cock on a DA revolver, nor is half-cock necessarily safe under any circumstances.

What could be safer?

Keep in mind that ANY gun should be holstered. And on that note, the trigger should/will be covered, further adding to the safety aspect.
Pictures available upon request.

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Criminals don't register guns.

You may want to consider these:








They are Quick Release Trigger Stays - Garrison Grip

They give me an extra layer of confidence that my S&W 640 will 'speak' only when I tell it to.

It sounds like your dad should spend some time at the range with a revolver to become more comfortable with it. I am not a fan of anyone carrying a handgun they have concerns about.

These seem unnecessary IMO. In a high stress situation the last thing you want is to try to remember to pop that out

any carry should be in a holster with the trigger protected. DA at 12 lbs acts as a safty. Personally, I would not want to carry a revolver with an exposed hammer. It may snag on something if there is a need to draw.

He is at the range at least once a week, so that isn't the issue.

I absolutely want nothing to do with that device. I want to keep that plug thing as far away from my gun as possible!

If he shoots that much I have a hard time understanding why he isn't comfortable carrying a revolver. His shooting experience should tell him that a J Frame revolver with a 14lb trigger in a holster is probably the safest possible gun a person could carry.

Well, I suppose he could use the little key. Wear it around his neck, or on a wrist.
Better than not carrying due to fear of an accidental discharge. A little better. But, I think he would get used to having the gun, and might be able to lose the key after a while. After unlocking the IL. Kind of like training wheels for CC.

Best,
Rick

Curious, may I ask what he is shooting on his weekly range visits? Regards Ernie

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Rimfires Makes me "Insane"

You and me both but that isn't for us to understand that is on him. Im sure he will get use to it once he carries more but he is a 64 year old man that has never carried before so has some concerns about it. Im sure he will get use to it.

If he feels he needs/wants a hammer badly enough, I would recommend a model with a shrouded hammer. A model 38, 438 or 638 if he wants a 38 special or a model 49 or 649 if he wants a 357. The shrouded hammer allows him to have access to the hammer, but prevents the hammer from getting caught on clothing.

He has a S&W 357mag model 686 that he only uses 38spec with and a single action ruger 22