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Because it would be silly to make the SA/DA auto shooters de-cock their weapon after every round. You could mess with them and show up with a single action revolver.
Revolver Verus Automatic
- Thread starter jimmyj
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AJ
US Veteran
When I was stationed in Ca. I was a Weapons Instructor for the Marine Corps/Navy. For all stages of rapid fire the revolvers were fired DA. Since we only used M1911's for autos and those were carried Condition 1, those were fired that way from the holster. We were not using M9's yet. I also was the Weapons Instructor for the contract civilian police department aboard the Naval Station. The Detectives all carried 2 inch S&W M36's in ankle holsters. I made them draw from those on each stage of fire on the combat course. You could hear them howling for miles.........I told them we were playing the game as if it was real! besides the patrol officers had to draw from the holster.
.455_Hunter
Member
Interesting- I can name quite a few civilian shootings off the top of my head where SA cocking a DA revolver would have been very prudent. The concept that it is "never necessary" to use SA is laughable.
AJ
US Veteran
There are exceptions to every rule. Just have to be proficient enough and have the good judgement to make them.
SA was trained in slow fire, with all weapons.
Qualification courses, these days are done at relatively short distances. It doesn't take a whole lot of effort to learn to shoot the courses and max them while shooting a double action revolver, double action. I learned my lesson a long, long time ago to not cock the hammer on my double action revolver in real shoot, no shoot situations. The lighter trigger pull under stress can lead to unintended consequences much more readily than leaving the double action revolver in DA mode. Also, if the situation turns out to be a no shoot situation, one has the added distraction of decocking the revolver.
THAT is the answer I was going to give. Using a TDA pistol with a decocker would work but why the heck would you ask anyone to stop firing and decock? EEK!!!!
OP
I my career I have witnessed/investagated on duty NDs with single action revolvers, double action revolvers, single action auto pistols,double action only pistols, sa/da pistols. No matter the weapon and safety instructions someone will find a way to ND.
LVSteve
Member
Jeez man. Put the time in and learn how to shoot double action.
It's not hard but it's a little different skill and might require some practice.
It's not hard but it's a little different skill and might require some practice.
I do this!
The way I was taught you never modify your shooting grip in a fight for any reason. As far as when to cock it, it is cocked just as the sights line up.
With a Smith TDA semi auto, I drop the slide with the left thumb on the slide release. I release the magazine pushing the mag release button with the left thumb and I insert the new mag with the left hand and keep the firing grip unchanged...
EXCEPT!
I want to tell you that many times I have pinched the flabby parts of the bottom of my grip hand when I slammed that magazine in. I have done it enough that the mere thought of reloading a semi-auto pistol causes me to wince. I do sometimes loosen the pinky and try to get it out of the way on certain pistols, but I expect if I ever have to reload in a fight, then I will have a bloody pinched pinky on my right hand afterwards. When the coroner asks you why my dead body has an extra bloody wound there, please tell him I told you this.
I make bold to add this because I saw a Tube by Hickock45 where he confirmed this, but I use a consistent type of trigger pull on every gun. It does not matter whether it is a long stroke or a short stroke, whether a Glock, a revolver, a 1911 or my favorite S&W semi. I have a Model 696 with a smooth action job, and also, I have a model 411 that has a gritty action that is as bad as Joe Namath's knees. I can feel the difference, but it does not show in the score. Accuracy is the same. Time may vary slightly and from pistol type to type, and plenty enough to lose a match, but I do not compete.
Reloading a revolver of course requires letting go the firing grip. I follow Ayoob's Stressfire reload.
I consider it normal to cock a single action revolver with the support hand.
The big ones like 44 magnum recoil so much that there is plenty of time to get it cocked by the time your sights are back on target. there is actually no time advantage with the 44Mag in double action.
Please correct me anyone with my thanks. Always learning.
"He who writes on the internet, longs to be corrected."
--Abraham Lincoln
I do this!
The way I was taught you never modify your shooting grip in a fight for any reason. As far as when to cock it, it is cocked just as the sights line up.
With a Smith TDA semi auto, I drop the slide with the left thumb on the slide release. I release the magazine pushing the mag release button with the left thumb and I insert the new mag with the left hand and keep the firing grip unchanged...
EXCEPT!
I want to tell you that many times I have pinched the flabby parts of the bottom of my grip hand when I slammed that magazine in. I have done it enough that the mere thought of reloading a semi-auto pistol causes me to wince. I do sometimes loosen the pinky and try to get it out of the way on certain pistols, but I expect if I ever have to reload in a fight, then I will have a bloody pinched pinky on my right hand afterwards. When the coroner asks you why my dead body has an extra bloody wound there, please tell him I told you this.
I make bold to add this because I saw a Tube by Hickock45 where he confirmed this, but I use a consistent type of trigger pull on every gun. It does not matter whether it is a long stroke or a short stroke, whether a Glock, a revolver, a 1911 or my favorite S&W semi. I have a Model 696 with a smooth action job, and also, I have a model 411 that has a gritty action that is as bad as Joe Namath's knees. I can feel the difference, but it does not show in the score. Accuracy is the same. Time may vary slightly and from pistol type to type, and plenty enough to lose a match, but I do not compete.
Reloading a revolver of course requires letting go the firing grip. I follow Ayoob's Stressfire reload.
I consider it normal to cock a single action revolver with the support hand.
The big ones like 44 magnum recoil so much that there is plenty of time to get it cocked by the time your sights are back on target. there is actually no time advantage with the 44Mag in double action.
Please correct me anyone with my thanks. Always learning.
"He who writes on the internet, longs to be corrected."
--Abraham Lincoln
Did you feel like you got a satisfactory answer yet?
I remember the early days of IDPA, though I do not compete. The idea then was to use stock weapons as they were meant to be used in a self-defense or LE situation. That means revolver is double action.
I do not know if this was valid thinking. Like fencing competition, how can it be like real sword play if it also has to be safe?
.455_Hunter
Member
My preferred method is to recock a classic SA revolver with the primary thumb as the gun rolls back on line from the full recoil position. It allows for efficient one-handed operation.
That was late 80's in the Bronx on the 6 train. Taking of Pelham 123. I rode that train living in the Bronx.
Officer Marvin Yearwood cocked a gun to the back of the head of Paul Fava Jr on the elevated platform of the downtown side of the 6 train. The gun went off and killed the youngster.
Here's the story
A VICTIM'S DAD: NYPD RECKLESS, NOT RACIST
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OP
I guess I am partly the way there as using a double action revolver I have shot a perfect score for years.
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cd228
Member
Thanks, That was the incident.
JUST CALL JERRY................
SGT ROCK 11B
Member
LAPD converted their revolvers to double action only in the mid 1960s. Several of the small Police Departments in California that had Chiefs who were former LAPD Lieutenants or Captains brought that Policy to their new jobs.
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One possible answer: "A narrow minded idiot made the rules."
I had one "Range Officer" tell us during qualification that we "had" to shoot from the hip on one stage because that is what we would do "for real." What a blooming idiot.
Not sure if I have less respect for "range officers" or the fat, cheeseburger-spewing *** with the "one of a kind Colts" behind the table at the gun show. You know they guy - his pieces of **** are always way overpriced because he is selling the story, not really the gun - and with that wind bag, fatso can certainly spin a yarn.
Jimmy You can always pull out a shot timer and compare the times shooting both DA and SA as that female officer did and you should be able to answer your own question .
I an old handgun hunter and spent my first 42 years in sw fl and loved to hunt hogs . First shot I consider an offensive shot but any hogs that run at me the weak side arm was good for pulling me behind a tree and holding a balance while I double action the necessary one handed DA shots for protection . I do not carry a revolver but I do practice with a defensive model we have and thats DA shooting .
OP
Revolver Verus Auto
you need to hog hunt more because wild hogs are taking over the State.
you need to hog hunt more because wild hogs are taking over the State.
