Was in a conversation the other day about the viability of carrying a single action revolver as a CCW weapon. Does anyone use a single action for this purpose? I know there are quite a few who use them for woods carry, but that is not what we were discussing. If you do, would you share some of your reasons for choosing such, and if not, but have given it consideration, what made you decide not to?
Colt and clones or Ruger designs all are welcome.

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Formerly know as Lucky Derby

Hi, LD, unrelated kind of but I remember the coolest cop/security guard ever back in the early 70's. At Winterland concert arena in S.F. This guy was in a security outfit but wore shades at night and a double Sam Browne black rig and carried a 4" Highway Patrolman on his right, and a 4 5/8" Ruger Blackhawk on his left hip. I never heard of a modern two gun LEO ever before. He had a heavy black mustache and didn't at all look as stupid as it sounds now.He swaggered up and down the street in front of the place keeping all us longhaired punks in line. Litterally.

It's a long story but I almost took a Uberti Schofield to qualify with, but didn't. To answer your question, I'd say it's not a good idea. I can shoot and reload a Schofield faster than most cops I knew could their autos, but the proplem is you have no idea what, or who, you might encounter in a gunfight.

Hey, it worked for Gen. Patton!
(But he did carry a S&W .357 Registered Magnum for backup. )

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John

"would you share some of your reasons for choosing such..."

No lock, no safety, ample supply of 45 colt ammo.

I never carried one for defendse, but if I do it would be this dual clyinder one in 45 acp or 45 colt, or my old colt with the short ejector and barrel.

I'm sure it could be done, and I'm sure some people do it.

I find the problem to be a safety issue.

Double action revolvers are readily available and are as "safe as a brick at rest" until you pull the trigger.

The very act of having to cock the single action creates a real problem in a self defense situation. It is just not safe.

Now, on the other hand, having a single action pistol when you need it sure as heck beats not having a gun!

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G.P. Charlie

I carry a NAA 22lr mini revolver a lot. It's single action

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Forum consigliere

After dark the heavy stuff in my own property lines,Day time I have to be more more CCw.

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Dum vivo cano

I've carried my Cimarron short barrel .45 ACP - with a 1911 mag to reload from. Stripper clips work well, too. I'm a lefty, and these left-handed guns work well for me.

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Now go make God proud...

Sheriff Sam McLoud did when when he went to work in NY!

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Have Canon, Will Travel

Cocking a single action is easier than jacking the slide on a auto. Nothing is as unsafe as an auto with the barrel loaded and the safety on. Most safeties keep the trigger from being pulled and the firing pin can fall whenever it wants too. A belt hook doesn't work good on a SA but leave the loading gate open and the pistol won't fall down your pants. Five shots from a .44 mag will do more than 15 from a kiddie 9m. FLAME AWAY!! Larry

I'm with you, Larry!

Erich...That is a very sweet birdshead. I looked for those checked panels when I had my Thunderer but they were not to be found.

Thank you, sir! I lucked into this gun, used with both cylinders and a sweet action-tune, for $350 last year. Wow, have I had a lot of fun with it!

BTW, I understand that Persinger of El Paso did the checkering on all of these. You might contact him to see about getting yours done.

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Now go make God proud...

I never have. But I don't know why it shouldn't work. It worked for Dr. Holliday.

While I appreciate a good single action revolver just as much as the next guy, I still think carrying one for CCW isn't the best idea. At least not in the real world.

I just dug back to the handgun safe and thought I'd take a picture. It's been buried for a long time.

Depending on the individual's circumstances, of course, I think a single action revolver would be only marginally less effective for most of the risks most of us face, especially with proper training and practice.

Erich, very cool .45

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Formerly know as Lucky Derby

It's a training issue.

I refuse to start a beginner out on one, but if someone who alreaady knows how wants to use one for CCW qualification shooting, that's cool with me. Go ahead, you tell Bob Munden he can't use his single action..........

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Science plus Art

The only issue that I see from a safety standpoint is that anything with an authentic Colt-style action would have to be carried with the hammer down on an empty chamber, whereas a Ruger or anything with a transfer bar could be carried with all six chambers loaded.

I have heard of people carrying Colts with all six rounds loaded, but with the firing pin resting between two rims of cartridges. Of course, the cylinder stop would be resting on the bare cylinder and would scratch it up and I still don't think it would be safe.

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Lost it all in a boat accident

I have carried my Ruger Birdshead Sheriff's Model Vaquero on several occasions. I shoot it often and am pretty good with it at CAS, so it is a gun I feel very confident, and safe, carrying. While not my first choice for city urban carry, it is a good one when out and about in a combination of woods and small towns. It works best in cooler weather when I have a big coat, but packs pretty well. If I need it for the woods, I can always load up with some Ruger-only handloads. Otherwise, for CCW it's loaded with Win 45 Colt Silvertips. That'll work. I imagine if I ever did have to draw it, it would have the desired result, hopefully without having to fire it. The big hole at the muzzle and grinning cylinder full in waiting is pretty impressive from the front end. As you cock it, sight and sound leaves no doubt that peril is imminent.

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" I said, good DAY! "

If I did, my 3.5" Beretta .45 would be the one.

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C & L

My first good handgun was a ruger single six. I probley shot that gun almost as much as all the other handguns I owned together since! By old habit 90% of the shooting I do with my double actions I still do single action anyway. Except for when I requaled at work. Except for reloading, I doubt I would be at much of a disadvantage in the real world if that is all I had! When I do pack concealed, I am into the short light J frames with bobbed hammer or a model 40 that I can just slip in my pocket. You cant do that easy with a thumb buster. But years ago if they would have said that I HAD to carry a single action at work instead of the double actions we carried on open carry, it wouldnt have bothered me at all! In fact, I would have felt more comfortable with a 44 special or 45 colt then the .38s we had to use! My outfit wouldnt let us carry .357s in our .357s!

I don't know anyone who actually carries one for self defense, but I do know a few who have Blackhawk house guns. If you keep in mind that for the average incident it is going to be 3 shots or less at 21 feet or less. Probably half the accounts we see in the armed citizen are 1 shot stops. We all know that with some practice a SA can fire multiple shots accurately, and as quick as any other gun. So the idea really isn't that crazy, at least not to me. If all I had was a 4 5/8ths SA in 357 or 45 Colt I wouldn't feel particularily vulnerable.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

Thanks, Lucky!

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Now go make God proud...

Patton also had Third Army for backup.

I have carried a second generation Colt in 357 when that was the only centerfire handgun that I had available and don't remember worrying about anything at the time.

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OFT/NRA LIFE MEMBER

Ask anyone who's been in shooting if they would have rather had a single action revolver. Why carry something with built-in disadvantages (firing and reloading)? I want ever modern advantage known to man.
I do like the SA revolvers, but they are more stylish than practical and should be left for the range.
Sure, there are many cowboy action shooters and trick shooters who can do amazing things with SA, but those targets aren't hitting them with an iron pipe or shooting back at them.
It's really the difference between cowboy boots and combat boots. There are a lot of weak arguments for being stylish here, sorry.

I carried an NAA Mini as a BUG for a while. Not that it was the best choice - my particular gun had a habit of keyholing and also - disconcertingly - having the hammer make its way out of the cylinder stop and end up resting over the primer.

When I had my Colt (circa 2003 mfg date) SAA in .45 Colt, I actually thought about carrying it. I was going to load it with BP rounds on the theory that it would lay my own smoke screen and also set someone on fire.

I ended up trading it for a Colt Series 70 1911, which was a far more practical option as Colt .45s go.

Colt SAAs, and clones, are large and relatively heavy guns for what they do.

What I am seeing is that although few do, it doesn't seem like such a crazy idea to most, assuming adaquite training in the manual of arms for the chosen weapon.

Now a question for those who think the idea is crazy:
If given the choice between a quality SA revolver in your choice of caliber or your choice of a quality DA revolver or semi-auto of similar size and weight but chambered in .22LR which would you choose now?

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Formerly know as Lucky Derby

Now that made my day!

As far as making a choice between SA or a .22 ...why? Is that all that's left at the pawn shop or all you happen to have on hand now? What's the whole point in this post?

Any large caliber SA over anything .22 probably....but with a bayonet since you seem to be into making things interesting.

FWIW I know a dude really good with a flintlock, but I'll pass

Yeah, I gotta admit, "the SA in any caliber vs. .22LR anything" is getting a little out there. FWIW, I'd still pick a SA in 45 Colt because I feel I'm able to use it effectively, but a 4" Ruger Standard pistol would carry easier, deal out a lot of rounds fast, and likely do just as well in trained hands.

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" I said, good DAY! "

Let me try to expand on my answer. Would a SA work for CCW? Of course, they shoot some very effective cartridges, as far as handguns go. But they have limitations. Especially the Colt SAAs and it's clones.

So what about the not-so-average incident? This is one of the things that should have been learned from the Miami shootout, and earlier. Don't let the fact that the average shooting can be handled with no problem, it's the "other" situations that you have to worry about. That's why you carry a gun for CCW anyway isn't it? Most people can go their whole life without having to use a gun but you carry one just in case. What if your case is one of the other ones? A SA Colt can fire multiple shots accurately, but not as fast as any other gun, especially if using only one hand. The guns that Bob Munden shoots in his exhibitions for speed are shooting wax bullets, or black powder blanks, which aren't very effective man stoppers. The recoil from shooting real bullets makes them a little more difficult to fire rapidly.

I see this a lot with police officers, and it's something else that should have been learned from one of the real life cases. Folks have a habit of convincing themselves something is going to be alright.

Ahh Hollywood! I recall reading that Dr. Holliday preferred a double action revolver, as did John Wesley Hardin and a host of other accomplished gunmen of that period. And they carried them often in spite of the fact that most of the DA revolvers at that time were not very well made or dependable. But they saw their advantages and chose them anyway. Many of the other accomplished gunmen of the era carried a version of the S&W with the breaktop action because of it's ability to be loaded more quickly.

Look at the gun competitons where you have several gunmen that are of equal skill, the outcome becomes an equipment race. More than likely the critter that threatens you will not be a skilled gunman, but it has happened. Or he may have a lot of friends behind him...Like the Third Army.

If I "had" to carry a SA I would, but the Colts wouldn't be my first choice. But given the choice I would carry what I think would give me the most advantages and flexibility.

Cajun lawyer. FWIW I carry one, too.

The topic isn't about enforcing laws with a SA. The Miami shooting is not what us average folks are going to encounter in a CCW incident and I don't think the comparison is valid. Take ALL of the self defense shootings by laypersons you ever heard of: how many several minute long shootouts with reloadings and multiple cylinders and magazines of bullets being fired can you come up with? Not many to none at all is the answer. They happen to LEOs, and sometimes to certain merchants defending their turf from armed robbers maybe, but not to the average CCW situation, and thats what I am getting at-because thats what the question was.

I too sometimes carry a NAA mini. I like mine quite a lot. Its nothing other than a very close quarter gun, touching distance. I would imagine 1 in the head would be quite fatal to a BG.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

geoff, my response isn't about enforcing laws either. It's about "you don't know what you are going to be faced with". Just because you don't hear about situations doesn't mean they can't or don't happen. What do you think would happen if you were to walk into your favorite pizza shop in the middle of a robbery where the BG just shot the employees with a shotgun. You think he's going to stand still long enough for you to shoot him in the head with your mini? You think he's going to let you leave alive?

Do you remember Bernie Getz? Suppose you found yourself surrounded by four armed gang members, hypothetical situation, are you going to shoot each one of them in the head too, or just give them your mini so you don't get hurt?

You are right though, I don't hear too much about CCW holders getting into big shootouts. But does that mean it doesn't happen, or is it because when they needed a real gun they pulled out some little NAA mini and got themselves shot to pieces . When you read the 'armed citizen' articles they don't give the stories from the people that died because they felt the gun they chose was "adequate" for any situation that might rear up it's ugly head. You only read about the lucky ones that make the odds look good.

Do you see what I'm trying to say? You won't hear about a several minute long shootout with a civillian if he gets his butt blown off in the first 3 seconds. Civillian shootings involving a licensed CCW are just not that common. We do have a lot of civillian shootings around here with non-licensed CCWers. None of them carry a SAA or any other SA revolver because they know how serious the business is.

And now that I mentioned 'them', yes I have heard of several minute shootouts with several magazine changes, and there was no LEOs involved at all.

A mini 22 is for shootin someone across the poker table and not too much else.

If you want style points, go for it. Single actions are cool.

That being said, I make my living with a gun and a single action revolver is very far down the list of what I would prefer to be carrying.

Do some force of force simmunitions training with single actions versus a semi auto pistol and see the results. My bet is that the vast majority of single action revolver guys would be chewed up and spit out of the grinder.

At one point a common pocket pistol in some parts of the country was a SAA with the barrel and ejector shroud removed. I do not think they are actually legal because of the lack of rifling, but at pocket gun ranges they are not bad to shoot.

That is a beautiful pistol sir

Thank you, sir! I'm so fortunate to have run across it.

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Now go make God proud...

Someone asked the reason behind this whole thing. it is not "what's left at the pawn shop." I have plenty of DA revolvers and semi-auto pistols. In fact I do not curently own a SA, although I have in the past owned three Rugers, a Uberti and a Colt.
It started with a gunshop conversation on the single action for modern CCW. I have a deceased friend (not gun related, cancer got him) who used to carry a .357 Blackhawk when he made bank deposits for his bookstore. One time he brandished it when a knife wielding robber tried to take the deposit. The robber dropped the knife and ran away. Nice knife, my friend's daughter still has it.
As far as the "any caliber SA vs .22 anything" question, the point was to see how dedicated those that say the SA is not a viable option are to that idea.
I had not considered the mini revolvers when I first asked the question. While they are a SA revolver, they are so much smaller than anything else I can think of that it is really not a fair comparison. I can see that if the choice is a gun that small, or no gun, there are no DA revolvers or semi-autos in an equivelent size. At least none that I am aware of.
I think this has been an interesting thread.

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Formerly know as Lucky Derby

I know that many SASS types are very proficient with single action revolvers and feel very comfortable carrying them due to their familiarity with them from shooting them so much. I have read on other forums that some do carry them regularly for CCW. Many utilize them for home defense as well. Mernickle and others make some very nice high ride holsters for this purpose so someone must be doing it.

I personally would not carry one for many of the above stated reasons. There are too many other weapons that would be more suited for CCW.

T

I'd never CCW a SA, but photos of Erich's revolver keep showing up tempting me like a "tempting tempstress"... (look away).
Damn, that's a sweet gun.

Single action for CCW?
Sure it is a great gun for that
-----(IF)-----
You can be sure that you are in a standing postion faceing your target with your shooting hand free.
There is nothing covering your gun such as a coat or shirt tail.
(John Harding one of the deadliest men in the old west was arrested by being busted over the head while trying to pull his pistol from a sitting postion and having it's hammer caught in his suspenders!)
You don't have to fire more than one shot!
And you don't have to reload.

I know alot of people say they take their time and make every shot count!
All that tells me is that they have never been in any shooting situation!
While they are bringing their gun up and trying to line the sights up on target, some gang banger is spraying the area with a semi auto and one of his unaimed shots might just connect with you!(check out police shootings-shots fired and hits made)


Since you can't be sure of these things (unless you walk around like a gunfighter at high noon everywhere you go!)a single action isn't the best choice for CCW.
Can you imagine sitting in your car when a car pulls up behind you and the driver jumps out with a shotgun heading for your door?(Grab your SA pull hammer back and turn and fire over your shoulder ? 1 to 5 rounds??)
Or you get out of your car in parking lot when the person you walk past attacks you!
It may be one guy (more than likely bigger than you, because perps don't usualy attack victims bigger then they are,)or more than one attacking you.
How are you going to pull and cock a SA while in the middle of a fight?
The best gun for self defence or CCW is a double action revolver or double action auto.
No hammers to cock or safety levers to flip off when you may be rolling around on the ground with an attacker.

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Jeb

I wouldn't suggest it for concealed carry, but one could do far worse than this one - a .45 Colt/.45 ACP 4 1/2" Old Model Ruger Blackhawk. Similar guns got the job done in the 19th Century, and the type could do OK today. BTW, the trick of loading .45 ACP from a 1911 magazine is a cool one, and new to me. Learn something new every day!

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I am not saying a single action is best. Nor can I speak from experience as I never have been in a "gunfight". But I maintain, dont sell a single action short. At this time in my life I no longer can prove what I am saying either, but 45 to 50 years ago I was able to throw beer bottles or whatever in the air, draw and shoot and hit them with almost boreing regularity with a single action. Dont sell a single action short, or a guy who practices with one! And that also is true even for a old cap & ball! You can have the most modern high tech up to date equipment in the world, but if you arent up to speed a old man practiced with a single action can and will kill you!

Merrel's post made me think of a peice on guns and gangs that I saw about 15 to 20 years ago on either 60 minutes or 20/20.
they were interviewing a teenage gangbanger in Chicago (you know where there are no guns ) Anyway the reporter asks the kid "Do you have a gun?"
Kid says: "Yes."
Reporter "What kind of gun?"
Kid "A Four-Five"
R: "Is that a good gun?"
K: "No, I want a Tec-9."
R: "Can I see your gun?"
Kid then removes a Ruger Blackhawk from under his baggy sweatshirt.
I for one would take that Blackhawk over a Tec-9 anyday.
Unfortunately the Ruger was most likely stolen, and the kid's face was not shown.

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Formerly know as Lucky Derby