Double or single action?

[36general]

Just wondering how most of you guys shoot your revolvers? I fully understand the difference but am curious as to which method you guys most use.

I recently started to shoot double action more, partially because of fairly recent purchase of a 340pd, but now I find myself trying it more with my 686 and 629. I find it more challenging so there fore slightly more enjoyable

So what do you choose?

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

When Columbus, Ohio PD still carried revolvers, they were not allowed to shoot single action. With proper placement of the trigger finger (and practice) DA was just as accurate as SA. Ivan

 

[HERMAN.40]

After talking to a firearms instructor for the local academy, I took his advise and started shooting double action. He explained that in a high stress situation It's a lot faster and easier than single action. Made sense to me, and I've gotten in the practice of shooting double action. I'll still shoot single sometimes when target shooting, But most of the time it's double. My Mod 66-1 that I bought in 1980 is pretty smooth by now and that helps.

 

[Berserker]

Elmer Keith advocated that the FBI stop teaching SA way back when, for fast follow up shots.

I do both. I bought a 638, Jframe with exposed boobed hammer. I thought it would be cool to be able to shoot it SA. I never shoot it SA. Which is good, that gun will be used DA.


I wonder if spending some money on trigger work is best route.

 

[kamloops67]

for a paper bullseye target ill use single action, for steel challenge type shooting ill use double action.
almost all the competitive shooting i do is single action only yeehawww

 

[snubbyfan]

Double action almost exclusively. I actually shoot better in double action than I do in single action. I'm so used to the double action pull that when I cock back the hammer, I usually fire the gun just resting my finger on the trigger.

 

[feralmerril]

I dont claim to be right but the majority of the shooting I have done was single action. Of course all my requals were DA. I also have always been a believer in shooting what is comfortable and natural to me. I never was a good student.

 

[brucev]

There is a easy way to learn to shoot DA well. Buy a S&W 18 and forget about SA shooting. Put a good pair of grips on it. I like the S&W target grips. Use whatever lets you shoot DA effectively.

I spent a lot of time simply shooting at a old harrow blade. I spray painted it with flat white appliance paint. Aim at the axle hole and fire away... 50 rounds later, look at your group center and make any needed adjustments. When you get to where you can keep 50 rounds inside of 3 inches out to 25 yds., you can pick up a K/L/N frame and do very well.

Back when .22 LR ammo was cheap and easy to find, I'd fire a brick a week, the overwhelming vast majority of which was DA shooting. The steel plate allowed me to spend time shooting and not spend a lot of time fiddling with targets. Even now w/ .22 LR ammo prices at historically high levels, you can shoot a brick for say $35-40, which would only buy maybe 100 rounds of .38 Special or 9mm. It wouldn't buy as much .45 ACP. If you handload, you can of course get the costs down. With a progressive press, it doesn't take so much time to load. So it may not serve you as well to use a .22 LR handgun. But for those folks who cannot afford a progressive press, etc., or who perhaps already own a nice .22 LR handgun, the .22 LR is a excellent way to practice and get good at DA shooting.

 

[27 Man]

I have an old model 15 from 1963 that is incredibly smooth. I can shoot it more accurately DA than SA. I also have a 5" model 27 that is almost as smooth. When that big N frame cylinder starts turning in DA mode, I just hang on and it completes the shot. Sounds strange but the momentum of that big cylinder just kind of takes over.

 

[Gunslinger808]

When I taught the Border Patrol/INS at Glynco back in the 80s and early 90s, it was always double action.
They were allowed single action only at the 50 yard line.
We even had frames/grip assemblies with no barrels or cranes we'd let them check out just so they could practice DA pulls.

Sight alignment and trigger control!

 

[snowman]

I practice defensive shooting and target shooting. The former is always done in DA and the latter in SA.

Regards,
Andy

 

[skrazo]

DA only for me. Shoot mostly my 642, but do have a few semi auto pistols that get exercised sometimes. I believe "muscle memory" is key, so try to focus on DA.

 

[Nightowl]

All close range revolver shooting in double action. I will only shoot single action with the magnums at long range. Big bore double action shooting kills the base of my thumb.

 

[finesse_r]

I shoot both single and double. You will likely need double if you ever have to defend yourself. However, no matter what people say or how much you practice, you can always be more accurate single action, so I practice that as well.

 

[pawncop]

Almost exclusively double action. That was how we trained and qualified.

 

[Rastoff]

When I shoot my revolvers it's always for target shooting. Thus, I always shoot them SA. I may practice a little DA just for fun, but I like SA better.

 

[alwslate]

I basically never shoot my revolvers DA. It's harder on the guns than
SA and most of my shooting is plinking or shooting groups on paper
to check out handloads. The only exception is what little practice I
have done at close range with my de-horned J frames. I think if the
need to fire one of my K or N frames rapidly at close range ever came
up it could be done without a lot of practice. If I was ever forced to
use one of my larger revolvers to defend myself at 10 ft or more I
would almost certainly fire it SA. Make the first one count and you
don't have to worry about rapid fire.

 

[Thuer]

It is hard to shoot double action with my single action Colt. But when I do shoot my 681 it is in single action. I do use it only on bullseye targets. There are speedgames like parcourshooting where it is common to shoot double action only. One member of my association has an 625 with a bobbed hammer. He shoots double action only.

 

[SgtLumpy]

I basically never shoot my revolvers DA. It's harder on the guns than SA...

Huh?


Sgt Lumpy

 

[Donn]

Both. If I'm at the range and want to stroke my ego, single action. Everything's thru or around the same hole. But since it would be DA in the real world, do more range work that way.