Loading revolvers one cartridge at a time

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Naphtali

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I load/reload my revolvers one cartridge at a time. It's my workaround of my autoimmune illness. A question that occurred to me is if I must single load, after the first cylinderful has been fired, is there any significant difference in utility between using a double action revolver and a single action?

If there is essentially no difference, how much in defensive use would I sacrifice to use a single action revolver exclusively? I ask because one-handed cocking and firing a single action doesn't bother my shooting hand. Single action cocking of my double action revolvers cannot be done with my shooting hand.
 
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There are a tiny number of incidents (about 2 in 500)
when a civilian needed a reload. The average number of shots fired in a SD civilian situation Is 2.2'

Speed in shooting IS important. Double action shooting is much faster than single action shooting.

If you are going to use a double action revolver single action, you cock it with the hand not used for pulling the trigger
 
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I've used a 629 and a Ruger Super Redhawk .44 while hunting feral hog. I always shot the revolvers single action. During encounters with large sounders (herds of hogs) I may fire multiple shots. Before approaching dead, possibly wounded animals, and or searching for blood trails I go into defensive mode and want to top off the revolvers. A partial reload is much faster with a double action swing out cylinder and single shell loading than cycling through a single action's six chambers in search of the empty brass.
 
Naphtali said:
A question that occurred to me is if I must single load, after the first cylinderful has been fired, is there any significant difference in utility between using a double action revolver and a single action?
Click to expand...

It depends.

For recreational shooting and plinking, your only limitation is the procedure for reloading a single-action itself. You have to bring the hammer to half-cock, open the loading gate, and individually extract spent cases and load fresh cartridges, rotating the cylinder to expose each chamber in turn. In a double-action revolver, a push or pull on the cylinder release exposes the spent cases, and a tap on the extractor rod jettisons all the cases at once. You can then reload each chamber without rotating the cylinder.

For competition--obviously, you are not going to have much success using a single-action in ICORE. But there are plenty of single-action-friendly shooting sports out there (CAS, primarily).

For self-defense...I would really have to say that a single-action is unsuitable for defensive purposes, by dint of obsolescence. It doesn't offer any advantages over the DA, and comes with a host of drawbacks. If somebody's trying to take your head off, I think you'll find self-preservation overcomes pain.

All that said, if you want a single-action, get one! They're fun and interesting. My modest collection would be boring as hell (and a lot smaller) if I just bought the guns I "needed". After all, this is America, home of the Want!
 
Naphtali said:
I load/reload my revolvers one cartridge at a time. It's my workaround of my autoimmune illness. A question that occurred to me is if I must single load, after the first cylinderful has been fired, is there any significant difference in utility between using a double action revolver and a single action?

If there is essentially no difference, how much in defensive use would I sacrifice to use a single action revolver exclusively? I ask because one-handed cocking and firing a single action doesn't bother my shooting hand. Single action cocking of my double action revolvers cannot be done with my shooting hand.
Click to expand...

But you don't state if you can or can not still shoot a DA Revolver in the DA mode. If you can, then the DA Revolver is STILL faster to shoot and faster to re-load - even one at a time due to the swing out style Cylinder. You could (from what I understand here) still cock a DA Revolver with the other hand. I am a right handed shooter, shoot mostly with a two hand grip and always cock the gun in SA with my left thumb anyway.
 
With a little practice I find that I have been able to hit two or three pigs fatally when using a single action action in 44 mag. Usually get off 3 or 4 shots before they have scattered and they move really fast after the first shot. If you ever need more than 6 shots in self defense you should have aimed better or ran away. Seriously I have never felt like I needed more than 6 because I try to avoid any situation that might require more.
 
A single action revolver still takes time to knock out each spend casing individually, then insert a new round ... Individually. It still takes longer. A double action revolver you have emptied the cylinder in two moves.....Swing the cylinder open, push the ejector rod.

If the avg may be 2.2 rounds why bother with revolvers? A derringer is thinner, lighter, easier to conceal. Revolver just adds unnecessary bulk and weight! What was that shooting in a Georgia pawn shop the other month? I believe the owner shot, reloaded and ran dry again. So assuming he was only carrying a 7 round mag, +1 round chambered + a spare 7 round mag.....He got one kill and spent 15 rounds in roughly 10 seconds

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
Inside of 12-15 yards, double action. Outside that single, using the non trigger hand thumb to cock the hammer. When loading/reloading without clips or speedloader load two at a time not singles.

Of course there will be exceptions.

Just my opinion.
 
i don't understand why you feel a difference in shooting either gun single action.
i shoot my singe actions n double actions single action n i see no difference in shooting either one hand single action.
is the hammer too small or something?
 
Regarding moon clips as well as speed loaders, I drop a lot. Single loading is much repetition. I have a 12-loop slide. From that I will successfully load between seven and ten. Manipulating bulk loaders requires more precision than I'm often incapable of achieving.

Since my last spinal fusion (C-2 through C-6 - ouch) feeling and strength of shooting hand is much improved. Off hand, not so much.

Both shape and cocking resistance differ between my double action revolver and my F.A. 97. The 97 gives me the illusion of being easier and quicker to handle. I suspect were I to put both revolvers "on the clock," that the illusion was an illusion would become obvious.
 
nap, you are worried about defensive shooting.
i wonder what would happen if you just treated yourself to a lot of shooting just for fun.
if you find joy in shooting, a few thousand rounds might resolve your issues.

never forget the fun of 22lr.
when i just wanna have a good time, i pick up a 22.
 
There are alternatives....

Loading singly in a single action doesn't sound like a very good defensive method, unless you give 'em one good shot in SA, then grab the baseball bat.

For fun, shoot what you want, however you want. For defense, I'd recommend a semi with an SA action and a safety. There are methods for people with weaker extremities to rack the slide on a semi gun. Once you have it ready to shoot, take off the safety and all of your shots will be in SA. 8-17 round magazines are available in most types and calibers of guns.

Carrying an SA gun ready with the safety on isn't unsafe if you are very careful but a slightly less convenient way would be to get a semi with an DA/SA action. With the gun ready to shoot, you have to pull the trigger once in DA, and all the rest of the shots will be in SA. Addition of a safety lever would add a level of security, IF you can operate the safety effectively.

Not having you here, it's hard to see what is easy and quick for you to do manually. I just wanted to point out that there are alternatives that may work more effectively, and that with some adaptations a semi gun sounds better for you.

I have some guns I shoot mostly for fun, but would work in a home defense situation. I have several guns specifically for carry that aren't designed to be 'fun', but are effective with practice.
 
I throw in a couple of things for consideration.

From Cowboy Action Shooting, I learned "You can't miss fast enough to win anything!" That means, hit what you shoot at and worry about speed later!!!!

When my Father-in-Law was giving my combat revolver instruction for self defense. He made me spend time learning how to reload a double action revolver without speed loaders. Always (even in practice) dump the cases from the cylinder to the ground! Officers were found dead after a shootout with empties in their pocket, because their rangemaster made them train that way! (this was in California in the 60's) Use dump pouches to put all the reloads in your left hand a once. With the cylinder between thumb and forefinger (or middle finger) grasp by the cylinder notches, and load one cartridge. Use left thumb and forefinger to rotate cylinder on space load next round. Repeat. Practice with eyes closed to simulate darkness. Then practice looking all around while reloading.

I had to be proficient before I was allowed speed loaders.

Ivan
 
Way back when I went through the Police Academy, we only shot revolvers.

No speed-loaders were allowed. We had to use dump pouches. We held the empty revolver in our week hand and dumped the six live rounds into our strong had.

We then spun the cylinder with the week hand's thumb and middle finger and inserted one round at a time with the strong and. We learned where to feel the right spot to stop the cylinder and had to load them quickly in complete darkness.

Even today, I don't have to look at the revolver while I'm charging it.
 
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