What follows is a basic procedural rundown on function checking a Colt Single Action Army (SAA) revolver. is out of time, or, as S&W calls it, failing to Carry Up.. Unfortunately, it appears that you have fallen under the mistaken assumptionas have many othersin believing that a stainless steel revolver wont rust and doesnt need a little maintenance every once in a while. Double Action Series 90-380 & 9MM Auto Pistols. It represents one of the fundamentals of gun choice and should be well understood before you enter the gun market. 2023 Rock Island Auction Company. Answer (1 of 7): * Ammunition. Step 3: The SAA Cylinder. If you attempt to lower the hammer directly from half-cock, the cylinder chamber will not be lined up with the bore, and when the locking bolt rises up from the frame as the hammer is lowered, it will press against the sides of the cylinder rather than snapping into the cylinder locking notch. Even with blanks, a blast to the leg can char both denim and flesh. The presence of these particles will not let the extractor seat properly and causes excessive friction against the frame, making the cylinder hard to turn. Another old-time rule that had to be relearned by a new generation of single-action shooters was to load only five rounds in the cylinder with the hammer resting on the empty sixth chamber. In this case, you might want the blade made slightly higher than necessary, then fine-tune it by careful filing it at the range. If you have taken the sideplate off of a Smith & Wesson, you know it looks like the guts of a 19th century clock threw up in there. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. If you cock the hammer the same series of events occur and indeed, things should time correctly both ways if the gun is timed right. Colt Colteer 1-22 Operating Instructions and Safety Manual. Here's a first look. At one point, he asked if he could look at the pristine third-generation .44 Special Colt singe action I was packing. Confirming function on a pristine revolver doesn't merit justifying the risk of harming that untouched surface, which can dramatically increase the value for collectors due to the extreme commonality of drag lines on even well cared for pieces. The screws in the side of the revolver are removed to free the action. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). Contest open to U.S. residents only. Im not trying to pick on Ruger or tell you not to buy a GP100. Single Action (SA)- in a single-action revolver, the hammer is manually cocked, usually with the thumb of the firing or supporting hand. 3.5 inches. SA revolver triggers perform a single function: releasing the hammer to fire the gun. As we mentioned above, this is a single-action revolver. How Hard Was it to Reload the M1 Garand in Combat? Please use the print button in the share bar at the top of the page. Deployed military should use stateside address. Federal's new.30 Super Carry pistol cartridge offers the equivalent of 9mm Luger performance with recoil and muzzle blast comparable with 9mm. Ive transitioned to the Springfield Hellcat as my daily carry gun and its proving to be everything I expected. My guess is that a thorough cleaning along with a little lubrication would put your revolver back in reliable working order. Contest void where prohibited by law. Firing that cartridge with a heavy charge of Alliant 2400 could have easily caused the primer to flow back into the firing-pin opening, making the cylinder even more difficultif not impossibleto rotate without extreme force. The gun pictured is the first one sorry folks, its sold! Then, holding the hammer back with the thumb to keep it from snapping forward, the trigger is depressed and the hammer is gently lowered. Revolvers fail, too. Beretta's new APX A1 Carry shows that this historic brand is still competingin the modern market. Subscribe to the weekly Rock Island Auction newsletter to receive new gun blogs on the history and handling of popular guns like the M1911, the M1 Garand, and more, and enjoy a steady stream of content related to some of the most unique guns in the collecting pursuit. But dont just grab your wrench, files and grinder and go to work. were considerably different from a modern revolver. On a well made revolver ( Single Action Army Colts never left Hartford if they weren't ), the cylinder is a subtle yet critical demonstration of precision engineering. Once the revolver is open and the ammunition is removed, it would be appropriate to check under the extractor for powder particles, spin the cylinder to see if there are restrictions, then close the cylinder and check the double- and single-action trigger pulls. This is true for single-action wheel guns and double-action, for centerfire and. Is .25 ACP Literally the Worst Self-Defense Cartridge? (I) Giveaway ends September 30, 2022. It is common with revolvers of this design to have to tap the barrel hard to get it to actually move. The trigger does both the cocking and firing of the gun for the double action. Shooting a single-action revolver is much the same, although some would argue that there is no inherent skill needed, once you know the fundamentals of handgun shooting in general. In order to make sure the SAA cylinder hasn't suffered wear or alteration that would affect function, rest a thumb of the off hand against the side of the cylinder, applying light pressure, and then ease the hammer slowly back to full cock. 1873 Single Action Great Western II. Did the very first SAAs have a recoil plate in the recoil shield? . A single-action firearm is one that can only be fired when you cock the hammer and squeeze the trigger, as this is the only action possible to fire it. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Examining .44-Special Revolvers for Personal Defense. Of those, about 20 or so are directly involved with making sure the cylinder lines up correctly with the forcing cone when the gun fires. Add to Cart. Id love to try this out to 50 and 100, and Marc said hell loan us one when he has one he can spare. Page #1. A micro-second prior to this, the cylinder stop has clicked into the next notch, locking things in place. By then, the cylinder stop will have snicked into the Click number two, the half cock notch, is about halfway between resting and full cock. Being an old time cop, I tend to like to carry on my strongside, right at the right hip. Another potentially dangerous single-action ploy was the art of fast draw itself. I mean, put it in a box and mail it to the men with tools kind of problems. This, of course, is to preclude any chance of the gun going off should it be accidentally dropped. Though these tasks were once considered part of everyday life, no one knew how to do them anymore. The trigger is designed with a 6-pound pull, making it ideal for high-noon shootouts. Can You Use Wadcutter Ammunition for Personal Defense? The finish is either blued or a less expensive matte black. The reference was that the 19th century cowboys knew enough to keep one cylinder empty. It means you can expect the trigger to cock the hammer and fire at once. The proper engagement of the cylinder to the working parts of the frame is a complete necessity in terms of revolver function. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. No purchase necessary. He said looking at the diagrams didnt explain how a revolver times or how to identify an issue and then repair it. We bought this last year and used it in our ballistic gel tests. A Beginner's Guide. But check this out. The cylinder stop should be disengaged and the cylinder free to rotate in a clockwise manner as viewed from the rear. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. When I asked him why he was selling his sixgun, he said it was because it went off in his holster. A value-priced red dot with a full set of features. The one we will be covering here is one of those. Sort By. When it's time to get to shooting, from targets to varmints, the Heritage Rough Riderrevolver is what you need in your holster. H&R 922 repairs. In this way, a number of rapid-fire shots could be fanned dramatically faster than thumb-cocking the hammer and pulling the trigger for each shot. Performance-wise it has a lot of power, and its design offers an easy to load, quick-firing revolver. There are a few problems encountered with the Starr revolver. I feel like Im starting to sound like a broken record at this point, but Ill probably keep bringing it up until people stop spreading misinformation about revolvers being 100% reliable. In the video below, I describe yet another revolver failure I recently encountered. A very high-ride holster, its vertical and set up to hold the butt in tightly and the muzzle off of the hip, which in some designs can really poke at you by the end of the day. In today's episode of "I Carry," we have a Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Metal pistol with a Holosun EPS Red2 red-dot sight carried in a KSG Armory Lexington IWB holster. The double-action revolver has served as a good choice for a defensive handgun for more than 100 years. Give a Gift The firing pin should not be visible through the recoil shield when viewed from the side with a good light source. 10. So, if a revolver is going to have a serious issue, its most likely to happen within the first few hundred rounds, and then if it makes it past that point, its probably fine for a while as long as its well maintained. Please call for more details. move and lock the cylinder in place correcting timing so they both work together. For those of you who may not be familiar with double action only J-frames, there is no reason the trigger should ever be stuck in the rear position like that unless your finger is holding it there. Im not going to say theyre more reliable either. then close the cylinder and check the double- and single-action trigger pulls. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. When the trigger is pulled, it should move without an excess of force, and the hammer should drop cleanly to the resting position without friction or interference from the other notches, and the cylinder stop should continue to be engaged. If the problem persists, it usually means the inner workings of the revolver need attention. Best Single Action Revolver: Freedom Arms Model 83. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winner(s). Which is why so many New Model Ruger single actions have this tell-tale line around the cylinder. This, in turn, begat the return of the single-action revolver, most notably early replicas from firms such as Hy Hunter and, soon afterward, with Ruger's Single Six and Blackhawk revolvers, followed by Colt's reintroduction of its famed Single Action Army. Experts and even those with modest experience will have already mastered its importance. Pietta Starr Revolver Parts Starting at $4.25. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. The works of a revolver are very much like those of a mechanical clock. S&W calls this Carry Up but most of us call it timing.. Check Latest Price. As with handling any firearm, proceed with extreme caution. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Relationships undernea Troubleshooting a single-action and a double-action revolver th constructivism are merchandise of historic strategies and interaction. The trigger both cocks the hammer (or striker) of the firearm which prepares for the actual firing to take place and then fires the handgun. A S&W K-Frame has about 58 parts, give or take a few depending on the model, including all the pins and small bits like springs and such. 6) Release trigger, click and hammer should not move. . Chances are good, too, if youve read this far, youd enjoy our DIY Guns special edition book. revolver loaded with Alliant 2400 and a cast Keith-style bullet as my go-anywhere, do-anything gun because it had always functioned fine and was totally reliable. The design is meant to keep the firing pin from protruding through the recoil shield and potentially contacting the primer of a cartridge. Hello. Contest void where prohibited by law. IF you value safety, because a gun with a long DA trigger for the first pull and a safety is going to be the safest type of gun to safety. After that, I couldnt turn the cylinder at all and had to go back to the house to get another gun. The Model 85 is seven ounces heavier than the LCR but, unlike Ruger's compact revolver, has a hammer allowing for single-action operation. But this gun would not go through a whole cylinder without the trigger getting stuck and I would have to manually reset it (Greg Ellifritz encountered an almost identical problem a few years ago with a brand new S&W 351) Fortunately, Smith & Wesson fixed it, no questions asked. Once the hammer is checked, the cylinder comes next. Its great for any holster thats tough to draw from. A little tap or two on the cylinder with a rubber mallet while applying maximum pressure on the cylinder release might be necessary to free it from the frame. Troubleshooting a single action revolver has less steps compared to troubleshooting a double action revolver. Ill send it to them and Im sure they will fix it and itll be fine. The current report shows that most guns are single-action. Single Action Army Colts never left Hartford if they weren't. This problem seems to be more common among those who are accustomed to shooting autoloading pistols, as they tend to develop habits that shooters of lesser experience do not. No substitutions or transfers to a third party are allowed. After cleaning it, I recommend lubricating the moving parts with a dry lube, such as Sentry Solutions Smooth-Kote, to help reduce friction without collecting dirt. It can perform two functions at once. Too many years of carrying a duty gun in the same spot makes it feel natural and comfy. This morning, while making my rounds, I spotted a mangy coyote that wasnt in a good way and gave me an easy shot to put it out of its misery. Marc can build on your gun or a supplied gun. So far, this rig is just what I needed and its both comfy and secure. This allows for more accurate shooting. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. No purchase necessary. Trigger on your trigger finger's first joint. If you clear your revolver then very slowly and carefully pull the trigger in DA mode, you can hear two distinct clicks (or at least you should). Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Then bring the hammer to full cock, and when you lower it back down, just like magic it will be resting over an empty chamber. It can also do double-duty as a cross-draw worn in front of the off-side hip. Any time one thing moves, everything else moves. . The hand (vertical metal piece) turns the cylinder by pushing on the ratchet cogs, finally Ive been accused of implying that revolvers malfunction at a higher rate than semi-autos, or that I just made all of that stuff up because of some deep-seated hatred or bias I have against revolvers. Double Action/Single Action Best for Beginners. Unlike portable single-action guns, double-action weapons are quite long and heavy, weighing around 9-10 lbs. At this stage, the hammer has not engaged; if released, it will drop back to the half cock (if the trigger is not being held down), the safety notch (if the trigger is not held and the half cock is excessively worn or damaged), or all the way to the resting position (if the trigger is being pulled, or both notches are damaged). Colt Peacekeeper Revolver. The one that we usually refer to in discussions of the development of modern sidearms is the Colt Single-Action Army (SAA). Most loyal handgun owners fall into one of two camps, as there are pros and . Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. From 1900-1906 Colt manufactured approximately 46,500 M1877 revolvers, and roughly 58% were chambered in .38 Colt. With fixed front sights, adjustable rear sights and a custom Single Action/Double Action trigger for improved accuracy and speed, the 66 is the ideal self-defense firearm. When I've been offered one in 44 Russian with a 3-digit serial & lots of pitting. Also, different brands of ammunition and bullet weights will affect where the gun prints on a target. (I) Giveaway ends March 20, 2022. Later, German and Italian clones were added to the mix. (II) Limit one entry per household. MA Compliant Handguns. I got mine lined with cowhide and in a great mahogany color. But it will continue to wear, so getting it fixed is best. Sure, theres YouTube videos on how to fix Carry Up but remember theres also some rubes out there who are advising you to do wrong things. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. However, there are a few other factors to consider, too. Shooting a single-action revolver is much the same, although some would argue that there is no inherent skill needed, once you know the fundamentals of handgun shooting in general. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: American Handgunner Magazine, GOM May/June 2023, P.O. (III) Giveaway winner(s) chosen by random drawing. During the 19th century, and prior to the 1870s--before the widespread advent of the double-action revolver--there was no trick to shooting a single action, for that was all there was. The formula is to first load one round, leave the next chamber empty and finish shucking in the remaining four rounds. In DA mode, you start the trigger pull which due to a minor miracle of cams, springs and timing starts to move the cylinder stop out of the notch on the cylinder, preparing it to be able to rotate. A failure in these tests on one or two chambers suggests that the problem is with the SAA cylinder, with an individual stop notch or tooth on the sprocket experiencing wear or damage, but a failure on all chambers suggests that the problem is in the guts of the revolver instead. For each single trigger pull, the gun is performing two actions, and that's why it's called "double" action. Layne12gun said: First off you have a 686 + PRO Series. Uberti KL CMS Specifications. When it was my turn to own and shoot the old Ruger Flat Top Blackhawk 44, the grips were so loose they'd wiggle on the frame quite a bit, so I had to figure out how to fix loose revolver grips. He immediately lowered the hammer from half-cock, then cocked the gun again, thereby etching a nice, faint gray line around the otherwise unblemished cylinder. these wear, things can get out of time. Gun is a modern S&W Model 10. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. I cant prove that Im telling the truth about having seen a bunch of broken revolvers (except for these two). The Bounty Hunter is a traditional 6-shot revolver with traditional resting notch, and it also has a transfer bar and recessed chambers for safety. Services available on: S&W K, L & N frame, Ruger GP100, Speed Six & Service Six . $10.00. $399.95. Pietta 1873 Single Action Revolver Parts Starting at $4.25. Scott Rupp and Richard Nance correct some common shooting advice. With 20% less hammer travel distance, the Uberti KL CMS ensures the transition from one round to the other is as brief as possible in a single action revolver. By the middle of the 20th century, unlike bike riding or fishing, knowing how to shoot a single action had become relegated to the same fate as knowing how to drive a horse-drawn buckboard or using button hooks to fasten high-topped shoes. If youre looking for a revolver to use for self-defense, youre probably not going to find anything remotely affordable in current production thats better than what Ruger and Smith are offering. The Best Revolver in the World [2020 Update], the pros and cons of using a revolver for self-defense. This allows them to be removed, one by one, from the chambers using the right hand (while the left hand supports the revolver). Like most traditional single-action revolvers, the 1873 Cattleman II has fixed sights. DAO Self-Defense Guns: Are They Still Relevant? However, while fanning looked spectacular on screen with five-in-one studio blanks, it was highly inaccurate and exceedingly dangerous with live ammo, as recoil would send the bullets all over the terrain. Although I had owned the gun for a number of years, I always carried it in a lined holster and was quite proud of its unmarred condition, even though I had taken it afield many times. but Id steer clear of those for a beginning shooter " the rimless case presents extra problems that the shooter doesnt need to deal . The TC9 with a blued finish and nicely checkered wood grips looks really nice. That means the next time you cock the gun, or manually turn the cylinder to line up the chamber, the bolt will etch a nice bare-metal mark on the cylinder, which explains why we often see so many scored cylinders on guns that are perfectly timed. A critical marksmanship skill that is easy to overlook. But you know whats not cool? The SAA safety notch, which produces the first click, is a short distance back from the resting position of the hammer.