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View Poll Results: Do you think a SA revolver makes a good self-defense handgun?

Voters
971. You may not vote on this poll
  • Yes.

    335 34.50%
  • No. The fact that they are SA, have slow reloads, bulky hammers, etc… makes them a poor choice.

    119 12.26%
  • If that is what you feel comfortable with then go for it.

    517 53.24%
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Thread: Single Action revolvers for self-defense?

  1. #81
    Boolit Grand Master
    9.3X62AL's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207 View Post
    The first thing to do is stop believing everything you read in gun rags. Same goes for the cop rags. I used to read the cop rags in the crapper at work. 90% advertising, 8% ego inflating, 2% actual fact.
    Bret was clearly in a generous and indulgent mood when he wrote this.
    I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.

  2. #82
    Boolit Buddy John Van Gelder's Avatar
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    Since some one has brought up the legal issues; Civilians are not held to the same standard as police officers, they have a bit more latitude. The universal rule for policemen is that you can "take a life to save a life".

    If you are going to carry anything for self defense then it behooves you to make yourself familiar with the laws concerning use of deadly force in your jurisdiction. Just because you survive the shooting does not mean that you will survive the subsequent court actions. This topic has gone around on a number of forums, and everyone has different ideas of what is important. One of the things that should be on your list of preparedness for the situation you hope never comes is to have a good attorney, not the guy that does wills and estate planning but a real criminal lawyer with actual court room experience in homicide, manslaughter and wrongful death cases.

    I have over 30 years experience in the criminal justice system, working both sides of the court room. In most cases if you are involved in a fatal shooting the police will assume they are working a homicide until they can prove it is otherwise.

    If you shoot some one your firearm will be seized as evidence, and maintained as such until after any court proceedings, criminal, civil and any appeal actions.

    Thew bottom line is that you need to do whatever it takes to survive in both "arenas".

  3. #83
    Boolit Master
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    Ask Thell Reed about the single action.

  4. #84
    Boolit Buddy John Van Gelder's Avatar
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    ironhead7544

    Thell Reed that's a name I have not heard in a very long time..

  5. #85
    Boolit Buddy
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    Has anybody

    ....has anybody had to actually use a SA for self defence?......what was the outcome?

    ....lot's of theories being put forward.....both pro and con....but has anybody got any real hard fact data to share?....

    Straight shootin',

    Limey
    .......never mind Quigley's gun....I just wish I had his eyesight!!!!

  6. #86
    Boolit Master

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    In his day, Reed Jr. had no equal.

  7. #87
    Boolit Master

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    I recall last year there was something on TV where an older gentleman (looked to be late 50's early 60's) was open carrying and unknowingly entered a convenience store while it was being robbed.

    He was wearing a SA 45 Colt and engaged the "homies" and prevailed killing one of the BGs.

    The reason for the story was that he was open carrying and prevented a robbery and possible murder of the clerk, as the clerk thought she was going to be killed.

  8. #88
    Boolit Master

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    I remember that story (either in Virgina or W.V) and that he had to fan fire it as he bent the trigger guard in as he dove for cover. Believe it was a 1875 Remington Italian copy.
    De Oppresso Liber

    Irag: 91,03,04,05,06,08,09',15', 16',22-23'
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  9. #89
    Boolit Master Landric's Avatar
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    It was in Richmond, Virginia. The end result was the perp killed and the SA revolver open-carrier alive, as well as everyone else in the store. IIRC the news story said that the trigger on the gun broke off during the exchange (and before the perp was stopped), but the guy with the SA revolver was still able to fire his gun because of the design. Any other gun with a broken off trigger would have been out of action.
    "The Engine could still smile...it seemed to scare them" -Felix

    Landric

    Honcho for NOE .38-200 Mk. I British Round Nose Group Buy

  10. #90
    Boolit Mold
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    I pass that store everyday on the way to my place. Open carrier is still there on occasion, standing outside, or picking up the parking lot. He's got "street creds" now, and the thugs steer clear.

  11. #91
    Boolit Master
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    Thell Reed is still around. Do a search.

  12. #92
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

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    Quote Originally Posted by ironhead7544 View Post
    Thell Reed is still around. Do a search.
    So is his old shooting buddy, Jack Simms. Went fishing with him Monday. Jack held some quick draw records at the same time, and is credited for introducing fanning into the competitions.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  13. #93
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Landric View Post
    It was in Richmond, Virginia. The end result was the perp killed and the SA revolver open-carrier alive, as well as everyone else in the store. IIRC the news story said that the trigger on the gun broke off during the exchange (and before the perp was stopped), but the guy with the SA revolver was still able to fire his gun because of the design. Any other gun with a broken off trigger would have been out of action.
    I love a happy ending.
    I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.

  14. #94
    Black Powder 100%


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    I am a SASS shooter and Retired Cop who was also a Firearms Instructor and Sniper on the Swat team. While a cop I lost two riding partners and a total of 7 friends in 15 years. I was in a few gun fights as a cop and they are no where close to anything I have done as a cowboy shooter. First of all and I say this with the up most respect. AJ, you are one great SASS shooter but you are shooting mouse fart loads at 5-7 yds. There is no way you would react the same in a gunfight and you know it. My duty gun for a while was a 4in S&W 19 and when fired with the issue 158 gr RP's there was considerable recoil even under stress. The one odd thing is and if you have been there you will understand what I am about to say. You don't hear the muzzle blast even though your ears are not protected with muffs. If you were to fire a hot load inside your home your ears would ring and be stopped up not so during a firefight. Shoot a 12 ga. with magnum 00 buckshot and see if you can fire three rounds in under a second. My point is this as I voted yes. There are many better guns to be armed with if you are in a prolonged firefight. I was in one that I fired over 120 rounds from a 357 and m-16. But most of the time it will be over in the first round with a make sure second round. When I trained my officers I told them to always have back up ammo in your vehicle and don't depend on your personal carry only. I also taught them to not fire just one round and expect the felon to fall dead. On the famous FBI shootout in Miami IIRC they had three agents killed by a man that had already received non survivable wounds. The doctor said that he was dead on his feet while firing. I had one of my men kill a man that he shot 5 times. I had to testify in court that is the way I trained him to react. I used the FBI firefight and a few other cases of ours where officers were killed after they shot and hit the felon first. They quit firing while the bad guy kept going. My first choice would be a Sig 220 45 ACP but I would feel safe with my USFA 44-40.
    Shooter of the "HOLY BLACK" SASS 81802 AKA FAIRSHAKE; NRA ; BOLD; WARTHOG;Deadwood Marshal;Bayou Bounty Hunter; So That his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat; 44 WCF filled to the top, 210 gr. bullet

  15. #95
    In Remebrance


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    CS, posts like that really let the wind out of the sails of the mallninjatacitalextreme crowd.....

  16. #96
    Boolit Master Mumblypeg's Avatar
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    There is a big difference between " Well I'd do so and so" and "I did so and so". Believe me I know... anyone who has been there knows also.
    Experience is the source of all knowledge.

  17. #97
    Boolit Master

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    Single actions have been used as fighting arms for years just because there are semi auto's now and double action revolvers does not make a single action obsolete. For what it is worth double action guns in many cases have horrible trigger pulls making them hard to shoot and semi auto's do jam on occasion even the best of them can. I would hate to bet my life on one of them doing so.

    You know that old saying beware of the man who owns one gun and knows how to use it well I would suspect that would fit a SAA shooter very well.

    For what it is worth CS I only shoot standard loads in my Uberti and I shoot a model 97 shotgun that has no disconector and I used to shoot a model 12 that has no disconector either and I have shot both of them with mag hunting loads with the trigger held down as fast as I could pump it.

    While I do not believe in hot loads on any gun I reload for non of my loads are "mouse fart" loads either.
    A gun is like a parachute: If you need one and don't have one, you won't be needing one again.

  18. #98
    Boolit Master
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    I voted "yes", with reservation.

    I wouldn't feel sorry for myself with a .45 SAA or a cap and ball if that were all I had available.

    To choose a SA when there are other options? The circumstances would have to greatly favor me, as in an attempted break in of my home. There, I am, as is my wife, intimantely familiar with our house. This familiarity give us the upper hand particularly in a darkened house. They come to us, we not to them. We've practised this scenario, an ambush.

    Now, to be realistic, my choice is none other than my EAA .45 ACP Witness with a 10 rnd. mag and two spares at the ready. Wifey has the 16rnd. 9mm version. These DA pieces have a cocked and locked ,safety on feature. Or, if we so wish a half cock position. Unlike a SA revolver there is no relaxing or modifying my hand's grasp to re-cock a fresh round into battery.

    Reloading under stress? Don't anybody try to convince me the SA Colt's loading gate is easy. Col. Schofield had the answer for that. Swing-out cylinder and 6 rnd. speed loader? OK, maybe. For me, last rnd. fired with open slide, drop empty mag, insert fresh 10 rnd. mag and I'm ready to go. With strong or weak hand.

    The point of my preceeding paragraph is that we cannot always choose the circumstance or terrain when we are suddenly faced with imminent harm, or death, by multiple assailants. The final decade of the 19th. Century went on to proove the revolver generally obsolete in combat. John Moses Browning made moot any argument pro or con.

    That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

    Let's be nice to one another,
    Wt.
    "Only when the Muslims (Arabs) begin to love their children as much as they hate us, will there be peace."
    Golda Mier

    "Fear is a reaction, courage is a decision"
    Luca Scato

  19. #99
    Boolit Buddy
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    I am a long time lurker.

    I did use a Ruger Blackhawk in self defense.
    Long story short..... It was a home invasion.....3 bad guys.
    It is a sick feeling trying to load a single action type of hand gun, when the wolf is kicking down your door..and coming down your hallway!!!!!!!!!!

    Sooo. What happend? I was pumped up on addrenaline + poor trigger discipline....I missed with the first shot. They did not stick around for a second shot.

    Take care
    Abenaki

  20. #100
    Boolit Buddy Ekalb2000's Avatar
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    What ever you carry, practice, practice, practice with the same load you will be carrying . And use what pistol you like and , practice, practice, practice until you are comfortable with what you carry. And don't forget to practice.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check