Single Action revolvers for self-defense?

[shotstring]

There are times when the very things that make something a bad choice also make it a good choice. Granted, a single action is slow to fire and even slower to reload, but if a fellow knows he has only 5 or 6 shots to get all the work done, he will likely put more concentration and effort into seeing that each bullet goes where it is intended and will do the most good.

Give the same fellow a 16 shot automatic and a belt full of extra magazines and most likely he won't concentrate nearly as much on where each shot goes unless he has had it burned into his brain via training. Otherwise it is most likely spray and pray with any auto and lots of rounds.

[Hogpost]

Shotstring, that's a great phrase: "Spray & Pray." I'm often at an indoor range between youngsters with their 9mms going bangbangbangbangbang on a silhouette target at 10 feet; and am amazed at how rarely they actually hit a vital spot. If ever I can't hit square in the face at 20 feet with my SAA 44-40, fast first shot, every time, it'll be time to upgrade my burglar alarm.

[_Hawkeye_]

They are fine if you train with it and are prepared to use it well.

[ndh87]

Wheres the option for "been there done that"? I've carried 45LC single actions as carry guns a few times. they may not be the best option, but they're better than nothing, and they worked just fine for a long time.

[jmort]

If I were a criminal, the last person I would want to deal with would be a dedicated SASS shooter with a single action revolver. Practice makes perfect.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

Would a criminal, having been thoroughly perforated by a bullet of at least .401 dia. (whether .40 S&W or .30-40), really be asking what had they been shot with?

[roverboy]

I think if somebody has one and feel comfortable with it, use it. They did over a hundred years ago.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

Ask Dave Tutt his opinion...

[Gibson]

Ask Dave Tutt his opinion...

Touche!

[waco]

Not my first choice, but I can see it being a good choice in the right hands, just not mine....

[larryp]

Well done Bill! A soft cast hollow point like Hornady's swc-hp at about 800+ fps will take the fight out of any goblin. I just loaded a bunch of their .430 swc hp with 6 gr of W231 that according to Brian Pierce will do 850fps. Should make a good all around load for goblins or even a deer at close range.

[Buzzard II]

Any gun is better than no gun! If you are comfortable with it, carry it!

[dakotashooter2]

To argue the other side, if you are being attacked by more than a couple assailant's your chances of getting off more than 6 rounds will be limited. This isn't the movies. The good guy isn't gonna take out 5- 10 bad guys without a scratch. Particularly if they are armed also. If you are in a situation where you need more than a magazine full you are probably somewhere you shouldn't be to start with and a handgun is the wrong tool for the job. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that a semi auto isn't a better choice, but it's a better choice because it offers you more options. The ability to spray and pray gives you the ability to utilize cover fire to get to safety. I'd take my SA over one of the pocket 380s that are so popular.

[45sixgun]

Intense story, Bill. Those who can answer this thread's question are those with experience, something I hope I never have to face. I live out in the country. We've had some idiots come around a few times. They bashed up our mailbox a couple of times. The second time they stabbed it full of holes with some kind of large knife. I still have it sitting in the back yard. Once when we were away they set fire to our garage. The nearest neighbor saw the smoke, called for help, and the fire dept. came right away. They said it was arson. A community about 5 miles from us is reputed to have meth addicts. There were a couple of times in the middle of the night when some nuts were out in front of our property with quads, carrying on and making noise. All I had at the time was a .22 rifle, which I took out with me to check on things. Maybe I was naive, but I felt like that was plenty for me if I had to get defensive. Now I have a few SA revolvers and I always keep one handy, and I feel it is completely adequate. If I experienced some kind of serious incident, I'd probably want a 12 gauge. So maybe I shouldn't wait for hindsight....I've heard those meth heads can be crazy dangerous.

[monge]

does not matter much what you carry ,as long as you can hit with it, practice with you carry guns and make good decision using them that what is important! My blackhawk in 44sp is my go to gun can run it in my sleep shoot straight and is like an old friend when I need it I know it wont let me down.

[Tatume]

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see any mention of the fact that a 4-3/4" Colt SAA or similar revolver is awfully handy to wear in a high-ride holster. I just ordered a Mernickle PS6SA for my 4-1/4" Freedom Arms 41 Rem Mag, and I'm looking forward to wearing it concealed. I've been carrying a 4-5/8" Ruger BH 41 Rem Mag in a Galco SAO Single Action holster, and find it comfortable, and easily concealed. Although my usual carry gun is a 1911 in a Mitch Rosen ARG-DL (two of them, a full-sized Kimber Gold Match and a CCO [Stinger] from Les Baer, both holsters are near perfect), I find the single action revolver to be at least equally comfortable to wear. Plus, I like it (all of them actually). So, if you're comfortable you're more likely to wear your gun. That's why I like mine for carry.

Take care, Tom

[Threepersons]

I have shot CAS competition and like SA guns. To heavy for a carry
gun. But it is a great car carry.

[Savvy Jack]

I am not real proud of how slow I am or that I missed 11 out of 12 targets. I was practicing and getting tired of having to adjust my holster after every shot. I would also like to learn tactical from a crossdraw with double taps. In 90% of self defense cases, fewer than three shots are fired. But I don't have a link to that information.
Anyhow, don't try this at home.....I am missing a few marbles

This time I was using a 4 3/4 357 loaded with 38spl 158gr SWC and a full load of trailboss. There is also a video where I use full black powder loads with the 45 Colt and an "old west" holster and not the Arvo Ojala drop holster. One day I will make a good video with the 45 Colt and maybe some water jugs...lol I have a 44 Magnum loaded to 20,000 PIS but the action is too stiff for fast draw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD1Ro...21C842&index=1

[makicjf]

The mernickles are great holsters! I carry my 4 5/8 BH and the 3 3/4 Birdshead vaquero all day every day. Working, out and about they just ride well, comfortably and out of the way. I find them more comfortable to wear for extended periods than the 1911's. I have also used tuff strips for full reloads, and with the 45 acp can empty and recharge all six in about 7 seconds ( no one is shooting at me, so take that with a grain of salt). The BH takes about ten. Even with the cylinder honed, the charge holes not ligning up and the longer 45 colt case seem to take a hair longer to empty and fill. I try and convince myself to leave the rugers at home and carry one of the 1911's, but after a day or two I find myself emptying magazines and putting the slabside away. The cowboy guns feel right, point on their own and jump from the holster. Some of this is practice, but some is just the pistol design. I know beyond a doubt when I thumb and squeeze they WILL go bang and hit where I am aiming... with authority. I have utter confidence in them, have worn them so often and in so many different environments and fired so many thousands of rounds quickly that I am can"t make myself leave them at home for extended periods. I live a pretty safe life, but when I travel to Austin or Houston, I usually carry 2- birdshead on deep crossdraw and the BH behind my right hip. Hides under a vest easily. I also practice tactical reloads- set can size targets at 25 yards ( 2 or 3) draw from concealment and fire until they are all hit- subtract the number of shots from eight, spin that number and empty/fill. repeat until recharged. Its actually much faster to empty and recharge an empty cylinder with quick strips, but this method retains unfired rounds for instant use. Seeing as my own addiction to cowboy guns seems to mandate I carry them, I intend to attend the single action course at gunsite next year. If I am going to be foolish, I may as well be a well trained fool! Reliability, pointability, authority and familiarity are hard to discount. Training for me has mitigated ( though not removed totally) the reload issue in my mind to an acceptable level. If 6-12 240-255 flat nosed 45 caliber boolits doing 850 won"t atleast let me get to my truck and rifle, I was cooked anyway. Being texas, I legally have a rossi 92 in 45 colt loaded with 260 rnfp over 10 of unique on the back seat: 11 in the tube, 1 in the pipe, 9 on the buttstock and a 92 round bandolier under it... same routine- shoot 2-3- load 2-3. Again, pointable, rugged, effective to 150 yards w/o holdover, rapid fire if needed, and can be reloaded w/o leaving battery. Handles like a dream and I have fired thousands of rounds at man size to smaller targets in rapid seccesion. In a stressful moment, muscle memory can"t be discounted... though a 1911 is fun,too!
Jason

[Tom_in_AZ]

I wouldn't want to be shot by one. I'd imagine that a SA revolver in a criminal's face would cause them to change their mind about what they are doing. Then again, there are those that think only a glock with 33 round mag is sufficient. To each their own. SA revolvers were the gun of choice for a long time, so they have to be a t least moderately effective.