Carrying Double Action Revolver Cocked?

[Sshuker]

I avoided clicking into this thread based on the title alone.

I am glad to see such a unanimous position on this.

As for picking a firearm for looks, it is bs to say it is not even a factor.

[unclejumbo]

[American1776]

I carry revolvers everyday, and they are my favorite type of handgun. I'm still learning.

Here is what I've learned over the years:

1) DO NOT put your hand or any other body part near the forcing cone (front of the cylinder) when firing. The hot gasses, especially from magnums, will burn you very badly.

2) DO NOT flip the cylinder closed like you see on TV. Doing that could do lots of harm to the crane/yoke, hand, ejector rod, etc. Close the revolver by gently putting pressure on the crane/yoke, and then gently index the cylinder to lock.

3) Practice the double-action trigger pull. It takes some getting used to. Lots of dry-fire at a target (with gun unloaded) while keeping the muzzle steady is good.

4) Keep in mind that fast double action shooting tends to be harder on the lock-work and the cylinder notches. I'm not saying never shoot fast--just be aware that it accelerates wear and tear.

5) Shooting magnums through a revolver will accelerate cylinder endshake. Even though your Ruger is rated for .357 mag, and it is a VERY strong design, it still is not immune to peening the yoke from the 'jackhammer' effect magnum pressures will generate on the cylinder and yoke-tube. A very experienced gunsmith advised me to practice with light target loads and use the magnums sparingly (to keep familiar).

6) Avoid thumb-cocking the hammer when shooting. And for the love of Zeus, please don't carry or store the gun loaded with a cocked hammer.

7) When holstering the revolver, keep your thumb pressing down on the hammer. This will allow you to know when something is in the trigger guard as you are holstering downward, and it will help prevent the hammer from coming back.

8) Every few thousand rounds, check the barrel cylinder gap, endshake, and timing. If it is out of spec, send it to Ruger for a tune up.

9) If the revolver 'spits' at you when you are shooting, you have problems with timing or endshake. Send it back to Ruger.

10) When you eject the empty shells, DON'T slap the ejector rod at an angle. This could bend the rod. Make sure you press the rod straight downward.

11) If you're shooting a lot of lead bullets, end your session with a cylinder or two of full metal jacket rounds. It will save you a lot of cleaning.

Hope this helps

[papatriot1981]

I carry revolvers everyday, and they are my favorite type of handgun. I'm still learning.

Here is what I've learned over the years:

1) DO NOT put your hand or any other body part near the forcing cone (front of the cylinder) when firing. The hot gasses, especially from magnums, will burn you very badly.

2) DO NOT flip the cylinder closed like you see on TV. Doing that could do lots of harm to the crane/yoke, hand, ejector rod, etc. Close the revolver by gently putting pressure on the crane/yoke, and then gently index the cylinder to lock.

3) Practice the double-action trigger pull. It takes some getting used to. Lots of dry-fire at a target (with gun unloaded) while keeping the muzzle steady is good.

4) Keep in mind that fast double action shooting tends to be harder on the lock-work and the cylinder notches. I'm not saying never shoot fast--just be aware that it accelerates wear and tear.

5) Shooting magnums through a revolver will accelerate cylinder endshake. Even though your Ruger is rated for .357 mag, and it is a VERY strong design, it still is not immune to peening the yoke from the 'jackhammer' effect magnum pressures will generate on the cylinder and yoke-tube. A very experienced gunsmith advised me to practice with light target loads and use the magnums sparingly (to keep familiar).

6) Avoid thumb-cocking the hammer when shooting. And for the love of Zeus, please don't carry or store the gun loaded with a cocked hammer.

7) When holstering the revolver, keep your thumb pressing down on the hammer. This will allow you to know when something is in the trigger guard as you are holstering downward, and it will help prevent the hammer from coming back.

8) Every few thousand rounds, check the barrel cylinder gap, endshake, and timing. If it is out of spec, send it to Ruger for a tune up.

9) If the revolver 'spits' at you when you are shooting, you have problems with timing or endshake. Send it back to Ruger.

10) When you eject the empty shells, DON'T slap the ejector rod at an angle. This could bend the rod. Make sure you press the rod straight downward.

11) If you're shooting a lot of lead bullets, end your session with a cylinder or two of full metal jacket rounds. It will save you a lot of cleaning.

Hope this helps

Wow! VERY well thought out reply with a plethora of great information. I realize some are quick to chastise another for carrying a revolver vs. an auto. But, I find a heavy revolver is easier to maintain good marksmanship than with a "plastic gun". Even a Glock (M&P, XD, etc..) with factory ammo has enough recoil to flip the muzzle pretty decent even with a good grip, in my experience, I don't have that much of a problem with a GP100 sized revolver even in DA and I can apply better hits on target.

[Gun]

Right a tool that fires a .357 round. A round that no one doubts the effectiveness of. Perhaps one of the best all purpose rounds ever invented. A tool that opens up Carry & liberty conversations in a way & to people who would be unwilling to talk to someone with a 1911 or sinister baby killing black gun.

He is not talking about ocing a .22 or some nonsense .380 auto. Clearly a gun is a fashion choice? Why do people by overpriced glocks with poor warranty service instead of hipoint? Only fashion, not facts.

My post wasn't a caliber debate, nor did it have to do with opening a dialogue about 2 A issue with passersby.

Thank you to those who actually assisted in kindly educating me on the matter. As for the others, especially the person who felt that carrying a certain firearm because of its added aesthetics is pointless, I appreciate your less than helpful advice.

You stated it as the main reason.

[DavidTM]

I avoided clicking into this thread based on the title alone.

Good advice. To bad I couldn't read it before I opened the thread.

Carrying a DA revolver cocked would be akin to telling your wife that your new girlfriend is really pissed off because you haven't been spending enough time with her. Something is going to explode and likely your going to have blood and permeant scars on parts of your body.

[American1776]

Thanks 'Gun' and 'Papatriot1981'. I'm still learning.

I'd like to add a few more points to revolver 101:

12) When you clean the revolver, make sure to clean the forcing cone and the cylinder face. If you don't, build-up of lead and carbon on both parts can actually bind up the cylinder from rotating.

13) Rugers, Smiths, and Colts all have different factory specs. Colts have the tightest, than Smiths, than Rugers. Do not try to apply one maker's specs to another maker's revolvers.

14) IF you cock the hammer back on a loaded revolver, and you have to de-cock it safely, here's what I do: 1) keep muzzle pointed away from yourself and others 2) put your thumb between the hammer and the frame. 3) Keeping your thumb under the hammer, pull the trigger and then keep your finger away from the trigger 4) ease the hammer down while you gently wiggle your thumb out from under the (now) de-cocked hammer.

[jsaranczak]

I carry revolvers everyday, and they are my favorite type of handgun. I'm still learning.

Here is what I've learned over the years:

1) DO NOT put your hand or any other body part near the forcing cone (front of the cylinder) when firing. The hot gasses, especially from magnums, will burn you very badly.

2) DO NOT flip the cylinder closed like you see on TV. Doing that could do lots of harm to the crane/yoke, hand, ejector rod, etc. Close the revolver by gently putting pressure on the crane/yoke, and then gently index the cylinder to lock.

3) Practice the double-action trigger pull. It takes some getting used to. Lots of dry-fire at a target (with gun unloaded) while keeping the muzzle steady is good.

4) Keep in mind that fast double action shooting tends to be harder on the lock-work and the cylinder notches. I'm not saying never shoot fast--just be aware that it accelerates wear and tear.

5) Shooting magnums through a revolver will accelerate cylinder endshake. Even though your Ruger is rated for .357 mag, and it is a VERY strong design, it still is not immune to peening the yoke from the 'jackhammer' effect magnum pressures will generate on the cylinder and yoke-tube. A very experienced gunsmith advised me to practice with light target loads and use the magnums sparingly (to keep familiar).

6) Avoid thumb-cocking the hammer when shooting. And for the love of Zeus, please don't carry or store the gun loaded with a cocked hammer.

7) When holstering the revolver, keep your thumb pressing down on the hammer. This will allow you to know when something is in the trigger guard as you are holstering downward, and it will help prevent the hammer from coming back.

8) Every few thousand rounds, check the barrel cylinder gap, endshake, and timing. If it is out of spec, send it to Ruger for a tune up.

9) If the revolver 'spits' at you when you are shooting, you have problems with timing or endshake. Send it back to Ruger.

10) When you eject the empty shells, DON'T slap the ejector rod at an angle. This could bend the rod. Make sure you press the rod straight downward.

11) If you're shooting a lot of lead bullets, end your session with a cylinder or two of full metal jacket rounds. It will save you a lot of cleaning.

Hope this helps

Thank you American, this was very helpful. A few of those I was aware of, but most I had no idea of. I must admit, flipping the cylinder into the gun was one of my first impulses after getting the gun. Years of seeing it in movies made it hard not to think about doing it lol.

[ray h]

14) IF you cock the hammer back on a loaded revolver, and you have to de-cock it safely, here's what I do: 1) keep muzzle pointed away from yourself and others 2) put your thumb between the hammer and the frame. 3) Keeping your thumb under the hammer, pull the trigger and then keep your finger away from the trigger 4) ease the hammer down while you gently wiggle your thumb out from under the (now) de-cocked hammer.

You haven't owned any older S&Ws with the firing pin on the hammer have you?

[American1776]

You haven't owned any older S&Ws with the firing pin on the hammer have you?

Yes I do. And I do the same thing--put the thumb just below the hammer mounted pin, it still works.