Why shoot DA?

[Dr45ACP]

It occurred to me while shooting recently that I usually shoot DA revolvers SA.

As a result of the way I practice, I guess I am not a good DA shot -- a long 12 lb trigger pull is not my bag.

Speed is the only reason I can think of to shoot DA, and I am not sure how much time it really saves. I guess I can miss faster if I shoot DA!

Am I alone in this regard?

I think I would be as well armed with a Ruger Blackhawk as about anything else.

 

[Quantum Singularity]

Shooting DA revolvers in DA mode:

+ Faster
+ Safer under stress (you have to intentionally pull the trigger to fire)
- harder to hit accurately than SA




Single Action Only Revolvers (such as the Blackhawk)

+ Easier to hit accurately
- Single actions are difficult to load/ reload

 

[jfrancis]

I shoot mainly 1911s, so it's pretty obvious that I prefer SA triggers. However, I recently bought a Kahr P9 (DAO) and it's a sweet little shooter. I wanted to answer the same question you posed - how much slower is the DA trigger?

I shoot the IDPA Classifier course regularly in practice; this helps me gauge improvement and, to some extent, compare pistols. Earlier today, I shot this 90 round course with my Les Baer Concept VII, a S&W Performance Center model 945 and an SV Infinity Compact. My scores were in the 106 - 109 second range for the LB and S&W, 115 seconds for the SVI (not used to the fat grip yet) and 154 seconds for the Kahr P9.

To put this better in perspective, my 1911 times for a failure drill (2 COM, 1 head; 7 yards, no concealment, all 'A' hits) are typically in the 2.2-2.5 sec range. With the P9 this was around 3.0-3.4 secs. Is this enough to matter? I'm not convinced and I could probably bring these times a bit with practice.

The P9 does have a long DA pull - very revolver-like. Good exercise in trigger control though.

 

[9mmepiphany]

what do you mean less accurate?

dr45acp - you dont say what kind of wheelgun you are using but i'm sure it can be saved. i've carried both smith m-13s and colt pythons on duty, where we were not allowed to cock for SA, and never had a problem qualifiying. as a matter of fact, it was easier to teach a new recruit to shot DA than to give them a choice.

the DA trigger pull helps steady your gun and reduces the tendency to flinch in rapid fire, your grip is more consistent (tightens as you squeeze) from shot to shot, you never have to break your grip to cock the hammer. thats why they shoot DA in PPC, bowling pins and action shooting.

my python has a 6-8lb DA pull and has never failed to set off magnum primers in thousands of rounds...my PPC gun (K-frame) has a 6lb trigger and has consistently popped federal and winchester wadcutters in tens of thousands of rounds.

have your action tuned, your trigger narrowed, the serrations polished off and give DA another try.

 

[JoeHatley]

One hand.

Joe

 

[4V50 Gary]

DA is useful where you lack time to manually cock the weapon. Indeed, when the majority of police agencies were still armed with revolvers, many taught or insisted that the officers shoot DA and even ground off the SA notch on the issue weapons. SA was seen to take too long and the luxury of time was not something to be given to an opponent. SA was also frowned upon as a potential to unintentional discharges and lawsuits.

If you want to learn DA shooting, practice it on a large target close up first and as you get better, progressive move to a smaller target and longer distance. It works!

 

[Rosco Benson]

Many Bianchi Cup and PPC competitors shoot double-action very precisely. One thing about a long DA pull, it is almost impossible to anticipate the shot breaking and flinch.

If you want to gain competence at managing the double-action trigger, then practice it...both live and dry-fire.

Rosco

 

[Dr45ACP]

I agree that lack of DA practice is probably a lot of the problem, and agree with ya'll that DA is faster to shoot, reload, etc.

If I had to get a shot off so fast that I couldnt have time to cock the hammer, then I think I would probably be at such a short range that my inacurracy in the DA mode probably wouldnt matter much, but maybe I am wrong about that.

Oh well, I guess I found a reason to go back and shoot some more!

Just Curious: Does anyone here rely primarily on a SA revolver for defense?

 

[Quantum Singularity]

Just Curious: Does anyone here rely primarily on a SA revolver for defense?

SA revolvers are great...fantastic accuracy, nice ergonomic grips, BUT they take time to reload. Against one or two BGs it will work, but against several perps the reload time is likely going to get you killed!

 

[Doug 29]

Double Action Shooting

I shoot revolvers double action exclusively. Box-stock. I havn't measured the pull, but would guess that they run around 12 lbs. I was bitten by the bug after reading Ed McGivern's book "Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting". At the time, Auto's were not too reliable and used only FMJ's. Now it's become a way of life. The movement of the slide of an auto annoys me and auto's seem to recoil differently with each shot. As Roscoe said, it's almost impossible to anticipate the shot and flinch. For me, the gun seems to come alive and I feel more in control of my shots.......whether fired aimed or from the hip. I used to shoot in the low 90's, slow fire, and wax timed and rapid. Unfortunately, I'm getting old and the sights get fuzzy now!

 

[Ron Ankeny]

I had no problem making Master Class in PPC and NRA Action Pistol shooting Smith and Wesson revolvers by Ron Power that were double action only. In fact, I always prefer to shoot small targets at long yardage (like the x-ring on a B-27) double action. I also hunted big game for several years with a double action only Smith 29 and I loved the gun.

Double action shooting is faster, and much more accurate than single action. The vast majority of Master and High Master PPC shooters will be seen shooting from the 50 yard line double action...it works.

 

[WESHOOT2]

I sometimes shoot wheels DA when I compete at USPSA matches (no 'race' crap, just HKS's and Milt Sparks). I'm way faster shooting DA.
I also compete with my Witnesses (in caliber of the day) or my 1911.
Sight alignment trigger control...........

I like to shoot and I have plenty of ammo.

 

[nr123]

When I was actively teaching firearms, and our duty handguns were revolvers-we never shot single action. All our instruction was double action. I'll have to admit that I am more accurate with DA than SA. You get that nice surprise break and I am more likely not to anticipate the shot. For defensive purposes, I would always rely on DA.

 

[Cat]

I can't remember the last time I purposefully cocked a DA revolver and fired it single action.

I used to shoot revolvers almost exclusively. At one time I could actually get better groups DA than SA. Even at 50 yards off of sandbags.

It all depends on what you want to do and how much you are willing to practice. And I don't mean just shoot a lot, I mean practice.

Neil Casper

 

[mikey357]

Dr45ACP-you've been given lots of good advice here. I'd just like to interject one more thing...IF you're ever carrying a DA revo, and IF you ever need to use it for "Self Defense", you'll PROBABLY need to use the revo at or close to "Maximum Speed"...the BEST WAY to do that is to shoot the "roundgun" Double Action. Like many other respondents to your post, I shoot at least as well[probably better] DA as I do SA...due to many years of DA practice, both "Live-fire" AND DRYFIRE!!! It is my NOT-SO-HUMBLE opinion that DA DRYFIRE is perhaps the MOST EFFECTIVE practice one can do with a handgun!!! Give it a try...and see for yourself!!!....mikey357