Revolver Instruction
III. Single Action and Double Action
by F. E. MORTON
Revolver Gold
Medalist, Bisley, Staff-Instructor Birmingham Home Guard
THE
functioning of the revolver trigger is different from that of other weapons
because of its two actions.
SINGLE
ACTION — In this action the hammer is pulled back until it is held at full
cock; it will then require a pressure upon the trigger to release the hammer
and cause the weapon to be fired. This pressure will vary according to the type
of revolver, but is usually between four and eight pounds, except .22 cal.
revolvers, where a minimum of two pounds is allowed, but three pounds is safer
and more likely to last.
DOUBLE
ACTION — In this case, all the
The
amount of pressure required again varies, but is usually between twelve and
fourteen pounds. Owing to the fact that the hammer does not move so far back,
the blow given to the cap of the cartridge is lighter in double action, and a
revolver may be all right firing single action, but may misfire when using
double action.
Upon
reading the above and taking the weights into consideration, my readers will
probably decide that the single action is the easiest and the one to be used,
especially for accurate shooting.
This,
of course, is quite correct, and in the first stages of revolver shooting,
single action should be used; but the double action should also be mastered. In
the past, the use of double action has been greatly neglected; although a few
shots may have been fired, the impression usually gathered is that this method
is too difficult for accurate shooting, and its use is then discarded.
I can
assure you that, with practice, shooting can be just as accurate with double
action as with single action, and would remind you that the latest pattern .380
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A — Re-cocking rapidly, Single action, 1st position. |
B — Re-cocking, 2nd position |
C — 3rd position. |
Pressing Trigger, Single Action
Remember
that if the stance is correct, and the revolver is properly "held,"
no weight of the weapon should be taken by the trigger finger. The hammer
should be at full cock, with the revolver resting against the front of the
table or bench, or at 45 degrees muzzle down.
The
forefinger should be lying along the outside of the trigger guard.
Bring
the revolver up to the aim position without moving the hold. As the revolver
leaves the bench or table, the finger is slipped around the lower part of the
trigger so that the inner lower part Of the finger is taking squarely on the
trigger.
Do not
tighten the hold, but start a very gentle pressure on the trigger and keep an
even pressure of the thumb on the body.
By this
time the sights should be aligned on the point of aim, and this pressure that
you have taken should assist in steadying them, so that very little extra
pressure on the trigger is required to get the shot away.
What NOT To Do
Two
very important items come in here, where I am certainly not in agreement with
much that has been taught and written.
First,
do not take any notice of that old, old story about "you should not know
when it goes off." The revolver or pistol (or rifle, for that matter)
should be fired by YOU, when you know your sights are on the point of aim.
Shooting
calls for concentration and determination, not indecision. Just imagine trying
to fire six shots in ten seconds, and not knowing when they go off!
Second,
just give that other favourite instruction about "pressing the finger
towards the thumb" a good look over; try it with an empty revolver, and
see if it really is sound practice. You will find that in this way you use from
the centre to the top half of the trigger.
Now try
the method of pressing the trigger straight back towards the centre of the
wrist. You will find that by this means you are pressing the bottom of the
trigger and maximum leverage is obtained. I can definitely state that I have
improved the shooting of a great number of men by persuading them to adopt this
method.
After
the hammer has fallen and the shot is fired, do not snatch the weapon down
quickly, but let it "follow through," as it were, and then bring it
down to the table .and re-cock the hammer ready for the next shot.
Remember
that the trigger must be allowed to come right forward after it has been
pressed, in order to allow the pawl to be lowered and do its
Unless
a fair amount of practice with an empty revolver has been undertaken, the
reader may find it advisable to re-cock with the disengaged hand at first until
he is more confident of his "hold." When first starting to learn or
practise it is sheer folly to start shooting at once and to re-cock with the
revolver hand. The only thing you may be certain of is a different hold for
each shot, and the finger getting farther and farther around the trigger.
When
more certain of the hold, try re-cocking with the thumb of the revolver hand,
but perform this movement without altering your hold, and always re-cock the
hammer at full speed.
Do not
get into the habit of casually re-cocking while you are looking at the target;
watch everything you do at first, do it quickly and properly; later, when you
have mastered the job, you can concentrate your attention entirely on the point
of aim while your hand automatically and with precision carries out each
movement. This, however, means practice, practice, and again practice.
Rapid Re-cocking, On Aim, Single Action
Rapid
shooting with a revolver is just a question of re-cocking rapidly while still
on aim. Considerable speed can be attained by the single action method, but it
will require daily practice with an empty revolver, using a snap pad or empty
cartridge cases to protect the hammer from damage.
The
following method of re-cocking, which can be easily followed by studying the
photographs, should be adopted and practised until the firer is able to re-cock
and fire six shots in ten seconds without -losing his hold. He will not
accomplish this in a few days; it will be weeks before he can expect to fire
six shots in fifteen seconds and get them inside twelve inches at ten yards.
Before
commencing practice it will, of course, be necessary to assume the correct
stance and hold, then come to the aim position and fire.
(1) The Revolver Having Fired
It will
be noticed that, on firing, the muzzle of the revolver moves upwards several
inches.
Keeping
a firm hold with the remainder of the hand, allow the trigger to move forward,
but still keep the finger inside; the guard; while the muzzle is still pointing
up, the thumb should be placed quickly and squarely on the comb of the hammer.
Note —
When practising without actually firing, after the hammer has fallen, the
muzzle should be brought up about four inches by a movement of the wrist. (See photograph, Re-cocking—A)
(2) With a movement of the wrist, bring the muzzle
quickly downwards, keeping the thumb straight and maintain the hold with the
remainder of the hand. (See photograph,
Re-cocking—B)
Note.—
(a) The essential points in this "method are that the weight of the
revolver is used to assist in re-cocking, and by keeping the thumb straight, hold
is not lost. (b) The butt will have a
tendency to move left out of the hold. Don't let it do so.
(3) As soon as the hammer is cocked, the muzzle should
be brought quickly up, the sights aligned on the point of aim, the finger
brought back on the trigger, the thumb returned quickly to its position, and
the steady, even pressure of the trigger towards the centre of the wrist
commenced until the hammer falls again.
(See photograph, Re-cocking—C)
When
carrying out this practice at a target, do not try to see where each shot has
gone; it is a waste of time; treat each series of six shots as a group and
correct your aim, if required, on that group. By this means you will learn much
more quickly than by taking notice of each shot.
Shooting with Double Action
Apart
from actually shooting by this method, I can recommend practising with it in
order to strengthen the wrist and finger for single action shooting.
If the
firer has a small hand, he may find it advisable to slightly adjust his hold so
that he can get a good purchase on the trigger; he may also allow the thumb to
point slightly downwards. After a time he will find that he can get back almost
to his original hold; it is, more often than not, a question of use and lack of
strength in the finger.
Never
start this way of shooting with the hammer at full cock for the first shot;
this practice defeats its own end, as the firer will alter his hold after the
first shot; therefore start with the revolver loaded and the hammer down.
On
coming to the aim position, the pressure backwards on the trigger should be
commenced, and by the time the sights are on, the hammer should be back almost
to the full extent; use the final pressure, which must be a very even one,
without the slightest pull or jerk; this assists in steadying the sights on the
aiming mark.
Immediately
the revolver has been fired, allow the trigger to move quickly forward to its
full extent, and at once quickly start the pressure backwards, bringing the
sights on to the aiming mark at the same time. The time taken for the hammer to
be brought to the point just before it falls should be equal to that taken in
aligning the sights.
By this
means you should, at the first stage of your practice, make two motions of
pressing the trigger. When the-firer, by dint of practice, can do this
operation without the hammer flying forward when not expected to, he should
then commence making one motion only of pressing the trigger, holding his
sights on while pressing straight through.
This
practice requires considerable perseverance before real success is achieved,
but it is well worth five minutes' practice morning and evening until the
strength of fingers and wrist can stand up to the test of firing 24 shots with
an empty revolver without feeling any strain. These 24 shots must be
consciously aimed shots, with every endeavour to hold on the point of aim, and
not merely snapping, which is useless.
After
having carried out all the foregoing practices in single and double action with
the empty revolver, I very strongly advise my readers to go on to practice with
.22 calibre revolver firing before starting with .38 or 455 calibre weapons.
To
those who own or use automatic pistols, or to be more correct, self- loading pistols, I would advise practising with the
revolver in all the above practices. After all, it is just as well to be able
to use either type of weapon.' One of the chief disadvantages of the auto
pistol, as far as firing is concerned, is that in practising it is fired much
too quickly, with loss of training value.
The
hold with the auto pistol should be exactly as described for the revolver, and
to hold an auto pistol too tightly is even a worse mistake than doing so with a
revolver.
D
— Hold with self-loading pistol.
If you
find the pistol starts to wobble or vibrate, you may be certain you are holding
too tightly, so bring it down off aim, take a good breath, relax the' grip, and
come up again to the aim position and start the pressing straight back with the
trigger finger, not forgetting the pressure inwards with the thumb which lies
horizontally along the body. (See
photograph, Hold with Self-loading Pistol—D)
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HANG THIS UP! Regulations for Conducting Pistol Practice In order to avoid
all risk of accident, range regulations must be strictly observed. The following
regulations have been set out, not only for the range, but for general
guidance and precaution against accident. 1. A pistol is
always to be treated as though it were loaded. A pistol is never to be
brought to the range loaded, or be so pointed as to endanger the firer or
others. 2. A pistol, on being taken from the holster
or taken up from the table, is to be immediately opened and examined. This is
termed "proving the pistol." 3. A pistol is never to be put into or carried
in the holster with the hammer cocked. 4. No weapon is to be loaded except by the
order of the officer or other person in charge of the firing point. 5. Both during and after loading, the pistol
must be kept pointing towards the target. 6. Before firing
begins, the officer in charge will see that everyone except those firing are
at least five yards in rear of firing point. 7. On conclusion
of each firing, the officer in charge will order "Unload." No one
will move up to the targets until the order is given to do so. 8. A table should
always be provided on the firing point; all firing is to take place behind
this table. 9. The pistol
should be rested on the front edge of the table, with the muzzle clear after
it is loaded, and should return there after each shot has been fired, except
in continuous or rapid fire practices. 10. Ammunition
should only be issued on the firing point to those about to fire. 11. No snapping
is allowed except on the firing point, and then only under an instructor. 12. Before
beginning practice with an empty pistol, the firer should open and
"prove" his weapon. When fired cartridge cases are used, these
should be removed after practice, the pistol being left empty. 13. Where
self-loading pistols are used, the magazine or clip should first be removed.
The breech, or slide, pulled back and the breech examined to ensure that a
live cartridge is not left in the chamber; the hammer should then be eased
forward and the safety catch applied. The empty magazine is then placed in
position. 14. Unless on active service, a self-loading
pistol should not be carried with a fully charged magazine. The hammer should
not be left at full cock, and the safety catch should be at SAFE. E. MORION, C.A.S.C. |
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Source: "Defence - The Services'
Magazine" Apr 1941