Don’t Forget About the Single-Action Revolver
Dr. John Woods 05.23.16
Indeed single action handguns still have a role in the shooting community, and in some senses there is a bit of a revival going on. Handgunners are seemingly totally enamored with semi-auto pistols. Preppers, survivalists, self-defense gurus, and concealed weapons carry enthusiasts are all in on pistols. Even double-action revolvers have taken a back seat to the magazine fed genre of handguns these days.
But, hey, wait just a minute. Have you stopped to take a look at a good Ruger Single Action six gun any time recently? Maybe it is high time to revisit the old “thumb buster” mode of cocking, aiming, and shooting with each round until the cylinder is empty. You may just find a whole new mode to enjoy shooting handguns again.
My first handgun when I was but a young lad of eight years old was a Ruger Bearcat in .22 rimfire. My dad slipped across the street to his old duck hunting buddy that owned the Western Auto store and secured it for me for $49. In those days, there was no ATF paperwork or age requirements to own a handgun. We were raised to be trusted to use guns safely and appropriately. I would have been scared to death not to.
That little single action Ruger initiated me to handgun shooting. I used it to plink hundreds of tin cans (yes they were tin back then), paper targets, and other assorted innocuous targets, none of which were organic. I learned to use simple open sights, as well as hammer and trigger control.
Owning that tiny six gun also taught me a lot about handgun cleaning and maintenance. I could pull that cylinder pin and brush out the dirty rimfire ammo burned powder, scrub the barrel, lube it up, and have it ready to go again. Much was to be said for owning that gun.
Since, I have owned and used many a single action six guns from .357 Magnums to .44 Magnums. I have even hunted with them with some measure of success. I particularly like to carry my current Ruger Blackhawk with the 4 5/8- inch barrel and .357 Mag in a crossdraw holster.
I think if you’ll revisit the single action guns, you will find a new excitement about shooting handguns. It takes a real concerted effort to shoot well with one of these guns, a skill that will teach you how to better shoot all handguns with accomplishment.
