Why revolvers?

Discussion in 'Firearms and Hunting' started by Xenamnes, Mar 27, 2019.

  1. An Taibhse

    An Taibhse Well-Known Member

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    Understood. I was sharing an option. Based on your post, I can glean you are making a knowledgeable choice.
    I am curious... what task/s do you use your Blackhawk for? Do you use factory loads, or load your own?
    As with many guns I have traded/sold I have remorse for letting mine go, despite replacing it with a RedHawk...should have just added a Redhawk to my collection and kept the BlackHawk.
    For me, it was the gun that put Ruger in my field of interest. I used it as a backup when I used to hunt deer with a black powder flintlock I built back in the early 80’s.
    I just intervened with a friend that has a BlackHawk in .41mag. His had a crack in the frame and he was still shooting it! I sent it to Ruger for him...they replaced the frame and a couple parts for free.
    I sometimes look at their Bisley, thinking it (in .45 LC or 44mag) might be a nice addition to my collection .
     
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  2. APACHERAT

    APACHERAT Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    My bump in the night gun is the Springfield Armory .45 ACP M-1911A1.

    When out in the foothills or mountains I carry my .45LC Blackhawk. Bear protection and with snake loads good for deranged rattlesnakes.

    When deer hunting it all depends where I'm hunting. If I'm hunting in Shasta County I just carry my rifle.

    If I'm hunting aboard Fort Hunter Liggett I carry my M-1911A1.

    Hiking or camping it's the .45LC Blackhawk. Either in a holster or in my backpack. Purpose...angry mama black bears or deranged two legged bad hombres.

    My .45LC Ruger Blackhawk was the second handgun I bought when I turned 21 in 1971.If I reme3mber correctly it sold brand new for $124.

    As Mushroom pointed out the M-1911 has three safeties, slide safety, grip safety and the half **** safety.

    When I was in Vietnam I rated a pistol but never carried one. Just additional weight to hump and an additional weapon to clean. Those who carried a .45 pistol if I remember correctly they didn't chamber a round until needed and they used the half **** safety.

    In the civilian world I always have a round chambered and use the slide safety "Cocked and Lock."

    The half cocked safety on my Springfield M-1911A1 doesn't work.
    Any others who own a SA M-1911 have the same problem ?
     
  3. An Taibhse

    An Taibhse Well-Known Member

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    Explain what you mean by it not working. Does the hammer drop on depressing the grip safety? Or, other condition? There can be a couple reasons, at least one involving the Hammer design, a half **** shelf vs half **** notch, others involve wear, aftermarket fire control parts, trigger work, etc.. Feel free to PM me to discuss; I may be able to help. It isn’t an uncommon issue, and may or may not be a problem with safety.
     
  4. APACHERAT

    APACHERAT Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Yes, it does.



    Safety Tests for the M1911/M1911A1 Pistol

    [​IMG]
    Colt 1911 Photo

    Since most of the M1911 and M1911A1 pistols you will encounter are getting quite elderly, it is important to know how to do basic safety testing on the 1911 pistol. Even on a newer production 1911-pattern guns, if you are acquiring the gun second hand, it is a good idea to perform these safety tests to insure that a tinkerer hasn’t messed up the innards of the gun.

    Perform the following safety tests as indicated in (1) through (4) below.

    (1) Safety test (fig. 1). With the pistol unloaded, **** the hammer and press the safety upward into the safe (locked) position. Grasp the grip so the grip safety is depressed and squeeze the trigger tightly three or four times. If the hammer falls, the safety must be replaced.

    (2) Grip safety test (fig. 2). With the pistol unloaded, **** the hammer and without depressing the grip safety point the pistol downward and squeeze the trigger three or four times. If the hammer falls because the grip safety is depressed by its own weight, the grip safety may be corrected by replacing sear spring.

    (3) Half-**** position test (fig. 3 and 4). With the pistol unloaded, draw back the hammer until the sear engages the half-**** position notch. Then squeeze the trigger. If the hammer falls, the hammer or sear must be replaced or repaired. Draw the hammer back nearly to full **** position, do not squeeze the trigger, and then let thumb slip off hammer. The hammer should fall only to the half-**** notch. Replace hammer when it falls past the half-**** position. Note: If you perform this test on a true GI M1911/M1911A1, it will behave in this way. Kimbers will also. Colts (Series 80) and Springfields will allow the hammer to fall from the half-**** because the Series 80 hammer has a shelf rather than a real hook at the half-****.

    (4) Disconnector test.

    (a) With the pistol unloaded, **** the hammer. Push the slide group 1/4 inch to the rear (fig. 23) and hold in that position while squeezing trigger. Let slide group go forward, maintaining pressure on trigger. If the hammer falls, the disconnector is worn and must be replaced.

    (b) Pull the slide group rearward until the slide stop is engaged (fig. 23). Squeeze the trigger and release slide group simultaneously. The hammer should not fall. If it does, replace the disconnector.

    (c) Release the pressure on the trigger and then squeeze it. The hammer should then fall (fig. 23). If it does not fall, check the sear spring for weakness. Also check for a faulty disconnector which would prevent hammer from falling. The disconnector should prevent the release of the hammer unless the slide group is in forward position, safely interlocked. This also prevents the firing of more than one shot at each squeeze of trigger.

    [​IMG]
    Figure 1. Safety test.

    [​IMG]
    Figure 2. Grip safety test.

    [​IMG]
    Figure 3. Half-**** position test (1 of 2).

    [​IMG]
    Figure 4. Half-**** position test (2 of 2). NOTE: With Hammer back nearly to full **** position, let thumb slip oft hammer.

    [​IMG]
    POSITIONING SLIDE GROUP TO DETERMINE IF DISCONNECTOR IS WORN

    [​IMG]
    SLIDE GROUP IN REARWARD POSITION, PREPARING TO RELEASE SLIDE STOP

    [​IMG]
    SLIDE GROUP IN FORWARD POSITION PRIOR TO TESTING HAMMER. Figure 4. Disconnector test.

    See Also:

    Malfunctions

    Reliability Secrets

    Is “Cocked and Locked” Dangerous?
     
  5. An Taibhse

    An Taibhse Well-Known Member

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    If I recall correctly, the Spring field trigger has half **** sear capture notch (as opposed to shelf). The fit is fairly critical between the sear and the notch. Any play in the trigger group or poor fit can cause the the sear to catch on the lip of the notch, and in a sense, almost function as second sear rather than be captured. You pretty much have to disassemble your gun, and inspect the fit. It can sometimes be remedied by adjusting the fit, but car must be taken not to muck up the sear’s primary mating with the trigger, something a smith can easily can usually do pretty quickly and inexpensively. Another option is to replace the trigger and sear. A bit more expensive, but for me it would be worth it, is buy a drop in Nowlin trigger job (Brownells has them)...they probably range from $150-200 and is competitive with having one done. It would be like having a new gun, particularly, if yours is a series 70 which I should be. Anyway...food for thought.
     
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  6. ChoppedLiver

    ChoppedLiver Well-Known Member

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    If you juxtaposition the failures and functionality between the two, you'll find that the semi's are more problematic than revolvers gun-for-gun.
     
  7. An Taibhse

    An Taibhse Well-Known Member

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    I find blanket statements such as above imbued with a lot of assumptions. Revolvers work well for some applications, semis for others. Some semis like a few I own run have flawlessly OTB. I have seen more revolvers that have had catastrophic life threatening failures than I have semi autos...a couple reasons for that.
    As for which is better... ”better” needs to be defined.
    It is interesting, is it not, that virtually all of the world’s militaries and police forces, almost to a one, have opted for semi autos for their service weapons rather than revolvers. Hmmm... I wonder why? Are they missing something?
     
  8. ChoppedLiver

    ChoppedLiver Well-Known Member

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    Simple answer. Firepower.

    Everyone knows that.

    I was addressing failures and functionality and not firepower.
     
  9. Steady Pie

    Steady Pie Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Nothing wrong with 9mm if you have appropriate loads and put shots on target.
     
  10. TOG 6

    TOG 6 Well-Known Member

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    It can.
    Revolvers can, under very unusual circumstances, malfunction, but said malfunctions, compared to autos, are exceptionally rare.
    Revolvers are also considerably simpler than autos, in every aspect.

    Thus, they are a viable choice for the novice and/or people who believe their life may very well depend on the gun going BANG the 2nd time they pull the trigger.

    They also look cool.
     
  11. ToddWB

    ToddWB Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I'll go with "they look cool" because having disassembled both, I'd say, mechanically, revolvers are more complicated, more moving parts.
     
  12. M.A. Survivalist

    M.A. Survivalist Newly Registered

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    One reason some people might sometimes prefer revolvers over semi autos is that with semi autos you might tend to take more shots than what's necessary due to the magazines holding more ammo than what a revolver would hold. With revolvers on the other hand you're more likely to conserve your ammo and take as few shots as you can since most revolvers only hold 6 rounds. So with revolvers you can save ammo.
     
  13. Xenamnes

    Xenamnes Banned

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    Or, by contrast, an individual utilizing a semi-automatic firearm can simply practice the same ammunition conservation skills.
     
  14. Texan

    Texan Well-Known Member

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    1. Some people are more comfortable with the operation of a revolver.

    2. Don't have to pick up brass.

    3. Can fire from coat pocket.

    4. Rat shot or snake rounds work reliably.

    5. Easier to mount optics.

    6. More large game rounds for self defense. (bears, etc....)

    If I were a criminal, I would look for a revolver just because of brass retention. That's one less piece of evidence to be used against you.
     
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2020
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  15. Spim

    Spim Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    grew up with wheel guns, but back then in the 70's they were pretty much the only thing I had access to.

    Currently don't own any, but I do have some long term plans that include a 357 revolver and a 357 lever action combo, but that will be after I fulfill my other bucket list items.

    Honestly, my wife, who really doesn't shoot, would probably be very comfortable with a revolver, even if it was a little lcr in 22 or 22mag would be perfect for a noob.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2020

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