Ever carried a Single Action revolver?

The full lugged barrel of a S&W 625 should konk heads well, if necessary

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True, but depending on how the "konking blow" was administered you could end up with a sprung yoke.

This thread is epic!

I just ordered a messenger bag from Maxpedition...
The inside is lined with velcro, and I purchased a holster that you stick in with velcro....the top of the bag can be accessed via zippers...

So, while off-body carry is not the best method for CCW....
My Ruger Vaquero Birdshead with 3.75" barrel will be residing in the messenger bag, at times when it is inconvenient to carry on body.

The bag fits over shoulder, and can be carried with the top zipper open, which means that you can simply reach in and pull the revolver out.

(I understand the drawbacks to off-body carry, but again, this is a carry method that will be utilized only occasionally)

Now, I've never done it, but from what I hear, you crack the bad guy with the end of the barrel, not the cylinder or grips (might crack the grips). I don't think you'd damage the yoke with a barrel smack, and you never have to take your hand off the grip! That underlug and shroud ought to protect the ejector rod quite well.

wheelyfun66 said:

This thread is epic!

I just ordered a messenger bag from Maxpedition...
The inside is lined with velcro, and I purchased a holster that you stick in with velcro....the top of the bag can be accessed via zippers...

So, while off-body carry is not the best method for CCW....
My Ruger Vaquero Birdshead with 3.75" barrel will be residing in the messenger bag, at times when it is inconvenient to carry on body.

The bag fits over shoulder, and can be carried with the top zipper open, which means that you can simply reach in and pull the revolver out.

(I understand the drawbacks to off-body carry, but again, this is a carry method that will be utilized only occasionally)

Click to expand...

I have a maxpedition EDC bag and have done this with both my short Blackhawk and a 4" S&W model 10. It works well but the bag is almost as obvious as a fanny pack with a snub nose in it. I used the bag as my camera bag as well which provided significant camouflage.

wlewisiii said:

I have a maxpedition EDC bag and have done this with both my short Blackhawk and a 4" S&W model 10. It works well but the bag is almost as obvious as a fanny pack with a snub nose in it. I used the bag as my camera bag as well which provided significant camouflage.

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The Messenger bag does truly just appear to be a.....messenger bag!
I know some of the Maxpedition gear does look "tactical", but this one appears to be a shoulder bag, with minimal outside pockets and places to hang gear from.
I currently carry a backpack around every day (I am a teacher in an outdoor program), so even on the weekends, friends are used to seeing my ever-present backpack.
Only now, I am upgrading to a messenger bag (that conceals my Vaquero in such a way that I can draw it from the bag with speed).

Now, I've never done it, but from what I hear, you crack the bad guy with the end of the barrel, not the cylinder or grips (might crack the grips). I don't think you'd damage the yoke with a barrel smack, and you never have to take your hand off the grip! That underlug and shroud ought to protect the ejector rod quite well.

Click to expand...

If done the correct way you'd probably be right, but if the blow came from the left and contacted the cylinder it might spring the yoke that is supported at the back of the cylinder, and front of the extractor rod, (not at the yoke itself unless you had a Triple Lock .44 that in theory Earp could have).

No less an authority(?) then Maj. (later Gen.) George Patton Jr. opined that for head-knocking they're was no better choice then the old six-shooter.

Charles Askins once related that a Border Patrolman who used a 1911 Government Model .45 for this purpose discovered afterwards that the slide no longer pointed in the same direction as the frame, and suggested that a S&W .38-44 Heavy Duty would be a better choice.

Anyway, to each his own...

wheelyfun66 said:

The Messenger bag does truly just appear to be a.....messenger bag!
I know some of the Maxpedition gear does look "tactical", but this one appears to be a shoulder bag, with minimal outside pockets and places to hang gear from.
I currently carry a backpack around every day (I am a teacher in an outdoor program), so even on the weekends, friends are used to seeing my ever-present backpack.
Only now, I am upgrading to a messenger bag (that conceals my Vaquero in such a way that I can draw it from the bag with speed).

Click to expand...

Let us know how it works for you. I might have to get yet another bag

Yes, several different SAA's over the years...

I have one right now that I will carry when hiking with my dogs later this year.

I have carried single actions as big as a Super Blackhawk 7 1/2" in a shoulder holster under a fall jacket.

The one I have now is an Evil Roy .357 magnum, 5 1/2"...the overall best SAA I have ever had over the last 45 years.


mark

On messenger bags: Eagle Industries makes a Courier Bag with provision for toting a readiy-accessible handgun. This one is on my short list; it is not inexpensive, but my other Eagle stuff is top-notch and long-term durable.

I have concealed some big guns with a shoulder holster. But the shoulder holster is not something I can wear all the time. I am a big guy I can get by with a XXXXL T-shirt. I look like a hobo with the giant shirt. But if I am that concerned about my safety looks aren't an issue.

CraigC said:

Some Texas Rangers used SA's well into the 20th century. Some even without a reload. One was quoted in saying that if the five shots in his Colt were not enough to handle a situation, he would be guilty of sloppy peace officering.

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If anyone can cite a reference for this I would be in their debt. I happen to agree with this sentiment and wouldn't even carry spare ammo on the job (my department requires me to carry two spare magazines) if I didn't have to. A fully loaded Glock 17 is more than enough ammo for me to fight back to the car for a rifle or shotgun if needed.

One_Jackal said:

I have concealed some big guns with a shoulder holster. But the shoulder holster is not something I can wear all the time. I am a big guy I can get by with a XXXXL T-shirt. I look like a hobo with the giant shirt. But if I am that concerned about my safety looks aren't an issue.

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I look like a bum on my days off but like you I could care less. I want my concealed gun to be concealed and prefer not to compromise in the size of what I prefer if I can help it.

That's a relatively popular quote by Frank Hamer.

If anyone can cite a reference for this I would be in their debt.

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As late as the 1950's, (if not later) Texas Rangers, which are a division of the Texas Department of Public Safety, carried as a rule - Colt Government Model pistols in .45 or .38 Super, Smith & Wesson .38/44 Heavy Duty revolvers, Smith & Wesson .44 Military Model Hand Ejectors (including Triple Locks), Colt New Service revolvers. and occasionally Colt Single Action revolvers. This is confirmed in a number of books, as well as period photographs. Direct a search to (Texas Rangers, revolvers, Colt's).

Also www.amazon.com is your friend.

There's also an old American Rifleman article (from the 20's, IIRC) that showed TX Rangers with SAA revolvers on their hips. I think the title was something like "The Way They Wear Them," talking about how LEOs carried their pistols.

Dirty Bob

Finally got some pics of my carry rig (sorry for poor quality indoor pics...)

The Man With No Name said:

If anyone can cite a reference for this I would be in their debt. I happen to agree with this sentiment and wouldn't even carry spare ammo on the job (my department requires me to carry two spare magazines) if I didn't have to. A fully loaded Glock 17 is more than enough ammo for me to fight back to the car for a rifle or shotgun if needed.

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I'd still want at least one spare mag for malfunction solving purposes.

Yep . . . in the woods, or on the ranch sometimes. Usually in 45 Colt or 44 Special.

Don't use them for regular in-town concealed carry though. Personally, I'm not good enough
with one to over ride-the advantages of a magazine fed pistol for SD against bad guy threats.

IMO it comes down to personal experience. Some guys have spent many hours & thousands of
rounds shooting their SA revolvers, and its part of them - down to the bone. Pick up a Colt SAA
or a nice copy like those from USFA. Pull them from the right holster and you can see how fast
in action they are, and how naturally they point. Quite a weapon in the right hands.

I'm a bit slow getting back here. It looks like someone asked a couple weeks ago about my grips.

The grips are one piece, or made into one piece. It took about 11 hours of welding, cutting and shaping to get them to work. I built up and reinforced the spring pad on the front strap, then cut away the parts using a jewelers saw and razor saw. The grips are rosewood from Dixie, intended for Colts. I made a filler between them to fit the Ruger grip straps, and used Accraglass to bond and bed them. They've been dropped many times and haven't come apart. I drilled and tapped for a spare grip frame screw at the lower front corner joint. I also made the small bevel at the rear edge of the trigger guard where the grips meet it, (the percussion Colts and very early SAA's had that bevel) to get the curve inside the lower edge of the grips to run farther forward and feel good. I seriously dislike the squared feeling most modern single action grips have at that point. I've done two sets of the one piece type grips, this one, and on a 45 Blackhawk.

What ammo are you loading your Ruger with Malamute?

Depends on what I'm doing. For plinking and small game, 8 1/2 gr Unique with any 250 gr cast bullet available (runs about 930 fps from that gun). For general carry, 10 gr Unique with a Lyman 452424 bullet. For up in the mountains where the grizzlies live, a 325 gr SWC with H-110. I don't recall the exact load, the load was suggested by Linebaugh. I think it runs about 1250, but it's been years since I loaded them, I don't shoot many of the big ones.

Would like to work up a grouse load with round balls also.

Carry, no. Enjoy, yes.

My twins, carry one or the other, not both, from time to time when I am in the mood.

Ruger Vaquero SASS edition, .357

Got the Maxpedition Messenger bag.......

ordered a velcro holster with it, which I mounted inside the main compartment.

I can carry the bag with the top zipper open (totally un-noticeable to anyone else) and simply reach in and grip my revolver and draw.

comfortable bag, full of roomy compartments, not ideal carry method....
but then again, my single action revolver is not the ideal carry gun!

for now, it is my only choice (buying house..no money for guns) and I am making it work to the best of my ability.

Carried while in flip flops and shorts today, with the DM Bullard holster, and it totally works....

My dad has carried a NAA .22LR for years. He's said "I don't need to aim at a bad guy, I just stick it in his ear."