SAA Fast Reload

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

mashaffer

Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2003
Messages
139
Someone mentioned a while ago (I think here) a method of reloading the SAA and similar that was developed by a Hollywood gun coach. I never could find any information on it. As I recall it involved emptying and reloading each chamber one after the other rather than emptying all and then charging them all.

Anyone familiar with this technique that can provide info or links?

mike
 
Sure you can do it that way, and it is a little faster.

I doubt a Hollywood gun coach invented it though.

Some old gun hand was very likely doing it that way while fighting indians or outlaws shortly after 1873.

I know I did it sometimes in 1963 when I got my first SA Ruger and figured it out on my own.

rc
 
Its faster to have a second loaded cylinder ready to go, like in the movie Pale Rider.:evil: LM
 
IIRC, someone once came up with a loading tube for the SAA. Once the fired cases were ejected, he held the gun barrel down in his left hand with the loading gate open. Then he tipped the tube into the gate area and somehow manipulated his left fingers to turn the cylinder. As the cylinder turned, the live rounds slid out of the tube and into the chambers, at which point the tube was discarded. I don't know how practical it was (I thought it was, well, interesting), and of course there was no business about skipping a chamber, but there was a writeup at the time in the first "fast draw" era.

Jim
 
I can tell you right now that doing it that way won't be faster unless you are doing all your ejecting operations with one hand. Which takes a lot of dexterity and practice but IMHO, is a worthwhile venture if you're serious about your single action shooting. Even then, I think it will still be quicker to eject all empties before reloading. And for the record, I can fire five rounds, reload and fire five more in 18secs.

Silly as it may seem, whoever produced that video game definitely did their homework! Although I do all my loading with the left hand.
 
Silly as it may seem, whoever produced that video game definitely did their homework! Although I do all my loading with the left hand.
Click to expand...

I was surprised to see him holding the hammer at half cock. I agree with you.
 
I was surprised to see him holding the hammer at half cock.
Click to expand...
It wasn't perfect but it was more accurate than any western movie I've ever seen. And I watch a lot of them!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=610YsqZCtHc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3rj89cqQQ8
Click to expand...
An extra cylinder is definitely a good idea for a percussion pistol. Not so much for a cartridge gun, unless it doesn't have an ejector like Clint's `58. Which is a very important point. It took Clint 13secs to replace the cylinder and Hickok45 9secs. IMHO, it would be silly to carry an extra cylinder for a SAA or replica thinking you're shaving time. Best to spend your time becoming proficient at reloading the old fashioned way, which is quicker anyway, than swapping cylinders.
 
Last edited:
Its faster to have a second loaded cylinder ready to go, like in the movie Pale Rider.
Click to expand...
The gun Clint Eastwood mept reloading in Pale Rider was a Model 1858 Remington cap-and-ball. And that's a dangerous practice -- if you drop a loaded and capped cylinder, it's liable to fire at least one shot into your anatomy.

With an SAA, you have the problem of keeping the rounds in the chambers, so you need a cap covering the rear of the cylinder while the loaded cylinder is out of the gun.
 
I checked You Tube for fast reloading videos. I just wish I could do my own this fast....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHn5PcPcfbQ

It's a shame but there doesn't seem to be anything on You Tube of real SAA fast action reloading.
Click to expand...

Odd. He hits the back of the hammer with his left hand (never cocks the hammer and the cylinder doesn't rotate), then after magically firing the same cartridge 6 times he ejects the live cartridges and loads 6 more.

The actual reload looks pretty good...
 
Funny thing is it's only a partial conversion. On the one in the movie he HAS to remove the cylinder to reload.
Click to expand...
The early `58 conversions were like that. Ejectors and loading gates came later. Some had two piece cylinders, others had one piece. Some had the firing pin in the hammer, others had individual firing pins for each chamber in the rear section of the cylinder.

The movie was made back before any major manufacturer offered a factory cartridge conversion. So the only sources were custom gunsmiths, who sometimes made guns from scratch as with the 1871-1872 Open Top built by Kenny Howell that Tom Selleck carried in Crossfire Trail. Movie prop rental houses also produced cartridge conversions.
 
An extra cylinder is definitely a good idea for a percussion pistol. Not so much for a cartridge gun, unless it doesn't have an ejector like Clint's `58. Which is a very important point. It took Clint 13secs to replace the cylinder and Hickok45 9secs. IMHO, it would be silly to carry an extra cylinder for a SAA or replica thinking you're shaving time. Best to spend your time becoming proficient at reloading the old fashioned way, which is quicker anyway, than swapping cylinders.
Click to expand...

Now, SAA I don't know for sure, but my Remmy, I fail to see how reloading, even if there were an ejector, would be faster than a cylinder swap. Eastwood seems to be taking his sweet time for dramatic affect. I've not got any spares for my Remmy, yet, but just playing with the unloaded cylinder, it's pretty quick to make the swap.

I plan to order a pair of spare cylinders for mine just because. Now, I doubt I'll ever wanna carry them capped, know about the danger of dropping one on a hard surface, but I just kinda want a couple of spare cylinders so I can play with the empties while I watch Pale Rider for the 112th time. :D
 
The 1858's had/have an ejector that's clumsy enough to make the difference. However, on a Colt or replica, reloading will always be quicker. Not to mention alleviating the danger of dropping your cylinder, which renders the gun useless, there is also the danger of dropping your cylinder bushing in the dirt. Which also pretty much renders the cylinder useless until it can be cleaned. The basepin can fall all the way out. Plus the chance of cartridges falling out. Removing and reinstalling the cylinder is always something that should be done with care, not hurriedly. For this is when you have the best chance of scratching the outside of the cylinder.

I don't know why folks have such an aversion to learning how to manipulate the ejector quickly. Take your time and do it right.
 
Thell Reed, a whiz with the SAA, does some coaching/shooting choreography for Hollywood. I remember reading that he was very quick at reloading, as well as drawing and shooting. He may be the one the OP was thinking of.

Here's a photo of him with some other shooters: Ray Chapman, Eldon Carl, Thell Reed, Jeff Cooper, Jack Weaver. You may have heard of some of them.



combat_masters.jpg
 
In SASS competition, you must reload from the belt. I am faster ejecting all the spent rounds and picking up two live rounds twice and the fifth singly. Since we are shooting big targets, I simply give the cylinder an Eastwood spin, cock, pin the trigger and sliphammer until five rounds are fired.
 
Once long ago I read in a gun magazine ( I can't remember which, this was pre WWW ) where a gentleman had a customized Old Model Ruger Blackhawk in 45 acp. He carried his spare ammo in old colt 45 magazines.

This seems to me to be a neat idea and perhaps the fastest way to reload a SAA of any type as long as it is in an auto caliber like 45acp or 40 S&W.
 
The basepin can fall all the way out.
Click to expand...

That right there is what I was kinda thinkin' about the 73. The 58 Remmy's base pin stops at the load lever catch before it can drop out, stays with the gun. That helps a LOT. It's rather fast. The load lever retains it, too, nothing to push to get it out, just drop the lever and pull. It even has a neat little flange on it for grabbing with your fingers.

But, hell, I carry a DA .357 or .38 and speedloaders for serious social work, alternatively a bottom feeder....oh the sacrilege.... :D
 
When we used to reload during a CAS match (something seldom done anymore) and using a Colt or clone revolver I would only eject the first 4 emptys and reload starting with the last chamber emptied, do the load one skip one procedural (BTW the skiped chamber would be the last empty I left in the chamber). Once the last round was loaded in I turned the cylinder one more click, closed the gate, and pulled the hammer the rest of the way back to continue shooting. I used to practice this (not anymore) timing myself I could get my down time to about 12 seconds. That is the time between the last shot before the reload to the first shot of the reloaded cylinder. LM
 
When we used to reload during a CAS match (something seldom done anymore) and using a Colt or clone revolver I would only eject the first 4 emptys and reload starting with the last chamber emptied, do the load one skip one procedural (BTW the skiped chamber would be the last empty I left in the chamber). Once the last round was loaded in I turned the cylinder one more click, closed the gate, and pulled the hammer the rest of the way back to continue shooting. I used to practice this (not anymore) timing myself I could get my down time to about 12 seconds. That is the time between the last shot before the reload to the first shot of the reloaded cylinder. LM
Click to expand...
That's a nice trick!
 
Yep, I think Reed was the guy. It seems there might be a tactical advantage to having fresh rounds going in right away rather than emptying completely before putting in any fresh rounds. Might not be enough advantage to be worth the effort though. Just a thought.

mike
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Reloading for 3rd generation Colt SAA New Frontier
Replies
4
Views
404
Handguns: Revolvers
Vern Humphrey
V
W
  • Locked
saa revolvers
Replies
32
Views
2K
Handguns: Revolvers
Sniper X
S
AethelstanAegen
  • Locked
  • Poll
Help with a choice between 3 single actions (Open top, Conv, or SAA)
Replies
47
Views
4K
Handguns: Revolvers
CraigC
CraigC
J
My Speed Strip Reload
Replies
32
Views
2K
Handguns: Revolvers
toivo
toivo
T
  • Locked
What saa revolver do i have !!!!
Replies
4
Views
2K
Handguns: Revolvers
Driftwood Johnson
Driftwood Johnson
Top Bottom
Back