fourdollarbill
Member
Why do some leave one chamber empty in the cylinder? I cannot see how that is a safety of any sorts. Maybe tell a scenario or two where this is a good practice.
Why do you leave one chamber empty?
- Thread starter fourdollarbill
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sheepdog
Member
...old revolvers could fire by being dropped or something striking or partially cocking, then dropping, the hammer....putting the hammer down on an empty cylinder was a safety measure...and even though modern high quality revolvers have safer actions...some carry on the habit...
BCCL
Member
The practice goes back to old single action revolvers, where there were no devices to keep the firing pin from "resting" on the primer of a live round in the cylinder.
So you kept the chamber directly under the firing pin empty.
Modern double action revolvers and most single actions as well these days have safety devices that make this old practice unnecessary.
So you kept the chamber directly under the firing pin empty.
Modern double action revolvers and most single actions as well these days have safety devices that make this old practice unnecessary.
The Bushmaster
Member
Some of the old "cowboys" loaded all 6 chambers and let the hammer down between chambers. Some loaded just 5 chambers and let the hammer down on the empty chamber. Never did they put perfectly good money in the empty chamber. Old wive's tale.
gwnorth
Member
To this day, loading a Colt SAA or any "true" clone is usually - load one, skip one, load 4. That way the hammer lands on an empty chamber when done, since a SAA is NOT drop safe.
As mentioned though, that is a rare design these days as almost all DA and most SA revolvers have a hammer block safety, the Ruger style transfer bar safety or some variant of those two. A hammer block safety, like on S&W revolvers, keeps the hammer from moving forward enough for the firing pin to contact a primer unless the trigger is pulled back. On a Ruger, the hammer actually rests against the frame, and a transfer bar rises between it and the firing pin to transfer the impact of the hammer to the firing pin and primer only when the trigger is pulled back. Both systems mean all chambers can be loaded as the firing mechanism is physically blocked unless the trigger is pulled back (does mean you need to be mindful if decocking such a weapon onto a loaded chamber).
YouTube Video on S&W safety features
As mentioned though, that is a rare design these days as almost all DA and most SA revolvers have a hammer block safety, the Ruger style transfer bar safety or some variant of those two. A hammer block safety, like on S&W revolvers, keeps the hammer from moving forward enough for the firing pin to contact a primer unless the trigger is pulled back. On a Ruger, the hammer actually rests against the frame, and a transfer bar rises between it and the firing pin to transfer the impact of the hammer to the firing pin and primer only when the trigger is pulled back. Both systems mean all chambers can be loaded as the firing mechanism is physically blocked unless the trigger is pulled back (does mean you need to be mindful if decocking such a weapon onto a loaded chamber).
YouTube Video on S&W safety features
fourdollarbill
Member
For guns you carry concealed or open.
I guess I never assumed anyone would typically carry an SA.
nalioth
Member
This poll is meaningless.
Why is it even a poll?
As mentioned, the practice is used on single action revolvers. Until this thread, I'd never heard of it being used on double action revolvers (I've never done it [or even thought of doing it])
Why is it even a poll?
As mentioned, the practice is used on single action revolvers. Until this thread, I'd never heard of it being used on double action revolvers (I've never done it [or even thought of doing it])
Confederate
Member
It's an archaic practice, but quite unnecessary. Old Ruger ads stated that cowboys used to roll up money and put it in the empty chamber to pay for burial in the event they died on a cattle run. Lots of cowboys died by falling off their horses and being trampled.
In modern days, scoring was found to be easier using 5-shots rather than 6-shots...and some competitors actually marked the weakest chamber in their cylinders (the one most out of tolerance) and so it just reenforced the 5-shot system.
Shooting stright up with one hand also is stupid, yet it's still done.
In modern days, scoring was found to be easier using 5-shots rather than 6-shots...and some competitors actually marked the weakest chamber in their cylinders (the one most out of tolerance) and so it just reenforced the 5-shot system.
Shooting stright up with one hand also is stupid, yet it's still done.
fourdollarbill
Member
Because I wanted to poll it.
I have and that is why I asked. My assumption was because of old habit I just wanted to get other points of view. My apology for pee'ing in your soup or did you just wake up that way? Do you chase threads looking for things to be cranky about?
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
All traditional SA's of the Colt design are unsafe to carry with a round under the hammer because they are not drop or hammer impact safe..
All modern DA revolvers have redundant hammer blocks and or transfer bars that make them 100% drop-safe.
Folks who carry an empty chamber with a modern DA revolver are mis-informed about the guns designed in safety features.
rc
All modern DA revolvers have redundant hammer blocks and or transfer bars that make them 100% drop-safe.
Folks who carry an empty chamber with a modern DA revolver are mis-informed about the guns designed in safety features.
rc
i've never heard of the practice involving a DA revolver either...and i've been shooting over 30 years...is it more a southen or mid-western practice?
i guess i shouldn't be surprised, many folks learn of a practice, don't understand it, but just keep doing it because that's how it has always been done....like the 1911 "press check" or "riding the thumb safety"
it's actually a good question because it brings up the fact that there are folks who are doing things they don't need to be doing. the poll could have been set up better in stating the observation/belief of the OP.
reading the question, based on my personal experience, i would have taken it to mean "Why...referring to a SAA pistol too"...and yes people do carry them for SD and they make Concealed Carry rigs for them
i guess i shouldn't be surprised, many folks learn of a practice, don't understand it, but just keep doing it because that's how it has always been done....like the 1911 "press check" or "riding the thumb safety"
it's actually a good question because it brings up the fact that there are folks who are doing things they don't need to be doing. the poll could have been set up better in stating the observation/belief of the OP.
reading the question, based on my personal experience, i would have taken it to mean "Why...referring to a SAA pistol too"...and yes people do carry them for SD and they make Concealed Carry rigs for them
sheepdog
Member
...it's both a hold-over from what Grandpa did and ignorance by the younguns who were taught by him...you'd be surprised how many folks still do it...I've found a dozen or so in the last 40 years and asked them why...they didn't even know guns have been improved...myths abound in "casual" gun ownership....
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Can I load all six chambers in my 38 S&W CTG revolver?
We get the same question here on THR about once or twice a month it seems.
rc
We get the same question here on THR about once or twice a month it seems.
rc
Gunfighter123
Member
Never heard of it being done with a DA revolver.
CajunBass
Member
Back twenty or maybe thirty years ago, when I was working as a security guard (armed). I was issued a Colt Official Police Revolver and a handbook. The handbook had a couple of pages on "how to use a handgun" or something like that. It told you to always carry with an empty chamber under the hammer.
Modern Smith and Wesson revolvers have two safeties; a hammer rebound and a hammer block. The hammer rebound causes the hammer to back away once the trigger is released. The hammer block is a piece of steel that slides between the hammer and the frame and won't let the hammer go forward unless the trigger is pulled all the way back.
I once met a man when I lived in Texas that worked in a service station. He showed me the small scars on his leg left over from when a dropped 29 discharged and the bullet fragmented on something hard and peppered the skin on his leg. He kept the gun at work for self defense.
I don't know for sure but I suspect that someone removed the hammer block from that gun because the hammer rebound will fail if the gun is dropped on the hammer from a high enough hight.
With both safeties in place and working it is safe to carry a modern Smith and Wesson revolver with a round in all chambers. I do.
I believe that the hammer block was added during or just after WWII because of a US sailor killed when a Smith and Wesson revolver was dropped on a ship. Back in those days they only had the hammer rebound safety.
I read this somewhere but could not find a quick Google reference. If you know better please say so.
I once met a man when I lived in Texas that worked in a service station. He showed me the small scars on his leg left over from when a dropped 29 discharged and the bullet fragmented on something hard and peppered the skin on his leg. He kept the gun at work for self defense.
I don't know for sure but I suspect that someone removed the hammer block from that gun because the hammer rebound will fail if the gun is dropped on the hammer from a high enough hight.
With both safeties in place and working it is safe to carry a modern Smith and Wesson revolver with a round in all chambers. I do.
I believe that the hammer block was added during or just after WWII because of a US sailor killed when a Smith and Wesson revolver was dropped on a ship. Back in those days they only had the hammer rebound safety.
I read this somewhere but could not find a quick Google reference. If you know better please say so.
For what it's worth, some NEW black powder SA revolvers on the market require (per Pietta, the manufacturer) resting the hammer on an empty chamber. These are fine replica guns, but I'd frankly welcome the Ruger-type safeties that would make the practice obsolete.
rmfnla
Member
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I thought of the "first chamber" thing as well since the OP doesn't specify which chamber is empty.
I have heard of people having the first shot be unloaded as a safety net, especially if someone who shouldn't picks up your gun.
I don't agree with this practice, mind you; I've just heard of it.
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NMPOPS
Member
Click-bang/ doesn't make sense? Draw(1), aim(2) fire(3) make more sense.
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