I read this on another forum I frequent and thought it might create some discussion. I did not edit it at all and just added one comment to the last comment to explain it. I numbered the comments if you want to comment on one specifically.:
Original Post:
I currently have one single action revolver, a Virginian dragoon 357 with 7 1/2 inch barrel. I am on the fence about picking up a Ruger Super Blackhawk with a 10 1/2 barrel since I seem to be on a run acquiring 44s. The thing that's keeping me from looking harder into that is the fact that I feel I just can't shoot my single action as accurately as my modern style pistols. My long barrel revolvers produce groups I am proud of but the Dragoon is a different story.
The obvious place to put the blame would be on the different grip style or the gun itself. I've done research on the Virginian Dragoons and they're generally considered quite accurate. I've also watched some tutorials on grip technique for single actions so I'm not going at this blindly.
While I figure this out I would love to know, from the forum, how you fare when you bounce back to the single actions after long runs with your Sigs, CZs, Glock's, etc, etc.
Comments:
1. Your gun is from the 70's, a modern gun is going to be made with a lot more precision. That being said my 80's era blackhawk .45lc will shoot as well as any of my other pistols
2. Your title says it all. Single action is almost always harder to keep accurate because of usually a longer harder trigger pull than a double action.
Shoot a modern revolver in single action and I would bet you have similar groups. Keep in mind that is without a trigger job. I'm talking crappy factory trigger.
3. Long, slow heavy hammer fall does not help single action revolver design.
The Virginian series of revolvers were also not especially noted for their precision or quality.
4. I will compare single actions to "modern" revolvers. I have a ruger Blackhawk 6.5" 41 Mag and a S&W M657 41 Mag Mountain gun 4". while the ruger was bought used and a bit weathered, I can not get it to shoot as nice as the Smith, although I have not experimented with it as much to find that sweet load as I have done with the 657. Im focusing more finding nice loads with the Henry 41 Big Boy recently acquired. I will hunt with the Ruger as a companion to the Henry before I take the 657 afield just because levers and SA's belong together. but the Smith I feel will always have the better SA trigger and accuracy. Single actions can be capable of amazing accuracy, several friends of mine have many good shooting SA's, I am still chasing my tail
cant get the ruger anywhere close to this :
5. Didn't see very many auto-pistols when I competed in metallic silhouette shooting. Saw probably better than 50% single action revolvers , including a few Virginian Dragoons.
6. My first thought was IHMSA also. The single action revolver proved itself at 200m.
This is 6 shots at 25 yards from a 41 mag Blackhawk. Seems accurate enough to me. (a picture was attached showing a 6 round group at the 1 o'clock position about 3 inches from the bullseye with all holes touching).
Original Post:
I currently have one single action revolver, a Virginian dragoon 357 with 7 1/2 inch barrel. I am on the fence about picking up a Ruger Super Blackhawk with a 10 1/2 barrel since I seem to be on a run acquiring 44s. The thing that's keeping me from looking harder into that is the fact that I feel I just can't shoot my single action as accurately as my modern style pistols. My long barrel revolvers produce groups I am proud of but the Dragoon is a different story.
The obvious place to put the blame would be on the different grip style or the gun itself. I've done research on the Virginian Dragoons and they're generally considered quite accurate. I've also watched some tutorials on grip technique for single actions so I'm not going at this blindly.
While I figure this out I would love to know, from the forum, how you fare when you bounce back to the single actions after long runs with your Sigs, CZs, Glock's, etc, etc.
Comments:
1. Your gun is from the 70's, a modern gun is going to be made with a lot more precision. That being said my 80's era blackhawk .45lc will shoot as well as any of my other pistols
2. Your title says it all. Single action is almost always harder to keep accurate because of usually a longer harder trigger pull than a double action.
Shoot a modern revolver in single action and I would bet you have similar groups. Keep in mind that is without a trigger job. I'm talking crappy factory trigger.
3. Long, slow heavy hammer fall does not help single action revolver design.
The Virginian series of revolvers were also not especially noted for their precision or quality.
4. I will compare single actions to "modern" revolvers. I have a ruger Blackhawk 6.5" 41 Mag and a S&W M657 41 Mag Mountain gun 4". while the ruger was bought used and a bit weathered, I can not get it to shoot as nice as the Smith, although I have not experimented with it as much to find that sweet load as I have done with the 657. Im focusing more finding nice loads with the Henry 41 Big Boy recently acquired. I will hunt with the Ruger as a companion to the Henry before I take the 657 afield just because levers and SA's belong together. but the Smith I feel will always have the better SA trigger and accuracy. Single actions can be capable of amazing accuracy, several friends of mine have many good shooting SA's, I am still chasing my tail
cant get the ruger anywhere close to this :
5. Didn't see very many auto-pistols when I competed in metallic silhouette shooting. Saw probably better than 50% single action revolvers , including a few Virginian Dragoons.
6. My first thought was IHMSA also. The single action revolver proved itself at 200m.
This is 6 shots at 25 yards from a 41 mag Blackhawk. Seems accurate enough to me. (a picture was attached showing a 6 round group at the 1 o'clock position about 3 inches from the bullseye with all holes touching).