jack said:
I have never owned a single action revolver. Can a person actually "fan" one for rapid fire like they show in the old Westerns? If it can be done, am I correct in "presuming" it would not be good for the firearm to do it?
jack ....
Hi Jack,
Fanning guns we see in westerns are specially prepared, have beefed up parts like bolt stops and hammer 'over travel' stops, use lighter springs so the guns don't beat themselves to death, but also require maintenance. Fanning a single action new out of the box is not fun or easy with the factory springs. But with a professionally prepared single action, and lots 'a practice, a good gun handler can fan off three shots with just three fingers faster than a 1911 Auto AND hit reasonably distanced targets!
Watch Bob Munden who held several world records, built guns professionally but passed away just a few years ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsU5AMxvlKg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQo2Or1PuEI
What I will say firmly is do not fan or fast draw by drawing from a holster shooting live ammo!! I can't tell you how many have shot themselves or someone else doing that.
Speaking in a realistic and objective context, fanning is like driving a car with the accelerator to the floor every time you drive. How long will your car last? And like your car, that you can "put the pedal to the metal" once in awhile w/o hurting it, you can fan a premium brand gun in good condition ONCE IN AWHILE w/o having it fall apart or immediately breakdown. But again, not recommended just like racing around in a car is not recommended!
And just like race cars are built for racing there are guns specifically built for fanning and quickdraw. Yes they are expensive and yes they are durable, but will never have a long lifetime. They do last for years of competition but will need rebuilding from time to time.
Just like many advances in automotive improvements and longevity are learned from race cars, there are things we learn from 'race' guns that we can do to everyday single actions or any guns that will improve their longevity.
Single actions, when properly tuned with properly fitted parts, will properly function with lighter springs than the stiff factory springs, ease the wear w/o misfires, and be more ergonomic and enjoyable to shoot. But it's a personal choice as well. Some like stiffer springs.
I hope that helps provide a better overall understanding rather than "Big Brother" just telling you "Don't do it."