Thoughts on carrying a Ruger Single Action...

Help Support Ruger Forum:

Joined
Nov 15, 2005
Messages
10,430
Location
Greenville, SC: USA
I personally would not carry a Single Action Revolver for protection, unless it was all I had, but with that said I have no problem with someone else making that choice.... I think reloading is an issue because it would be slower... but you know I once saw a mention by some gun trainer that when reloading a Single Action Revolver you can actually return to the gun fight before finishing the reload. Think about it. I may be wrong here but with proper training there is probably not a handgun more accurate or reliable than a good single action revolver. On top of that, they sure look good in a leather holster.
 

Jon406

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 16, 2017
Messages
123
Location
NW Montana
I don't feel hampered if I carry my SA .45 Colt or my DA Ruger GP100, as the average gunfight includes three rounds fired over three seconds from a distance of 3 yards. But many want to carry a hi capacity semi auto with that John Wick mentality.... nope I'm not John Wick, but I shoot my revolvers very well. I'm with Bob Wright on his carry selection.... of course I live in NW Montana and many of us still carry a SA and don't feel hampered one bit.
 
Joined
Jan 11, 2009
Messages
277
Location
Indy
A SAA works for me. I carried a 1911 from 8 years old to 70 years old but my go to gun has always been the SAA. At 14 dad got a Colt .44 New Frontier and I put more rounds down range with it than with the Remington-Rand which would jam. If you need more than 3-4 rounds down range at a bad guy you are in a fire fight and should have platoon of Navy Seals with you. The six shooter will teach you shot discipline. Just remember every round you send towards a bad guy you own and if it misses you own what ever it does. A six gun you only own 5-6 misses that wonder auto you can own 23-4 misses.
 

Biggfoot44

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 6, 2009
Messages
829
Even back in the day , the " average gunfight is 2.7 rounds " was a bit of statistical manipulation . The under. 3 rounds fired numbers also included accidental discharges , putting down injured animals , and officer suicides . Limited to actual engagements with actual opponents fighting back is more like +/- 5 rounds .

The above out of the way :

Whenever carry SA Revolver , I will also have something else more quickly reloadable , if only a .38 J Frame with a cpl reloads . If/ once the 5 rounds are expended from .45 Sheriffs , It gets dropped , and I proceed from there with Gun B .
 

37fed

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 16, 2022
Messages
123
You are my hero Bob. I've been trying a Single Seven in a shoulder holster. Not fast but comfortable and hid under jacket. Did You sell me a T/C Renegade with Hawken hardware on another forum?
 
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
11,654
Location
Kentucky
Biggfoot44 said:
Even back in the day , the " average gunfight is 2.7 rounds " was a bit of statistical manipulation . The under. 3 rounds fired numbers also included accidental discharges , putting down injured animals , and officer suicides . Limited to actual engagements with actual opponents fighting back is more like +/- 5 rounds .

. . . except for when the boyz in the 'hood settle disagreements and we see the police marking the several dozen spent cases lying on the street. :roll:

I avoid the 'hood. :wink:
 
Joined
Mar 29, 2017
Messages
1,743
Location
Idaho
I need to clarify, Although it makes no difference at this time. We called the rule mentioned above the 3x3x3 rule to leave out decimal points. That was put together many, many years ago by the FBI using police shooting data. It's now obsolete. CDC firearms deaths, who did listed deaths with firearms to tell the public how many are killed by guns. That is a misuse of data. The public believes that's how many are shot by police or gangsters. That data includes all deaths by accident and suicides.
The FBI used to put together all kinds of data and send it out to police. Firearms stuff was published on yellow paper and mailed to PDs. As an instructor I had a file binder of many things they published. Most of that would be boring to many. As I recall in the early 2000s the rounds fired went to 4.2 the other data not changed much.
The 3x3x3 rule was the average shots fired in a police shoot out was 3, the average range was about 3 yards, average time for a officer to shoot 3 rounds was 3 seconds. Prior police spend a lot of time shooting longer distances at their ranges. It was important to change police handgun qualifications to reflect on the 3x3x3 data. In Oregon the quarterly Qual went from 18 rounds fired at 25 yards to 6. Still shooting a course of 50 rds but faster and closer to match the real police shooting data.
 

NightSailor

Bearcat
Joined
Jun 24, 2022
Messages
54
Location
Connecticut
Thoughts on carrying a Ruger Single Action for personal defense......

I've been carrying a Ruger Blackhawk, either .44 Special or .45 Colt for over ten years now. Here's my experience and observations. Thank God, I've never been called into use. But here are my ideas about the carrying of such.

First off, I dress around my carry style. I wear western clothing down to boots and hat. Tennessee, my home state, is open carry, but I find it more prudent to conceal, at least to some extent. I normally wear a sport coat or jacket, and in summer a western cut leather vest. So what if the tip of my holster may show at times, its only leather and could be a phone or computer. I carry on my pants belt, strong side. My advice is to avoid inside waistband carry especially if covered by a Polo shirt of any garment that requires the offhand to grab and pull it up to expose the gun butt.

When I make my draw, my elbow pushes back the covering garment and my hand falls naturally on the gun butt, thumb automatically goes to the hammer, trigger finger does find the trigger. I lift the gun clear and swing it in an upward arc, cocking the hammer as I do so. When the gun is level and directed to my assailant I press the trigger. I make no wasted "steps" as presenting the gun nor trying to cock with the off hand.

I carry my gun in a leather holster with no thongs or straps. The mouth of the holster is about mid way or my belt. And my holster has a slight forward cant. Too much cant and my thumb has trouble finding the hammer spur.

And as to color, while many of my holsters are light tan, I have found brown, oxblood, or cordovan to be less noticeable, while tan and black do seem to draw attention.

Here one of my favorite rigs, Doc Barranti's No.1 Schuck:




These my thoughts and practices.

Bob Wright
Love those grips Bob.

As for the carry, well, you are the type of person I'd like for a neighbor.

I don't carry a SAA style but I'm considering a 3.5" birdshead.
 

BearBiologist

Buckeye
Joined
Dec 4, 2021
Messages
1,833
Your rig mimics my field carry (OM 45 Colt with grips from Grashorn in a Threepersons holster). I grew up with single actions and am still most comfortable with one. However, my street carry is a G48 or G27 in 357 Sig. Just easier to conceal for me.

Carry what YOU are comfortable with, not what armchair gunslingers advise!
 

PriseDeFer

Single-Sixer
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
450
Bob Wright, thank you for your clear writing and clear thinking. The latter makes you a dangerous man.
And thanks for what you do in church with the young.
Such acts are good for all.
 
Joined
Nov 21, 2022
Messages
924
Location
Mohave County, Az
I carry many different guns (mostly because I am a gun nut and like so many), I do agree that generally on carry holsters no snaps,or other devices. And like you you , here in Arizona open carry is okay but I seldom open carry (exception is when out in the desert jeeping) because it makes you a first target, a source of a gun for the bad guy, and gives away a tactical advantage. I also dress around my carry choices, an example is when it is 115+ degrees , I often have a S&W j frame .38 air weight. But in cooler weather my choices change to revolvers both single action and double action and of course 1911 commanders. When carrying any revolver , I never feel undergunned.
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2022
Messages
4,435
Location
Maryland
Where I live discretion is a good thing. That's why I carry an LCP, P11 or my new Max9. If I was going to open carry Scuse Me while I whip this out!!!
 

Attachments

  • Johns Phone range stuff 038.jpg
    Johns Phone range stuff 038.jpg
    221.5 KB · Views: 65
  • Screenshot_20221210-220854.png
    Screenshot_20221210-220854.png
    1 MB · Views: 70

Bob Wright

Hawkeye
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
7,686
Location
Memphis, TN USA
Nice looking carry rig!

I have one thing that . . . I . . . prefer; retention.
I think it is fairly easy for someone to come up behind you and grab
a hand full of your gun, unless you use some type of retention.

Personal opinion, your choice.

:D
I don't let someone get that close behind me as a rule. Further, the butt of my gun is hidden by my vest, so such a person would not know exactly where the gun butt is. And, with a slight cant, it is not so easily lifted free of the holster.

Bob Wright
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2022
Messages
4,435
Location
Maryland
I decided to do some drills yesterday. At 25yds with my Max9 with a Crimson Trace 10rnds 7 seconds Alternating Chest/Head double taps. 9 in the 10's and 1 in the 9. The Single Action most of them hit the paper in 12 seconds. Between the sights and cocking the hammer no contest. My Bond Arms in 357sig Pretty much useless past 10 yards. I'm naming it Cross Eyed Mary.
 
Joined
Dec 16, 2005
Messages
7,183
Location
On the beach and in the hills
No matter what one decides to carry, there is always someone who will tell them they are wrong. It's pretty simple, you pays your money and takes your choice. Comments from the peanut gallery are easily ignored and often from folks who have no real experience in the matter.
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2022
Messages
4,435
Location
Maryland
No matter what one decides to carry, there is always someone who will tell them they are wrong. It's pretty simple, you pays your money and takes your choice. Comments from the peanut gallery are easily ignored and often from folks who have no real experience in the matter.
I'm not telling anyone they're wrong. I just posted MY results running similar drills side by side. The SA revolver was a Heritage Arms 22 because it was handy. From 10yds or less the Bond Arms was faster and just as effective shooting from the hip
 
Top