Drag line on FA's

[suba]

Hey Guys,

long time since I've been here, but good to be back. I've got a question about drag lines. I've always thought you lower the hammer from half cock after loading then turn the cylinder counter clockwise till the bolt catches. Reading a thread I found someone's saying you'll get a drag line that way. I know the lines on FA's are very faint to non existent, but I would like to know the proper way that will keep the bolt from scratching the cylinder if that's even possible. Any comments are welcome. Here's what someone said about it...

The FA is basically a Colt style lock works. If handled properly a correctly timed colt style action should not leave a drag mark on the cylinder. If you see a drag mark it is because someone didn't handle it correctly.
When loading and unloading the proper way to handle a Colt style action is to take the hammer to half cock. If you plan to carry it, load one round, skip one chamber then load four more. Close the gate then pull the hammer all the way to full cock then lower the hammer on the empty chamber. If you don't take the hammer to full cock each time and just try to lower the hammer from half cock or 1/4 cock position you will leave a drag mark on the cylinder. This is because when lowering the hammer from halfcock the bolt will rise between the cylinder notches and then when you go to full cock it drags.
This is one of the reasons you will see Colt advertised as unturned and tied down so the unfamiliar customer can't cock it and leave marks.

[suba]

oops, I should have remembered some past threads. I remember Bob saying to lower the hammer from half cock before cocking. That's what I'm used to, and it places an empty chamber under the hammer as well. The heck with a little drag line if it happens. Keeping the timing correct is what's important.

[tikka3006]

Good info, thanks.
I have my 1st FA, a 97 in 357, on the way.

Is this the correct way to handle a ruger SA as well?

[suba]

I'm not sure about a Ruger. I've come to prefer load one, skip one, load three. Then cock the hammer holding your thumb on the spur as you pull the trigger lowering the hammer. That will put an empty cylinder under the firing pin. The other method works as well,  but I prefer the traditional method so I'm staying with that. For one thing pulling the hammer to the rear before lowering it lets the bolt drop as intended from the lead side ( clockwise ) if you lower the hammer from the half cock you have to turn the cylinder counter clockwise which drops the bolt off the left side, and could imo shave off metal over time, and also could start to show a small drag line.

[cellar701]

Rules for a 3 screw old model Ruger Single Action are the same as noted above for Colt Single Actions to avoid a drag line.  For the two pin new model Rugers it doesn't matter - there is no half cock notch anyway, and loading is accomplished by opening the loading gate without any hammer action needed.

It's interesting that the FA owner's manual recommends loading four from the half-cock position and then lowering from half-cock to fired position on the empty chamber (with a slight cylinder rotation to lock on the empty chamber).  I expect it's a legal/liability situation for them because it's simpler to remember the "load 4 and drop the hammer on the empty cylinder".  Of course, this will give the turn line on the cylinder...