Author Topic: Handgun Hunting Safety (Read 501 times)

Van/TX · « **on:** October 31, 2004, 09:42:37 AM »

I'm talking revolvers here. I was always taught to keep the hammer over an empty chamber. If this question has been previously answered on another thread please send me in the right direction. No need to re-invent the wheel.

What handguns (if any) are you totally, 100% sure that you can put a live round in all chambers and be perfectly confident that you are safe regardless of the situation. Thanks guys. I appreciate any opinions :-) ....Van

S.B. · « **Reply #1 on:** October 31, 2004, 11:56:14 AM »

We teach the kids in the hunters safety course "Safety, a Mechanical Device That's Been Know to Fail". So, in my opinion, none. Your reference to the hammer over an empty chamber is in regards to the old Colt single action Army. That's because it had no safety at all, therefore, when the hammer was at rest and the chamber beneath it was loaded, a sharp rap on the hammer would set the loaded round off. Modern double action revolvers are probably the safest of the bunch today, with their hammer block safety mechanisms.

ftw · « **Reply #2 on:** October 31, 2004, 12:25:32 PM »

I feel safe carrying all of my hunting handguns with a round under the hammer except my unconverted Ruger BlackHawk. I carry it with an empty chamber under the hammer.

You can never stress or practice gun safety (especially handgun safety) too much. Getting careless with any firearm can have terrible and life changing results.

rickyp · « **Reply #3 on:** October 31, 2004, 02:08:38 PM »

a lot of the single actions now have a 1/2 notch between the chambers.
you can lower the hammer down on the 1/2 notch then thumb the hammer back and it will index to the next chamber.
and with the design of the new revolvers it is very hard for a round to go off by accident (with out the hammer being cocked)
so what I did when I had my ruger was load all 6 cylinders then then lower the hammer in a 1/2 notch and was fully satisfied i was safe.

S.B. · « **Reply #4 on:** October 31, 2004, 03:53:00 PM »

Actually, the hammer blocks that rickyp refers to in his second sentence is only disengaged when the trigger is full to it's rearward position, not when the hammer is full cock. Safeties fail when there is wear or improper adjustment to the lock work of the firearm

Van/TX · « **Reply #5 on:** November 01, 2004, 01:14:57 PM »

Guess I should have said DA revolvers like Ruger/Dan Wesson and others with the transfer bar type. Are they 100% reliable. Thanks.....Van

S.B. · « **Reply #6 on:** November 01, 2004, 01:46:36 PM »

NO safety is 100% reliable. But, since the lawyer like these I'd say they are "almost" sure to be safe.

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #7 on:** November 03, 2004, 10:00:04 PM »

How many shots do you suppose you'll get off with a revolver before the game either drops to the ground or disappears into the bush? The probability of getting off four shots is really slim, so leaving a chamber empty is unlikely to be a disadvantage.