DA OR SINGLE ACTION FOR HUNTING?

[SHOOTALL]

they sure can but i have shot both and would rather not have to reaquire my grip and sight picture , but then I shoot heavy charges not pussy cat loads like the cowboy action shooters do . And that's no cut to them they have a good thing going , just stating the difference

[bilmac]

I shoot both and feel that I am more accurate thumb cocking a SA with the weak hand and then having the good clean SA trigger pull. Of course you can do the same thing with a DA.

When I was doing LE we did a little fun shoot where we were shooting at pretty small targets as fast as we could. We had individual coaches standing behind. We were all having real trouble hitting the small targets so I started thumb cocking my 6 shooter. Immediately I started hitting the targets. Then the coach caught me cocking the gun and told me to stop. So I went back to missing like everybody else. Finally I got P#*## and started cocking the gun and hitting again.

 I figgured the coach was just another trainee like me and after it was all over if he wanted to go and argue about it in front of an instructor then I would. Let him tell the instructor how it was better to always shoot DA even if you miss. He saw me shooting SA again but never said another word. I hope he was learning something, because I was not only shooting better when compared to myself, I was also shooting better than anyone else on the line.

[SHOOTALL]

No doubt most can fire SA better until they learn to shoot DA , no offense intended but I have seen people clear 6 -8 inch plates with a revolver as fast as anyone can it just takes pratice lots sometime. One course I took we had to draw and hit a 3X5 index card at 7 yards . I learned to do it and to keep doing it i have to pratice . Did i mention we had to do it in under 1.5 seconds . Lot of folks feel this is the min for self defense on the street.

[TommyD]

Only hits count, and you can never shoot fast enough to make up for a miss.

When I hunted with my Ruger Super Redhawk, I cocked the hammer first and fired it single action. The last two deer I took were with an Encore, so that is only single action. 

I can reliably hit a 3x5 card at 7 yards double action. But I can't do it at 45 yards. On the property where I hunt, the deer are darned uncooperative and don't come in that close. In deer hunting, it is really the first shot that counts. So I am not at a disadvantage with a single action.

Here in western NY where I hunt we don't have wild hogs and I haven't seen a bear. But if you hunt in an area where the game might decide that you are the prey, a case could be made for having a double action revolver for terminal defense against a charge. If you are thinking about defense against a charge, SHOOTALL is very correct in that it takes LOTS of practice to keep your skills up so you can rapidly and accurately hit even at close range.

In the Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi advised, "You must train constantly." It is just as important with a handgun as it was with a Samurai sword.

Tom

[Dwight Hardy]

An old Mountain Lion hunter from New Mexico prefered the single action (he had both) because he could reload as he fired if need be without worrying about dumping a complete cylinder trying to recharge after only a couple of shots. He could also reload on the move and if a shot presented itsef he was always ready by just closing the loading gate never worying about dumping the rest of the loads.
Made sense to me.
Dwight

[temmi]

I have both a BH and A SRH... but If I had to choose one it would be a DA... for the same resion as expressed by SHOOTALL ... it can do both SA & DA

[mcwoodduck]

Double action 44mag shooting isn't really very effective.You will have better luck shooting single action anyway.
Heck the trigger pull is way better,and unless you are shooting a pack of something pretty close,good luck with the follow up shots shooting double action.

Your results may vary.Oh I have had both,and like my super blackhawk

With the Single actions the design is mosly so that the gun will roll in your hand.
The double action revolvers are that you arms are the piviot points.
I had both a single action and double actions in 357 and recoil was noticable but not bad.
i later bought a DA 44 mag and a friend bought a single action Super Black hawk.
The way the gun twisted violently in my hand had the recoil being two fold.  the gun rocked back and the recoil lifted my arms.
For me it is a double action.  Yes, I usually set the trigger for each shot.  But it is more the design of the grip than anything else.

[SHOOTALL]

Don't forget to mention the trigger guard killing your middle finger knuckle while shooting the SBH. 

[dan3]

The choice between Single or Double action is really personal preference - either will work for hunting.

The Single action (as posted by other members) is designed to roll in the hand, while the Double action recoils back into your hand.
Both are usually fired in the Single action mode when hunting - cock the hammer, acquire your target, then fire.
Both can be adjusted/smoothed to deliver a very smooth trigger release.
The Double action can deliver faster follow-up shots (especially on charging bunnies or armadillos) but with larger calibers - it won't matter that much due to the gun rising in recoil thereby slowing your reacquisition of your target.

Try handling both actions BEFORE chosing - take which ever fits your hand. Either way...you'll Love hunting with a revolver!! Good luck  Dan3

[Tom W.]

I don't think I need the DA for fast follow up shots, altho it is a tad faster to reload if the need arises. But the truth be told, while hunting I've seldom missed more than twice with my handgun, by then I've quit shooting...

[bilmac]

I still can't understand why folks persist in thinking that DA gives you a faster follow up shot. If you want to hit anything you cock the gun. Takes only a split second, and can be done while the gun is still in recoil. Shooting DA in a hunting situation would only be useful if a critter were trying to do you serious bodily harm.

[Redhawk1]

I still can't understand why folks persist in thinking that DA gives you a faster follow up shot. If you want to hit anything you cock the gun. Takes only a split second, and can be done while the gun is still in recoil. Shooting DA in a hunting situation would only be useful if a critter were trying to do you serious bodily harm.

Well said, I can shoot my single actions just as fast as I can my double action handguns. My first bear kill was with a single action 500 Mag, and I shot the bear 2 times. We got it on film, and no one can believe how fast the second shot came after the first shot.

[Sverre A.]

A friend of mine - will try to make a low weavertype-base with a rear sighth for my FA 454, 7,5" - so I can change from scope to fibersights within seconds.
If he succeed - this will be my pri 1 gun.

No 2 - will be my 629, 4" - with similar system - if he succeed  

With a Weaver-system, I can easily choose between a scope or a Docter-sight.

Then all my other huntingrevolvers can be sold - or be forgotten in the gunsafe  .


Concerning SA/DA:

For me - it doesn`t matter.

I have to find the target anyway - and I will do that with a SA as fast as I do with a DA.

When I shot my only   buffalo in Zimbabwe - all 5 shots was done within few seconds (Doctersight).
Even that the first shot was a heartshot - I continued to shoot at the dagga-bull, until my FA was empty.

I`m sure that I would not shoot faster with a DA.

[Dino]

Thanks to all who gave me the info I was looking for! Just sent 1" rings to Ruger to trade for 30mm; going to mount a red dot.
As for the DA/SA faster 2nd shot deal; up in MN we must have smart deer, if"n" they aint shot they'er hauling @$# out of there.
So to end the who is faster with a follow up shot on my (DA OR SINGLE ACTION FOR HUNTING) post I'll uses this quote: Both you girls are pretty!
Dino

[hunter3705]

One of my all-time favorite gun writers, Skeeter Skelton, always said that any good quality double, or single action revolver is just fine for hunting.  What he always pointed out, though, is that since hunting involves carefully aimed, deliberate fire, the double action has no advantage over the single action - in a hunting application.  That always made a lot of sense to me.  I've used both, but I always seem to end up with single actions.  Bottom line: personal preference. 

[SHOOTALL]

I use my gun for more than hunting so DA works for me.

[eclarsen]

All of my single-actions are for cowboy shooting and fall well below the requirement of 500 ft/lbs at the muzzle here in IL for deer hunting. 

All of my double-action revolvers are above that lower limit....so...I hunt w/ DA revolvers, but shoot them as SA...Oooops, unless I use my Contender.  Forgot about that one when writing my first line.

[SHOOTALL]

Most can , but they don't shoot full house hunting loads . The top speed shooters don't either. I have shot both with really hot loads and for me the grip on a DA helps with recoil. Look at a Bisley grip , looks like a DA grip on a SA gun. The DA came along after the SA and it would seem an improvement .Look at the grip on a Colt thunder or lighting , when Colt came out with its next DA guns the grip changed for a reason.  Hunting deer here in Va. we can shoot two a day , follow up shots are not always at same deer . To be honest I like both type guns but if you look at facts and not personal taste the picture is clear. But who does that