SA vs. DA for hunting???

[IATRKYHNTR]

Ok, I decided on th caliber of my new hunting handgun a month ago on another thread. So now I gotta decide which gun.

I originally was looking for a DA revolver only. When I decided to get a .41 Mag, I looked at all of my options. I only have experience with my 686 S&W, none with a SA revolver. What are the pros and cons of each in a hunting situation, or is it merely personal preference?

The reason I ask is over the weekend I handled a Ruger Super Black Hawk "Bisley Hunter", I fell in love with the feel of that gun, it fit my hand so well. :cb1:

TRKYHNTR
Nathan

[CJ]

If it fits your hand USE IT! A lot of  people {me included} find the Bisley frame very comfortable. Most every shot made hunting will be fired single action anyway, for the lighter shorter trigger pull so SA vs DA is mostly a moot point. SAs recoil a bit differently than DAs due to the shape of the grip, if possible try to shoot one of each then decide. Not really too many bad choices. Above all Enjoy and shoot it a lot!

[knight0334]

As CJ said..

I hunt with my 8" Colt Python,  all my shots are in single action even though the double action is as smooth and slick as a greased ice cube.

Either way is good in my opinion.  However, my preference is SA.

[Mikey]

IATRKYHNTR:  I hunt with S&Ws but have never used a double action shot on game.  I prefer the S&W single action pull, I feel it is lighter and the hammer fall is not as heavy as with the Ruger single actions I have shot.  

Your experience with the 686 is different than your experiences will be with the Ruger, or just about any other single action.  The S&Ws recoil straight back into your hand, the single actions have a tendency to 'roll' back and up.  Even though the grip may feel good to you, the difference in felt recoil (just the way it recoils, not the severity of it) may not be to your liking.  I would ask if you could find someone at your range or in your club with a revolver like the one you were looking at and see if you can shoot it to get a feel for it.  If it works out to your liking then I would say to go for it.  

I had a similar experience with a Single Action Army reproduction - I thought that revolver was just about the neatest lookin' thing I had ever held, but it wouldn't grip right for me.  The dealer even gave me half a dozen empties so I could realistically try the action and although the trigger was nice and smooth, the hammer fall left a bunch to be desired and it was tough to keep the front sight on target when the hammer dropped.  So, I left that one there but fell more in love with a 4 and 5/8 inch job that felt much better and was more controllable.   Unfortunately, my checkbook needed more control than that so I left that one there too (sniffle).  But, HTH and good luck.  Mikey.

[Graybeard]

The only real consideration is which type of recoil best fits you. For me that is clearly the way a double action recoils. Yet I have an FA83 on the way which I plan to buy after the review period ends. I suggest you shoot both SA and DA guns and see which type of recoil seems to fit you best unless you already know.

You can "almost" even say there are three. Most all DA guns feel pretty much the same. The Colt and Colt clones and Ruger BH and SBH are far different than DA guns but all are pretty much same as each other. Then you have the Ruger Bisley and FA guns. Those two aren't the same but are similar. They have a lot more in common with the Colt and Ruger SAs than the DAs but are somewhat different. Find out which is best for you and buy that. In use you'll always fire SA when hunting.

[Redhawk1]

The best thing to do is shoot a couple different guns and see which you feel more comfortable with. You will shoot better if you feel good about the gun you are shooting and have more confidence in making a good shot with.  Also get a gun that you are comfortable with the recoil also.    For hunting I prefer the single action weather it be a single action gun or a double action gun.  :grin:

[Questor]

I think you can learn to shoot either just fine. If the stock grips don't work for you, companies like Pachmayr make something that probably will.

I learned something with my S&W double action recently pertaining to recoil. It came from the factory with both the rubber Hogue grip and wooden "combat" grip.  I always used the Hogue because I liked them. For kicks, I installed the combat grip and found that the gun now recoils like a single action.  

I think the best answer to the question of whether SA or DA should be used depends on your preference. You should definitely get one that has a good trigger or hire a gunsmith to improve the trigger.  I prefer DAs because of the way they feel and because in target shooting it's less fuss to load the gun and empty the spent cases.  Since mine are S&Ws they didn't need any gunsmithing to tune the trigger or accuracy.

[Questor]

By the way, the 41 magnum is going through one of those probably brief resurgences in interest. You may want to consider the cost and availability of ammo or reloading components before committing to it.  The 44 magnum is probably a better choice for practical reasons.

[Bullseye]

The recoil from either one does not bother me if the gun fits my hand, but is different between the two.  I did have a 41 Bisley at one time that hurt my hand worse than any gun I have ever shot, including my 45-70 Contender.  It is the only gun I ever had that I wore a glove whenever I shot it.  I seem to be one of the few that does not like the Bisley grip.

The only way I could ever be accurate is to shoot the gun SA whether it was a SA or DA.

Try to shoot whatever you decide on before you buy it, if possible.

[palgeno]

If you are only going to hunt using a single action shot---thumbing the hammer back each time---it only matters what suits your hand and eyes the best----but if you are trying to hose down a fast moving pig you need a true double action shooter's gun---not just a gun you can shoot in double action mode. Best thing to do is get one of each of all the types, then you will be broke but happy!!! :wink:  pg

[Hooker]

PG thats the ticket  one of each in either hand. :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Pat