Opinions on a SAA for carry?

There are those who can shoot a SA faster than many can a DA or semiauto. That takes a lot of practice. There is no way one can load a SA faster. A modern semiauto can easily give you 2 to 3 times the ammunition a SA can give you.

I would not feel unarmed with a SA revolver or lever action. Being that I have the opportunity to choose before a fight I'd rather have a semiauto with 15 rds or an AR.

JMO

Kleanbore said:

...https://www.outdoorchannel.com/show/the-best-defense/videos/1399/12955

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And this vid brings up a very good point: Target Fixation.

...that works both ways:


HAZELWOOD, Mo. (KMOX) -- Investigators say the man shot to death during a Tuesday night robbery attempt in Hazelwood, had told his girlfriend that he was going to rob somebody.

Police Chief Carl Wolf tells KMOX News 20 year old Christopher Dominic Holland Jr., who lived on Pamplin Street in St. Louis, dressed in black with white tennis shoes before going out looking for a victim.

Wolf says, "Mr. Holland apparently picked the wrong person."

That person was a 56 year old man who has a conceal carry license. Wolf says he carries his handgun on his nightly walks in the area of Dunn and Cortena because he's afraid of dogs and there are usually a number of dogs in the area where he walks.

Wolf says Holland approached the man as he was walking Tuesday night, put a gun in his back and demanded his wallet.

The man gave Holland his wallet, and as the robber was going through it the man pulled his weapon. Wolf says the victim told Holland to drop his weapon and lay on the ground. At that time Holland raised his handgun, so the man shot him.

Wolf says Holland ran across the street. "He was found later laying in the grass, with his handgun, finger on the trigger, the victim's wallet in the bushes and he was deceased."

Wolf says they have no idea how Holland got from the city to Hazelwood.

Wolf says it appears the shooting was justified but the St. Louis County Prosecutors office will make that determination.




GR

Why would someone use a SAA as a carry piece? There is a plethora of firearm made today that were designed for carry or CCW. They are much safer options.

You've got to be comfortable with the gun you're carrying, but man, you would have be REALLY comfortable to CC a single action.

And if you're that comfortable with a revolver, why not just carry a DA?

Back in the sixties my dad alternated between a nickel plated SAA in 357, 5", and a Blackhawk 4 3/4" 357. Not concealed. In 76 he changed to a stainless Blackhawk 357 which I now have. Too darn heavy for ccw for me.

I love single actions but for carry? Not for me, to big and heavy and under pressure it would really bite you in the rear if you forgot that it wasn’t a double action.

Targa said:

I love single actions but for carry? Not for me, to big and heavy and under pressure it would really bite you in the rear if you forgot that it wasn’t a double action.

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I have considered putting my favorite SA Ruger on my permit, but the very fact that I have trained so much with DA revolvers is a strong reason against it. I can just imagine pulling out that Ruger under maximum stress and squeezing the daylights out of the trigger while wondering why it won't fire. While I personally will not argue with the man who is dedicated to the SA for carry, I restrict my own personal carry of SA revolvers to woods loafing and such.

Statistically, normal thinking people aren't going to get into a gunfight because they do normal things at normal hours in normal places; based on this, nothing wrong with carrying a SA Revolver, I've done it for years and I'm still here.
Further statistics by John Lott states that most often, just having a gun is good enough and your nemesis (statistically) will find a different victim so once again a SA Revolver is fine.
Statistics also state that most gunfights happen within 7 yards and a SA Revolver is more than capable.
Other than home invasion and gang involved shootings and drive-by's, most gunfights are between 1-2 people, again, why not use a SA?
Being proficient with 6 is worth more than missing with 17.
The reasons we carry autoloaders is that they are for most of us, easier to use, hold more bullets, can be easily customized, can be quickly reloaded and are flatter and more concealable but if we were to compare a 1911 with a 7 round magazine with a Ruger Blackhawk 6 round cylinder with no extra ammunition then it really comes down to what you shoot better and I see no discernible difference unless one takes reloading into account but seriously, how often have you needed to shoot someone never mind having to reload?
That's all hypothetical of course, I carry a Glock 48 with 2 spare mags because I like the small package with 10 rounds and a lasermax (which I don't yet have) which I can OWB/ IWB carry discreetly knowing that though I'm well armed my life choices will keep me for the most part safe, the gun is just my security blanket.

Kleanbore said:

Yes, to the extent that the civilian's needs cease should the perp takes off, while the on-duty LEO is still in the game. Probably has the most to do with reloading.

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True - but it's much more than that.

The LEO is in uniform, openly carrying, obligated to use up to and including deadly force under most circumstances, and is usually a relatively poor robbery subject. The expectations, and thereby approaches and engagements, and their resolutions, will be different than a Civilian.

Michael Brown v.s. Travon Martin.




GR
,

I'm trying to be as polite about this as I can but this thread is absolutely ridiculous. A couple of the respondents appear to be arguing from the position of "I want to prove Kleanbore wrong, whether or not he actually is."

Choosing any gun based on "Well the odds of me needing a gun anyway are extremely low" is stupid. Choosing a gun that you have to manually cock between each round is even more so.

One shot stops are almost mythological as is the knockdown power of the mighty .45.
It has been my direct experience that Tweakers almost always hunt in packs. There is no way that I would want to defend myself against two or more people with six shots in a single action revolver.

I don't carry a gun for the cool factor. I certainly wouldn't carry any gun that I had any sentimental attachment to and I don't carry a gun as a fashion accessory.

I've told this story before but I walked out my front door and right into an attempted robbery. Two of them one of me, neither the time nor the place for an SAA revolver.

Even though no shots were fired it proved to me beyond any SHADOW of a doubt that it can and very likely will happened in the place that you least expect it.

If you want to carry an SAA revolver go right ahead, be my guest. I value my life a little bit more than that.

As always YMM (and probably does) V

fireside44 said:

Disadvantaged compared to what though?

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Anyone with a magazine fed semiautomatic

Garandimal said:

The LEO is in uniform, openly carrying, obligated to use up to and including deadly force under most circumstances, and is usually a relatively poor robbery subject. The expectations, and thereby approaches and engagements, and their resolutions, will be different than a Civilian.

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People attack cops knowing that they're cops all the time. I've had people attacked me when I worked as an armed security guard. They knew I had a gun, they didn't care

Trunk Monkey said:

I'm trying to be as polite about this as I can but this thread is absolutely ridiculous. A couple of the respondents appear to be arguing from the position of "I want to prove Kleanbore wrong, whether or not he actually is."

Choosing any gun based on "Well the odds of me needing a gun anyway are extremely low" is stupid. Choosing a gun that you have to manually cock between each round is even more so.

One shot stops are almost mythological as is the knockdown power of the mighty .45.
It has been my direct experience that Tweakers almost always hunt in packs. There is no way that I would want to defend myself against two or more people with six shots in a single action revolver.

I don't carry a gun for the cool factor. I certainly wouldn't carry any gun that I had any sentimental attachment to and I don't carry a gun as a fashion accessory.

I've told this story before but I walked out my front door and right into an attempted robbery. Two of them one of me, neither the time nor the place for an SAA revolver.

Even though no shots were fired it proved to me beyond any SHADOW of a doubt that it can and very likely will happened in the place that you least expect it.

If you want to carry an SAA revolver go right ahead, be my guest. I value my life a little bit more than that.

As always YMM (and probably does) V

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From your own words, no shots were fired, you were within 7 yards or less when you walked into an attempted armed robbery by 2 perps.

Glock, 1911, BHP, Sig, or Ruger Vaquero all would have sufficed in your story.
Were you on duty? Then I agree, carry the best for the worst case scenario. If you're a civilian avoiding problems, the NAA Mini is just as good.

Idk. I've always thought in terms of worst-case-scenario instead of practical-scenario.

BTW, I'm not sure where TM thinks this is an attack on you.

Duplicate

george29 said:

Idk. I've always thought in terms of worst-case-scenario instead of practical-scenario.

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If you thought in terms of worst case scenario you wouldn't be carrying an SAA revolver.

I wasn't on duty and I don't think "duty" is the right word because I'm not a cop but I was on my way to work and I was armed, which BTW didn't stop the guys from attempting the robbery. What stopped them was me making it really clear that they were going to have to fight me.

I really wish I knew how to explain this to you but I don't. No, I didn't have to shoot anybody that night but that was pure luck. The odds don't matter all you have to be is in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I understand that working as a security guard means that I have a higher instance of confrontations than the average person, (it's kind of the job description) but I've learned lessons from it and one of the biggest is that literally all you have to do is open the wrong door or turn the wrong corner and you're right in the middle of a confrontation.

I cannot think of a single time I had to defend myself that I really had any warning immediately prior. Even the two guys that tried to rob me, I saw them walking down the side of the building but it wasn't until they turned the corner and split up on me that I knew something was up.

Again if you feel comfortable carrying an sa revolver knock yourself out. I don't

Hokkmike said:

What do you think?

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If it's what ya got... sure. I have a Remington 1858 a fella used as a carry piece. Clearly NOT concealed. He had a metallic conversion and STILL carried it percussion.

Changed to a Judge. Strange fella, him.

I knew two other fellas who used to almost never leave the house that they weren't *coyboyed-up* and in point of fact - it was a professional look for them. One of the interesting aspects is that almost NO ONE believed they were carrying authentic, let alone functioning and LOADED SA revolvers..... IN LOS ANGELES and surrounding environs.

But, back to "What do (I) think?" If other options - and in that case almost any option within reason - are available it seems downright silly.

Between weight, reloading and single action it seems pointless unless there is not a realistic option.

But then, who the hell am I to judge? Defender of NAAs, AMTs, .32ACPs and the like, that I am.

Todd.

I have a neighbor who frequently walks his dog at 3 in the morning. He tells me that he carries a BB gun with him when he does it and that if somebody ever tried to rob him he would use it to scare them off. Every time he does it I remind him that one of these nights he's going to pull that BB gun out and he's going to find out the hard way that the other person has a real gun and it's like his brain refuses to accept that fact.

I also tell him every time this topic comes up not too worried that I will look after his dog after he's gone.

There's a parallel here if you look for it

here is one single action revolver that is an always ccw. i’ve put 500+ rounds through it, center mass accurate at 10 feet.

No one mentioned training. Just mostly flat out condemnations for carrying sa in an SD setting. What is more effective, Noob with polymer hi cap who has played call of duty, or someone who has an SAA and has trained three hours a week with it for five years? So I don't get the outrage.

I'm sure some fat guy who wears flip flops and shorts everywhere thinks it's a bad idea to pack a single action, but there are worse things than an SAA in an SD setting, like being fat and wearing flip flops. Just sayin.