You just had to post that picture of a like-new .38 1905 Hand Ejector didn't you. (Old fuff is turning green and suffering from lust).
So far as target shooting and thumb-cocking the hammer, the difference between the short vs. long actions in terms of lock time isn't enough to make a meaningful difference. But target shooters (or anyone who did most of they're shooting using the single-action mode) found the short-action easier to cock. Custom gunsmiths, such as the old King Gunsight Co. in California did a good business installing short-cocking actions in both Colt and S&W revolvers, and that included the old Colt Single Action Army. As a result both Colt and Smith & Wesson developed short hammer-throw lockwork for their most popular target revolvers. Smith & Wesson went so far as to offer an optional kit with a different hammer and trigger that completely eliminated the double-action feature and shortened the hammer rotation even further. You could order a revolver from the factory with this installed, or buy the kit and convert your own short-action K-frame revolver.
But by this time revolvers were ending the trail as prefered center-fire target guns as shooters switched to self-loading pistols.
I mentioned the importance of the mainspring's bow. When it is set correctly the weight of the pull actually decreases as you get toward the last quarter of the stroke. This is especially true with long-actions.
These days when you talk about long-action S&W revolvers people look at you funny. The last ones were made around 1947, and generations of shooters have come along that never saw one of these guns, and have no idea what one is talking about.
Ignorence is bliss...
So far as target shooting and thumb-cocking the hammer, the difference between the short vs. long actions in terms of lock time isn't enough to make a meaningful difference. But target shooters (or anyone who did most of they're shooting using the single-action mode) found the short-action easier to cock. Custom gunsmiths, such as the old King Gunsight Co. in California did a good business installing short-cocking actions in both Colt and S&W revolvers, and that included the old Colt Single Action Army. As a result both Colt and Smith & Wesson developed short hammer-throw lockwork for their most popular target revolvers. Smith & Wesson went so far as to offer an optional kit with a different hammer and trigger that completely eliminated the double-action feature and shortened the hammer rotation even further. You could order a revolver from the factory with this installed, or buy the kit and convert your own short-action K-frame revolver.
But by this time revolvers were ending the trail as prefered center-fire target guns as shooters switched to self-loading pistols.
I mentioned the importance of the mainspring's bow. When it is set correctly the weight of the pull actually decreases as you get toward the last quarter of the stroke. This is especially true with long-actions.
These days when you talk about long-action S&W revolvers people look at you funny. The last ones were made around 1947, and generations of shooters have come along that never saw one of these guns, and have no idea what one is talking about.
Ignorence is bliss...