First revolver...model 19 questions.

[jr_roosa]

So, I got me a wheelgun after shooting autos for a while, and I have a few questions:

Where's the slide, and how do you rack it? I keep pulling back on the cylinder, but it doesn't go anywhere.

Actually I was wondering if anybody could point me to a good reference for finding the right way to hold it. I have a combat magnum with the original target/square butt grips.

If I choke up on it with my hand as high as I can get on the grip, my wrist is cocked way down. This feels very accurate, but awkward. It feels like the trigger pull is sort of upwards rather than straight back.

When I hold it instinctively, lower down on the grip, the trigger pull is more straight, like a 1911, but the gun rotates up each shot and needs to be repositioned.

Oh, and I now see what I want my 1911 trigger to feel like. Wow.

-J.

 

[A man with a gun!]

I hold my M-19 with two hands when I shoot it. Grip position seems to come very natural to me.

 

[Sistema1927]

Don't hook your offhand index finger in front of the trigger guard as you might with a semi-auto. You might find that the most comfortable hold is to cup the primary hand in the palm of the offhand.

 

[jr_roosa]

Yeah, I shoot bullseye mostly, so I feel most comfortable starting with a one-hand grip and then building a two-hand grip around that.

-J.

 

[don95sml]

Yes, do use a two-handed grip for stability. I've always been taught that (if you're right-handed) the right hand should be high on the stock, and the left hand should be positioned such that the left thumb is directly under and touching the right thumb, with the fingers of the left hand curled around the fingers of the right hand.

 

[.38 Special]

If I choke up on it with my hand as high as I can get on the grip, my wrist is cocked way down. This feels very accurate, but awkward. It feels like the trigger pull is sort of upwards rather than straight back.

The opposite is true of revolver men who switch to the 1911: they feel as though the wrist is angled too far upright and that they can no longer "lock in" with the wrist.

The "correct" way is indeed to "choke up" on the grip. With time it should begin to feel natural for you.

 

[harmonic]

Best of luck.

 

[lee n. field]

Actually I was wondering if anybody could point me to a good reference for finding the right way to hold it. I have a combat magnum with the original target/square butt grips.

Ride high, with the barrel in a line with your forearm bones.

Consider a Pachmayr Gripper grip. My M-19 came to me used with these grips, and I much prefer them to the original wood grips.

Enjoy. The Model 19 is a very nice shooter. If this were a free country I'd be wearing mine on formal occasions.

Don't hook your offhand index finger in front of the trigger guard as you might with a semi-auto

Oh, yeah! Be mindful that gas from combustion comes out the cylinder gap as well as out the end of the barrel. It's in the nature of the beast, except for oddballs like the Nagant revolver with it's gas seal.

 

[jbird714]

Try this for some tips. Video by Jerry Miculek covering grip, target aquisition, trigger control, etc.
http://www.shootingusa.com/PRO_TIPS/...y_miculek.html
Nice revolver, BTW. Good luck.

Jay

 

[Jenrick]

I was the same way when I first started learning to shoot a revolver. The way I found that worked for me to get the grip down:

1) Make sure the weapon is unloaded, do it again, one more time to be sure.

2) Assume the classic FBI/gun fighter shooting stance. The one where the guns thrust out at roughly waist level, elbow in tight, etc. Like so:

3) Lock your wrist so that the weapon is pointing straight ahead and you can "feel" where the muzzle is (sorta).

Now if you were going to learn to shoot like this, you would need to learn to feel where the muzzle is, rather then just guestimating. We're not worried about that however. That locked wrist and the hand position that feels correct there, is the hand position and wrist we want.

4) Bring the weapon up to your line of sight for aimed fire. Repeat as needed until it starts to feel more natural.

Hope it works for you. You can always load up some wax blanks as per Bill Jordan and work on your fast draw if so inclined too

-Jenrick

 

[Brian Dale]

Congratulations on choosing a Model 19, jr_roosa. Hmmm; nobody's mentioned pax's site yet?

Among the useful pages that she has for this topic are this one and this one.

Jenrick, I see that you know that it's appropriate to post a Bill Jordan photograph in any Model 19 thread.

 

[machinisttx]

When shooting a double action revolver, you want your hand up high on the frame of the gun. I grew up shooting revolvers, and ended up with a 1911 as a carry gun for a little while. It felt very unnatural at first, but then became natural. Now that I've switched back to revolvers, my 1911 feels VERY weird.

I'll try to take and post a picture of what a normal firing grip should be later.

 

[Robert Hairless]

You need to be very careful when shooting revolvers. As the photograph below demonstrates, excessive revolver shooting will affect your growth.

The exact effect is unpredictable. It can make you either very short and unable to stand upright or make you very tall and unable to bend your knees.

What is predictable, though, is that you will take to wearing a funny hat.

Don't say you weren't warned.

 

[Guillermo]

Hey Hairless,

Excessive revolver shooting does not make you wear a funny hat. I shoot revolvers all the time and never wear a funny hats. Hawaiian shirts louder than a sonic boom, but not funny hats.

(“camp style” shirts are great to hide a gun under)

 

[Guillermo]

Where's the slide, and how do you rack it?

What is a slide?

 

[Brian Dale]

Guillermo, I wear "funny" hats because I want to. This is America.

Nobody picks on me for it while I'm carrying a big revolver.

 

[Guillermo]

I wear "funny" hats because I want to.

Are you sure it is because you WANT to? Robert Hairless says it is because of excessive revolver shooting.

A funny hat might be tactically advantageous. Let’s say someone has broken into your house and you enter not knowing. The shock of seeing your digital camouflage beanie with ear flaps and a fuzzy pink propeller might be just the edge you need to get the drop on him!

 

[dogrunner]

Treat yourself to a good read and really learn something. Pick up a copy of McGivern's 'Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting".

The style is somewhat tedious by today's standards and downplayed by some of the 'experts' of today, but if you really want to learn how to effectively use a revolver, then this is the place to go.

And yeah, McGivern was a SHORT fat old white guy! Purty is as Purty does!

 

[Checkman]

Elmer Keiths classic Sixguns by Keith is also very helpful. Though some of the advice is a hoot by today's standards. I especially like the part where Keith suggests you have a couple belts of whiskey if you're shooting in competition and nerves are causing you problems.

That would go over big on a modern range wouldn't it. LOL.

 

[dogrunner]

Right on Checkman....also worth reading.........and insofar as that 'have a couple of shots' comment....I well remember back in my Army days when I'd finished radio school & had to take a final morse code exam that the NCOIC sent us to the EM club with instructions to have a few, just don't come back falling down.......Every single man passed that exam!

Course, in today's litigeous and chickified socity that'd be rank heresy, worthy of castration and whipping by Rosie O'Donnel!

 

[Brian Dale]

While we're mentioning books, I'll put in a plug for Bill Jordan's No Second Place Winner. The photograph that Jenrick posted is on page 56.

Of course, if you plan to use point shooting the way that he did, you'll want to:
1) have Bill Jordan's level of talent, and
2) practice all the time, as he's reputed to have done.

 

[Jenrick]

Second all the recommendations heres. McGivern's book is available as a reprint currently, though I was lucky enough to score an original print. Probably the grand daddy of all revolver books. John Bianchi wrote a book called "Leather and Blue Steel" (or possibly the other way around) that mainly deals with holsters, but has quiet a bit on revolver shooting. The original "Combat Shooting for Police" by Paul Weston is a wonderful book on revolver shooting, though it's practicality for modern police training is a little lacking. There is "Combat Handgunning" (I believe that's the title, I'll check my book shelf in the morn for the proper title and author). A rather exhaustive look at "gun games" of the 1960's/70's the technology, courses of fire, loading etc. Lots of good stuff on both revolvers and auto pistols.

Lastly Bill Jordan's "No Second Place Winner" is still and immensely relevant book for today's law enforcement officer. Even if you're not LE, the book has a plethora of information on revolver shooting, fast drawing, and reloading wax bullets for practice. I have given this as a gift to several friends when they got commissioned, and if I ever go to my agencies academy I will use it to instruct from.

-Jenrick

 

[Checkman]

The old timers are very helpful when it comes to ways of practicing without going bankrupt paying for ammo.

I imagine that they would laugh at all of our sniveling regarding the price of ammo. Ammo was expensive back in their days. They would probably say we've all gotten spoiled.

Pass me the box of kleenex please. *Sniff*

 

[Colt Smith]

Just a quick note about loads for the M19. Try to stick with the older 158 Gr. loads the gun was designed for. The newer 125 Gr. loads will beat up the forcing cone possibly causing cracks at the 6 O'Clock position. I love my M19 snubby. Beautiful little gun and shoots like a laser.

 

[P95loser]

I'm with jr_roosa on this one... I bought a 686 a year ago and still can't figure out how to make the darn thing work. I've been looking for a place to slap a magazine in and can't find an extra hole anywhere?! :banghead: