How do you reload your single action?

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DMK

DMK

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While I was shooting my new Vaquero today, I started to ponder what is the best way to reload it?

To eject spent shells, I was holding the gun in my right hand, opening the gate with my left, tilting the barrel up and pushing the ejector with my left as I rolled the cylinder using my right thumb and forefinger. Then I switched hands, holding the gun in my left, rolling the cylinder using my left thumb and forefinger, while inserting rounds with my right hand. Then I had to swap the gun back to my right hand to fire it.

It seemed a little awkward to me switching the gun back and forth. It almost seems to me that the ejector tab would have been better on the right side of the gun using my method.

How do you do it?
 
DMK,

Well, being left handed, my system is different than yours. While holding the pistol in my left hand, I open the loading gate with my right hand and use my left index finger to index the cylinder. To reload, I use my right hand to load the shells while my left index finger once again indexes the cylinder. My right hand then closes the loading gate.

I have seen right handed shooters cup the trigger guard in their right palm, open the loading gate with their right thumb, and index the cylinder with their right index finger, while using their left hand to work the ejector and reload.

Something to keep in mind. Rumor has it that Sam Colt was left handed and designed the Single Action Army from that perspective.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Prof. A. Wickwire
 
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Here's a routine to try...

Put the gun in your left hand to unload, open the gate with your right thumb. Turn the cylinder with your left thumb/fingers and pushing the ejector rod with your right thumb. Then, keeping the gun in your left hand, turn the cylinder with your left thumb/fingers while loading cartridges with your right hand. Then flip the gate closed with your right index finger and you're good to go.
 
Rumor has it that Sam Colt was left handed and designed the Single Action Army from that perspective.
Click to expand...

My understanding was that the SAA was designed to be used in the left hand because the right was the sword hand. I guess it was geared toward cavalry. I may be wrong, though. I don't remember where I heard that.
 
Something to keep in mind. Rumor has it that Sam Colt was left handed and designed the Single Action Army from that perspective.
Click to expand...

I've heard this before, and I've always been skeptical: The Colt SAA was introduced in 1873, but Sam Colt died 11 years earlier in 1862. I'm no expert, but it's my understanding that Colt employee William Mason actually design the SAA.

Anyway, I'm a lefty, but shoot righty. To unload, I hold cradle the gun in my left hand, point the muzzle slightly up, and work the ejector with my right index finger. If the ejector is worked briskly enough, the empties fall into my hand (or on the ground usually). I reload with my right hand as well.
 
Hmm... looks like Shawnee beat me to it.

(The following is written by a person with no formal training and little experience. Take with a grain of salt.)

The steps I use to unload/load my Rodeo are:
(Starred steps won't be necessary for a Ruger, but may be necessary for other guns.)
*Pull back hammer to half-cock with right thumb.*
Open loading gate with right thumb.
Rest cylinder in left hand, pointing gun forward (at a safe backstop) and slightly down. Open chamber should be topmost.
Left index finger pushes ejector rod, left thumb turns cylinder using cylinder grooves to get a good grip.
Then, with gun resting in left hand, load with right hand, still using left thumb to turn cylinder.
*Since I have no transfer bar, I load five only: one-skip-one-two-three-four. If I don't turn after loading "four," pulling the hammer back all the way indexes the empty chamber.*
Regrip with right hand, use right index finger to gently push gate shut. (I either use the fingertip or the side of the finger, next to the base of the finger.)
*Pull hammer back all the way to index chamber, carefully let it down to safety notch or "down," for stuff with transfer bars and no safety notch.*

That's my method, for what it's worth. Seems to work pretty well for me. Of all the variations on it I've tried, that one seems most natural and reasonably quick, too.
 
The SAA was indeed geared toward cavalry. The convention is that you hold the reins in your left hand. While trying to control a possibly fractious horse it is easier to hold the gun in the left hand than to try to use it to load cartridges.
 
Anyway, I'm a lefty, but shoot righty. To unload, I hold cradle the gun in my left hand, point the muzzle slightly up, and work the ejector with my right index finger. If the ejector is worked briskly enough, the empties fall into my hand (or on the ground usually). I reload with my right hand as well.
Click to expand...

MrBorland, I'm right handed but that's the way that works best for me. Only one I have trouble with sometimes is the Single Six with those little bitty chamber holes after shooting my .44 or .45.:)
bakert
 
I'm right handed, so here goes.

Half-cock with left thumb, open loading gate with left thumb.
Point muzzle upwards and rotate cylinder with left index finger/thumb, pulling ejector rod handle back with right index finger. Usually only have to pull it back halfway with WMR shells, little less with LR. The rest is all up to gravity. Shells usually roll off my palm and fall to the ground.
Hold gun, now angled downward, in left hand, so that middle or index finger can rotate cylinder, and push shells in.
 
If I shot six rounds out of my old Vaquero 44mag,I would be running, not worrying about reloading.whether it be a bad guy, grizzly or wild hog!
 
Rest cylinder in left hand, pointing gun forward (at a safe backstop) and slightly down. Open chamber should be topmost.
Left index finger pushes ejector rod, left thumb turns cylinder using cylinder grooves to get a good grip.
Click to expand...
Man, I thought I had pretty long fingers, but there's no way I can reach the ejector with my thumb on the cylinder. At least not without the gun falling on the ground.
 
Hammerbite pretty much has it right. The SAA was meant to be fired right-handed just fine, and held in the left hand for reloading, because the left hand can hold the reins while reloading, whereas it's hard to hold the reins with the same hand that is handling cartridges. As a lefty, who has not ridden horses since my teens, I do appreciate the ease of reloading the SAA, while keeping the weapon in a firing grip in my left hand.
 
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Put on half cock load 1 and skip 1 & load 4 more. Cock and let hammer down on the empty chamber. That's a Colt SA.
 
...there's no way I can reach the ejector with my thumb on the cylinder. At least not without the gun falling on the ground.
Click to expand...

Hmm...
I maintain a firing hand grip while I unload, so my left hand isn't bearing all of the weight of the gun, and when I pull on the ejector rod with my left index finger, my right hand absorbs that force. It's a little bit of a stretch, but if I lightly hold the top strap against the base of my left thumb forward just enough that I can just get the first pad of my index finger on the muzzle side of the ejector rod to pull it, it's manageable.

After I'm done unloading, my right hand leaves the grip to grab cartridges. Then I'm free to relax a bit and just use my left thumb to turn the cylinder.

My left handspan from tip of thumb to tip of index finger when I make an "L" shape is only about 6 to 6.5". I can't even reliably palm a basketball! I have a 5.5" barrel.

I just tried it again a few times with snap caps while I wrote this. Unfortunately, I don't have a camera. If I place my thumb on the front end of the cylinder, in the groove nearest the top strap, and rest the gun naturally on my left hand, my index finger reaches the ejector pretty easily. I roll my thumb against the groove to turn the cylinder one "click," and when I hear the "click," my left thumbpad is between two of the grooves. I reposition my thumb when I need to turn it again.

The only problem I've had with this method is the couple of times so far I've managed to pinch my finger on the rod catch at the back of the barrel, near the cylinder, or drag it too vigorously along the track, resulting in a nice cut on the tip of my index finger which is painless, but bleeds like crazy.

:what: Aah! Blood on nice, clean matte black surface!! EMERGENCY CLEANING!!

This doesn't work so well on my Single Six, which has the problem that the rod doesn't line up with the holes where the cylinder naturally "clicks" into place. In that case, I find it a bit better to turn the cylinder with my right index finger. If this is the case with other Rugers, then maybe my technique won't work.

[ELITIST] But maybe people should just get REAL single actions and they won't have this problem.[/ELITIST] ;)

Rudy
 
My guns are Rugers. Indexing hasn't been a problem when done this way.

I unload holding the gun in my left hand, using the left to rotate and index the cylinder. I put the butt in my solar plexus. I run the extractor rod with the first joint of the right trigger finger, and PUNCH the rod hard. My empties end up about 4 feet away to my 8 o'clock. They go out under my left arm. This gives an indication of the angle of the barrel.

I have bullseye and crescent head rods on a couple, and the rods are a touch longer. Also, have the base pin shortened to Colt length. Need to cut a few coils off the extractor rod spring so it doesnt stack up. This gives more stroke. The rod comes out past the rear of the frame.

Reloads are fairly quick and fumble free if pulling two rounds at a time from a cartridge belt.

I shot a couple local cowboy shoots. One stage I was in a side by side shoot against another guy. We both went empty with a target each left, a stop plate. I ejected all 5 shells from my gun and reloaded 2 chambers and shot before he was emptied 2 chambers and had any fresh loads in. Seems to work fairly well.


Get a single six and shoot about a zillion rounds through it, it gets to be second nature.
 
I push the brass out with the ejector, and then put new bullets in one by one. I have no idea which had I use when I do it. I really don't think it matters.
 
with my father's SBH .44mag I hold it in my right hand (I'm right handed) and eject the empties with my left hand, rotate the cylinder with my left hand, and reload with my left hand. Works and it's not awkward for me :)
 
i'd really like to make a video of this. i feel like i'm getting quicker and i'd love to compare to some old pros. i'll have to time myself.
 
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