[cjwils]

I love the look of the Colt New Service, the 1917, the Official Police, etc. But when I try to shoot one, I am disappointed. I find that I need to adjust my grip to cock it, and then adjust my grip again to aim and shoot. The only time these guns work well for me is if I install custom grips or rubber Pachmayrs. In comparison, the grips on a new S&W fit me very naturally. Are others unhappy with the original Colt grips on these types of Colt guns? What do you do, if anything?

 

[weagle99]

Have you tried a Tyler T with service stocks?

On D-frames with service stocks I usually wrap my pinky finger under the gripframe like a SAA. This wasn't a conscious decision I just noticed one day that I was doing it instinctively.

 

[Oyeboten]

I love the look of the Colt New Service, the 1917, the Official Police, etc. But when I try to shoot one, I am disappointed. I find that I need to adjust my grip to cock it, and then adjust my grip again to aim and shoot. The only time these guns work well for me is if I install custom grips or rubber Pachmayrs. In comparison, the grips on a new S&W fit me very naturally. Are others unhappy with the original Colt grips on these types of Colt guns? What do you do, if anything?

These Revolvers were meant to be fired 'Double Action'.

So, you are going about things wrongly - if 'cocking it' and then, having to re-adjust your grip!

Shoot them 'DA'.

No grip adjustment then will be needed.

If I were to be shooting DA Revolvers in 'SA', it would mess me up also, I am sure.

 

[Oyeboten]

An irony for me, is that as much as I love Revolvers, none of them fit my Hand well.

The Colt .45 Automatic, ( as it was prior to the A1 modifications anyway ) DOES fit my Hand well!

Revolver wise, I recently found out that I grasp them about like old Jelly Bryce did, one handed of course, and, Fingers all scrunched up below and a little behind the Trigger Guard.

Grasping it more or less 'high' like that, I could saw off an inch or more of the Revolver Grip at the bottom and never miss it.

 

[MtnSpur]

The sooner you adapt the stocks to your hand the happier you'll be. Different stocks and "grip adaptors" can make a world of difference. Remember, we're all built differently and one size fits all isn't necessarily the norm. Small revolvers give me problems so I get thicker stocks and/or add a grip adaptor like a Tyler T or Pachmyer to compensate. Medium to large frame handguns aren't an issue for me.

 

[ussmanlovede36]

like others have said DA's should be shot by just pulling the trigger. it's takes time and practice. once you get better at it you wont want to shoot them single action again. if you must shoot them single action use your weak hand to cock the hammer. that way your grip can remain unchanged.

 

[bmcgilvray]

I love to shoot both Colt and Smith & Wesson double-action revolvers in single-action mode and don't have any trouble with it. I'm grateful I'm not required to use them double-action only. I do some double-action practice for proficiency but enjoy shooting that way less. I enjoy the single-action feature for accuracy work, especially at distance.

 

[guy sajer]

Suggest you buy one of these great revolvers

http://www.coltforum.com/forums/sin...e-action-army-forum-section-photo-thread.html

 

[skilled]

This is the same gripe Walter Roper had. Get some Roper grips and a gun with a King cockeyed hammer and u are good to go.

 

[BobWright]

If all of these guns were meant to be fired double action, why did Colt come up with the beavertail hammer? Or, why even put a spur on the hammer at all?

Bob Wright

 

[guy sajer]

like others have said DA's should be shot by just pulling the trigger. it's takes time and practice. once you get better at it you wont want to shoot them single action again.

if you must shoot them single action use your weak hand to cock the hammer. that way your grip can remain unchanged.

Sound advice . Yes , thank you .

 

[Oyeboten]

If all of these guns were meant to be fired double action, why did Colt come up with the beavertail hammer? Or, why even put a spur on the hammer at all?

Bob Wright

I don't know.


I would be perfectly happy if they had all had Bobbed Hammers or concealed Hammers with no Spur.

I used to shoot fifty yard competitions, always using DA with Revolver, and one Hand, and, I did pretty much just as well as the top guys who fired theirs Single Action using two Hands.

All it is, is that one 'feels' the cycle and learns the progression or phases of the Mechanism cycle, so one knows when the Hammer will fall, and if need be, one pauses ever so slightly in one's Trigger pull, to finalize the Sight Picture, for the Hammer to fall 'then'.

So simple!

So elegant!

No shifting, no ungainly Cocking of the Hammer with a second Hand or anything else, no squirmy hassles with the Hands or having to assume undignified postures in order to use both Hands, etc.

Shoot one Handed, and in DA, and all is then the Ideal in every way...all through.

I know of no instance in which a DA Revolver would be better fired in SA mode...other than that it is in some way 'psychological' and or is there for those who have not learned to use the Revolver properly in DA.

Learn to use the DA Revolver properly, ( ie: firing in 'DA' ) and, one never goes back to SA...unless maybe for a moment of novelty or amusement.

After all, the last 'moment' before the Hammer falls, in DA, is identical to how things are in SA mode - the only difference is, in how one gets there, gets to that 'moment'.

So, anyone used to SA with a DA Revolver, may merely think about how they get there, and, learn to get there by knowing and feeling where the phase of Trigger pull is, in which the Hammer is JUST about to fall...

"Perfect"!

 

[bmcgilvray]

Hah! Of course one could be of a mind to reverse this comment.

Learn to use the single-action properly, ( ie: firing in single-action mode) and, one rarely goes back to double-action...

I think I'll stick with single-action shooting for accuracy efforts.

 

[Jackson]

Some large frame Colts Target arms are meant to be used in single action; The Shooting Master is one that works fine in SA mode for me when fitted with custom grips, like the Sanderson Grips show here. These are very similar to the S&W Target grips and assist in positioning the hand for cocking the hammer. Vintage grips like Roper or Sanderson are probably vey hard to get for the Colt NS or SM, but made to order Herrett grips (if still available?) should work fine. Jackson.

 

[Doug.38PR]

Try a pachmayr grip adaptor. I put one on my 1961 Official Police last month and it fits great. Feels good too

 

[capstan]

Double action shooting is fun , but I doubt that there are many who can shoot as accurately in double action as single action. But,someone who has the money and time to shoot thousands of rounds practicing double action may get really good, I'm sure. I can shoot reasonable well in double action, but I have not yet mastered it to the point where I can shoot as well in da as sa. This is ESpecially true at longer distances. For example I shot a 4" group at 80 yards with a detective special just for the fun of it. The shots were single action and arm rested . If tried it offhand double action I probably wouldnt make a 1 ft group. If I am shooting at a squirrel up in an tree 15 yards away with an officer model match .22 , I will shoot single action. I doubt there are many who could head shoot a squirrel in double action at 15 yards.
I like shooting double action but I mostly shoot single action. If it's just shooting just to hit a 4 to 6" group at 15 yards or less then of course double action is fine.
I still practice da shooting though, because I want to keep improving.

 

[Cruiser RN]

I swear by Tyler T Grips for all my D frame snubbies.The funny thing is in all the years I have been shooting D/A Revolvers I have almost exclusively shot in Double Action.In the early days there was a cop who would say "Why are you shooting in double action? I answered his question with this question...."If I am walking down the street and a robber pulls a knife on me and demands my money and my gun comes out will I be using it in double or single action?" He said double action of course.That being the case I will learn to master this gun in the manner it was meant to be used. That officer never questioned another D/A revolver shooter after the encounter with me...,,,,Mike

 

[BobWright]

I used to shoot fifty yard competitions, always using DA with Revolver, and one Hand, and, I did pretty much just as well as the top guys who fired theirs Single Action using two Hands.








Shoot one Handed, and in DA, and all is then the Ideal in every way...all through.

I know of no instance in which a DA Revolver would be better fired in SA mode...other than that it is in some way 'psychological' and or is there for those who have not learned to use the Revolver properly in DA.

When I shot competition, everybody shot single action, and no two-hand holds were permitted. The top guns at the time shot either the Colt Officers Match or the S&W K-38 Masterpiece. At no time did I see any shooter shoot double action. In fact, many had their guns modified to shoot single action only.

I've known some very good DA shooters, but when the range got way out there, and the critter was small, they cocked that hammer.

Come to think of it, I don't recall any metallic silhouette shooters firing double action.

Bob Wright

 

[Oyeboten]

When I shot competition, everybody shot single action, and no two-hand holds were permitted. The top guns at the time shot either the Colt Officers Match or the S&W K-38 Masterpiece. At no time did I see any shooter shoot double action. In fact, many had their guns modified to shoot single action only.

I've known some very good DA shooters, but when the range got way out there, and the critter was small, they cocked that hammer.

Come to think of it, I don't recall any metallic silhouette shooters firing double action.

Bob Wright

The course of Fire I was competing in was a sort of 'combat' kind, and, distances were 15, 25, and 50 yards, timed, and Targets Scored.

Silhouette Shooting would be different, definitely, as would Olympic Slow Fire or other kindred distance events using slow fire...but, none the less, once one is easy and familiar to pull the Mechanism through j-u-s-t to where the Hammer is about to fall, it is then, at that phase, no different than Single Action, as for how things go from there.

 

[Mike Armstrong]

They're only meant to be fired double action if you're in one heck of a hurry. Otherwise, single action and take advantage of that great single action pull. Double action is just for panic mode.

I have the same problem with the original NS grips. But I have no problem putting Pacs (or the earlier Mershon) grips on to make them fit my hand perfectly. These guns are only collector's items if you are a collector! I'm not.