Tag: Safety

How To Safely Unload a Double Action Revolver

One of the most celebrated qualities of the double action revolver is its simplicity. The mechanism is easy to understand and operate, and having everything “out there in the open” makes their operation pretty transparent, even for the greenest of newbies. Any instructor who has seen an unfamiliar student get confused by the collection of buttons and levers and switches on the side of a semiauto pistol can appreciate how the revolver’s minimalist nature simplifies teaching the manual of arms.

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Identifying & Clearing The Revolver Squib Load

Last weekend I had spent half my Saturday at a private range with a friend and his son. It was just the three of us on the range. In addition to some true plinking, we shot the 5×5 drill, did some plate-rack work, and ran an informal competition or two. Toward the end of the day I let the other two guys take a few shots my my 686. When the 14-year old dropped the hammer on his first round, the result was an unimpressive fizzle. It was the first revolver squib load I’ve ever witnessed and my range session came to an abrupt end. But, I definitely learned a couple of things. Continue reading “Identifying & Clearing The Revolver Squib Load”