A Veteran Police Officer Considers Single Action Revolvers for Self Defense

My wife Stacey and I were visiting a good friend who was one of the top scoring women in the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS). She is remarkably quick and accurate with her Ruger Blackhawk revolvers.

I asked her what type of handgun she kept for self-defense. I was surprised by her response. “None, I don’t own any semi-automatic pistols or double action revolvers.” She explained that she was not trained or skilled with “modern” guns. “If I acquired a more modern handgun for self-defense practicing with it would take time away from my single action revolvers. Under the stress of a match or a self-defense situation, I might revert to habits acquired from the other type of handgun.”  

Stacey, (a former police officer and an accomplished Cowboy Action Shooter) suggested. “Why don’t you keep one of your single action revolvers for self-defense?” The idea made some sense to me and I began to consider the prospect of using a single action revolver for protection.

It was not long before the subject came up again. While visiting a fellow retired police officer who lives in a rural area, I noticed that he was packing a .45 caliber Ruger Vaquero. This is the same gun that he used to finish a bull elk during hunting season. He has a lot of confidence in that single action revolver. I am sure that his years of experience as a Cowboy Action Shooter contributes to that confidence. Despite thirty-six years in law enforcement and extensive training with double action revolvers and semi-automatic pistols, he often relies on a single action revolver to protect himself.     

Why would anyone select a single action revolver for self-defense when more modern types of combat pistols are available?  Hunters, hikers, fisherman, and other outdoorsman may carry a single action revolver for backwoods activities. Equestrians then to favor the S/A revolver. If suddenly faced with a self-defense situation requiring deadly force, no other weapon may be available. The best gun to use in a fight is the one you have with you. I know several Cowboy Action Shooters who do not own any other type of handgun. How effective is the single action revolver compared to more modern types of firearms in a defensive situation? I was intrigued by the question.

One afternoon, after teaching a police firearms class, I observed several other Instructors practicing with their .40 Glock 22 duty pistols. The Instructors were shooting eight inch falling plates “for time”. These instructors were all “Distinguished Experts” scoring in the top one-percent of all 10,000 Los Angeles Police Officers. They invited me to join their informal competition. I elected to shoot a Ruger Vaquero in .357 Magnum.  We each made several “runs” on the plates. Using a Pro-Timer, we verified that the fastest time to knock down six plates was consistently accomplished by me using my single action revolver.

I do not suggest that a “Steel Challenge” champion could do better if he traded his custom semi-automatic pistol for a single action revolver. Our informal competition only disclosed that I was slightly faster with the single action revolver than my fellow instructors were with their semi-automatic pistols on that occasion. I was however inspired to conduct some tests to compare single action revolvers against handguns which are more commonly carried for self-defense.

For this comparison I used a Glock 22 (.40 S&W) a Ruger Vaquero, (.357 Magnum) and a Smith & Wesson Model 649, (38 Special) Revolver.  The Glock 22 was perhaps the most commonly issued police side arm in the United States at the time. The Ruger Vaquero is very popular with Cowboy Action Shooters and Outdoorsman. Small frame revolvers like the S&W Model 649 have a following among civilians for concealed carry and many Law Enforcement Officers carry them as a back-up gun.

I established some protocols for conducting a comparison between these firearms. I decided not to use holsters because one type of pistol might gain an advantage due to the holster being used. In order to keep the comparison as fair as possible, I started all shooting from a “low ready” or “guard” position with the trigger finger outside the trigger guard. I elected to cock the single action revolver “on the clock,” starting each drill with an un-cocked gun. I used a Pro-Timer to record the time required to complete each phase of the test.

Despite being aware that even slight changes in test protocol, equipment, and/or ammunition could alter the outcome of this unscientific test, I was anxious to see the results.

I used eight-inch steel falling plates. These targets adequately represented an adversaries’ vital area. The distance was seven yards. This is a common distance used in many police qualification courses and most self-defense shootings occur at seven yards or less. A reference mark on the ground was used to ensure that the low ready starting position was consistent. At the beep, I raised the pistol to eye level. I cocked the Vaquero as I raised the gun. I verified the sight picture and pressed the trigger. At no time did I shoot faster than I could be certain of a solid hit on the target. I subscribe to the concept of only shooting as fast as you can hit what you are shooting at. Loud noises are rarely effective in stopping a determined assailant.  

I do not claim to be a great single action revolver shooter. I have however placed five aimed hits on a seven-yard steel plate in 1.55 seconds with a single action revolver (starting on target). I have seen others do it in less than one second. The times listed here are only relative as they stand in comparison to other times that I accomplished in this evaluation. I repeated each drill ten times and threw out the highest and lowest times. I then took the average of the remaining eight for comparison.

While conducting this comparison I realized that I was able to verify the alignment of the Glock sights, faster than the M-649s or the Vaqueros.  The silver sights on the stainless Ruger were hard to see, against the gray metal targets. Had I used a blue steel Ruger Black Hawk; the dark adjustable sights may have changed the outcome slightly.  

On average I was able to knock down one plate .05 seconds faster with the Glock than I was with the Vaquero, and .36 seconds faster with the Glock than the M-649. I was .31 seconds faster with the Vaquero than I was with the M-649.  

Even though the Vaquero had to be thumb cocked, and the sights seemed slower to verify, there was very little difference in speed compared to the Glock-22. I attribute this fact to the shorter, lighter, trigger press required for my Vaquero. I was not surprised that the small sights and the double action trigger of the M-649 caused me to slow down.  

The next exercise would be the same, except that two plates would be knocked down. Two plates might simulate one shot at the vital area of two opponents, or two shots at one moving or shifting target.

I assumed that as the number of targets increased, the necessity for thumb cocking the Vaquero would increase the advantage for the Glock. I was wrong. I was slightly faster with the Vaquero! The difference of .01 was not significant, but I was surprised that there was almost no difference between the average times. I was a little more than ¾ of a second slower with the M-649 than I was with either the Vaquero or the Glock-22. Shooting five plates might indicate whether the result of the two-plate comparison was an anomaly

On five plates I was faster with the Vaquero by .41 seconds. I am certain that the slightly greater recoil of the 180 grain bullets used in the Glock accounted for the difference. Had I used 180 grain bullets in both guns, I may have been faster with the Glock-22. I was 1.24 seconds faster with the Vaquero than I was with the M-649 on 5 plates. The results obtained by these limited comparisons were somewhat unexpected.  

My next test was to shoot the L.A.P.D. Combat Qualification Course with a variety of different handguns, including a single action revolver. These thirty round courses can be scored in two different ways. The first scoring system allows ten points for each round which hits the torso or head and five points for each round which hits an arm. The second scoring method uses scoring rings and only allows ten points for required head shots and center torso hits. The “ten-point scoring ring” is approximately 5” tall and 4” wide. A score of 300/300 means that the Officer placed every one of his thirty rounds in the head or the “ten-ring” (heart) of the two reduced size silhouette targets.

I did not know if I could reload the Ruger Vaquero fast enough to make the 12 shots in 25 seconds which is required at the seven-yard line. The sequence of fire starts with a presentation from the holster. The Officer fires two rounds at the torso of the silhouette target on the right, two rounds at the torso of the silhouette target on the left, one round at the head of the left target and one round at the head of the right target. The Officer then reloads his weapon and repeats the shooting sequence for a total of twelve rounds. This stage of fire is relatively easy to complete within the time limits using a semi-automation service pistol, or a double action service revolver.

Stage 2 requires six rounds from the ten-yard line. Two rounds in two seconds three times. Stage three consists of firing two right, two left, and two right in eight seconds from twelve yards. Stage four is a fifteen-yard barricade position.

One shot in three seconds three times with the right hand and one shot in three seconds three times with the left hand. A perfect score with all shots in the head and heart with a semi auto pistol would place an Officer in the top one percent of all 10,000 LAPD Officers.

I shot this course with the Glock 22 and scored 300/300. Next, I shot the course with a S&W model 4506 and scored a 300/298. I scored a 300/299 with a Berretta 92F. With the semi-automatic service pistols, I felt no pressure in completing the first stage within the time limit. I knew my reloading would have to be done with no fumbling if I was to draw and fire twelve center hits with 4 aiming points on 2 targets in 25 seconds or less with the Ruger Vaquero. I scored 300/300 with the Ruger.  

According to my pro-timer I completed the first stage in approximately 23 seconds. I repeated the first stage five times to be certain that my first performance could be duplicated. My times for Stage One were all between 22 and 24 seconds. I know Single Action Revolver Experts who could complete this stage of fire with all center hits in far less time. I believe that when Thell Reed was competing he could have completed this stage in 12 seconds or less.  The LAPD Combat Qualification Course is not difficult to pass, but it is challenging to shoot the course with a 300-ring score. My Single Action Ruger acquitted itself well.

I was encouraged to continue evaluating the single action revolver for self- defense. I finally decided to attend the Gunsite Academy 250 defensive pistol course with the Ruger Blackhawks S/A revolvers. I would be able to compare my single action revolver to the 1911s’ and Glocks used by most of the shooters in the class. I really had no idea how this would turn out.

I used a pair of Ruger Blackhawk .357 Magnum revolvers with 4 5/8-inch barrels. I transitioned to my second revolver when semi-automatic pistol shooters would conduct a mandatory speed reload. I found that it took approximately the same amount of time to transition from one single action revolver to another as to eject one magazine from the semi-automatic pistol and insert a replacement magazine. I had the best score in the class on the “Class Drills” and the “El Presidente,” completing the latter in the par time of 10 seconds with all center hits. I achieved split times of .24 seconds on the Hammer (Accelerated pairs) drill. I did well on the indoor and outdoor simulators. By using the “load what you shoot” system of tactical reloading I always kept the Rugers topped off and ready.   

How much efficiency is lost by using a single action revolver for self- defense? Based on my informal testing and evaluation, if you can resolve your defensive encounter using no more than 5 or 6 rounds, a good single action revolver may be as effective as many other types of handguns. While not the first choice for most people, for some it could be a good option.

Should you consider a single action revolver for self-defense?  Are you well trained in the safe and proper use of the single action revolver? Can you hit what you shoot at under stress? Are you more proficient with the single action revolver than you are with other types of handguns?  Are single action revolvers the only type of handguns you own? Single Action Revolvers are the preferred sidearm of many equestrians as they are deemed to be safer than other handguns when firing from horse back.

Frank Hamer was one of the toughest Law Men in American history. He survived an incredible number of gunfights during the first half of the 20th century. His favorite sidearm was a .45 Single Action Colt Peacemaker.  Frank Hammer proved again and again that the individual is more important than which handgun he uses. I agree. As Jeff Cooper said, “It is more about the man than the tool.”

About the author:

Lawrence Mudgett served as an Infantry Sergeant in the First Air Cavalry in Vietnam. He retired from the Los Angeles Police Department after nearly thirty-five years of service. He was a S.W.A.T. Team Member and SWAT Instructor for fourteen years and was assigned to Training Division as the Department’s Chief Firearms Instructor for thirteen years. He has been shooting for 61 years and teaching firearms or 51 years.

Authors Note:

My personal experience with single action revolvers, double action revolvers and Glock pistols, is relevant and similar. The first three handguns I ever owned were single action revolvers. I presently own and shoot more single action revolvers than semi-automatic pistols and double action revolvers combined. I have participated in 150 CAS matches. I have five “Top-Ten” in class winners’ buckles from national and world championship Cowboy Action Shooting matches.  

I carried double action revolvers both on and off duty for seventeen years and used them in numerous combat matches and field situations. I have also used double action revolvers for hunting.

During my ten years as an Adjunct Instructor at the Central Training Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I trained dozens of Special Response Teams with a variety of firearms including Glocks, Sigs and Smith & Wesson pistols. Prior to my retirement, L.A.P.D. issued Glock pistols. I qualified with Glocks in three calibers. I was certified as a Glock Amour and Instructor. I have now been carrying a Glock pistol for almost 20 years.

By conducting the testing, myself, one type of handgun would have no advantage over another as a result of shooter familiarization as I consider myself equally experienced and proficient with the different firearms used in the informal comparison.