Double-Action Is for Fighting

Please note that we are NOT the original writers of this blog post. All credit goes to the original writers. Find the original post as published at this link: https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/double-action-is-for-fighting/

We always say that we will fight like we train, but there’s a reasonable amount of evidence out there showing that some elements are really just too difficult to conquer the limited amount of training that most of us are willing to do. One of those elements is the fact that under the extreme stress of a deadly force incident, revolver shooters will very probably grip the firearm and start firing in the double-action mode.

If you carry a revolver and you”practice” with it by shooting very smallish groups at 25 yards while thumb-cocking the hammer … you’re doing it wrong. And I very rarely say”you are doing it wrong.”

Even if you have trained enough and now quickly thumb-cock the revolver when the fight starts, you have still made a mistake because thumb-cocking that hammer changes your grip and slows down your followup shots. If you decide to stop shooting, having that hammer cocked greatly increases your chances of committing a negligent discharge if you are not able to keep trigger-finger discipline at the end of the fight.
Once you get in the habit of running the trigger correctly, you may begin focusing on how smoothly you can finish the double-action activate press. You never need to pull the sights off target, so do the”Wall Drill” in double-action mode till you have built up your strength and ability so that your double-action pull is silky smooth. You can achieve this.

Never Quit Training With Your Firearm

Using double-action mode offers you a consistent trigger pull — it feels exactly the same every time — and presents very little prospect of producing a negligent discharge. So grab your revolver, empty the cylinder, remove all ammo in the room and get busy practicing your double-action trigger press as part of your everyday dry-fire regimen.
The article Double-Action Is for Fighting appeared first on USCCA.
Executive Editor of Concealed Carry Magazine Kevin Michalowski is a USCCA and NRA Certified Trainer. He has attended training as both teacher and student in multiple areas, such as pistol, rifle, shotgun, empty-hand defense and rapid response to the active shooter. Kevin is also a certified part-time law enforcement officer in rural Wisconsin.
Please understand how serious I am about this. There are many elements of self-defense where personal taste is okay, but sometimes you just have to put your foot down. Firing the fighting revolver in the single-action mode is one of those times. Gunfights are up close and personal. They are lively, and everyone who has been in one can’t believe how quickly they are over. Double-action shooting a revolver is faster, and in a fight, faster is better.