Dave (imported) wrote: Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:12 pm There are no safeties that I remember on single and double acting revolvers. We're talking revolvers and not semi-automatic pistols with all sorts of other actions.

Cocking the hammer produces a heavier blow to the bullet because the hammer must be cocked farther away form the bullet to be held in place. Then the trigger released the holding mechanism. When you pulls the hammer back without latching it, the distance is shorter and the hammer drops and hits the bullet with less force. The real danger is the firing pin.

Modern pistols have a transfer pin that prevents the hammer from accidentally firing the gun due to rough handling.

Here's the important part -- cowboys with Colt's 45, used to leave the hammer rest on an empty chamber (load five and not six shots) so that handling he gun wouldn't accidentally fire it. Ammunition wasn't as uniform and sometimes rather light jarring would set off the firing cap on the back of the bullet. If the cowboy didn't shoot his foot, then his horse might get it. These revolvers were not made to be tucked in trousers. They're big, heavy guns more likely to drag your pants to the floor.

There is a reason that a Colt 45 (peacemaker) and other guns with 357 calibers and higher have only six bullets in the cylinder. The metals involved don't have the strength to hold together when bored for a seven or eight shooter.

I had a Ruger Single Six which fired nine 22 shorts or six 22 longs. Of course I had to manually replace the cylinders to change caliber because the bullets were physically different

I once had a Dan Wesson 357 that was dual chambered in one cylinder for 357's or 38's.

Dave (imported) wrote: Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:12 pm There are no safeties that I remember on single and double acting revolvers. We're talking revolvers and not semi-automatic pistols with all sorts of other actions.

Cocking the hammer produces a heavier blow to the bullet because the hammer must be cocked farther away form the bullet to be held in place. Then the trigger released the holding mechanism. When you pulls the hammer back without latching it, the distance is shorter and the hammer drops and hits the bullet with less force. The real danger is the firing pin.

Modern pistols have a transfer pin that prevents the hammer from accidentally firing the gun due to rough handling.

Here's the important part -- cowboys with Colt's 45, used to leave the hammer rest on an empty chamber (load five and not six shots) so that handling he gun wouldn't accidentally fire it. Ammunition wasn't as uniform and sometimes rather light jarring would set off the firing cap on the back of the bullet. If the cowboy didn't shoot his foot, then his horse might get it. These revolvers were not made to be tucked in trousers. They're big, heavy guns more likely to drag your pants to the floor.

There is a reason that a Colt 45 (peacemaker) and other guns with 357 calibers and higher have only six bullets in the cylinder. The metals involved don't have the strength to hold together when bored for a seven or eight shooter.

I had a Ruger Single Six which fired nine 22 shorts or six 22 longs. Of course I had to manually replace the cylinders to change caliber because the bullets were physically different

I once had a Dan Wesson 357 that was dual chambered in one cylinder for 357's or 38's.

A-1 (imported) wrote: Sun Jul 29, 2012 6:56 am Re: 22 cal weapons.

Having had more than a little experience with the results of 22 cal slugs encountering the human body, I can testify that they can be just as lethal if not more so than larger cal weapon projectiles with greater muzzle velocities.

curious_guy (imported) wrote: Mon Jul 30, 2012 12:52 am In one episode of Criminal Minds, several people were killed by being shot in the back of the head with a .22 caliber pistol. (I think that the back of the skull is the strongest part of the skull.) Would a .22 caliber pistol round always have enough energy to penetrate the skull of an adult man?

curious_guy (imported) wrote: Mon Jul 30, 2012 12:52 am In one episode of Criminal Minds, several people were killed by being shot in the back of the head with a .22 caliber pistol. (I think that the back of the skull is the strongest part of the skull.) Would a .22 caliber pistol round always have enough energy to penetrate the skull of an adult man?

gunnutz (imported) wrote: Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:08 am Absolutely. 22 lr rates at betwen 1,030 and 1,800 FPS with a 30-61 grain bullet for 104-204 foot pounds of muzzle energy, keep in mind that's everything from subsonic rounds to velocitors, but all of them should be able to penetrate the skull at close range.