hammered revolver=jail time??

[snowdoctor]

Here is an interesting topic....When I was buying my S&W 642, I was told by the "guy behind the counter", be glad you decided to buy the hammerless model because the prosecutor would have a field day with you if you bought the one with the hammer and ever had to use it.
--His argument/belief is that if the prosecutor could prove you cocked the hammer to fire the first shot, then you have enough time to evade the situation, and shouldn't have used the firearm at all. ALSO, if you had the time to cock the hammer and aim at the 'victim' then, it was also premeditated and you were looking for a chance to use the firearm and not other options.
I would like to hear others thoughts on this, and although my decision was not influenced by this discussion, I wonder how accurate this information might be, I think some of it may make some sense, as I have heard worse arguments from the bleeding heart lib, tree huggin', gun grabbin' lawyers.

I wrote this under carry gun becuase it is about a certain type of gun. If the moderators see fit to move it, I totally understand.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to a good discussion.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bruces45]

Most hammered revo's are SA/DA so why would you cock the hammer in a gunfight? I think he has watched to much TV, cause you always see that on TV where they have time to cock the hammer then shoot.

[firefighter4884]

The shop that i visit the most often is owned by an elderly gentleman who learned to shoot on a revolver. His opinion on revo shooting is similar to that of a 1911 carried cond. 1. If his pistol comes out of the holster, he pulls the hammer back while drawing, because the SA pull is much easier to control then the DA.

Not sure about the legalities and if the prosecuter could get a conviction based on you cocking the hammer, then again, how would he know...

--Jim

[SARR001]

I don't even know where to begin to point out the flaws in his thinking. Was he even thinking before engaging his mouth? I'd have to ask him for some kind of documentation of his ASSertions. Gotta wonder how many people he has influenced into buying something they didn't want with comments like those.

[Roadrunner]

He's read too much of Ayoob's writing and is incapable of understanding the (dubious) logic behind it. A good shoot is a good shoot, whether you use a Desert Eagle or a .38. Will a shady lawyer go to insane extremes to discredit even the most justified shoot in order to make a quick buck? Certainly. That's why you need a shark lawyer of your own to shut the huckster down. JMO, YMMV.

[maclean3]

Much like the other thread suggesting "shoot until it's empty," I've got to say this one's BS too. If it's a had to shoot, fear for your life situation, I honestly don't think it'd matter if you were using an uber-tactical tricked out shotgun (provided it's a legal config) or a freakin' flintlock.

I carry a 642 myself, though with this colder weather I've been carrying my K-frame M66 (with evil hammer!). I chose the Centennial over an SA/DA M37 or M60 for the price and ability to pocket carry w/o snagging.

These self appointed gun gurus never cease to amaze me.
Jack

[Phil Elmore]

I wish I had a dollar for every gun-shop expert who filled his customer's heads with myth and misinformation. Behind the counter or in front of it, these blowhards should be dismissed for the Walter Mittys that they are.

There are good reasons not to own a revolver with an external hammer -- primarily if you use a snubby as a pocket gun, or want the simplicity of DAO, or worry about snags when drawing. None of the reasons involves this silliness about someone "proving" that you cocked the hammer in the nanosecond before firing.

I suppose every man who's ever taken a human life with a Colt SAA "could have avoided" the situation...? Nonsense.

[rocky]

Lots of so called "experts" who will tell ya all kinds of stuff. A good shoot , is a good shoot in my opinion.

[P95Carry]

It would still IMO boil down to the same thing in the end ......... can you say - ''I was in fear for my life'' - and if so and you took all measures possible to negate the threat, I see no reason to have issue taken with a single action first shot potential - any more than what we discussed elsewhere - on the ''legalities'' of a head shot - it is all irrelevant if you had to shoot.

For sure anyone who knows other than squat about defensive shooting - they will know that DA on a revo is all that counts. Only exception just might be the better chance for an aimed shot from cover with SA pull. Even so most of us will I am admit to using a slower DA pull as all but SA on release anyways - ''taking up the slack''.

Bottom line if you HAD to shoot and can prove it - it should not matter about semantics - threat control is everything by whatever means available.

[RSSZ]

We have a gunshop in my area that have a couple of those kinda behind the counter guys also.Just to make the point, one of them is a CCW Fla.state instructor and he tells his students that if they decide to carry a Glock they should carry it with the chamber empty. He will gladly tell the customers in the shop that is the way that he carries his Glock. If I made the decission to carry a pocket revo I would definately pick a hammerless weapon, but just for ease of the draw. When someone comes out with one of their gunshop philosophy's I feel it is due to their expected believeability that the counter instills in them. I take it as that and walk away shakeing my head.--------

[maclean3]

We have a gunshop in my area that have a couple of those kinda behind the counter guys also.Just to make the point, one of them is a CCW Fla.state instructor and he tells his students that if they decide to carry a Glock they should carry it with the chamber empty. He will gladly tell the customers in the shop that is the way that he carries his Glock.

IMHO, he's just roadkill waiting to happen. Really makes me wonder what the State requirements ARE to become an instructor .... I thought it was bad enough that my class instructor went over the rules of safe gun handling and completely omitted "Treat every gun as if it's loaded." Excuse me, isn't that rule #1?!!! Where's Darwin when we need him?
Jack

[Bud White]

That guy is full of BS a good shoot is a good shoot some people are to far out there that one is even to weird for a ayoob deal... only reason i could see a hammered wheelie giving ya problems is hammer snags on you pocket on way out

[rstickle]

Where do they come up with these guys and their ideas?

[QKShooter]

How would anybody PROVE that your first shot was fired with the hammer Cocked as VS Double Action unless the incident happened to be caught on video????

[P95Carry]

How would anybody PROVE that your first shot was fired with the hammer Cocked

That QK is so darned obvious - I overlooked it!!. Indeed - how in heck would even a witness make that fact tenable.