page_title: Revolver
section_title: Single-action
hierarchical_section_title: Revolver / Action / Single-action
caption_attribution_description: English: From Top: Replica of 1849 vintage. .44 Colt Revolving Holster Pistol (Dragoon); Colt Single Action Army Model 1873; Ruger (New Model) Super Blackhawk- Mid and late 20th Century.
context_page_description: A revolver is a type of gun. Revolvers are repeating firearms with a cylinder that spins. Revolvers have several chambers. Most are handguns, but other types of weapons also use revolving cylinders. They are also called revolving guns, though revolver is used far more often. The first revolvers date back to late 1500s in Europe. It was not until the 1700s or 1800s, however, they became affordable. Revolvers are sometimes used by law enforcement agencies. On some occasions, these guns can be reset by one hand, then loaded with the other.
context_section_description: In a single-action revolver, the hammer is manually cocked. This is usually done with the thumb. This action turns the cylinder to the next cartridge. It also locks the cylinder in place with the chamber aligned with the barrel. The trigger, when pulled, releases the hammer, which fires the round in the chamber. To fire again, the hammer must be manually cocked again. This is called "single-action" because the trigger only performs a single action—that of releasing the hammer. Because only a single action is performed and trigger pull is very light, firing a revolver in this way allows most shooters to achieve greater accuracy. Additionally, the need to cock the hammer manually acts as a safety. The gun will not fire unless the hammer is cocked back. The Colt Paterson Revolver, the Walker Colt, the Colt's Dragoon and the Colt Single Action Army pistol of the American Frontier era are all good examples of this system.
caption: From Top: Replica of 1849 vintage. .44 Colt Revolving Holster Pistol (Dragoon); Colt Single Action Army Model 1873; Ruger (New Model) Super Blackhawk- Mid and late 20th Century.
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