Big Boy Revolver

[Vaquero]

I fail to understand why this "single action" idea keeps coming up. I own several revolvers including a Colt S.A.A. 45. If I had to keep just one it would be one of the double action revolvers with the swing out cylinder that I can safely carry six rounds in and doesn't take forever to reload. H.R.A. is not stupid when it comes to marketing. A double action will sell a lot more than a single action. They want the most return for their great investment in design and tooling for a new product.

Travelin. I agree with your double action thoughts but its all about the cowboy idea. Doc Holiday didnt carry no S&W or a Colt. Just sayin

Oh Al, I beg to differ sir.
https://www.google.com/search?q=what+gu ... e&ie=UTF-8

RP

[daytime dave]

I saw a picture on Rock Island auctions site that was for a Colt Border Patrol revolver, first model. I think it's got some similar lines. It's hard to tell from this photograph, but the barrel is cut in above the extractor rod. I'm not saying they are close, just some similar lines. The Border patrol first model was limited to 400 made from what I could find.

Colt border patrol.jpg (128.18 KiB) Viewed 2321 times

[BigAl52]

I fail to understand why this "single action" idea keeps coming up. I own several revolvers including a Colt S.A.A. 45. If I had to keep just one it would be one of the double action revolvers with the swing out cylinder that I can safely carry six rounds in and doesn't take forever to reload. H.R.A. is not stupid when it comes to marketing. A double action will sell a lot more than a single action. They want the most return for their great investment in design and tooling for a new product.

Travelin. I agree with your double action thoughts but its all about the cowboy idea. Doc Holiday didnt carry no S&W or a Colt. Just sayin

Oh Al, I beg to differ sir.
https://www.google.com/search?q=what+gu ... e&ie=UTF-8

RP

I was referring to a Colt double action should have stated that

[North Country Gal]

Travlin, not arguing about Henry choosing to go with a DA revolver, but all Ruger single actions now have transfer bars that allow you to carry safely with 6 rounds. Even most of the single action Uberti Colt clones now come with three notch safety triggers that allow you to do the same. Henry could easily done the same if they had chosen to go single action.

As for the Henry revolver, I really have no problem with the looks. It is old school DA and I think appropriate for carrying with a lever gun. Hey, there were DA revolvers in the Old West, at least in the later period. Some famous lawmen/outllaws used them instead of Colts. It wasn't all Colt Peacemakers and Winchesters like we so often see in the movies.

And I do own and shoot DA revolvers, even though my first love is single action revolvers. With you all the way on the convenience and practicality of DAs. Tough to beat a DA as an all purpose handgun.

[ditchparrot]

Tough to beat a DA as an all purpose handgun.

That's about as true of a sentence that can be spoken (or written) on this topic – sentimentality notwithstanding.

[North Country Gal]

Thanks.

I think some of the comments on the looks of the Henry revolver are from shooters who don't deal much with DA revolvers or shoot them much. Check out this one.


No, it's not a Henry. It's actually a 1976 Ruger Security Six 357 from my collection, as new in the box, right from the factory. The most visible difference between this and the Henry is that the Ruger has a shroud over the ejector, as most DA revolvers now have. The lack of an ejector shroud on the Henry is very definitely old school DA. The Ruger also has adjustable sights to the Henry's fixed sights, but Ruger did make a Speed Six version of this revolver that had fixed sights.

My point is that the Ruger Security Six, discontinued in the late 80s, is still very highly regarded by Ruger revolver fans and still a sought after gun in the used DA revolver market. No DA revolver fan has ever called it ugly. In fact, a lot of DA revolver folk like the looks, but I guess you have to be a fan of DA revolvers to understand. Same for the Henry.

One more thing. The fact that the Henry comes with interchangeable front sights puts the Henry up over just about any fixed sight revolver, single action or double action, that I've ever seen. That is an awesome feature in a factory fixed sight revolver. If you've shot a lot of fixed sight revolvers, you will understand what I mean. Henry really should be getting more credit for this feature.

[Cowboy Gun Fan]

I fail to understand why this "single action" idea keeps coming up. I own several revolvers including a Colt S.A.A. 45. If I had to keep just one it would be one of the double action revolvers with the swing out cylinder that I can safely carry six rounds in and doesn't take forever to reload. H.R.A. is not stupid when it comes to marketing. A double action will sell a lot more than a single action. They want the most return for their great investment in design and tooling for a new product.

Travelin. I agree with your double action thoughts but its all about the cowboy idea. Doc Holiday didnt carry no S&W or a Colt. Just sayin

Right, if my Ruger Vaquero was a Double Action, I wouldn't of have bought it.

[Mags]

I don't have any feeling one way or the other regarding DA/SA. As for the Henry revolver and the Ruger that NCG mentions, I don't like the 'appearance' of either one. They both look like the old school police revolvers, not cowboy western. As for the innovative features that NCG points out about the Henry, they are not compelling by themselves. Those features could have been implemented on a cowboy western revolver, including DA or not.

[Ernie]

Kirkpatrick Leather just announced a John Wayne holster set up for the Henry revolvers if that is your thing.

[North Country Gal]

Like I said, DA revolvers are more of an acquired taste, compared to single actions. I think you really have to shoot DAs to appreciate their looks and their features. For sure, DAs were more accepted and in style back in the day when they were more mainstream and most law enforcement officers were carrying them. I do get a kick out of those old cop shows and movies when the cops were carrying DA revolvers instead of Glocks.

Come on, guys. Who remembers Broderick Crawford in Highway Patrol? How about Dragnet? Adam 12?