Pros and Cons of hammerless revolver

[William Sturman]

Bought my wife a hammerless revolver for concealed carry. What negative views are there concerning hammerless pistol?

 

[Deanimator]

Bought my wife a hammerless revolver for concealed carry. What negative views are there concerning hammerless pistol?

For close range self-defense I don't see ANY cons.
Their benefits include:

• nothing to snag in a pocket or other clothing
• simplicity
• consistent means of operation and trigger pull

 

[Charlotte Link]

My hands are weak and some days I need a hammer to pull back.

 

[Deanimator]

My hands are weak and some days I need a hammer to pull back.

Instead, I'd go with cocked and locked carry of something like a Springfield Micro-Compact.

It's FAR easier to disengage an M1911 type safety under stress than to cock a hammer, especially the small, sharp (and sharply grooved) hammers on most concealment revolvers.

Of course shrouded hammer revolvers of the S&W Bodyguard type allow one to thumb cock the hammer.

Still, cocking the hammer during an encounter wouldn't be the way I'd go.

 

[Sandy Scott]

Bought my wife a hammerless revolver for concealed carry. What negative views are there concerning hammerless pistol?

I have shot everything imaginable in the 60 years that I have been shooting including police and military. Although I have a range of great carry weapons that I own, my default carry piece is a Ruger LCR with CT laser grips. In a combat situation, all a hammer can do is slow down your response and perhaps hang up on something. I personally can think of no negatives. If one's grip is so weak that DA becomes a challenge, then that person needs to strengthen their grip, practice with the weapon, or as on of the other respondents indicates, carry one of the small 9s that can be carried locked and cocked so the first shot will be SA, but then again, it adds another step to the mix - taking the safety off. Also, a malfunction in a combat situation can be a serious issue for one without extensive, high pressure, malfunction clearing experience. The beauty of a DA revolver is that it will fire every time. I carried a S&W Model 15 both on and off duty for many years, and never experienced a single malfunction. When it comes to protection with a handgun, the KISS method becomes even more important - your life might depend on that simplicity of deployment.

 

[vweedon]

I have a Ruger LCR 38. It's small and lightweight. I carry it in my conceal carry purse. However, the trigger is VERY stiff. You need some hand strength to pull it.

 

[BC1]

Biggest pro for females? Shoot it right through the handbag. No snags. No need to waste time drawing it.

 

[old skool]

Only thing some could see as a drawback is DA only, stiffer trigger especially for women, my girls are much more accurate punching holes in paper single action. One 14 yr old, 2 preteen.

 

[MamaLiberty]

Only thing some could see as a drawback is DA only, stiffer trigger especially for women, my girls are much more accurate punching holes in paper single action.

Well, that's fine if all they ever do is punch holes in paper. If they ever have to use it in self defense, that could be a REAL problem.

I'm 66 years old and I carried a .357m revolver for many years. It had a full hammer, but I never much used it SA. I had a 5 lb trigger put on it, and strengthen my hands to use it DA. Just a matter of training and determination.

I was considering bobbing the hammer, but then bought an XD 9mm compact... and now I carry that instead.

 

[jim fox]

Bought my wife a hammerless revolver for concealed carry. What negative views are there concerning hammerless pistol?

Usually a slightly lower round count when compared to one of the small pocket autos. (Caliber makes a difference.) I preceive them to be a shade more difficult to control than a comparably sized semi auto. More difficult to reload in a hurry than is a semi-auto.

I'd note that the hammerless (or shrouded hammer) revolver is a "true" pocket (or purse) gun in that it can be fired more than once from the pocket - not true of the little autos - or even necessarily revolvers with hammers.

 

[Dan Cox]

I have a S&W, Model 638 38 Special, capable of handling the +P Ammo. It has the shrouded hammer, and I really like it. It is light and very dependable. The only draw back to a hammerless revolver is thet if somebody grabs the gun, and has a grip on the cylinder & frame... you will not be able to fire that gun! When you pull the trigger in DA mode, the cylinder must spin to fire the weapons next round in the cylinder. With an UNLOADED gun, try to fire the gun, while holding the gun, by the cylinder, no spin, no fire! This is of real conceern, when in extreme close quarter combat with an attacker, that is wrestling for possession of your gun. When was the last time, you saw a Cop with a Revolver? The FBI knows from experience, a semi auto handgun, with a round in the chamber is going to fire, hands on it by an opponent, have little effect, other than to possibly cause a jam in the loading of the next round. If you use the shrouded hammer type revolver and cock the hammer, you can fire that weapon, without concern of interference of cylinder spin to fire. That is the only draw back to a hammerless revolver.

 

[BC1]

Well, that's fine if all they ever do is punch holes in paper. If they ever have to use it in self defense, that could be a REAL problem.

I'm 66 years old and I carried a .357m revolver for many years. It had a full hammer, but I never much used it SA. I had a 5 lb trigger put on it, and strengthen my hands to use it DA. Just a matter of training and determination.

I was considering bobbing the hammer, but then bought an XD 9mm compact... and now I carry that instead.

Agreed. Revolvers are made to be used in DA for PP. NEVER pull back that hammer in a PP situation.

 

[BC1]

I have a S&W, Model 638 38 Special, capable of handling the +P Ammo. It has the shrouded hammer, and I really like it. It is light and very dependable. The only draw back to a hammerless revolver is thet if somebody grabs the gun, and has a grip on the cylinder & frame... you will not be able to fire that gun! When you pull the trigger in DA mode, the cylinder must spin to fire the weapons next round in the cylinder. With an UNLOADED gun, try to fire the gun, while holding the gun, by the cylinder, no spin, no fire! This is of real conceern, when in extreme close quarter combat with an attacker, that is wrestling for possession of your gun. When was the last time, you saw a Cop with a Revolver? The FBI knows from experience, a semi auto handgun, with a round in the chamber is going to fire, hands on it by an opponent, have little effect, other than to possibly cause a jam in the loading of the next round. If you use the shrouded hammer type revolver and cock the hammer, you can fire that weapon, without concern of interference of cylinder spin to fire. That is the only draw back to a hammerless revolver.

I like the shrouded hammer for the same reason.

If wrestling with a semi you have a similar situation. If there's one chambered it will fire. But if the goblin's hand is on the slide it won't recycle... probably a feed jamb. In a wrestling match anyone can be shot. Once it got that close there is no clear choice on the better gun. however, in CQC training with revolvers and snap-caps it is much harder to keep a cyl from turning than one might think. If the revolver is DA only or shrouded there's not much else the goblin can do. In a SA/DA revolver the goblin can get a finger on that hammer, so whether being used in SA or DA mode he has a better chance of stopping the shot. For women the clear choice is to shoot through the handbag where there is less chance of the goblin gaining access to the gat. Either shrouded or hammerless will work fine.

 

[nraynes]

The only two down sides I know are
1. Usually heavy trigger pull. (Practice and your fine)
2. 5 or 6 shot. And with a top break or side load revolver speed loaders can get you to 15-20 or 18-24 no issues.

 

[misledred]

In answer to the post about weak hands and the heavy trigger pull.... My girlfriend and most of the female carriers I know that have revolvers have had a trigger job done to tune the trigger to their strength level. Any qualified gunsmith can do this for you. I have the strength to smoothly pull the DA trigger but have also performed a trigger job on my S&W J frame carry revolver with a shrouded hammer. It makes a world of difference in comfort and accuracy in all the cases I mentioned. Apex tactical sells a drop in Duty/Carry kit for S&W J frame revolvers for $25.

 

[Rocketgeezer]

The only drawback I can see to carrying a hammerless, is the strong DA trigger pull, which if to heavy a trigger job can be done

 

[revolverboy]

For me, I would be leary about doing a trigger job an a carry gun. A prosecuting attorney could be able to say the manufactorer gave it a 10 lb pull for a reason. And you had a 'smith make it lighter because you "meant" to be a killer and wanted to kill easier! I would never SA cock a revoler in critical situations. Again with a SA trigger, it can release very easily & a lawyer could fight that.

 

[wizard]

I have to disagree with Dan Cox on his comment about a semi auto always firing if a round is in the chamber. If the goblin has a hold of your slide and moves it back even 1/4" it is out of battery and will not fire. end of story. you won't have to worry about any other malfunctions. As far as the revolver goes, I feel they are an excelllent choice for anyone to carry as they are ultra reliable and you don't need to know malfunction drills or immidiate action, just pull the trigger. As far as being slow to reload, practice, practice,practice! They are not any harder to do than an auto loader if you learn to do it properly.

 

[SWIll]

I carry a SW 638, shrouded hammer. I don't see any downside to it for my purposes.

 

[Dan Cox]

Wizard, Good point, but the ability to stop a cylinder from doing its cycle, is far easier than trying to hold a slide back. In real world Tactical Training, it has been proven to be fatal for a Goblin to grab an Auto, while a revolver, thats not cocked. is going to fail to operate, more often, with merly a hand on it. I like your point though, it is valid. I have a S&W 638 and i really like it.