3D Animation: How a Single-Action Revolver works

In a single-action revolver, the hammer is manually cocked. This advances the cylinder to the next round and locks the cylinder in place. The trigger, when pulled, only releases the hammer, which fires the round.
To fire again, the hammer must be manually cocked again. This is called "single-action" because the trigger only performs a single action, of releasing the hammer. Famous examples of a single-action revolver are the Colt Walker, the Colt Dragoon and the Colt Single Action Army.
Music: www.bensound.com
Music: Summon the Rawk Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
3D Animation done using:
store.steampowered.com/app/26...
Footnote: This is the video that was used to explain the Alec Baldwin incident on Access Hollywood by NBC.

[@zombiesforlunch]

Thank you for this video. My grandfather passed me down a 1873 colt single action that had a loose hammer. This helped me diagnose the issue.

[@3DGunner]

Thank you, glad you like it.

[@Sakitsunebi]

Such a simple, yet effective design. Impressive how cocking the hammer turns the cylinder, puts the hammer under tension, and when fully cocked, locks the hammer and cylinder into place using the trigger and its members. And when the trigger is pulled, releases the tension in the hammer, as well as the mechanism that locks the cylinder in place

[@miajones1938]

So true very that action and sounds alone were out of this world for the time.

[@jonpaul3868]

Clockmakers wonder. The first gun mechanism was invented by clockmakers. You watch Antikythera clock, absolutely beautiful. And yes, the true guns were European invention. The lock mechanism saperated the true gun with Chinese primitive handheld Cannon.

[@singleproppilot]

The actual mechanism itself is, as you pointed out, very simple. To me, the impressive part about these guns is Colt’s mastery of mass production and interchangable parts. Before Colt, guns were all hand made. If your gun broke, you couldn’t get replacement parts and put them on your gun. They wouldn’t fit. You took it to a gunsmith where they would install new parts by tedious hand fitting. Colt was the first company to master the the concept of industrial processes to produce completely uniform, and thus interchangable parts.

[@vicO1323]

Well, there goes Baldwin's defense.

[@mollygiovanna1095]

Lol hope he burns in hell.

[@sigmasurfers]

Dayummmmm bro you gotta do him like that🗿👺

[@obitogaming70]

LOOOL Good one he deserves that

[@zeroscorpio9539]

Heritage rough rider .22 ! Awesome gun!

[@loneranger8343]

Wow! Great video and explanation. I love the old revolvers.

[@3DGunner]

Thank you!

[@LondonTessaAngelit]

Vary nice. I'm an animator and like to get things to look correct. It always bugs me in games or TV when I see things that just don't work like that etc... in short thanks for having videos like this.

[@moneywalrus2069]

thats a good sign as an artist. davinci wanted to get better at depicting muscles so he started dissecting them.

[@thomasstratford6227]

That’s how an old S.A. revolver works. Modern revolvers have sliding block safties.

[@wenting4853]

I like revolver

[@JavierAMilan]

you should do a video on revolvers that are double action only with no hammer

[@TheSundayShooter]

Just like a pawl

[@jetdestroyer9626]

You should do the Colt 1851 next.

[@craigthemonke794]

Works the same way

[@1381greg]

People like baldwin think guns are guns...that's it. Single action Colt revolvers' are made with the best quality steel available and machined to the finest precision. They last for ever, and its very very uncommon for one to malfunction due to worn parts. Its just unheard of.. They do not fire by them selves.

[@austin2245psn]

Thanks I asked for this lol,

[@waynedaley7048]

Thanks for the upload 👍🏼

[@3DGunner]

Thanks!

[@tonylozano2742]

I noticed one of the times you pulled the hammer back The seer engage the hammer and held the hammer. Till you pulled the hammer again. That could only mean you removed the sear spring for your demo. The FBI concluded the weapon was functioning properly.

[@SAGHAJAR]

I never understood why they call this type of gun single action while once you have to pull the hammer (this is the first action) and then in order to shoot you have to pull the trigger (this is the second action) can anyone explain why it is called single action?

[@3DGunner]

Hello, it is exactly as you wrote. Double-Action means that pulling the trigger cocks the hammer AND releases it again. Single-Action means that the hammer needs to be cocked manually first and pulling the trigger only releases the hammer. This also applies to semi-automatic pistols.

[@davidgruen7423]

Because pulling the trigger only completes one action, dropping the hammer, it’s pretty self explanatory.

[@DavidLLambertmobile]

Single action pistols have the same type of function. A 1911a1 or Hi Power also called a P35 9mm must have the hammer cocked to the rear. 1911s and Hi Powers can be safely carried "condition one" or cocked & locked. To fire, you move the safety off then pull the pistol trigger.

[@dayleclarke4433]

It's the action of the trigger not the person pulling it.

[@jetdestroyer9626]

Epic!

[@3DGunner]

Thanks!

[@paulhart7739]

How about doing an animation of how Alec Baldwins revolver fired without him actually pulling the trigger. It would be a top trending video

[@ivangort5617]

If you don't bring the hammer back to full cock and the hammer slips from your grip it will fire! I did it many times with my old Ruger Security Six- Single Action .357 to show students the dangers in handling firearms.

[@jimschaffer8921]

They call me “ol butter fingers

[@burningempire666]

Does the trigger really wobble back and forth when the hammer is cocked?

[@thechosenwon4089]

My uberti cattleman rotates to the next round when hammer is cocked but then rotates back to previous round when trigger is pulled any idea? Somebody help

[@SaukValley-Sam]

Great animation but one comment. At 1.50 point you show the hammer going from half cock to fully lowered without going to full cock first. Doing that causes the cylinder lock pawl to drag on the cylinder causing a dragline to occur on cylinder. Going to full cock then lowered prevents this. Also loading all six chambers on a true Colt designed single action revolver is a potential safety hazard as the hammer mounted firing pin now rests on a primer and any accidental strike on the hammer can set off the bullet. Most gun safety experts, including those of the old west, recommend leaving the sixth chamber empty under the lowered hammer when carrying the firearm loaded. Loading recommendation: hammer to half cock, open loading gate, eject spent shells, load one chamber, skip a chamber, then load last four chambers, close loading gate, take hammer to full cock and then lower on empty chamber which is now under the hammer.

[@timkhan6146]

whats the name of the spring that rotates the cylinder?

[@cliffchilders5820]

Pretty good animation!!! But...... The hammer does not move rear-ward during trigger pull as depicted here!!

[@Waldherz]

The animation is from a game on steam called "world of guns". And it actualy does move rear ward on some older single actions. 1-2 mm.

[@boaty-mcboatface]

Here after hearing Baldwin's explanation...

[@SUPER_RABISCADO]

👏🤠

[@fatherlyalot4255]

my gun has a problem and this video must help but I can't figure it out. The gun works fine without a cylinder but once the cylinder is in, the hammer, once I start to cock it, feels jammed almost immediately and the cylinder won't rotate.

[@SaukValley-Sam]

One possible cause would be high primers on the ammunition.

[@jlahuis]

Annnnnd its wrong for modern SSA's. The firing pin is not attached to the hammer. This prevents slam fire.

[@skillfuldeep4552]

this is supposed to show how a vast majority of ssa's work, this is such a small nitpick that it doesn't even warrant a comment

[@Lopezcaipira]

Tutorial to kill furry is great