Should You Load Five, Or Should You Load Six? (Single Action Basics)

The questions as to why we load five rounds in a six-chambered revolver never dies.
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Hickok45 videos are filmed on my own private shooting range and property by trained professionals for educational and entertainment purposes only, with emphasis on firearms safety and responsible gun ownership. We are NOT in the business of selling firearms or performing modifications on them. Do not attempt to copy at home anything you see in our videos. Firearms can be extremely dangerous if not used safely.

[@metalslinky4582]

This guy is like the American grandad I never had

[@michaelmacdowall4228]

SBJ123_ Your comment is the best summary of 45’s entire approach (to teaching and shooting) I’ve heard thus far. Spot on Sir.

[@goodoc8248]

-said every person that's ever viewed a hickock45 video

[@sanos999]

@@michaelmacdowall4228 I'm british but have an interest in the mechanisms and designs behind firearms and why they were designed the way they were. He has managed to explain how guns work at least to me (complete layman, can't even own functional firearms) really well. Glad to be subbed to him and it's also cool that he doesn't treat them like toys. Like any weapon they need to be respected and treated like what they are, weapons. They shouldn't be used irresponsibly.

[@solrackings8558]

I was thinking the same thing lol

[@shanejones578]

This guy is my grandad, makes me reminisce all the damn time god bless you pop

[@alphads2000]

5 for the holster, 6 for the gunfight, never forget fellas

[@chupetaparamahboy]

7 for ur mum

[@byrne8509]

yee haw haw yee haw haw

[@zanderascher8205]

Oh yeah yeah + yee haw= Oh yee haw

[@TamerDincable]

Ends up in hospital in stead of gunfight 🙃

[@d3m053]

In the town of aluia fria rode a stranger one fine day hardly spoke to folks around him didn't have too much to say no one dared to ask his buisness no one dared to make a slip for the stranger there among them had the big Iron on his hip I get your username

[@WTFisTingispingis]

Me: "Why do people get so uppity about the five round rule-" **Hickok strikes the hammer and pin, gun goes off** "Oh.

[@trevorkeaghey7649]

This is the reason why these guns are so easy to fan the hammer with, though it has it's tradeoffs.

[@obiwanshinobi5631]

He's literally barely touching the hammer from the back. If he hit the top of the barrel, or dropped it, it would go off. If you wanna fully load it, be prepared the next thing that happens is round down range.

[@tegan765tyler]

You definitely just saved me putting a hole in my leg. Thank you

[@johnniewalker39]

Now check his latest video, Nov 21 2018

[@fuckthis1145]

I accidentally actually shot myself one these it wasn't fun

[@Gieszkanne]

@@johnniewalker39 What is the titel of the video? What it is about?

[@johnniewalker39]

@@Gieszkanne damned it i rember, it's been 6 years

[@Gieszkanne]

@@johnniewalker39 I guess it was "How not to carry a Colt SAA" But he was just saying the same in that video. I think he is wrong with this. The safety noth is very strong. I have seen a video where someone hit the hammer in the safety notch much stronger and the primer didnt whent off.

[@hickok45]

Putting burying money in the empty chamber, as was supposedly done in the Old West, might be a difficult proposition THESE days. How does one get $5,000.00 - $10,000.00 worth of paper money rolled up in even a .45 caliber chamber? :-) Maybe we could stick a small diamond in there or fill it with pure gold.

[@Jason-fw2rc]

hickok45 how about... A diamond bullet?

[@mulltiprosnow]

Would a Colt's Dragoon have the same problem?

[@jonathantan2469]

Considering the price of Bitcoin these days, you could put a rolled-up Post-it-note with the access codes to a cryptocurrency wallet you set up for that purpose. ;)

[@dosmundos3830]

only a certified cheque or money order please :p

[@Pear933]

Stick my bank card’s chip in there and boom

[@rickobrien4025]

My buddy who had never been rabbit hunting before, bought a ,22 semi-automatic rifle and came along with us,. He wanted to carry a sidearm, so I gave him my ol' .22 single action buffalo scout. We formed a skirmish line and about a mile from the truck, I heard a shot. I turned in the direction and saw my friend throw down his brand new rifle.and was thinking to myself why did do that ? He then yelled "I'm shot". We all ran to him and found out in mid-stride, he had hit the hammer of the buffalo scout with the butt of his rifle and it discharged. The bullet entered his thigh, exited because his leg was bent, and re-entered his calf, where it sits to this day. The revolver DID have a safety, that was not employed. When we got to the hospital, a SBSD deputy showed up, and almost laughed, saying this happens all the time when you "city boys" come up here with your new guns.

[@Thetinebroken]

Rick OBrien thanks for sharing that story

[@NotMineAtYours]

So you loaned him a pistol without sharing with him the safety issues of the pistol. Or you handed him an unsafe weapon without explanation that he could get shot if things go slightly wrong. Or you didn't know your own weapon well enough to explain it properly and shouldn't have loaned it out. You must be a good person.

[@Neo2266.]

Damn, no more kitchen magnets and MRIs for him

[@Native_love]

Great lesson in safety! Thanks!

[@cjbotts]

Richard Warren probably just a mistake, albeit one with potential catastrophic results, but I don’t think it makes him a bad person. Just a bit irresponsible or complacent, and I’m sure he’s learned a valuable lesson.

[@WolfShadowhill]

I always load 6… In my 7 shot nagant revolver

[@FredDude27]

Just a trivia, here is a quote atributed to Wyatt Earp: I have often been asked why five shots without reloading were all a top-notch gunfighter fired, when his guns were chambered for six cartridges. The answer is, merely, safety. To ensure against accidental discharge of the gun while in the holster, due to hair-trigger adjustment, the hammer rested upon an empty chamber. As widely as this was known and practiced, the number of cartridges a man carried in his six-gun may be taken as an indication of a man’s rank with the gunfighters of the old school. Practiced gun-wielders had too much respect for their weapons to take unnecessary chances with them; it was only with tyros and would-bes that you heard of accidental discharges or didn’t-know-it-was-loaded injuries in the country where carrying a Colt’s was a man’s prerogative.

[@dawson_cashwell]

Fredrik Häll Nice

[@sevinstorey4365]

And his last movie,.. the Duke was giving Ron Howard shooting lessons and advised him to keep an empty chamber under his hammer for safety purposes. But if you know the movie in the next couple of lines he did advise Ron Howard if you feel like you need six,.. load six but under normal circumstances we only need five and if you are a good shot and deadly and you can shoot five men before one of them gets to you then you’ve achieved a remarkable feat and you can always re-load,.. if you’re able. I worked as a certified police officer and even during my time it was against our departments policy to have an un-chambered cylinder but in my Glock 40 I always left all of my ammunition in the magazine and I only pulled and loaded it when I felt I was in danger, yes it took about two seconds or less off of my reaction time,..But it gave me a psychological sense of safety knowing there was not a live round inside of my barrel. I had small children in the house at the time and there was no way I was going to be responsible for them accidentally finding my weapon while I was sleeping and thinking it was some sort of a toy or play pistol which would cause an accidental discharge and possibly calls a lot more damage than that. Now when I stepped out of my patrol vehicle and I was facing what I perceive it may or may not be a threat then I would rack and chamber a shell into the firing position, but as a general rule I usually carried my firearm with the chamber empty.

[@jaredd.carlisle7151]

You sir are a gentleman and a scholar.

[@johntate4185]

When he was young, he apparently had a loaded colt fall out of the holster and go off, while he was leaning back in a chair. Needless to say, he learned from it.

[@WholeCosmos]

do not put your head under the tire of this tactor! LOL love it.

[@vincentmalpica]

Somebody probably tried it

[@D9everything]

@@vincentmalpica That was me. And Larry H. Parker got me 1.5 million dollars.

[@this_is_ironic5659]

tAcToR

[@originaloldpop8405]

the reason manufactures put all those stupid warnings in the manual is because some idiot actually did it and then sued

[@bobbyb9258]

If I was an actor, on a western movie set, with no knowledge about those firearms and an armorer too busy with making tiktok videos, that video would be really useful.

[@rsp7029]

Was thinking that myself. When he said "some of the old ones have a worn-out notch" a light bulb went off.

[@SimonsChannel]

My grandfather still has that habit of loading 5 even though he doesn't have a Single Action anymore, I believe it's his lucky charm at this point

[@YouDabian]

It is a priviledge to learn from someone with such a passion for firearms. Thank you!

[@ven5707]

I feel like I can trust this guy with my life.

[@crazybrickstudios7482]

If it’s something about guns, he’s the guy to go to

[@tzackaria7]

yea but would ya trust him with yer wife

[@plowboysghost]

With transfer bar? Six. With safety notches/pins between chambers? Six Anything else....five.

[@Chief2Moon]

plowboysghost Agreed!, Just as you said.

[@baumstamp5989]

Ironic and sad story; distant relative of my sister-in-law actually was at the firing range shooting an old revolver without notches/transfer bar. Had 5 rounds loaded initially... he was doing a shoot / switch cover / shoot drill - the revolver fell onto the ground and shot the following round into his shoulder. So my takeaway is... don't use old revolvers at all if you can avoid it.

[@whackyjinak4978]

Safety notches are easily broken, if it does not have a transfer bar, load five. Period.

[@oolooo]

What about a Cattleman II system ? .

[@plowboysghost]

@@oolooo 6.

[@warywolfen]

In the good ol' days,when I was growing up (1960s), if you read a "Warning" in an instruction manual, you damn well paid attention to it! Today, there are so many warnings in manuals, that many people, no doubt, tend to disregard them. And here's a humorous thought.... I'm a Certified Electronics Technician, and worked in that field for years. I have an oscilloscope which has the following inscription on the back of the case: "No user serviceable parts inside. Refer service to qualified service personnel." Who are those "qualified service personnel"? Electronics technicians, of course! What kind of people own oscilloscopes? Electronics technicians! If that warning were fully adhered to, I can imagine the creation of an organization of technicians, in which they would repair each other's equipment, but not their own!

[@hickok45]

+Clyde Wary Yeah, when EVERTHING is a warning, NOTHING is a warning. So many pages of warnings in many instruction manuals that all that just becomes another chapter we think we'll get around to reading sometime if we "need" to. One would think that manual / instruction writers would understand this basic principle of human nature a bit better. Guess their main concern is that they cover anything that leaves them liable; whether anybody actually reads it all or gets hurt is pretty irrelevant to them.

[@thefunmachine9802]

that's a funny note

[@DerPafferfish]

That's a bit like the warning about peanuts on a Mr. Tom bar. It consists of nothing but whole peanuts glued together by caramel and honey so visually, even on the package, it's all peanuts. Someone with a peanut allergy would need to not know what a peanut looks like, in which case I'm fairly sure they wouldn't even know about their allergy.

[@DerPafferfish]

Hey, at least they named a Pac Man ghost after him.

[@MikeDCWeld]

Unfortunately, plenty of people actually need all those silly warnings these days.

[@hickok45]

Yep, my first big bore handgun was an "old action" Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt. I believe it used a frame-mounted firing pin, but it operated just like a Colt. You did not want a round under the hammer. Those models are collector's items now. Sorry I traded mine.

[@hellothere2467]

1-Turn on captions. 2- 0:00

[@DoktorMahn]

Now I know what you're thinking...did he fire 6 shots or did he fire 5? Well, I lost count myself in this excitement. Being this is a Colt SAA one of the most iconic handguns in the world and would blow your head clean off, you got to ask yourself. Do I feel lucky? Well do ya? Punk?

[@t2shotup274]

whos head would it blow off?

[@Sherpaful]

Scorpio's

[@Larcona_]

T2 shotup Pretty much anyone's.

[@daviddockery8962]

Go ahead, make my day

[@chrisseger2346]

@@t2shotup274 I mean, maybe not clean off, but you'd definitely be missing a huge piece lol.

[@hickok45]

Almost all of them have a notch between each chamber on which you can rest the hammer safely.

[@NMonterosso]

I did not know that thank you for doing this video. I learn something new every time I watch your channel I am glad I found it.

[@hickok45]

Yes, we point that out in almost every levergun video, it seems. :-)

[@m444ss]

Of course, if you've got a modern Ruger with the transfer bar, not an issue.

[@magickology]

Which kind?

[@TacticGamers]

ruger wrangler for example

[@The_Novu]

"Six bullets...more than enough to kill anything that moves..."

[@kenk7252]

Novu shot placement!

[@danat4914]

You're pretty good.

[@Thejoeordinary1]

Novu I only need one.....Bawhahahahahahahahahahahaha 😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@AksenowtCc]

One, two, three, four, five, six. Six. Perfect number.

[@davidjames977]

Revolver ocelot

[@MrOtis909]

Great video. I can only imagine how many folks have been ventilated not following that rule.

[@hickok45]

Upset trolls and anti gunners. :-)

[@hh6248]

Hello

[@leolololo4856]

for some reason i just love him putting the smiley face

[@richardsievers2115]

you sir. are amazing i can't stop learning from your videos i just got my 1st 22lr & you helped me iut thank you for sharing all your knowlage with the world

[@richardsievers2115]

alot more people love your videos you teach safty

[@worldhello1234]

Is that a suggestion?

[@FRRitter]

Hickok45, good counsel! I carried a Colt .38 for several years - and was shocked one day to find a dented primer (under the hammer)...it had failed to go off. I'd been told better - but wanted max round potential. Never again. It can happen dummies! The new transfer bar technology is sound.

[@unfathomablepotato3517]

1:22 "No powder, no BOO-let"

[@hickok45]

Cool piece of history and fun to shoot. As with muzzle loaders and such, we just have to shelve that usual frame of reference with these guns where we compare them tactically with modern pistols. Their capacity and speed to reload are irrelevant. They are just cool and lots of fun.

[@keithnordin1116]

I've always loaded 5! I know a man who had a Ruger 3 screw Super Blackhawk like mine! Pulled it out of his trunk by the holster without the retaining strap and it fell on the hammer. The bullet struck him in the stomach, followed the layer of fat up and out near his armpit! Didn't puncture the inside of the torso! He's lucky! But was careless! Even in my revolvers with transfer bars, I always load 5!

[@hickok45]

Just on the percussion Colts, I think. I've never seen those notches on any of the Colt SAA 1873 cartridge revolvers.

[@6496chase]

My black powder 2nd Generation Colt Walker has a safety pin that sticks out so the hammer can rest on it. And the cylinder will not move at all....

[@Tarik360]

The percussion cap revolvers from colt had a special safety feature for this in which you could rest the firing pin between the nipples, if the manual for the gun in question said so, you could apparently do so which said quote: "To carry the arms safely when loaded, the hammer should be let down on one of the pins between each nipple, on the end of the cylinder."

[@Cbirding1950]

Concise, straight forward and to the point... Thanks for continuing your need and desire to teach. Some of us continue to learn as well.

[@canopus101]

I just cannot believe some of the comments added, in the shape of 'I have never had a problem loading six' or 'just walk around with the weapon cocked.' Your excellent demonstration shows that loading five is the SAFEST way as no matter what goes wrong, dropping and older revolver or dropping a newer one with a transfer bar somehow stuck in the firing position; a round will not be fired if the pin is facing an empty chamber. No chance then of shooting yourself or a bystander. I know what I would do if I owned any make of revolver - load five, just like Hickok45.

[@jasperzanovich2504]

"Works fine for me." Common response to any kind of issue.

[@canopus101]

Yes, you are right. Of course there are many people who load all the chambers and never have a problem. A modern revolver design takes away much of the risk as a transfer bar is a good safety so even if there is a live round beneath the hammer it should not be possible to fire a round unless the hammer has come from fully cocked released by the trigger. If, however, you are sometimes using older guns, or copies of older guns then there is a real risk that loading all the chambers may result in a negligent discharge which could shoot a bystander or yourself. Hickok 45 was making a good point that he loads five everytime as it is a good habit.

[@DirtyDan1]

canopus101 i would rather not get killed

[@brucetucker4847]

Sure, and lots people drive drunk and don't have accidents. Until they do.

[@fakenews6133]

I'd load five like the true American hero, John Wayne

[@StevenThomasGaming]

Probably the most informative video I have ever watched. Thank you.

[@astrogirl1usa]

I love seeing and hearing about these older guns. Thanks Hickok45!

[@cardo718]

I worked as a state police officer in the Pacific North-West my entire 24 year career. I responded to a call of an "accidental shooting" with injuries. The incident happened in a remote location in the forested mountain on some private property. There was a group of life long friends in their 50's. Two married couples. They all owned the land and cabin together. They were sitting around the campfire playing cards. One of the men had a single action Colt .45 loaded with six rounds. The gun was in leather holster with a strap over the hammer and on a leather belt. He set the rig on top of the engine hood of his pick up truck. They had been sitting in folding chairs for at least an hour or more. It seems the gun and holster slowly slid off the hood of the truck. The man who owned the gun took a round in his back. The bullet went through the plastic straps on the back of the chair. I responded to the call with a deputy sheriff as he drove ahead of me. The ambulance was headed down the hill with the injured man. We stopped and talked with the EMTs on board for a brief moment. They were doing CPR on the man, trying to keep him alive. The EMT's pronounced him deceased about an hour later. We arrived at the camp site, doing a scene investigation and taking statements. The man's wife asked us how her husband was doing. The Deputy Sheriff broke the news to her that he passed away. This incident happened over 30 years ago in the early 1990's.

[@gozer87]

Excellent video. I never knew that the old single actions were that tetchy.

[@l33tsamurai]

It's funny because some older guns like the colt 1851 navy, actually had a groove between the chambers for the hammer to rest on. You'd think they'd just keep it that way...

[@jesseleojohnson]

I am new to being a gun owner and cannot wait to get myself a Colt Single Action Army. It is things like this that not many people teach you. This was incredibly helpful. Would be nice to see a video on what you think are things every gun owner should know, but things that are not talked about much. I will have to take a look if you have a video on it already, ha. Thanks for the knowledge and the great shooting!

[@nobodybetter9175]

Join a gun range if you haven't already. These things are talked about often.

[@jesseleojohnson]

@@nobodybetter9175 Thanks! Yeah, I manage a gun range now, ha. Lots has changed in the last 2 years and I have learned quite a bit. Always more to learn though!

[@maw7771]

I'm looking to buy my first single action and this video was very helpful in answering the 5 versus 6 question for me. I enjoy watching all your videos; thanks for sharing!

[@JETZcorp]

Had a bunch of questions come to mind while watching and every single one of them got answered. In order! That is why Hickok is a legend.

[@mickeyt3850]

thank you, exactly what I needed to learn about the single action load up.

[@Hendo56]

Excellent video! A perfect lesson for those who use 6 shooters.

[@edwarddowning7531]

More like a perfect lesson to do research on your gun and the mechanics of it

[@Hendo56]

@@edwarddowning7531 This video IS research. Oh get over yourself. Geez.

[@1CoolHandNuke]

Thanks so much for the detailed explanation, ESPECIALLY the demonstration with the primed round and striking of the hammer. There isn’t a better explanation of this anywhere.

[@MatthewW713]

You are the best hickok45! Wonderful knowledge that someone like myself would have never known. And I have been around firearms for over 30 years. Just not any older single action revolvers. Now I know!

[@Ducaso]

This adds perspective to the relevance of drop safety in firearms.

[@wxedsanddokx]

Guys like this always make great teachers

[@stinkybuddydog]

Thank you for your time showing us "Newer,Younger" Shooters this isn't a myth!

[@markgentry6688]

It never hurts to have a refresher course. Thank you so much!

[@MattyDemello]

Awesome! I counted right along with you and when you pulled the hammer back on the 6th round I said "please tell me he didn't load all 6 rounds" lol good. I'm glad you're teaching this. Newer gun owners don't know about that. Its called "the cowboy load"

[@jfydjaja7077]

cringe

[@hanoitripper1809]

Matt's Horsemanship why?

[@jasonathey2551]

Alex Baldwin visited this video before his interview with abc

[@Daponics89]

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO hickok!! Far too many people need to know this.

[@sogdal1]

Great video, I have heard you refer to this video dozens of times in other videos and finally I got a change to watch it. Well done as always.

[@drewnicoll1262]

Awesome video, as always. Love your stuff!!!

[@lonsdalefanmatt]

For the record, I’ve never loaded 6 rounds in my older single actions. But I honestly never realized that the primer could actually be set off with so little impact! Thanks a million and God bless!

[@the.porter.productions]

Loved this video...I’ve heard of this issue only once. Thanks for taking time to demonstrate this problem.

[@jophis82]

Always a pleasure watching your videos. Thank you for making the world a little safer and gun smart one weapon at a time!

[@Cifyra]

some revolvers you can set the hammer between the rounds

[@meganfisher831]

That's cool I didn't know that.

[@Chief2Moon]

Phoenix Grimm It depends on the model

[@cryptochipmunk336]

How do you know that the cylinder wont accidentally spin

[@jeffhousen8968]

@@cryptochipmunk336 there's a pin on the cylinder that matches to a notch in the hammer, the black powder colts have this feature. no drop fire that way

[@doughesson]

"Load six if your gut tells you to." ~John Bernard Books

[@1989oluo]

Thanks for the video. Always good to hear a safety courses. I always load 5 no matter where I I'm.

[@carloscastanheiro2933]

Your videos are amazing, Mister. Thank you for doing them.

[@1MILKBOY]

here in 2019 because my new love for revolvers thanks too rdr2

[@40belowful]

Good information! Thanks

[@sivispacemparabellum1308]

La meilleure explication en image que j’ai eu de pourquoi toujours laisser une chambre vide.. Respect from France 🇫🇷 ✌️

[@jaypayelite117]

I think this is the best thing about single action I have been taught I have been recently wanting to get a heritage arms for plinking so happy I was looking for the catch!

[@GamerToons]

But how many should I eat?

[@ArtietheArchon]

when it comes to eating bullets the first one should be enough

[@dunno6442]

@@ArtietheArchon or just eat all 6 to be sure, may need a helping hand 😂

[@matthiasthulman4058]

We only eat crayons around these parts

[@gwidwock]

Very good safety info.

[@chrisrogers9396]

Thanks alot for this video! Never knew this was a saftey concern or issue with these older single actions. As a recent conversions enthusiast, I definitely value the saftey information here before buying my first 6 shooter. Definitely subscribing!

[@thefalcon9536]

Hickok 45 is true to his word. I had picked up a cattleman 44/40 got back from hunting. It fell out on the hammer and shot and put a hole through my door in my truck. How close life and death¡!!! Missed me by a couple of inches always a empty cylinder. I learned the hard way. Thank you Lord!!!!🥵

[@adamshaw9086]

isn't that what the HC position is for ? my impression was that it was a "safety"

[@classicgunstoday1972]

“Load six if your insides tell you to”

[@sevinstorey4365]

-John Bernard Books

[@Spence017]

I never knew about this another reason why I like your videos not only for the guns but also the knowledge that you pass on thank you!!!!

[@samr6148]

You learn something new every day. Thanks for putting out the FYI on Facebook regarding this practice. Glad you also explained that modern replicas need to be treated the same way. Thanks!

[@Creeper308]

Thank you for this video! I do take safety warnings for granted. I shoot with a new vaquero that has the transfer bar and a Cimarron that doesn't. I always load 5 in each (the same way) to avoid any confusion or accident.

[@silvermanewj4366]

You mean you DON'T take safety warnings for granted. Unless they're stupidly telling you things your six year old knows already!

[@VSO_Gun_Channel]

I thought I would ask you sir since we are on the topic: What about the old lever guns do they have transfer bars? I know the modern remakes do. However would you then carry the lever gun pipe empty? Thanks Spectre

[@kaidencrip7565]

7 years and no reply, sad

[@cyan_exodus9340]

@@kaidencrip7565 he not 7 years old haha

[@kaidencrip7565]

The comment is

[@wesmartin9392]

You Sir are a very knowledgeable man . Its a pleasure and a education to watch and listen to you .. Thank You . Wes Martin

[@DIYautotech]

Good to see another revolver video Hickok. I'm just like you, my revolvers are my passion, especially the single action ones!

[@patrickgermond2750]

Great video. I almost didn't watch it. I mean who watches safety videos? hahaha My kid carries my Cimarron and Vacaro and she needs to know this.

[@daneman63]

Vaquero has the built in safety. This is only for the old colt

[@jonathansteppig4116]

I wonder who dislikes videos like this, and why?

[@Nunya-gk9fr]

Muslims & liberals

[@andrewmarkert1146]

Anti-gun poofters.

[@sevinstorey4365]

Well jealous haters for one, people who do not understand firearm safety for two, and gun control freaks and nuts that think that you can stop gun violence by outlawing guns! You do realize that heroin and marijuana has been outlawed for years but I can find it on every corner...., for you to believe that you think you can control gun violence by outlawing guns only makes you the same class of people who think you can control heroin by making it illegal

[@vistea1]

Revolver Ocelot disliked this. He likes to fire six shots instead of five.

[@jonathansteppig4116]

@@vistea1 I can't argue with that

[@charlesledbetter1912]

Very good info. New to guns. Love your video's. Wealth of knowledge. Also like that you use no load music and no foul language. Thank you for your time and knowledge.

[@bandman1967]

This was excellent and I am really glad I saw this in it's entirety. I needed to see it.

[@yellowjacket588]

How many people are watching this because of Alec Baldwin’s claim that he never pulled the trigger?

[@hickok45]

None of us can claim 100% that a handgun has never "gone off" on it's own. I'm sure a trigger has been so defective that it's happened somewhere; however, "The gun just went off" is the common argument when people experience unintentional discharge by having their finger on the trigger and pulling it. Guns don't just "go off."

[@yellowjacket588]

@@hickok45 Alec Baldwin is now claiming that he never pulled the hammer all way back to cock it either he just let the hammer go and the gun went off. Is it possible for the cylinder to rotate the chamber enough and align with the firing pin without pulling the hammer all the way back even with a colt replica that was designed just like the originals that had none of these modern safeties?

[@chexrice]

@@yellowjacket588 why would the cylinder have needed to rotate? It could have had a round already in place.

[@yellowjacket588]

@@chexrice Alec Baldwin said, ”I pulled the hammer as far as I could without cocking the gun and I let go of the hammer and it went off!” Would the cylinder rotate enough (assuming he pulled it to the third hammer position) to align the hammer and firing pin with the bullet primer to fire the gun if the half cock and first safety notch failed to catch the hammer as it fell forward, without Alec pulling the trigger?

[@thelonepeasant2953]

So why would i want to own a SA without a transfer bar? And why do SA's that have transfer bars still tell you to load 5 in the manual?

[@eddyguizonde401]

i'm no expert, but you can't fan the hammer with a transfer bar. also, imagine you've got the reflex to load six. someone lends you their gun. it doesn't have a transfer bar. "oh no, i just shot my leg in the face". i've heard stories of people carrying colt dragoons and bp revolvers with all chambers loaded, but without one percussion cap, or even the hammer resting on a leather lanyard to prevent accidental discharge. it sounds a bit too fiddly for me, and frankly borderline darwin-award worthy.

[@rbrtck]

+TheLonePeasant Well, if you want to own a real Colt SAA, vintage or new, then it won't have a transfer bar. And the reason to own a new SAA or exact clone thereof would be a desire for authenticity to the most iconic revolver of the western/frontier era.

[@Tezcax]

For historical reasons, cowbow action shooting where you fan the revolver and so on.

[@brucetucker4847]

Eddy Guizonde the percussion revolvers (at least all from the Navy on, not sure about the Dragoon and Walker) have notches in the hammer with a corresponding bump on the back of the cylinder between caps so the hammer can rest on the cylinder instead of a cap and the bump being in the notch prevents the cylinder from turning. The need for a firing pin meant that wouldn't work with cartridge guns. It's safe to carry a percussion revolver loaded with six rounds that way but lowering the hammer on a SA that way repeatedly causes stress on the mainspring and mars the cylinder by causing the bolt to drag against it, so it's not recommended to do so unless you're planning on taking on a gang of rustlers or desperadoes in the immediate future.

[@JuicyFruityify]

Holy crap. I've watched a lot of gun vids but the knowlege in this one could just save my or someone else's life.

[@kenk7252]

Did I see common sense and or logic. I had never seen this demo. Wow! And I am a wee bit your senior. Just shows that one is never to senior to learn. Thank you, young fellas..

[@johnmarston2282]

you shot five

[@paltik3834]

John Marston b

[@loganmartin1156]

Rip

[@trentf3980]

Can't run away from the past boy

[@tonyporter4132]

Hey that’s me

[@tacituskilgore3327]

I want you to go and not look back

[@prd185]

Ruger Vaquero has a blocking bar. you wouldn't have that problem with a vaquero or a ruger single action Blackhawk. Get a modern day cowboy gun.

[@hickok45]

Correct, this is only an issue with real Colt SAAs or clones of these original designs. Modern designs take care of this if you don't mind a modern design of the classic single actions.

[@TommygunNG]

The Colt Cowboy. Colt should never have stopped production on that model, with its transfer bar safety. Looked enough like a SAA, but with the biggest problem with it fixed. If those were available and affordable, I'd be first in line to buy one.

[@mitchcoughlin8335]

I always understood why you load 5 instead of 6 when you're carrying, but it didn't make sense why people would do it when they're at the range. Thank you for explaining that it's just good to form the habit for when you do holster your revolver.

[@howdytoyer]

That was educational as hell. It's so obvious but not everybody knows. Great video and thanks for posting !

[@gustavgnoettgen]

You should NEVER load six If you have a five shot revolver

[@buyerenogurlfwendo2106]

Yeah but with a 5 shot you should load 4

[@Remmes]

So would you still put 5 in a modern revolver that has the safety?

[@Generalofmetal]

I do. I always put in a "cowboy load."

[@spaxspore]

depends on what it is.. a colt SAA and/or replica yes. A modern S&W.. no, a Ruger SAA no.. (it has a transfer bar). Now some folks load 5 instead of 6 on habit on all Single actions regardless.. thats fine. I just keep a snap cap in cylinder 6 on the ones with out a transfer bar.

[@meganfisher831]

I'm not super experienced but with my own weapons I found.. just test them. I did similar to the above (not influenced by this video, but learning the weapons) of trying to get the gun to fire by letting the hammer snap and seeing if the safety mechanism worked well. But I'm not carrying the weapon all day, it lives on my shelf for when it's called to action. Which happens here and there living this rural. Scares coyotes, euthanizes clearly sick varmint (which are appreciated and respected while healthy, but nothing someone can do for rabies..) and if it comes to it, the copper thieves hitting abandoned houses houses down the road might turn tail at this one. Random tip of the day: Mutch like neutering and releasing tom cats back where they came from, keeping mellow possums and raccoons around and allowing them to stay without needlessly killing them can actually keep your livestock safer. Like cats they have personalities and habits, and the ones you keep around or let eat certain things will protect their territory from the aggressive ones you don't want near your kids, chickens, or dogs. Killing the sickly or highly aggressive ones sort of creates a whole line of docile varmint. Just be sure to throw out some cheap pet food around the desperate months or the chickens they previously ignores and walked past without issue seem tastier and you lose years of hard work.

[@AuctioneerElite]

Educational & entertaining as always! Thanks for another great video Hickok!! Keep on shooting, & stay safe :)

[@PeachCob420]

Thanks for taking the time to explain this some people aren't aware of the danger they're in and the danger they're putting other people in

[@365thegreat2]

If Arthur Morgan loads in 6, I load in 6

[@bushwhackedonvhs]

Enjoy a ventilated leg

[@cadu_kilmister7672]

Lol

[@magpie-yf8gf]

ooof yikes, have fun being paralyzed.

[@jonasgs7443]

Engravings... Provide no tactical advantage whatsoever.

[@arthurmorgan4041]

They give you +5 damage.

[@krysbelasco]

Thanks for showing how the transfer bar works and what it prevents. Been thinking of getting a Ruger Wrangler to learn on.

[@josephsalazar7643]

Thank u hickok 45 ,I always wondered why the 5 load rather than 6 I appreciate this video

[@dejay1739]

Alec Baldwin only loads 1

[@pinkflamingo8806]

I’ve been looking for this video since the Alec Baldwin incident. I’m curious if this may have been a factor?

[@wesmartin9392]

This is one of the best , well presented , informative video's I have ever had the pleasure to watch .. You have made the answer to the question whether to load 5 or 6 very clear ... Many thanks , I appreciate it .. Wes Martin

[@mannyzx1]

When I was little, Pops always told me to load five in the gun we called the “cowboy”. I always wondered, but I trusted my poppa so much that I never asked why. So, now I know. Thanks Hickok!