When you read articles or hear gun experts talking about revolvers, you'll hear a lot of confusing terminology being thrown around. The facts are actually rather simple. Here are the three basic types of revolver trigger systems.
Single-action-only (SA)
This type is the oldest of the systems and requires that the hammer be manually cocked by the shooter for each shot. While slow, it offers a light trigger pull that is conducive to accuracy.
Single-action revolvers such as the Colt Single Action Army were popular in the American West and remain so today among cowboy action competitors and traditionalists.
Double-action/single-action (DA/SA)This system is so named because pulling the trigger will cock and release the hammer. Most double-action revolvers can also be fired in the single-action mode as well. When fired in the double-action mode, most revolvers offer a long, heavy trigger pull that is not conducive to accuracy. For this reason, most double-action shooting is done at close ranges in self-defense scenarios.
Most modern revolvers are of double-action/single-action design, such as the Colt Python, Ruger SP100 and S&W Model 29. This includes even large-bore models that will seldom, if ever, be fired in the double-action mode.
Single-action-only (SA)
This type is the oldest of the systems and requires that the hammer be manually cocked by the shooter for each shot. While slow, it offers a light trigger pull that is conducive to accuracy.
Single-action revolvers such as the Colt Single Action Army were popular in the American West and remain so today among cowboy action competitors and traditionalists.
Double-action/single-action (DA/SA)This system is so named because pulling the trigger will cock and release the hammer. Most double-action revolvers can also be fired in the single-action mode as well. When fired in the double-action mode, most revolvers offer a long, heavy trigger pull that is not conducive to accuracy. For this reason, most double-action shooting is done at close ranges in self-defense scenarios.
Most modern revolvers are of double-action/single-action design, such as the Colt Python, Ruger SP100 and S&W Model 29. This includes even large-bore models that will seldom, if ever, be fired in the double-action mode.