Which Thumb to you use to cock your revolver?

[Uni-Vibe]

Let's say you're right handed. You're shooting a revolver. Do you

(1) reach your right thumb up to cock, or

(2) reach your left thumb around?


I'm just now getting into shooting revolver (after 40 years of 1911) and I'm inclined to keep my right hand grip firm, and reach with the left thumb.

What do y'all do?

[hotrodder636]

I am right handed shooter. I reach my left thumb up to pull the hammer. My left thumb rides over my right thumb.

Doing this i find that i am faster and stay on target better than when i try to use my right thumb.

[gaijin]

^^Yes.

Using support hand thumb to cock hammer is most efficient.
You maintain a firing grip on weapon with "strong hand" this way- enabling quicker follow up shots, with greater accuracy.

[mack7.62]

Are you talking single action or double action revolver? IMO thumb cocking a double action is a bad habit to get into unless it is a hunting handgun.

[ST911]

I use my support side thumb to cock the hammer, preserving my firing grip.

Cocking the hammer of a DA semi or revolver is a viable tactic in certain conditions.

[militarymoron]

Support hand thumb.

[jbourneidentity]

"Are you talking single action or double action revolver? IMO thumb cocking a double action is a bad habit to get into unless it is a hunting handgun."



Here it is. I knew it when I read the thread title. It only took 4 responses. That's even quicker than I thought.

[1986s4]

"Are you talking single action or double action revolver? IMO thumb cocking a double action is a bad habit to get into unless it is a hunting handgun."



Here it is. I knew it when I read the thread title. It only took 4 responses. That's even quicker than I thought.

Right, I almost didn't respond because I don't thumb cock my DA revos but after thinking about I do sometimes when sighting in with different ammo along with bench resting the pistol. But that's where it ends for me.

[plain old dave]

I have always eared the hammer back on a revolver with my right thumb. Balance sixgun on the second knuckle, and press down. Cocking the hammer brings the barrel back down.

Train like you fight. The support hand should be just that: support. Support hand cocking is inelegant at best, and clumsy and forced at worst.

Saw mention upthread of SASS gamers. I'm glad they can rip off rounds fast. If you want to see how they really did it when the targets shot back, though, there are plenty of Frederic Remington prints and John Wayne movies. The "advisors" when the Duke started were almost to a man retired gunfighters or lawmen. Two handed shooting was considered such an eccentricity that the fastest revolver shot that has yet lived, Ed McGivern, only devoted a few pages to it and Elmer Keith only used it for long range (150+ yds) work.

Saw mention upthread, too, of only shooting SA when hunting. I disagree completely; SA shooting is always more accurate. If you have time to aim, you have time to ear a hammer back.

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[MWAG19919]

My left thumb cocks the hammer