| Discussion pro- and con- with respect to firearms | | | | A single action weapon is much slower and one |
| goes on today almost ad nauseum. However, | | | | that requires a manual resetting of the hammer |
| there is one type of firearms that is used today | | | | before the trigger mechanism can be pulled to |
| almost exclusively for recreation and is worth | | | | discharge the next missile. The first of these |
| consideration from this standpoint. | | | | weapons were quite crude and required gun |
| Life has become so hectic that a number of | | | | powder to be placed in a 'flashpan' next to the |
| 'offbeat' interests seem to be developing. Some | | | | projectile. A piece of flint, attached to the |
| individuals go along with rock climbing, para-sailing, | | | | hammer, descended when the trigger was pulled, |
| sky diving, scuba diving and other types of | | | | to strike a metal part initiating a spark. The spark |
| strenuous activity that 'could be deleterious to | | | | caused the powder to ignite and the projectile |
| one's health'. The individuals who participate in | | | | was propelled out the barrel. A number of |
| these activities are into the intensity of their way | | | | variations evolved through the years and are the |
| of life and push it into these dangerous ways of | | | | type of weapons favored by the 'Mountain Men'. |
| relaxation. | | | | Eventually, mechanical know-how progressed |
| There is another collection of people who are | | | | sufficiently to provide the more complicated |
| frustrated with the torrid pace of life today and | | | | mechanism required to fire more than one |
| are looking for something less hectic to do in their | | | | projectile before reloading; i.e., several projectiles |
| leisure time. These persons look back at the | | | | could be loaded at one time and fired successively |
| times when life was much slower and simpler and | | | | before reloading. The hammer still had to be |
| look for less dangerous ways in which to spend | | | | manually reset each time before the trigger could |
| their leisure moments. | | | | be pulled to discharge the next projectile, |
| Within this collection, is a nostalgic subgroup that | | | | however. Thus, the term single-action. |
| began feeling the pressure numerous years ago, | | | | In the United States, Samuel Colt was the first to |
| Theirs' is an interest in the traditional way of life | | | | develop such a revolver. He devised a method of |
| of the early immigrants and inhabitants of this | | | | mechanical leverage to work in such a manner |
| country. They copy the dress, food and even | | | | that the pull of the trigger caused a cylinder, |
| much of the language of these early settlers. Also | | | | which contained the rounds to be ejected, to |
| copied, are the weapons these citizens required to | | | | rotate so that the hammer would strike the next |
| kill game for food and to protect themselves | | | | projectile just by again pulling the trigger. A |
| from Indians, and other predators. | | | | measure of powder was placed in each of the |
| There are several subgroups within this subgroup, | | | | five chambers of the cylinder and a round lead ball |
| all of whom attempt to emulate these early | | | | tamped down on top. A coating of grease was |
| settlers in various periods. Some of the most | | | | added so that when one chamber fired, the |
| prominent are the Mountain Men, who emulate | | | | powder in the next would not also be fired. The |
| those hearty soles who invaded the mountains | | | | first of these weapons, the Patterson Colt |
| after beaver and other furs; the Civil War | | | | (so-called because it was manufactured in |
| Re-enactors - the name is self-explanatory; and | | | | Patterson, N. J.) was highly effective and a great |
| the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS). This | | | | step forward in self-defense, but crude and |
| latter group alone has grown from a few in 1970, | | | | unwieldy. |
| to 20,000 members at the turn of this century, | | | | Next in evolution came the cap and ball, where |
| and explosively to more than 80,000 today. | | | | loose powder was replaced by a primer which |
| There also are offshoots reflecting this nostalgia, | | | | functioned as the propellant, so one did not have |
| in the formation of Western Three Gun Societies, | | | | to contend with greasing each chamber and |
| and several versions of Cowboy Fast Draw. | | | | worrying about the loose powder. Within a few |
| There also are numerous actors who have | | | | short years, the cap and ball was replaced by the |
| 'shoot-outs' in various towns and areas of the | | | | metal jacketed round that contained both the |
| west. All of the members of these organizations | | | | powder and the projectile. Further research |
| use single action weapons of some kind. Such | | | | moved the striking position from rim fire to |
| weapons were the first to be manufactured, | | | | center fire of the cartridge because a rimfire |
| simply because the mechanism required for | | | | cartridge had a greater tendency to misfire. The |
| double-action is quite involved. | | | | weapon remained single action, however. |
| From the huge number of police, gangster, and | | | | So, you have a gun being used recreationally |
| other movies today, most people are familiar with | | | | under controlled conditions that offers enjoyment |
| automatic weapons. Many have little to no | | | | to thousands of people ranging in age from 7 to |
| knowledge of their predecessors. The automatic | | | | 90 years of age. It also provides a way in which |
| weapon operates in such a manner that pulling the | | | | entire families can spend a day, week-end, or |
| trigger causes the projectile to be launched, and | | | | more together in the outdoors. It also is less |
| that launching resets the hammer so that another | | | | dangerous than rock climbing, scuba diving and a |
| trigger pull causes the next discharge, etc. In | | | | host of other means of recreation. The Single |
| other words, double-action. Some of these | | | | Action Shooting Society, for example, has |
| weapons can also discharge a string of projectiles | | | | reported no serious injury from gun fire in |
| by holding down the trigger. | | | | twenty-five years of existence. |