Guns And Stuff Related.

[Elio Amazed]

I haven't done any research, but I can't imagine a .38 Special would do much to a bear.

Yep. I'll have to make sure that I remember to load it with .357 mag when in bear country.
But it might get a little expensive and painful to practice with .357 mag extensively.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

As much as I love the 357 Magnum, I would feel more comfortable with the 460 Rowload or 454 Casull.

 

[Elio Amazed]

As much as I love the 357 Magnum, I would feel more comfortable with the 460 Rowload or 454 Casull.

I hear ya loud and clear Grumpy Cat, but the budget can't keep up.
So I guess the .357 mag will have to do. I'll practice for shot placement.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

I hear ya loud and clear Grumpy Cat, but the budget can't keep up.
So I guess the .357 mag will have to do. I'll practice for shot placement.

I know all about budgets. I haven't been to the range much in the last 4 years since I can't afford to go through my ammo or even spend the money on the range fee. I'm looking forwarding to one day having a better paying job so I can buy myself a Springfield XDm 10mm, Kriss Super V, among other firearms.

 

[JEBar]

hope it will serve you well

 

[Elio Amazed]

Just an added note...
We only have black bear in PA and the population is reported to only be 8k - 10k.
If I ever make any plans to venture into Brown and/or Grizzly country, I'll likely make other arrangements.

http://cookforest.com/articles/livingwithblackbears/blackbears.cfm

 

[JEBar]

load a 357 with Buffalo Bore 180 gr bullets and it should do well on deer, boar and most black bear

 

[Elio Amazed]

load a 357 with Buffalo Bore 180 gr bullets and it should do well on deer, boar and most black bear

Picked the Hawes up this morning.
Not cosmetically perfect, but in pretty decent shape.
Everything is super tight on it and the barrel looks like it hasn't been shot much.

I'm going to have to check it out further, but this thing looks like it might be somewhat safe to carry one under the pin.

I can de-cock it to either half-cock or 1st position (about 1/8 inch away from bottom) by...
Pulling the trigger, lowering the hammer very slightly (past the "notch")...
And then taking my finger off of the trigger and lowering it to the next "notch".

I've been purposely trying to cause the hammer to "slip" all the way down, but I can't unless I intentionally keep the trigger squeezed.
At the first position, the hammer may be just barely in contact with the pin, but the pin would not be resting on a primer.
The pin is actually still well recessed below the surface of the back frame wall.
As always, caution is the key word though. My .22 is much more balanced.
This hog-leg is considerably front heavy. I'm hoping that will help reduce muzzle rise.

I looked for PA game law regarding DA/SA.
I haven't found anything yet that says a hunter can't use a double action revolver.
We're just not allowed to use semi-auto rifles or pistols.

So maybe there'll be a stainless Rossi 972 in my future at some time.
You can pick them up new for less than $350 if you look hard enough.
That way I could have DA/SA with adjustable sights, use a speed loader and have comfy grips.
The shop was asking $300 for a used one in new condition.

I think $225 was a good price for the Hawes. The shop even threw in a nice soft case.
Most of the reviews I've seen on line claim it's got a 2.5lb. trigger. I believe it!

All in all, I'm happy with my cowboy guns so far.

 

[JEBar]

outstanding .... looking forward to hearing a range report

 

[Elio Amazed]

I checked a few sites for information on the 1st hammer position (generally defined as 1/4 cocked).
It was common practice for people (including the manufacturers and as late as the 1960s)...
To trust the first notch on an SA as a safety before the invention and adaptation of the transfer bar.
I've decided to not trust flawed 100+year-old technology and I'll be carrying with one empty chamber.

Here's what I found that defines the situation best...
"It (the first position) holds the hammer back far enough, so that the tip of the firing pin no longer protrudes through the frame, into the area normally occupied by a cartridge case's primer - in case of a ramdom/accidental blow to the hammer.
Although referred to by some as the safety notch, it's not safe - as a hard blow to the hammer has been known to shear off the notch, transferring the blow to a primer, causing an AD - the reason why seasoned SA fans leave the chamber under the hammer empty on guns w/o transfer bars."

These days that first position's purpose (and, in reality, part of the second position's too)...
Is simply to stop the hammer if your thumb slips off while pulling it back.

So it's load one, skip one, load four and then fully cock and de-cock the hammer onto an empty chamber.

Even though that first notch improves the odds immensely, it's still better to have 5 than to tempt fate.
Even the newer Marlin 336s have a manual hammer block safety somewhat similar to what my Heritage 22LR SA does.