Question on fanning triggers.

Question

How do you fan the trigger of a single action revolver? Do you hold down the trigger, or do you pull it every time you fan it? Also can you fan the trigger of double action revolvers?

Answer 1

In double action you can just keep pulling the trigger, which of course doesn't work on a single action, so you hold the triger in and use the off hand to work the hammer. It's done a lot slower and more deliberate than the fast action seen in the movies and by fast action experts. It isn't hard on the gun but isn't very accurate either.

Answer 2

Fanning is a revolver shooting technique in which one hand holds the revolver and the other hits the revolver hammer repeatedly. This turns the cylinder and hits the firing pin in that order, allowing for 'automatic fire' of a revolver. This technique only works with single action revolvers, and, when performed very quickly, can be very damaging to the cylinder stop mechanism. This technique is used extensively in Fast Draw competitions, which generally use special lightweight aluminum or titanium blank firing cylinders, rather than the steel cylinders normally found on single action revolvers.

Recoil precludes fanning a gun firing live large bore centerfire ammunition. After the first round, the gun will be pointing upwards at a 45 degree angle or higher, making a second shot at a target impossible until the gun is lowered and re-aimed. Fanning a Colt 6-gun as shown in at least one TV series is quite impossible in practice.

Despite this, revolver-fanning has become a staple feature of many fictional Western-based scenarios.

The world record for drawing and firing a single-action revolver using a 'traditional' style of draw in an Index contest in the 8' Standing Blank event was set during the 2000 Canadian Championships in Cochrane, Alberta by Howard Darby. It should be remembered that the time of 0.252 included a reaction time of approximately 0.145 before the actual draw was initiated. This shooter was using one of the many fanning styles of draw to accomplish this record.

Answer 3

You don't 'fan' the trigger on a single-action revolver.  Although it is a very unsafe practice probably really invented by Hollywood rather than the true-blue Old West gunfighters, what is done is to 'fan the hammer' to achieve 'rapid-fire' on an otherwise slow-rate-of-fire handgun.

In an old Willian Holden Western movie he was supposed to have wired down the trigger on his Colt and greased the holster to be able to effect an even quicker draw.  At least the greased-holster part was malarky.  Imagine riding around on horseback all day in the desert with a greased holster!  It would become caked with dust and dirt.  Eventually this would even cause his revolver to lockup disabling the best, most reliable single-action revolver ever made!  So you see, you can't believe everything you see on the screen.

H

Answer 4

If your gun wasn't specifically re-made with hefty parts, you will likely break springs like the lock and trigger return spring on a single action by fanning it.

This was all the rage in the 50's-60's TV shows. Same with the bow lever action rifle ala John Wayne or the Rifleman.For trick shooting, they use wax bullets so no one get hurt. They also aren't using hot loads with lead. Just too dangerous. There are some very good and accurate speed shooters. A lot of this started with Ed McGivern in the 30's and 40's.

I don't believe there was ever a single recorded use of fanning a six-gun in real life. There were some other moves used like the border shift etc. but nothing recorded in the 1880's of fanning. the man likely to survive a shoot out, most likely ****** his gun and aimed purposefully.

Does look neat on the big screen though.

Answer 5

Doc is correct, you cannot fan a double action, at least not any modern one.  They go into full-lockup as the hammer is falling to keep the cylinder from rotating even a little and misaligning at the last second.  Until the trigger goes forward a little to reset the full-lockup, you won't be able to fan.

that being said, with a double action you can be wicked fast just yanking on the trigger  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3fgduPdH...

Answer 6

It's called fanning the hammer, not the trigger. You hold the trigger down, and fan the hammer with the off hand.

The real gunfighters who did this removed the trigger altogether (as well as the sights) and used a special "slip hammer" which was contoured specifically for fanning. Single shots could also be fired by pulling the hammer back with the thumb, and letting it slip off. This also made for a simpler revolver, as several parts were omitted.

It is possible with a double action revolver to fire the first shot double action and then hold the trigger and fan the subsequent shots, but the ergonomics of double actions do not lend themselves well to this use. The transition from the first shot would tend to throw you off, too.

Answer 7

That's painful and inaccurate, looks good in the movies but not very practical.

Answer 8

You can't fan a double-action revolver.

If you attempt to fan an adjustable sighted six-gun, such as a Ruger Blackhawk or Super Blackhawk, you are probably going to put a pretty bad gash in your hand, unless you wear very heavy gloves.  Even with Peacemaker copies with fixed sights, gloves are a good idea to prevent cuts when fanning.

If you don't already know, fanning is pretty rough on a handgun.  All that slamming back of the hammer puts lots of stress on the frame, hammer, cylinder stop (the part that locks the cylinder in place to align the chambers with the barrel), and pawl (the small part that turns the cylinder).  Revolvers intended for lots of fanning have specially re-enforced and heat treated parts to make the revolver last longer.

For the mechanics of fanning>

Draw your revolver, point it at your target at waist level.  Pull the trigger to its rearmost position and hold it there.  With the off hand, gloved and held in a rigid blade position, using a circular motion, sweep the hand the hammer back.  The already pulled trigger will allow the hammer to fall, and repeating the sweeping motion will produce another shot.

You should be aware that fanning a six-gun is the worst possible way to hit a target.  Unless you invest a few hundred thousand rounds of practice, and wear out several revolvers in the process, fanning is best for making noise.

If you really want to shoot an old thumb-buster fast and with some accuracy, you should learn slip-shooting.  Draw the gun and pull the trigger back.  Raise the revolver to eye level, use the off hand to support the revolver and c-o-c-k the hammer.  When you establish your sight picture, let the hammer slip from under your thumb.  Was you are pulling the revolver down from recoil, let the support hand thumb re-c-o-c-k the hammer and repeat.  This is easier on the revolver and much more accurate.

Doc

Answer 9

I know this guy who back about 30 years ago when he was 18 he heard about how the old time gunfighters woudld sometimes tie their trigger back

They cacked the hammer as they drew and release it when the gun was on target

He got pretty good at it till he practiced a little too long one day and his got a little tired and sweaty

As his gun was clearing the holster the front of the barrel caught the front of the holster and his thumb slipped off the hammer

He walks with a limp now and can predict whether it will rain of get cold tomorrow

These days he tells his story of stupidity mostly to warn others away from the same mistake

Answer 10

ya' hold it down!

Answer 11

To properly "fan" a hammer (not trigger), you hold down the trigger while you fan the hammer with the side of your "off" hand.  There are some people who are good enough at it that they combine fanniing and trigger pulling to get off shots as rapidly as a machine gun.  To do this, they will draw, pull the trigger for one shot, fan the hammer first with their thumb for the second shot, pull the trigger for the third shot, continue fanning with thier index finger of their off hand for the fourth shot, again pull the trigger for the fifth shot, fan the hammer with their little finger for the fifth shot and one more trigger pull for the sixth shot.  They can get off all six shots so rapidly that it actually sounds like one shot.