Yesterday I got a new single action revolver. Yup, I know, single action revolver with a bunch of question marks and exclamation points. I got mine for training purposes. But, Yup, lots and lots of people are buying them because 'ye olde six guns' are fun, very accurate, nostalgia inducing, cool and a million other reasons. 'Just because' is another good reason I have heard.

So, I open it up, check it out a little, record the serial number, and dig into the manual.

I see those long lines of ??? and !!!, hold your fire on those. Yup, I read the manuals for my firearms.

And here I am reading my new 'olde six gun' manual and I come to a full stop - I should fill this rant with ??? and !!!

Screen grab of page from [Gun Manufacturer's] manual.

Has everyone just gone crazy(?!...)

Did I just go crazy and everyone else is all AOK(?!...)

Please(?!) Please(?!) anyone who reads firearms manuals (besides me) or reads this page: (?!?!?!)

DO! NOT! attempt to 'Decock (Uncock) the Revolver' in this manner!

Shameless Self Promotion Warning: contact me (or any) firearms trainer/instructor, contact experienced gun enthusiast (who owns and shoots revolvers), contact the NRA, contact a gun shop, contact a CIA-Alien-Space-Invader for all I care; contact somebody (I'll give you lessons for $) about how to handle a firearm (revolver or otherwise) safely and correctly.

Here is the FREE* edition in rant format:

• DO NOT EVER point a [hand]gun back and to the left as is indicated in that crazy drawing. Where, kids, would the round go if diagram-man did have an accidental discharge? Safe Direction? No.
• DO NOT EVER (dag-nab-it especially when deocking a known 'hot' revolver) have your left (off, support, other, non-shooting, whatever) hand in front of or along side the cylinder and cylinder gap. If diagram-man's hammer slips free the gap-blast is going to remove his thumb from the joint up, and his index finger from the first joint up. Or, just burn it and cut it real bad.
• DO keep the gun pointed down range at an intended target with a good backstop (safe direction).
• DO mind your trigger finger(s) - keep all of your digits outside of the trigger guard until the very moment you need to 'manipulate the trigger' in order to release the hammer.
• DO relax yourself and your grip (both hands) enough that you can (1) get a solid strong hand thumb placement on the hammer and (2) get a blocking, slowing, support placement of the support hand thumb against, along side, or in front of the hammer.
• DO - when relaxed and comfortable with the three green DOs above - press (pull, manipulate, squeeze, whatever-you-call-it) the trigger and hold it to the back/rear.
• DO start to bring the hammer forward with your strong hand thumb; keep your off/support hand's thumb in front of or tightly along side the hammer.
• Try to follow any good instructions in the manufacturer's manual about when to release the trigger or bring it fully forward in-sync with the hammer. Disclaimer: If, like this manual of mine, there is craziness in there instead of good, safe instructions, don't follow crazy instructions: do what is safe and weblog rant about it later (with all of your digits intact and your friend next to you not shot).
• DO get good instruction/training/advice about your firearms.
• DO practice correct and safe cocking/decocking of your 'olde six guns' with them unloaded, verified unloaded and pointed in a safe direction.

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