Fanning and "Slip-Hammering"

[Waco Jim]

I can see I've been doin' it all wrong. The last paragraph describes the method used by Cowboy Action Shooters and I don't know why some of my Pards haven't told me this before. I'm gettin' back on Youtube and review some of the "Big Dog" videos and check this out. Ya think this guy, Rick Hacker, has ever been to a Cowboy Match?

 

I did submit an article I had hoped to get published recently and it was rejected.....probably because I mis-spelled Ya'll. Now don't get me wrong as I'm no expert, but I have been to a match or two and a goat ropin' and I do live in the South.

 

Waco Jim

[August West, SASS #45079]

I thought the pentangles were suppose to keep the spirits away.

[Boon Doggle]

I noticed that too.

 

Nobody ever said that gun writers had to have even the foggiest idea as to what they were writing about.

[BLACKFOOT SASS #11947]

It is apparent that the "field editor" knows nothing about shooting single action pistols or CAS.

 

Lafitte

 

 

 

"It is better that a man to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt."

[Doc Tombstone, SASS #49630]

I just read that today, something like fanning and slip hammering are both extremely dangerous and damaging to your guns. Good heavens, its a wonder any of us are still alive, not to mention all our broken guns.

 

Doc

[Prairie Dog]

Doc,after watching you shoot I am sure all of your guns are beyond repair, I will have Jughead get them from you and bring them down and I will scrap them for you.P Dog

[Doc Tombstone, SASS #49630]

P-Dog, I'm pretty sure they are junk, I will get ahold of Jughead tonight, thanks for helping me out.

The old adage "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" may well apply here.

Is Jughead coming down to do some shooting? Spring is having a tough time right now, got snow on Sun.

 

Doc

[Waco Jim]

I reckon I'll just have to keep my finger out of the trigger guard to be politically correct. Dang, just when I was gettin' that left hand thumb and right hand trigger finger kinda workin together.

 

Waco Jim

[Knot Hardly Dunn, SASS 43113]

Until I read the article I had no idea that slip hammering was so dangerous. I do wonder why the NRA has field editors. They apparently don't get much information for their time spent in the field. If they spent more time around cow boy action shooters they might learn a thing or two. Then the field editor could have used a phone and asked somebody. Maybe it's only a part time job and he also works for CNN.

[Lone Dog, SASS #20401]

Had a purdy lady advise me oncet that, as the contraction of you all, it's y'all not ya'll.

 

I reckon so.

[Waco Jim]

Had a purdy lady advise me oncet that, as the contraction of you all, it's y'all not ya'll.

 

I reckon so.

So it's "You All" and not "Ya all"? Dang, that just don't look right when it's printed, or maybe it's "Yal all". I'll have to ask my Wife, she's the smart one in the family.

 

Waco Jim

[Waco Jim]

I "Slip Hammer" every once and awhile and have to go all the way around again. I hate it when that happens. Or is that "Hammer slip"?

 

Waco Jim

[Sage Creek Gus SASS #64320]

I read that article also. I'm glad the "experts" at the NRA have straightened me out on my practice of cocking the hammer on my revolver with my left thumb while shooting the revolver with my right hand. I hadn't realized leaving my trigger finger inside the trigger guard while cocking with my left thumb was dangerous.

 

I am confused however as to why leaving my trigger finger inside the guard is ok if I cock the piece with my right hand thumb is safe but cocking with my left hand thumb is dangerous.

 

I think this dangerous practice needs to be addressed by the SASS powers that be and an appropriate penalty assessed to those who "cock left, shoot right".

 

As far as those dangerous individuals who slip hammer are concerned they should receive two lashes with a wet noodle.

 

As for fanning. I'll have to confess I've tried it but I couldn't hit the side of a barn from the inside using that method.

 

Sage Creek Gus

[Snakebite]

Had a purdy lady advise me oncet that, as the contraction of you all, it's y'all not ya'll.

 

I reckon so.

I always though it was yaw'll

[Kulshan 20262]

I "Slip Hammer" every once and awhile and have to go all the way around again. I hate it when that happens. Or is that "Hammer slip"?

 

Waco Jim

Jim, that's a short stroke, not to be confused with slip hammer.

[Kulshan 20262]

I always though it was yaw'll

A yawl is a small two masted sail boat rigged fore-and-aft. Oh, that's not quite the same thing.

[Boon Doggle]

Just goes to show that the "Mainstream Media" is not the only one that doesn't bother to get facts straight.

[Utah Bob #35998]

We have met the enemy...and he is us.

[Gunner Gatlin, SASS 10274L]

Had a purdy lady advise me oncet that, as the contraction of you all, it's y'all not ya'll.

 

I reckon so.

 

...it is y'all

 

GG ~

[Fox Tail Bob]

A yawl is a small two masted sail boat rigged fore-and-aft. Oh, that's not quite the same thing.

 

With the aft mast stepped behind the rudder, to be more specific.

[Boothill Bandit, SASS# 48598]

I always though it was yaw'll

No Snakebite, isn't that a tool you put a hole in leather with? Or is it when the nose is pointing left and the tail is skidding to the right?

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Well, below is a letter to the editor that I sent to The American Rifleman. Somehow, I have a feeling that it won't be published, but just in case, I thought folks here would like to read it.

I have to say that I was really disappointed in the article, "Fanning" And "Slip-Hammering" in the most recent issue of The American Rifleman. The disappointment stems from several inaccurate statements in the article. On the one hand, yes, the definitions of what the two things are is correct, but I have to take issue the following statement at the conclusion of the article.

 

"However, neither of these practices should be confused with the current and safe technique used by Cowboy Action shooters of keeping the trigger outside of the trigger guard while cocking the hammer with the thumb of the off hand and then firing the gun."

 

I've been doing Cowboy Action Shooting for several years now, and I have to tell you that the above statement is not accurate. First of all, while fanning is banned according to the rules of the game, slip hammering, as defined earlier in the article, is specifically allowed in the rules. Furthermore, I'd be willing to say that 99% plus of the folks who shoot their revolvers two handed use the slip hammering technique to cock and fire them. And not even those who don't slip hammer remove their fingers from the trigger guard while cocking their pistols. (For that matter, neither do those who shoot them one handed.)

 

As far as I know, there has never been an accident that was the result of slip hammering, and given how safety oriented our game is, if there was any indication that slip hammering was not safe, it would not be allowed.

 

Is slip hammering a technique that requires a lot of practice to do properly? Probably. I can't say personally as I shoot one handed, but I've seen dozens of people use it many times to good effect with no damage to either the shooter or the guns they use.

 

How is it that such an important and well read gun magazine can be so wrong on the way things are actually done out on the range?

 

Kevin Mickel

 

aka H. K. Uriah in the world of the Single Action Shooting Society.

[Fillmore Coffins, SASS #7884]

And when your talking about peoples "stuff", it "ya'llse's"

 

Fillmore

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

 

Well, below is a letter to the editor that I sent to The American Rifleman. Somehow, I have a feeling that it won't be published, but just in case, I thought folks here would like to read it.

I have to say that I was really disappointed in the article, "Fanning" And "Slip-Hammering" in the most recent issue of The American Rifleman. The disappointment stems from several inaccurate statements in the article. On the one hand, yes, the definitions of what the two things are is correct, but I have to take issue the following statement at the conclusion of the article.

 

"However, neither of these practices should be confused with the current and safe technique used by Cowboy Action shooters of keeping the trigger outside of the trigger guard while cocking the hammer with the thumb of the off hand and then firing the gun."

 

I've been doing Cowboy Action Shooting for several years now, and I have to tell you that the above statement is not accurate. First of all, while fanning is banned according to the rules of the game, slip hammering, as defined earlier in the article, is specifically allowed in the rules. Furthermore, I'd be willing to say that 99% plus of the folks who shoot their revolvers two handed use the slip hammering technique to cock and fire them. And not even those who don't slip hammer remove their fingers from the trigger guard while cocking their pistols. (For that matter, neither do those who shoot them one handed.)

 

As far as I know, there has never been an accident that was the result of slip hammering, and given how safety oriented our game is, if there was any indication that slip hammering was not safe, it would not be allowed.

 

Is slip hammering a technique that requires a lot of practice to do properly? Probably. I can't say personally as I shoot one handed, but I've seen dozens of people use it many times to good effect with no damage to either the shooter or the guns they use.

 

How is it that such an important and well read gun magazine can be so wrong on the way things are actually done out on the range?

 

Kevin Mickel

 

aka H. K. Uriah in the world of the Single Action Shooting Society.

I hope you have data to back your claim on the number of CAS shooters that slip hammer their pistols. I would believe nothing above 20%, and likely a lot less. It takes far too much practice to shoot well enough to hit targets slip hammering. Maybe I misunderstood your letter??

[Doc Shapiro]

I hope you have data to back your claim on the number of CAS shooters that slip hammer their pistols. I would believe nothing above 20%, and likely a lot less. It takes far too much practice to shoot well enough to hit targets slip hammering. Maybe I misunderstood your letter??

 

I agree with this. It's likely a fair bit lower than 20%. Aside from that, I never could get it to work. I can actually tell you the number of rounds I've fired and the number of those that were spent trying to slip-hammer (and it's a lot). It just didn't work for me.

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

I agree with this. It's likely a fair bit lower than 20%. Aside from that, I never could get it to work. I can actually tell you the number of rounds I've fired and the number of those that were spent trying to slip-hammer (and it's a lot). It just didn't work for me.

 

 

I agree with this. It's likely a fair bit lower than 20%. Aside from that, I never could get it to work. I can actually tell you the number of rounds I've fired and the number of those that were spent trying to slip-hammer (and it's a lot). It just didn't work for me.

To the uninformed, a lot of fast CAS shooters may look like they are slip hammering, but a close look at their trigger finger shows it moves slightly for each shot and does not stay at the back of the trigger guard. In addition many have had work on their pistols to remove any creep, eliminate almost all reset and set up a very light trigger pull, requiring almost no trigger finger movement to break the shot.

[Hoss]

i've tried slip hammering, but it didnt work out for me. Unless I'm dumping on 1 target. But, I dont want to shoot 2 diffrent ways. I dont take my trigger finger out of the trigger guard between shots though!

[The Yankee Bandit, SASS #59258]

Seems like every magazine article I have ever read about old west firearms - since the 80's - the vast majority of them have been written by Phil Spangenberger, Mike Venturino, or Rick Hacker.

 

I can't stick up for any of the info in the article regarding damage to revolvers, nor do I know Rick's knowledge and/or participation in CAS.

 

I only wanted to point out that Mr. Hacker has been shooting and writing about old west firearms for many years. I've always enjoyed his articles because they covered the guns I've alway loved. The "Field Editor" handle doesn't mean he's a noobie, or uneducated. It also doesn't mean he got it right this time.

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

I refuse to read anything Mike Venturino writes after his drive by shooting article on SASS a few years ago. Have cancelled subscriptions to two gun mags that continue to publish his work.

[Griff]

I refuse to read anything Mike Venturino writes after his drive by shooting article on SASS a few years ago. Have cancelled subscriptions to two gun mags that continue to publish his work.

And I will defend his right to say it to the death, regardless of how much I disagree with him. Which I've said to his face, and as the gentleman he is, we've agreed to disagree. Phil Spangenberger on the other hand, is a... ooops, no name calling, but when someone asks to borrow a certain thing... is generously offered said item, and then complains viciously to a child, (who was the owner and donator of said item), about said item, they lose the right to any credibility. Whereas, Mr. Venturino took his losses at the hands of other competitors in SASS with grace and style. He's also generously assisted many a new shooter in both this game, and, from personal experience, in the sport of BP Cartridge Silhouette. Let me put it this way, I'll go out of my way to visit with the "Iron Duke", and wouldn't watch a show with "Mr. Ego" if it was free... Because of his tirade about said borrowed item, I won't read his articles, won't buy a magazine that has his byline, and habitually write to complain about him getting published when I do see it. As for his "expertise", well, long before I'd heard of cowboy shooting, I asked his advice on a holster and belt for a BP revolver; his recommendation was a piece of garbage, ruining a brain tanned war shirt... when asked about it, he denied recommending same... If I'd known about said child offering the needed item, I'd have put a stop to it...

[Doc Tombstone, SASS #49630]

Who was the other so called gun scribe who wrote a drive by shooting type article about sass a couple yrs ago, writes about big bore revolvers a lot. I quit buying subscriptions to the mags he writes for and don't even remember his name, maybe that is just deserts.

Its amazing to me that folks who make a living in the gun industry think they can marginalize a portion of it, seems we should all be in this together. (well maybe all of us except for this Zombie shooting crap:-)

Doc

[Bart Solo]

"Y'all" is a contraction of the ancient phrase "ye all" which was popular in Northern England and Scotland and was brought to America by the Scotch/Irish. "Ye" is an archaic plural of the word "you" in contrast with "thou" the archaic singular for "you." Now you know. "Y'all" is not derived from "you all." "Y'all" is always plural. The word has a long history. Now back to your regularly scheduled discussion still in progress.

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

What are youins talkin' about?

 

 

Now, somebody tell me where that word came from. Having grown up using it, I can assure you that when used, everyone present knew what it meant.

[Texas John Ringo, SASS #10138]

"Y'all" is a contraction of the ancient phrase "ye all" which was popular in Northern England and Scotland and was brought to America by the Scotch/Irish. "Ye" is an archaic plural of the word "you" in contrast with "thou" the archaic singular for "you." Now you know. "Y'all" is not derived from "you all." "Y'all" is always plural. The word has a long history. Now back to your regularly scheduled discussion still in progress.

Watched America's Secrete Slang, didn't thou?

[Bart Solo]

Watched America's Secrete Slang, didn't thou?

Yep.