Pulling the trigger to drop the hammer at the loading table

[Brother King, SASS #69031]

o... you admit that you don't shoot any other discipline, but you're sure that you know what all the other disciplines competitors are like... hmmm... how many other prejudiced ideas will you admit in a public forum?

 

 

From my experience at being the novice, bad, old, lacking talent, newbie at almost all of them at one time or another.. including skiing... they, like SASS run the complete gambit you describe.

 

Marauder, you make a great point. AFTER SHOWING CLEAR TO YOURSELF by levering/ opening the action; that trigger SHOULD be pulled with the gun pointed at the berm or another safe direction. After re-reading what you wrote it is the ONLY way to insure that chamber is clear and the hammer is down on an empty, safe chamber before leaving the LT.

[Tennessee Trapper Tom]

In Blasters example; did the shooter show up at the loading table with hammer already cocked. Because had he cycled the rifle, the round should have come out. Of course that won't always be the case. However just speaking for myself. When I cycle the action at the loading table, I pause with the action open, tilt the rifle so to show the loading officer that the rifle is empty, I also visually inspect before closing.

 

So, visual inspection either did not occur and the rifle was cycled at the loading table, or the shooter arrived that way (big problem)

 

Had that shooter only eased the trigger down, he would have been holding a rifle with hammer down on a loaded chamber.

Let me tell you I have seen more than one cowboy trip and fall on stage.

 

There's always potential for dangerous circumstances to occur. Only takes one second to interrupt the mind. I think I would rather someone pull the trigger fully with rifle pointed in a safe downrange direction as an added safety measure that covers for someone momentarily not giving 100% to the task at hand.

[Throckmorton,23149]

Fillmore said "There is a claim on another thread stating that it is against the rules at MOST clubs to pull the trigger on the rifle to assure the hammer falls completely at the unloading table. It was implied that not controlling the hammer on the way down was the issue.

I'd like to get input supporting or debunking this claim."

nossir, I said most clubs I SHOOT AT.

IMHO,it IS a dangerous thing to do,and I say this because of the times. I"ve seen,or our club has had an AD from 'dropping the hammer' as some have called it.

I Had a seasoned shooter..20 years +..light off a .45 right next to me 2 months ago,it WILL wake you up !!

FACT. YOU 'can' have an AD if you pull the the trigger and let the hammer free-fall.

you almost CAN'T have an AD if you ease the hammer down. NOTE the word almost,live is full of surprises.

AS to proving what i'm saying,why would I be making it up ?Just because all clubs don't have the rule sure doesn't mean some clubs don't.

How many clubs have a 'no hip shooting' rule ? not many,but my brother was mdq'd at a match years ago for doing just that.HIp shooting a shotgun no less,a short-range weapon compared to say a long gun.

And you know what?> I DON'T CARE what you are required to do in other disciplines,this is SASS wire ya know.And at no time did I say I was quoting a SASS rule,btw

In conclusion, I will never 'drop the hammer' at the ult,and I hope the Pards next to me don't either,last month's AD right next to me was enough for a long time.EDIT..meant to say lt or ult.

[Blastmaster]

In Blasters example; did the shooter show up at the loading table with hammer already cocked. Because had he cycled the rifle, the round should have come out. Of course that won't always be the case. However just speaking for myself. When I cycle the action at the loading table, I pause with the action open, tilt the rifle so to show the loading officer that the rifle is empty, I also visually inspect before closing.

 

So, visual inspection either did not occur and the rifle was cycled at the loading table, or the shooter arrived that way (big problem)

 

Had that shooter only eased the trigger down, he would have been holding a rifle with hammer down on a loaded chamber.

Let me tell you I have seen more than one cowboy trip and fall on stage.

 

There's always potential for dangerous circumstances to occur. Only takes one second to interrupt the mind. I think I would rather someone pull the trigger fully with rifle pointed in a safe downrange direction as an added safety measure that covers for someone momentarily not giving 100% to the task at hand.

The best we could figure out was the shooter did come to the LT with the lever open and of course, the hammer was cocked. Shooter was not a total newbie. Lever was cycled, closed, hammer still cocked (of course) ,, trigger was tripped and BANG!! 'Theory was', the shooter thought they had jacked one out on previous stage, loaded another off body, completed stage, then cleared the ULT with bullet stuck?? in magazine,, and the cartidge finally dislodged on LT and shit hit the fan.... Still , just our best theory on who/when/what happened. Dirty magazine tube??? A good guess.. They were awarded a MDQ and stuck around to help the posse,,,, and yes, they were very upset.

 

Edit,,,, it seems I witness a few times each year,,,, a shooter pulls first pistol and cocks the hammer,, trips the trigger,,, and there is a 'click',,, then cocks the hammer again and a 'BANG'''',,,, Question is,,, did he slip hammer the first round? or came to the line with hammer down on a live round? never saw a penalty given because everyone was caught by surprise... So, what is the difference coming to the firing line with pistol,, or rifle with hammer down on a live round? Nether is desireable.

[Griff]

Never mind.

[Tennessee Trapper Tom]

Thanks for the clarification Blastmaster. I never even thought about one in magazine. I was thinking of an extractor ejection problem, that should be caught at the previous unloading table if there were a previous stage. Honestly, that scares me. Reason, every cowboy I have ever cleared on the unloading table, if my old brain remembers correctly, they work the action multiple times when showing clear. I cannot say that, although I always in inspect the bore, would I notice one stuck in the magazine. Id like to think I would and I can tell you that it will be on my mind the next time I'm watching the unloading table. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

Man, I love reading the wire!

 

What a great group of competitors I am a part of.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

...

Man, I love reading the wire!

...

Music to a Moderator's ears.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Fillmore said "There is a claim on another thread stating that it is against the rules at MOST clubs to pull the trigger on the rifle to assure the hammer falls completely at the unloading table. It was implied that not controlling the hammer on the way down was the issue.

I'd like to get input supporting or debunking this claim."

nossir, I said most clubs I SHOOT AT.

IMHO,it IS a dangerous thing to do,and I say this because of the times. I"ve seen,or our club has had an AD from 'dropping the hammer' as some have called it.

I Had a seasoned shooter..20 years +..light off a .45 right next to me 2 months ago,it WILL wake you up !!

FACT. YOU 'can' have an AD if you pull the the trigger and let the hammer free-fall.

you almost CAN'T have an AD if you ease the hammer down. NOTE the word almost,live is full of surprises.

AS to proving what i'm saying,why would I be making it up ?Just because all clubs don't have the rule sure doesn't mean some clubs don't.

How many clubs have a 'no hip shooting' rule ? not many,but my brother was mdq'd at a match years ago for doing just that.HIp shooting a shotgun no less,a short-range weapon compared to say a long gun.

And you know what?> I DON'T CARE what you are required to do in other disciplines,this is SASS wire ya know.And at no time did I say I was quoting a SASS rule,btw

In conclusion, I will never 'drop the hammer' at the ult,and I hope the Pards next to me don't either,last month's AD right next to me was enough for a long time.

Yer right...but you could be walking around with the hammer down on a live round...yea...that's safe

 

Now not that you'd probably like shootin with me anyway, but if you do end up next to me, wear yer Depends cuz I'm pulling the trigger on my 73 at EVERY LT!

 

Course I look at the chamber as I slooowly open the action a bit to make sure there's nuthin in there...but hey, I'm just a careless ...

 

[Fillmore Coffins, SASS #7884]

Fillmore said "There is a claim on another thread stating that it is against the rules at MOST clubs to pull the trigger on the rifle to assure the hammer falls completely at the unloading table. It was implied that not controlling the hammer on the way down was the issue.

I'd like to get input supporting or debunking this claim."

nossir, I said most clubs I SHOOT AT.

IMHO,it IS a dangerous thing to do,and I say this because of the times. I"ve seen,or our club has had an AD from 'dropping the hammer' as some have called it.

 

That's not what you said at all and I don't appreciate your implying that I made it up when in fact, I choose my words VERY carefully. The words below are yours from the other thread.

 

 

"this is against the rules at almost..if not all.. of the clubs I shoot at,You are just ASKING for an AD/ND ..which is why it's against the rules at most clubs."

 

 

Fillmore

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Yer spot on Fillmore...I read it too.

 

[Blackey Cole]

That the way I do it on the rifle almost every time

[Ramblin Gambler]

I haven't shot all kinds of rifles, but in all that I have shot, you can tell when the hammer has been eased down on a loaded chamber. It doesn't sit flush. So I reject the notion that you can't tell for sure if it's unloaded without dry firing.

 

This is pretty much a Ginger or Mary Ann argument where one smart alec (a dry firer) picks Mrs Howell. I have noticed that dry firers also tend to be the people who think it's no big deal to replace a firing pin or a spring. I've always wondered if that confidence made them willing to dry fire, or if all the dry firing necessitated them learning how to do those basic gun repairs.

 

 

[Anvil Al #59168]

Fillmore said "There is a claim on another thread stating that it is against the rules at MOST clubs to pull the trigger on the rifle to assure the hammer falls completely at the unloading table. It was implied that not controlling the hammer on the way down was the issue.

I'd like to get input supporting or debunking this claim."

nossir, I said most clubs I SHOOT AT.

IMHO,it IS a dangerous thing to do,and I say this because of the times. I"ve seen,or our club has had an AD from 'dropping the hammer' as some have called it.

I Had a seasoned shooter..20 years +..light off a .45 right next to me 2 months ago,it WILL wake you up !!

FACT. YOU 'can' have an AD if you pull the the trigger and let the hammer free-fall.

you almost CAN'T have an AD if you ease the hammer down. NOTE the word almost,live is full of surprises.

AS to proving what i'm saying,why would I be making it up ?Just because all clubs don't have the rule sure doesn't mean some clubs don't.

How many clubs have a 'no hip shooting' rule ? not many,but my brother was mdq'd at a match years ago for doing just that.HIp shooting a shotgun no less,a short-range weapon compared to say a long gun.

And you know what?> I DON'T CARE what you are required to do in other disciplines,this is SASS wire ya know.And at no time did I say I was quoting a SASS rule,btw

In conclusion, I will never 'drop the hammer' at the ult,and I hope the Pards next to me don't either,last month's AD right next to me was enough for a long time.

 

 

What clubs?? How many??

 

After shooting for 9 years. a BUNCH of clubs in many different states.

I have never seen it.

 

So where are these clubs at. As I and the others on here have not ran into that.

Just wondering where all those clubs are with that rule.

[Red River Ray SASS#33254]

I haven't shot all kinds of rifles, but in all that I have shot, you can tell when the hammer has been eased down on a loaded chamber. It doesn't sit flush. So I reject the notion that you can't tell for sure if it's unloaded without dry firing. This is pretty much a Ginger or Mary Ann argument where one smart alec (a dry firer) picks Mrs Howell. I have noticed that dry firers also tend to be the people who think it's no big deal to replace a firing pin or a spring. I've always wondered if that confidence made them willing to dry fire, or if all the dry firing necessitated them learning how to do those basic gun repairs.

I have also noticed that some who come new to this game show up with all tha knowledge to compete an make tha rest look dumb!

For your info I'd pick ole lady Howell, she's rich tha other two ain't got a pot ta ___ in. So she could buy my needed firing pin for me! however she would never haft to more than likely as in 15 years I'v never broken one and this comes from a person who has dryfired a tuned CAS rifle probably a thousand times for every time you've picked one up. Not being mean I'm just a SMART ALEC. I'll drop tha dam hammer at tha loading table till there's a rule against it.

 

 

RRR

[Branchwater Jack SASS #88854]

[Rye Miles #13621]

You are correct. I do not shoot any of those disciplines. Don't really care.

 

Fillmore, you are correct. I wasn't thinking. I show up with the action open. I don't show clear to anybody, I simply close the action, lower the hammer with my thumb, and start loading. I never pull the trigger on an empty chamber.

That's exactly what I do. It's the safest way to drop your hammer. I have NEVER pulled the trigger to let down my hammer before loading. I just don't think it's safe and if you do it standing next to me I won't stand next to you next time!!

 

Rye, ya can't be TOO safe!! Miles

[Captain Bill Burt]

This was discussed some time ago - how to lower the hammer at the Loading table.

 

I had always carefully pulled the trigger and carefully let the hammer drop, using my thumb to slow it. I thought I was being so safe!!

 

Then folks explained that IF you did have a round in the chamber, you are then walking around with the hammer down on a live round - no knowing exactly when it will go off. Certainly, we don't want to have an AD at the loading table!

 

But isn't it safer to have the AD there when the gun is pointed safely into a good backdrop rather than risk having it go off as you are walking towards the stage and possibly have the gun go off when it is pointed in the general direction (no, should never be pointed AT them) of a spotter, etc.

 

So it really isn't a big deal to drop the hammer either way. In the very rare case that you have a cartridge in the chamber, you either have an "planned AD" or are risking an unplanned AD. And either way, you should have a DQ.

I've always pulled the trigger, it seemed the 'best' way to ensure the hammer was fully down. IMHO your comment about planned vs unplanned ADs is the best argument for that approach.

 

I have also noticed that some who come new to this game show up with all tha knowledge to compete an make tha rest look dumb!

For your info I'd pick ole lady Howell, she's rich tha other two ain't got a pot ta ___ in. So she could buy my needed firing pin for me! however she would never haft to more than likely as in 15 years I'v never broken one and this comes from a person who has dryfired a tuned CAS rifle probably a thousand times for every time you've picked one up. Not being mean I'm just a SMART ALEC. I'll drop tha dam hammer at tha loading table till there's a rule against it.

 

 

RRR

God I love sarcasm.

[Tennessee Trapper Tom]

Exception to all rules; we're human

 

The rule states hammer fully down on an empty chamber; I have two 73s a 60 and a 66. All are ubertis. Easing the trigger down MY rifes/carbines does result in compliance with rule. However, there could still be a round in the chamber. Unless an opened inspected firearm exists, the possibility remains. Also I have seen those that will not fall fully down which would result in noncompliance with the fully down rule.

 

I served as a range officer both in the military leadership training environment and as a drill sergeant over a twenty year career. Rules are always based on exception; the inexperienced, the old and hard of earing ( me ) and all the in betweens. NOT those who are the best and most practiced and that changes with equipment choice. The rules at least those that ensure the safest environment are generally based on the most handicapped participant, not the experienced old timer. I have brought man y people to the sport with the assurance that we are common sense.

 

Complacency is the father of accidents. We are in a controlled environment. We should do just that. A controlled accidental discharge is always favorable to its brother.. the true accident where we don't knowe the result unitl it happens. Ill buy a as manys firing pins as I have to if it means avoidance of an uncontrolled discharge

 

During my career teaching rotc I had a cadet turn in the foxhole and put a loaded m16 barrel pointed at my chest. On full auto. Because I was alerting her to the trigger selection on the weapon. Some things will happen no matter what you do. Humans will humans regardless. I believe that the experienced old timers recognized this and made rules accordingly. Target your worst potential danger all experienced individuals should comply no matter how good they think they are.

 

I applaud the those that made this sport and those that keep it going. Just my opinion but the safety of all overrides the cost of a replacement firing pin. If I had an AD that caused injury because I was worried about the cost of a firing pin. I couldn't live with myself. You cowboys out there are the closest brethen I have since the military. Its the exercise of our fundamental rights please keep giving opposing opinion it is the foundation of true progress

 

Cowboy up

[Brother King, SASS #69031]

That's exactly what I do. It's the safest way to drop your hammer. I have NEVER pulled the trigger to let down my hammer before loading. I just don't think it's safe and if you do it standing next to me I won't stand next to you next time!!

 

Rye, ya can't be TOO safe!! Miles

Except ...as the sarge and others here relate ...that lowering the hammer is NOT as safe as pulling the trigger! Sarcasm aside that's why all other shooting disciplines REQUIRE pulling the trigger with the gun pointed safely at the berm...no exceptions.

 

Because after the trigger is pulled the hammer is fully down on a PROVEN empty chamber.

 

You're just walking around with 3 loaded guns and the rest of us are H.O.P.E (ing) you don't trip/fall/ drop or otherwise ND.

 

My old Jewish mentor told me long ago that H.O.P.E is a yiddish acronym for "You're ****ed."

[Jefro, SASS#69420]

 

 

Course I look at the chamber as I slooowly open the action a bit to make sure there's nuthin in there...but hey, I'm just a careless ...

 

Ta Daaaa!!

Well, now that we've made it to this point I might as well point out something that drives me crazy the 'ole AD or ND. IMNSHO there is no such thing as an AD (Accidental Discharge) at the loading table, ND (Negligible Discharge) maybe, fer sure a PD (Predictable Discharge) The first thing we should know about our firearm is the condition of it. Even if the ULTO does not look for the follower on our 73 or 97 we should. When we get to the loading table simply watching the action close on our rifle would show if there was a round being feed into the chamber. This is something each of us should do, we should not count on LTO or ULTO to know the condition of our gun, it's something we should be sure of for ourself.

 

My definition of an AD:

I'm riding down a snow covered mountain road looking for my best coon dog that's run off. I've got my trusty Taurus Tracker with transfer bar fully loaded by my side. A moose comes out of nowhere and slams into the side of my truck sending me corining down the side of the mountain. The Taurus flys out the window bouncing off rocks breaking the transfer bar. As my truck lands on all fours the Taurus hits the bed of my truck and goes off, killing the moose which lands in the back. When I look up my dog is sitting in the middle of the road looking at me waiting for moose steaks.

 

Jefro Relax-Enjoy

[Billy Bristol]

I believe the OP was talking about pulling the trigger but not thunmbing the hammer down and just letting it fall on it's own. Some loading tables at matches I have been to do not face the berm but face off to the side. All the ranges I know would not allow someone to let a hammer fall on it's own when not facing a berm, empty chamber or not. If a RO here saw you do that you would be asked to leave the range.

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

Thank god there is no loading table oversight at about 90% of the places we shoot. At my first CAS shoot ever, I was at the loading table following a very old and famous SASS BP shooter (he was also a war hero and I knew neither at the time) and after I carefully loaded my pistols I asked him to check them. He said in all seriousness, "son, if you have to have someone check your guns to see if they are loaded properly, I suggest you unload them very carefully and go somewhere and practice loading for a spell and then come back next month to shoot". Probably not an exact quote but close enough. Even when there is loading table oversight it is usually another shooter and they just pay attention to pistol cylinder round locations. ADs at the loading table do happen and it is almost always a pistol hammer being lowered improperly on a loaded gun.

[Brother King, SASS #69031]

I believe the OP was talking about pulling the trigger but not thunmbing the hammer down and just letting it fall on it's own. Some loading tables at matches I have been to do not face the berm but face off to the side. All the ranges I know would not allow someone to let a hammer fall on it's own when not facing a berm, empty chamber or not. If a RO here saw you do that you would be asked to leave the range.

You are implying that your loading tables aren't set up so that barrels are pointed safely while 2-3-4 shooters are going thru the loading process. I'm sure that this is patently false or surely someone would have corrected it by now.

 

Further, "all the ranges I know" must not refer to very many. Having shot everything from IPSC to IDPA to SASS from New England to HI there is little doubt that EVERY range has allowed those 'hammer down UNIMPEDED' rules to apply. That there is a complete misconception about what is safe among cowboy action shooters , be assured that Wild Bunch shooters aren't under that misconception AT THE SAME RANGES.

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

I believe the OP was talking about pulling the trigger but not thunmbing the hammer down and just letting it fall on it's own. Some loading tables at matches I have been to do not face the berm but face off to the side. All the ranges I know would not allow someone to let a hammer fall on it's own when not facing a berm, empty chamber or not. If a RO here saw you do that you would be asked to leave the range.

Example ranges please. If the loading tables do not face a berm, I would assume they are instead facing down range. If they are not facing down range, I sure would not shoot there if there is no berm or other large round absorbing structure behinnd the loading table. Your range has to accept the fact that there will be ADs at the loading table and the stage has to be set up properly to account for that kind of accident. For example, WR with some multiple stages on a common firing line has loading and unloading on the firing line so that an AD at the loading table does go down range. Crap happens and you have to be prepared for it.

[Straight Arrow Hombre]

I believe the OP was talking about pulling the trigger but not thunmbing the hammer down and just letting it fall on it's own. Some loading tables at matches I have been to do not face the berm but face off to the side. All the ranges I know would not allow someone to let a hammer fall on it's own when not facing a berm, empty chamber or not. If a RO here saw you do that you would be asked to leave the range.

Really????????

[Billy Bristol]

2 places that I have been to have the loading and unloading tables facing to the side. There are trees off to both sides of one range behind the tables. The other I was at had walls up at most stages but just trees behind the tables at a couple,.

[Springfield Slim SASS #24733]

I always let the hammer down on my guns with my thumb, just the way I was taught. I shot a WB match last month and they required that you pull the trigger to prove empty.At first it bothered me, but as I thought about it, it just makes sense. If you aren't positive enough that your gun is empty that you can just pull the trigger, then maybe you better empty your guns and load them again. AND if your ranges loading tables are set up so that if there IS a ND the bullet might go in a dangerous direction, I don't want to shoot there. Trusting to luck is not a good safety plan.

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

2 places that I have been to have the loading and unloading tables facing to the side. There are trees off to both sides of one range behind the tables. The other I was at had walls up at most stages but just trees behind the tables at a couple,.

So you have an AD at the loading table and the bullet bounces down range from the tree in front of the loading table and hits someone resetting props. I guess that is OK at those shoots??

[Ace_of_Hearts]

The hammer should never be allowed to fall on an empty chamber of any gun chambered for rim fire cartridges.

The firing pin will peen over the edge of the chamber making it impossible to chamber another cartridge until it is reamed out with a reamer.

 

Please caution your young ones on this.

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

The hammer should never be allowed to fall on an empty chamber of any gun chambered for rim fire cartridges.

The firing pin will peen over the edge of the chamber making it impossible to chamber another cartridge until it is reamed out with a reamer.

 

Please caution your young ones on this.

Have you actually seen this happen?

[Al OVERA, SASS#26238 Life]

well....I've not shot every club but every time I load a '97, Mod 12, or '73 I cycle the action; look very closely at the chamber; point it at the berm and pull the trigger.

 

IMNSHO it is the only way to make absolutely sure that the hammer is fully down on an empty chamber every single time without fail.

 

Gosh....do ya spose that's why they INSIST on it in Wild Bunch for a Mod 12? Then they insist on it at the line for the 1911...every time and then the 1911 is not checked again. And if the shooter doesn't do it with the Mod 12 it's a SDQ.

 

Please advise any clubs that don't allow it and I'll be sure and avoid them.

Gee, do you suppose it might because the Mdl 12 doesn't have an EXPOSED hammer??? DUH!!!

[Rio Brazos Kid]

Have you actually seen this happen?

 

YES. On more than one occasion. It will either peen over the edge of the chamber, or damage the firing pin it'self, or both.

Dropping the hammer on an empty chamber of a rim fire firearm has always been a no-no. Easing it down hurts nothing.

 

RBK

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

I have on more than one occasion found that SASS is played one way in one area and another way in another area. For folks who haven't travelled extensively and seen that something other than what they've been exposed to works, they assume it is the only way to play the game or, as in this case, be safe.

 

To second Marauder's motion, a round that goes off at a time other than when it is intended is always a bit unnerving, but I'd far rather it go off at the loading table pointed downrange (or into a side berm or other safe direction) than it leave the loading table with a round under a hammer of a gun that could be dropped during staging and go off pointed who knows where.

 

An analogy I use often: If you tell kids stories about monsters, ghosts, and boogers at bedtime, don't be surprised that they don't sleep. In this case, clubs who add to the rules are the ones telling the stories and creating fear when the existing rules are multi layered and have a proven track record.

 

On one of the ranges where I shoot, CAS is just one of many disciplines and the cowboys don't make the rules. There is a range rule that "all shots must be aimed" which by their definition means that CAS matches cannot recognize Outlaw as a category. As most of us know, it's a booger story because an Outlaw who hits the targets IS aiming, just differently. Using their logic, I could propose that any shot that misses, even when aimed conventionally, is not aimed.

 

I once shot at a match where they assumed the only way to insure that ten rounds were used in the rifle and pistols was to lay out the rounds in four rows of five. They would not let me count from my loading strip.

 

There's a booger behind every tree!

[Rio Brazos Kid]

Buck D. Law said:

I once shot at a match where they assumed the only way to insure that ten rounds were used in the rifle and pistols was to lay out the rounds in four rows of five. They would not let me count from my loading strip. [end quote]

 

Now that's the height of stupidity!!!! That's exactly what loading blocks are for. I can sort of see it, if the rounds were carried to the LT in a bag or kerchief, but in a loading strip!!!! Crazy is all you can say.

 

RBK

[Blastmaster]

Because after the trigger is pulled the hammer is fully down on a PROVEN empty chamber.

 

Funny thing happened to me a few weeks ago. When I got to the SG portion of the stage, I picked up my 97 SG (When I was on the firing line and going through the course of fire), loaded a live rd into the chamber, closed the action, took aim, pulled the trigger, hammer fell, and..... you guessed it, no 'bang' but a 'click'. Then reached up, recocked the hammer, pulled the trigger,,,,, and you guessed it,,,,'bang'. Didn't happen again for the rest of that match... Federal 209 primers. Just proves that letting the hammer free fall in a closed action firearm situation, does not necessarily prove there is nothing in the chamber.

Just saying....