Half-cock position allows the cylinder to be rotated for loading and unloading the weapon. Half-cock position, like quarter-cock, captures the trigger so that it cannot be pulled.
Another reason why intelligent people do not load a full six cartridges in this type of revolver. Again, if the revolver is dropped and lands upon the hammer, there is a slight possibility that the steel hook that captures the trigger could break and allow a cartridge beneath the chamber to fire. The trigger cannot be pulled and the revolver cannot fire from the quarter-cock position.
This notch has a hook that captures the trigger and prevents it from being pulled. In quarter-cock the trigger sear engages a notch in the hammer. You always leave an empty chamber beneath the firing pin. That is why those who are familiar with this revolver will load only five cartridges. If the revolver is dropped and if there is a cartridge beneath the firing pin, and if the revolver lands on the hammer, then the revolver could fire. In the un-cocked position, the firing pin is fully forward. The hammer on this style of revolver has 4 positions: 1) un-cocked, 2) quarter- cock, 3) half-cock, and 4) full-cock. I have been using single-action Colt recovers for over 60 years and have never had one fire unless I pulled the trigger. How Alec Baldwin's single action army revolver fired 6:25īut this comment left below that video is the best description of exactly how the trigger mechanism works with the hammer and what can and cannot happen. Here is a video with a good description of how a SAA works. He absolutely had to pull the trigger to release the hammer.