Updating the Grandson

On Saturday, after some range practice, Zach was hanging round the house.  He's a fast draw shooter and very capable with a Ruger New Vaquero.  He's shooting times in fast draw competition in the mid-half-second range.  His fastest time this weekend was a 0.540, to draw, cock, fire the revolver and hit the target, which gives him a time.  He's fast and deadly for a novice shooter, only being in the game for a year.

Since I've been a father and now a grandfather, it's been my practice to de-mystify guns.  When a kid asks, we take the gun down, make sure it's clear, and answer the questions.  Then, it's put away.  I've been doing this since my children were small with nary a problem.  Something that is not a mystery is not a problem.

Back to Saturday, Zach was hanging around and noticed the butt of a revolver on a high shelf and asked about it.  "PawPaw!  What's that gun up there?"

I took the revolver down from the high shelf, cleared it, and told him, "That's your grandma's Police Positive.  It's the revolver she carries sometimes for self-defense."

He inspected the revolver and made sure it was clear, then we walked outside.  Zach was thumbing the hammer.  I let him dry fire it a couple of times.  Then I showed him that it is double-action.

He pointed the little revolver in a safe direction, and pulled the trigger, which of course, rotated the cylinder, cocked the hammer and fired the gun, just like a double-action revolver is supposed to do.

He tried the double-action again.  "Well," he said, "That's certainly convenient."  He looked at me quizzically.  "When did hey invent that?"  He opened the cylinder and handed the gun back to me, just like an old pro.

"As far as I can tell", I told him.  "This gun was made in 1934."

The question-and-answer period was over, and he went inside to pester his grandma for something to eat.

The Police Positive Special was made, of course, from 1908 to 1995.  Grandma's gun is in .32-20, an archaic cartridge, but she's a fan of the .32 bore revolvers.  From my research of the serial number, I believe that hers was made sometimes  in 1934.  It is a very nice example and was cared for before it came into our possession.

Now that Zach is an expert with the Single Action revolver, it might be time to introduce him to the double action revolver.  Then, one day, I'll show him how a semi-auto works.  He might find that to be "very convenient" as well.