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Fanning the Hammer ~ by Subroto Mukerji

The primary function of the hammer on any weapon, whether a

revolver or a rifle (yes, even guns and later, rifles had hammers once), is
to cock the mechanism that, released by the trigger, causes the pin to fall
on the detonator of a cartridge, which then fires.
The spur of the hammer, commonly referred to as the hammer itself,
is the externally visible portion, sticking up at the end of the breech. It is
usually milled to afford better purchase to the thumb that pulls it back to
cock the gun.
In a double-action revolver, the hammer is thumbed back to a
position where it locks in place. The gun is now cocked, meaning it is ready
to be discharged by means of pressure on the triggera separate (or
double) action which releases the lock and causes the pin of the hammer
to strike the cartridges detonator (see Rimfire and Center-fire Cartridges,
Chapter Eight) and result in detonation.
The single-action revolver differs from the double-shot version
described above in that no separate effort to cock the hammer is
necessary. The action of squeezing the trigger activates the hammer
cocking mechanism and also causes the cartridge cylinder to revolve,
bringing a fresh round into the breech. Continued pressure causes the lock
to slip and releases the hammer, so that the firing pin falls on the
detonator.
In other words, after discharging a round and releasing the trigger so
that it returns to its original position, there is no need to thumb the hammer
back (as in a doubleaction) preliminary to firing another round. A sustained
squeeze on the trigger causes the cylinder to automatically revolve
simultaneous with the rise, locking, and fall of the hammer, meaning that
the gun will fire each time the trigger is pressed and released. As the action
is followed through, the hammer rises, slips, and (the pin) falls back smartly
on the detonator of each successive cartridge.
At first glance, this is so obviously the better of the two actions that
one may well wonder why double-action handguns continue to be popular.
The reason is simple: the pressure required to squeeze the trigger and
initiate/conclude the firing sequence of a single action gun has a
detrimental effect on steadiness of ones grip, and accuracy suffers. Only
constant practice can ensure that the handgunner can overcome this
intrinsic handicap. But the single is much faster to fire, and if accuracy is
not too major an issue (as in close-in shootouts/ hand-to-hand combat), it
wins every time. Concomitantly, if accuracy is of paramount importance
(e.g., competition shooting), and if the shooter can steady himself for a
second before aiming and firing the next round, it is sensible to opt for a
double-action handgun.
In the bad old days of the Wild West, gun-sharps looking for even
more speed in concluding the firing sequence used to file down the ratchet
of the mechanism that locked the hammer. Even when pulled back to its
very limit, the hammer would fail to lock. If the thumb was now allowed to
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slip off the spur, the pin would instantly descend on the detonator and
discharge the gun.
The technique of fanning the hammer, therefore, involved gripping
the weapon in the right hand (assuming the gunman was right-handed) and
using the edge of the palm of the left hand to rapidlyand repeatedly
draw back the spur of the hammer and release it at its extreme limit:
fanning! Naturally, the fanning action also kept the cylinder turning with
every fan, ensuring that the firing pin detonated a fresh cartridge every
time it fell. Hopefully, the gun was pointing in the general direction of the
target!
Such a technique enabled the gunner to loose off a fusillade of shots,
the objective usually being to get as many rounds into the target area as
possible within the shortest span of time. Moreover, the hail of bullets, and
the resultant deafening noise of near-simultaneous detonations (only
possible in the hands of an expert) had a decidedly negative indeed, a
vastly demoralizing effect on an opponent not sufficiently experienced to
cope with such a hazard.
Fanning, in most cases, was a technique popular with stir-crazy
cowhands eager to let off steam after downing a few hard drinks in a saloon
at the end of a long, dangerous cattle drive through injun territory. In short,
if the objective was to have fun by making as much noise as possible, a six-
gun was a noisy something that was already at hand; fanning merely
enhanced the pleasure of firing the weapon.
It was the rare pistoleer, however, who achieved any degree of
accuracy while fanning. In an OK Corral type of shoot-out (or any gun duel,
for that matter), the man who took slow, deliberate aim before discharging
his weapon was the one who always drilled his opponent, as did Wyatt Earp
(famous for using the Buntline Special, a modified Colt .45 revolver with a
12 barrel that did good things for the esoteric handguns accuracy and
range).
As any target shooter knows, most handguns are inaccurate beyond
ten yards, a figure comfortably divisible by five as far as a rookie is
concerned. Ergo, a long barrel and low recoil are conducive to accuracy.
The .22 Ruger, for example, will beat the .45 Colt almost every time in
putting the bullet in the ten yard bulls eye. I mention it because it is a
personal favourite, and its low price and ease of maintenance makes it a
great way to start plinking with a handgun. Lets forget about the biggies
like Smith & Wessons .44 magnum or the .45 Magnum Desert Eagle for the
time being. Another personal favourite is the 7.65 mm Walther PPK, and not
just because M forced it on a 007 reluctant to part with his .25 Beretta and
its taped skeleton handgrip. A 9mm Heckler & Koch is also a constant
temptation, as is the 9mm Glock. But 9mm is a prohibited bore in these
hyar parts, so let it go, pardner.
Check out the Walthers features if you dont believe me. Though its
high price tag is daunting for someone looking for an inexpensive, low-
maintenance handgun, its a great buy for an ardent handgunner...in fact,
for any man who loves a well designed, finely crafted and eminently
efficient piece of machinery. Despite all the Heckler & Kochs, SIG-Sauers
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and Mausers that have come along since the PPK was launched, I am only
one of an army of gun-nuts whod never ditch the Walther; its just too good
to be true. Thank God some things are made just right the first time off.
Some men dream of blondes; my dreams are haunted by the Walther PPK

DESCRIPTION OF A FAMOUS FANNING SEQUENCE FROM THE MOVIES

Movie: A Fistful of Dollars

Actor: Clint Eastwood as The Man with No Name
Producer/ Director: Sergio Leone
Music: Ennio Morricone
Shot in/ Location: Spain and Italy
Genre: Spaghetti western
Budget: Shoestring
Rake-in: Uncounted millions of fistfuls of dollars

The poncho-clad Man with No Name is riding along, right peaceable

like, across burning sands, when he comes to a shallow stream which
appears to be the Rio Grande at the Texas Mexico border. As hes about
to cross, he is confronted by four evil-looking bandit types.
Ah Haa! What have we here?! A gringo! Well, gringo, you have some
dollars? asks the Bandido Chief with exaggerated politeness.
The Man with No Name says nothing. Looks mighty bored. The
bandido is annoyed, but struggles to conceal his pique. He is confident
four against oneand this makes him insolently patient with the lone
stranger on a mule.
Death lurks in the shadows under the brim of the battered hat, but
the swarthy Mexican stick-up artists are too swayed by greed to notice.
What! A gringo with no dollars! Then what you got for us, amigo?
Gold? So what about eet, gringo? Will you give us a leetlejust a handful,
perhaps?
The Man with No Name holds his peace.
The bandido is getting worked up now. Why dont you say somezing,
gringo? You have silver, maybe? Yeesss! The gringo must be having lots of
silver!
Still no reply from the crinkle-eyed, cheroot-chewing Man with No
Name, but frost is now visible in the chilling gray eyes.
(A muted drumming of hooves is getting louder by the second; the
Four Riders of the Apocalypse are closing in, led by a skeletal figure holding
a scythe )
No silver! Then what you got, gringo? Eh? probes the exasperated
bandido, quite unaware that Nemesis has him squarely in her sights.
The Man with No Name speaks at last. Lead! he grates.
The rest is a blur; he throws back the poncho in a single fluid motion
as a six-gun seems to leap into his hand. Fanned faster than the eye can
follow, the weapon spits a long tongue of flameaccompanied by a brief
roll of thunder.
The four bandidos are blasted out of their saddles
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Cut! How was it, Calamity, honey ?! Your lone gunman awaits an
answer
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