Six Gun

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[edit] Six Gun

A Six Gun is a hand held gun, or pistol, with a rotating cylinder that holds six bullets. The cylinder in a six gun is often called a 'wheel', and the six gun is itself often called a 'wheel gun'. The classic six gun was commonly carried by Old West cowboys and gunfighters. The most famous six gun in history is the Colt Single Action Army, or Peacemaker, in .45 Long Colt caliber. The six gun has many modern incarnations, such as the Ruger Vaquero and Beretta Stampede.

The Ruger Vaquero in .357 Magnum caliber.
The Ruger Vaquero in .357 Magnum caliber.


The basic operation of the six gun is:

1. The hammer is cocked with the thumb, which rotates the cylinder to line up a new cartridge with the barrel, and postions the hammer for firing.

2. The trigger is pulled, which causes the hammer to drop and sharply push the firing pin into the cartridge primer, firing the gun.

3. The hammer must be cocked again for the next shot. This is called 'Single Action'.


Modern six guns are used commonly by Single Action Shooting enthusiasts in shooting competitions, designed to mimic the gunfights of the Old West, and for general target shooting and personal defense.

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