Fanning (firearms)

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Fanning is a revolver shooting technique, in which one hand holds the revolver and the other hits the revolver hammer repeatedly. This turns the cylinder and hits the firing pin in that order, allowing for 'automatic fire' of a revolver. This technique only works with single action revolvers, and, when performed very quickly, can be very damaging to the cylinder stop mechanism. This technique is used extensively in Fast Draw competitions, which generally use special lightweight aluminum or titanium blank firing cylinders, rather than the steel cylinders normally found on single action revolvers.

Recoil precludes fanning a gun firing live large bore centerfire ammunition. After the first round, the gun will be pointing upwards at a 45 degree angle or higher, making a second shot at a target impossible until the gun is lowered and re-aimed. Fanning a Colt 6-gun as shown in at least one TV series is quite impossible in practice.

Despite this, revolver-fanning has become a staple feature of many Western-related movies.