During what stage does the hammer fall in a single action revolver?

In a single action revolver, the hammer falls during the firing stage. This stage is characterized by the final action of the trigger pull, which releases the hammer that has been cocked previously to strike the firing pin or directly hit the cartridge primer.

The operation of a single action revolver requires the shooter to manually pull back the hammer before each shot, which is known as cocking the hammer. Once the hammer is in the cocked position, pulling the trigger initiates the firing stage when the hammer is released.

Understanding the roles of the other stages helps clarify the significance of the firing stage: during the cocking stage, the hammer is drawn back and engaged with the sear, but it does not fall until the trigger is pulled in the firing stage. The unlocking and feeding stages pertain to different types of firearms and their processes, where unlocking refers to the disengagement of the action mechanism and feeding deals with the loading of ammunition, which are not relevant to the operation of a single action revolver.