# Russian Roulette actual odds of shooting yourself 1-60? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 22, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026 "2009-09-22T00:02:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/1 "2009-09-22T00:02:40Z")
I read that a large caliber, well maintained, well-oiled revolver is a lot safer to play russian roulette with than you might think. The weight of the round in the single chambered revolver slot ensures (or close to it) that when the cylinder is spun gravity will cause that heavier chamber to settle towards the bottom, away from the barrel, and firing pin. The actual odds are more like 1-60, of spinning a well-maintained revolver and having the round land at the high point (under the pin) Is this accurate? ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/2 "2009-09-22T00:04:13Z")
This seems like a factual question. My WAG is that well oiled or not the cylinder is geared to only turn one way so the momentum of spinning it and gravity NOT pulling to the bottom would make the odds far better than 1/60. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/3 "2009-09-22T00:10:40Z")
I guess the test is to put at dummy load of the same weight as an actual round into the cylinder of such a gun and see what percentage of times it ends in firing position after being spun. I do not possess the equipment for such a test. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/4 "2009-09-22T00:59:20Z")
IIRC, depending on the gun, the odds can be as high as 1/1 and as low as 0/1. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/5 "2009-09-22T01:01:35Z")
Does anyone actually play Russian Roulette? Or is basically an urban myth, like the “snuff films” which supposedly exist but which nobody can ever produce. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/6 "2009-09-22T01:30:59Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Does anyone actually play Russian Roulette? Or is basically an urban myth, like the “snuff films” which supposedly exist but which nobody can ever produce. Johnny Ace? Freddy Prinze? Depressed drunks playing around are in a gray zone between suicidal behaviour and whatever it is one calls russian roulette… ---
**Author:** ![hansel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@hansel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hansel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/7 "2009-09-22T04:59:59Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Does anyone actually play Russian Roulette? Or is basically an urban myth, like the “snuff films” which supposedly exist but which nobody can ever produce. [Scott Ruffalo died playing Russian Roulette](http://theblemish.com/2008/12/scott-ruffalo-died-playing-russian-roulette/) [Teen Died Playing Russian Roulette, Police Say](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201761.html) [St. Louis Teen Dies Playing Russian Roulette](http://www.missourinet.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=0185DEFE-09C5-4969-BDEBA03FBE066BA9) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/8 "2009-09-22T07:30:51Z")
I like to hunt deer with a revolver with one bullet, for the challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Claptree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Claptree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claptree)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/9 "2009-09-22T08:13:39Z")
It would depend on how you hold the gun, wouldn’t it? I can’t recall seeing any depiction of Russian Roulette where the gun wasn’t pointed either at the ceiling or the floor when the cylinder was spun. That should negate the impact of gravity. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/10 "2009-09-22T08:25:51Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Does anyone actually play Russian Roulette? Or is basically an urban myth, like the “snuff films” which supposedly exist but which nobody can ever produce. I knew a guy who died playing Russian roulette, and mma fighter Andrei Arlovski recently admitted to playing after he lost twice in a row by knockout. He is Russian, by the way. Regarding the OP: aren’t you supposed to clap it shut while it’s still spinning? I mean, if you wait until it stops, you can see where the bullet is . . . ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/11 "2009-09-22T09:13:11Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Does anyone actually play Russian Roulette? Or is basically an urban myth, like the “snuff films” which supposedly exist but which nobody can ever produce. I played it by myself once with my .357 magnum revolver. I (obviously) won but it was super terrifying. Never again. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/12 "2009-09-22T12:05:42Z")
I have “played” it in the sense that I’ve loaded one round into a revolver (a well-maintained, well-oiled Colt Python .357) and then spun and snapped closed to see where the round ended up. Interestingly enough, had it been an actual game of RR, the first person to try to fire would have succeeded (and died). I doubt the 1 in 60 premise, for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is that my understanding of the “rules” (spoken as though there’s an international federation responsible for the official rule set or something!) is, as **Cisco** suggests, you’re supposed to snap the cylinder closed as it’s spinning. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/13 "2009-09-22T12:21:53Z")
> [@](#): > > I doubt the 1 in 60 premise, for a couple of reasons, not the least of which is that my understanding of the “rules” ( **spoken as though there’s an international federation responsible for the official rule set or something!** ) is, as Cisco suggests, you’re supposed to snap the cylinder closed as it’s spinning. But there _MUST_ be! How else can they determine who wins the **Upper Class Twit of the Year** competition? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/14 "2009-09-22T12:26:30Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I like to hunt deer with a revolver with one bullet, for the challenge. Bah. Now, hunting bear with one bullet; aye, _that’s_ a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/15 "2009-09-22T13:15:44Z")
\ Well, let’s find out. One… Tah-hooooooo… Thr…aaaahhhh! Oh, the horror … the horror … … … … the horror … \ ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/16 "2009-09-22T13:17:32Z")
In _The Deer Hunter_, the Walken character seems to survive an incredibly long time playing the game. It always seemed so unrealistic to me, and was one of the reasons that I didn’t love the movie. The OP’s question gave me an explanation as to why he may have survived so long. But the responses shot it down. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/17 "2009-09-22T14:36:27Z")
Now we know what the final epsiode of Mythbusters will be. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/18 "2009-09-22T14:41:30Z")
[Moderator Hat ON] This has a factual answer, so off to GQ. [Moderator Hat OFF] ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/19 "2009-09-22T14:41:45Z")
[Moderator Hat ON] This has a factual answer, so off to GQ. [Moderator Hat OFF] ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026/20 "2009-09-22T14:47:33Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Does anyone actually play Russian Roulette? Or is basically an urban myth, like the “snuff films” which supposedly exist but which nobody can ever produce. [The Master Speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1353/did-the-russians-ever-play-russian-roulette) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-roulette-actual-odds-of-shooting-yourself-1-60/511026.md?page=2)