I apologize for being overly smart with my previous post. I don't actually do Cowboy shooting, I'm a Homesteader. I live out in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of 25 acres of woods. While I may have been nigh invulnerable in my youth, I have reached the realization that I'm not up to taking on a big cat, bear, or even a wild dog anymore.
So, out dropping trees, clearing brush, digging holes, none of that has really had an impact on the muzzle end. The grip end though, that is the end that seems to take the abuse. My muzzle doesn't extend past the toe, it sits back in it a good bit, at least a half inch or more. So sure, I guess even then, if everything was lined up against you, and the fates were out to get you ( I call those average days
), it could happen. It just hasn't yet.