Am I missing something here?....

BlackOps, what an evil thing to say! Everyone with a set of eyes knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that a S&W Model 19 is one of the absolutely prettiest guns ever made, much prettier than any ugly slabsides gun! They're just pretty damnit!!!!

While I have owned several centerfire autos in the past, and used the 1911 in the Army and Ruger P-89s at work now, all of my current autos are .22s. This is because I reload almost all of my centerfire ammo and hate chasing brass as I shoot in many out of the way wilderness places.

This being the case, all of my centerfire handguns are S&W K & J Frame revolvers in .38 & .357; Models 10, 64, 19, 49, & 640-1. Not only are they the best, more importantly, they are the prettiest! Long live the medium caliber S&W revolver! Haleluja! Amen!
 
Dave,
No sir, you are not missing something but there are a lot of people out there that are. I am problably goring a lot of gunwriters' "sacred cows" when I say this but it is true: About 75% of the folks wandering around out there with autoloaders would be far better served with a good revolver and that certainly includes police officers. When my department turned in our Smith & Wesson and Colt .357s for SIGS the qualification scores went down and stayed down while NDs went through the roof (and everyplace else imagineable).
The autoloader is a more specialized, complicated, expensive bullet launcher that has caught a lot of attention due to gun magazines and Hollywood. We have all sorts of problems because most troops won't go out and practice with the SIGs and won't keep them maintained. In the right hands they are highly effective. But for most it is an "ego" thing when they should be putting their money into more practice ammo. And yes, I have Sigs and Glocks and Berettas and M1911s. But when it gets down to it, I would just as soon still be carrying my old Model 28 Highway Patrolman.

Take care and God bless to all,
Paladin
(A meat eating dinosaur and proud of it)

[This message has been edited by Paladin (edited November 15, 1999).]
 
Hey Dave!
(sniff, sniff) I still mourn for my Smith 686, but alas I needed the money. I too carry a 442 on a daily basis when I can't carry my SIG or my Colt 1911. That 686 was the gun I taught my mother to shoot with. She couldn't hit anything with the SIG or the GM, but she shot real well with the Smith.

------------------
"peace, love, joy, and happiness..."
 
Well, I've seen 4 or 5 national recognized
trainers who have J frames of some sort
as back ups or casual pocket carry.

The J frames are quite popular in this
role.
 
Thanks,guys. The gent that said that lots of folks would be better served with a revolver has it right, IMO. There was a conversation here last night. Wonderful Wife mentioned to a vendor at her store that I was a firearms instructor, and he wants me to teach him. According to WW, this guy hasn't fired a weapon since adolescence, and has a "40" of unknown make he bought for HD. She says he's bright and seems willing to learn,so it looks like I'm back to teaching again.

Re K Frames....

Some years back,say 1989 or so, Brother,his wife and kid were moving from Md back to Utah. Pop's going away present to him was a well preserved S&W M&P dating from the 20s w/ 5 inch bbl. Talk about a shooter!Buttery action, crisp SA trigger, and reasonable sight radius.Brother still has it.

While autos have all the mods, I can't think of any revolver work I've had to do beyond a little polishing and lubing. I have ground triggers smooth for fast DA work, dehorned a few hammers,but that counts as elective surgery(G).

Oh yes, one mod does come to mind. Following a tip I had years ago from a salty old cop, I polish the blueing off the muzzle so it's bright metal. When pointed at a BG, it makes the hole look lots bigger,more likely to give him some cause to reflect on the wisdom of his actions(G).

Have a good'un....
 
Hey Dave, count me in as a big S&W Revolver fan. I love the K-22, M-29, Centennial Airweight, etc. etc. The single action pull off on a S&W is beyond description. Glass Rod breaking is only a pale comparison!

Come to think of it, has anyone here ever broken a glass rod? I know I haven't! :)

------------------
45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel!
 
Add one more revolver fan here. Yes, I know that I've made many arguements for the 1911 style pistol, I do love 'em. But the simple fact of the matter is that I'm a big fan of revolvers and always will be.
My all time favorite handgun cartridge is the .45 Colt. I've never seen an auto in this caliber, have you? And what could be more fun than plinking with some light .38 special loads? If you're in the mood to make some noise, a magnum revolver fills the bill.
I also believe that the vast majority of people would be better off with a revolver. Any time a new shooter asks me what kind of gun to get, my answer is always the same. Get a medium frame .38 or .357 DA revolver. Those who listened have thanked me, those who didn't have wished they had.
 
I just bought a S&W 442 for the wife as her "house" gun. I was going to buy her a nice small Sig or a Colt Commander, but her girlfriend bought a revolver and she has been bugging me every since. Now she's got one and I want one, too. Been looking at that Medusa from Philipps and Rogers. Runs around a grand, but the dang thing shoots every caliber there is in the 9mm, .38/.357, .380, family without adjustment. Anyone have any news on this revolver?
 
I know for a fact member "cdf" is a big wheel gunner... he's been there and done that. And yet dispite my personal best efforts to the contrary - he insists on revolver.
I like the autos... It isnt a reload issue. I can reload a revolver about as fast as an auto... I just like that slide jumping back at me.

------------------
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
 
Gee, George, it's not like you can't like both(G)!...

We've seen a lot of wheelgun fans come out of the closet,so to speak, on this thread.

I'd venture a guess that the average gunner speaking up here has more experience and years behind him/her than Joe Crunchenticker.
If the folks with experience like revolvers, and the folks without go for the autos, what does that say?...

Some personal history...

Back around the time I started with Md DOC, a woman I had worked with prior told Wife and I she had been raped. She wanted instruction in firearms,and had never fired one. I talked to a psychologist who knew us both,his advice was to go ahead and do so. But he suggested a different course of action than most.

Usually, I'd start a tyro off with a 22 auto and slow fire at bulls. After a brief but deep safety class, I started this female off with a 38 Sp Airweight and WC with a B-24 target. She worked through some rage there and no problem with concentration. After a few more lessons,she got her own snubbie.

This opened the floodgates. Our friend had joined a support group for rape victims, and over the next coupla years,5 more got taught.
Each time I started with the snubbie and loads that would recoil enough to feel, then switched to a 22 and bullseyes for the technique portion. Each reached a point where they could have qualified on our dept course, and each purchased a J or K Frame S&W.

Kept in touch for about 5 years afterwards. None was reraped. One had to display a weapon to a date who forgot what "NO!" meant, another heard glass breaking in her house, retreated to the bedroom and armed herself. As footsteps approached her locked bedroom door, she announced she has a gun and was on the phone to 911. Footsteps rapidly left the area.

All I've got to say is that it's a dam shame they didn't get that training before the incidents that lead them to seek me out.
 
May be there is no so much things to talk about the revolver anymore, for it has almost reached its perfection, that is why it is not so much discussed. It is a good gun but it is not a trend anymore. They seems to be history only now. Having good one of it in the inventory is great but still the consumers is opting for the GM and its latest models.

I am also planning to have one wheel gun and I am trying to have good justification if the .357 SP101 medium frame is a good one.

Thanks
 
But what if left Crunchenticker country and are now in TICK-TICKER land?

------------------
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
 
Oh, there is still a'plenty of innovation possible for DA revolvers. I'm still waiting for S&W to produce a K-Frame Airweight Centenial with a 2.5 inch barrel and fixed sights in .38 spl. NO TITANIUM PLEASE!

I'm also waiting for Ruger to produce SP-101 Centenial and Bodyguard models. And it wouldn't huet Ruger to make its revolvere a little prettier either!
 
Dave,

Long time no see (read?) - I recall your posts (fondly) from the old Prodigy Classic boards.
Like someone else above has already said, a revolver is the most dependable handgun out there. Whats to talk about? You pull it out, squeeze the trigger and it goes "bang".

The ONLY advantage a semi has over a revolver is that, because of the slimmer profile, you can carry a concealed semi more easily than a revolver - certainly not an insurmountable problem.
I don't consider the extra rounds in an auto be a real advantage in any real life situation I have heard of, at least for a private citizen.



------------------
Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan
 
I'll have to question the assertion that autos are more concealable than revolvers. I have found that the single most important factor in concealing a handgun is the butt size. Most autos of comparable size and weight to K & J Ftame S&Ws have significantly larger butts than the revolvers, especially if the revolver is wearing a Boot Grip from Uncle Mike's or a simmilar design.
 
Dave McC-Bravo to you and all here that appreciate a revolver. I have shot revolvers and autos in the military, at the range, hunting, and in self-defense. I most definately had more confidence in the revolver because I knew that it would work. While I agree with most of the threads here about the S&W medium frames, I own 3, my preference is the Ruger "Six" series. My current carry gun is a Speed Six in 357 with a 3" barrel. It was a US Postal Inspector gun. I didn't even have to stone or polish anything. It was already done correctly by their armorers. I can shoot heavy loads if I choose to do so without worry. My other favorite revolver is the S&W 686 with a 4" barrel. This is, by far, the sweetest handgun I have ever had the pleasure of squeezing the trigger on. It was a police trade in that I had to do absolutely zero to. That particular gun has saved my life twice. Once against people and once against animals. I ALWAYS recommend a revolver to newbies.

Steve
 
Dave McC-Bravo to you and all here that appreciate a revolver. I have shot revolvers and autos in the military, at the range, hunting, and in self-defense. I most definately had more confidence in the revolver because I knew that it would work. While I agree with most of the threads here about the S&W medium frames, I own 3, my preference is the Ruger "Six" series. My current carry gun is a Speed Six in 357 with a 3" barrel. It was a US Postal Inspector gun. I didn't even have to stone or polish anything. It was already done correctly by their armorers. I can shoot heavy loads if I choose to do so without worry. My other favorite revolver is the S&W 686 with a 4" barrel. This is, by far, the sweetest handgun I have ever had the pleasure of squeezing the trigger on. It was a police trade in that I had to do absolutely zero to. That particular gun has saved my life twice. Once against people and once against animals. I ALWAYS recommend a revolver to newbies.

Steve
 
Dave McC-Bravo to you and all here that appreciate a revolver. I have shot revolvers and autos in the military, at the range, hunting, and in self-defense. I most definately had more confidence in the revolver because I knew that it would work. While I agree with most of the threads here about the S&W medium frames, I own 3, my preference is the Ruger "Six" series. My current carry gun is a Speed Six in 357 with a 3" barrel. It was a US Postal Inspector gun. I didn't even have to stone or polish anything. It was already done correctly by their armorers. I can shoot heavy loads if I choose to do so without worry. My other favorite revolver is the S&W 686 with a 4" barrel. This is, by far, the sweetest handgun I have ever had the pleasure of squeezing the trigger on. It was a police trade in that I had to do absolutely zero to. That particular gun has saved my life twice. Once against people and once against animals. I ALWAYS recommend a revolver to newbies.

Steve
 
Great to see you, Keith. and I recall you and the gang on the Shooting Sports BB. Quite a crew with Charley, Dean and so on. Remember those scenarios? Wonder if Dean ever used those in an article,I admit I don't read many gun mags these days, too many printed infomercials....

Lesse, like the fellow said, maybe we're not talking about revolvers because it's all been said, and the state of the art is as far as it can get. Maybe not.How about?....

A K Frame size wheelgun chambered for a non mag but big bore caliber. Maybe revive the idea of a 41 Special. Take 41 Mag cases, cut to the length of 44 and 38 Specials,and load to say, 15,000 PSI with a soft 210 gr lead HP. or maybe 40 S&W with full moon clips. Make it a 5 shot and stick a 3 inch bull bbl in the front.Quite a belly gun....

Or, for backpackers and others concerned about weight, maybe a J Frame with a 6 inch bbl,adjustable sights and chambered for 357?

BTW, that would be legal for deer here in md.

Ot for deep cover/last ditch defense, maybe something like those tiny North American Single actions, but in 32 Mag or 32-20.

Thanks to everyone, this has been one great thread...
Or, maybe a revival of the old Brit revolvers, the Webleys, Enfields, etc? Make them a top break in say, 45 ACP or 44 Special.
 
Like somebody said, I think its a trend thing. All the current movie heros are using autos and lets face it, most newbies got their first impressions of handguns from TV and movies. Remember what the "Dirty Harry" movies did for sales of the S&W 44 mag? And way back in the Fifties when all the TV westerns resurected the SAA? Its the same now. Only this time its Arnold, Bruce and company popularizing Barettas and Desert Eagles.
Not to worry. The revolver always has and always will have a place in the shooting sports. It just ain't trendy right now.

BTW: have you noticed? The price of new revolvers isn't going down any, but have you tried to sell one lately? Ya can't get squat for them. This can work in your favor if you're in the market for a good used gun.
 
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