Are revolvers making a comeback?

D

DAL

New member
Actually, the title is misleading since revolvers never really left the scene. For some time now, however, they have been overshadowed, at least in the gun rags, by semi-autos. The reason I'm asking is that I just finished reading this month's Jeff Cooper's Commentaries and he stated that more students are showing up for classes with revolvers. What gives?
DAL
 
I grew up shooting Dad's autos. Never did shoot a revolver. When I got started reloading, Dad suggested that I wouldn't have to hunt up the brass if I shot a revolver. So, now I hardly touch my Series 70 45 auto and spend lots and lots of time with my Ruger revolvers. I just really love shooting them. I also like the fact that you can get a really good one for a reasonable price and revolvers will handle being loaded indefinately. I also like it that revolvers will handle so many different power levels. So for me at least, revolvers are the in thing.
Bob
 
I feel the same way. I went through my auto phase, and that's not to say I won't fire the autos again that I own, but I think I've found my niche in handguns. They're easy and forgiving to reload for, far less temperamental than autos, and simple. Also, at least for me, I seem to concentrate more on marksmanship with a revolver than an auto. Plus, there are a lot of new and used (mostly used) revolvers on the market, as you said, reasonably priced.
DAL
 
I hope peole keep buying auto's.....that way I can get all my revos cheap!!
I had a friend who's not a shooter say this while looking at my GP100..."do they still make these type of guns?"Too much TV!
as longas people keep NEEDING Glocks,us revo guys are in good shape!!:D
 
Revolvers are making a comeback, largely due to the ban on high cap mags. Many people don't see any advantage of having 10 rounds of 9mm, or 7 rounds of .45 in a semi auto, over 6-7 rounds of .357, .45, or .44 in a revolver.
 
I'm a big fan of revlovers for self defense purposes. I like the fact that no matter how long the gun has been sitting around I still feel confident that it will work if needed, I don't get that feeling with an auto. Don't get me wrong, I think autos definitely have their place and I own several which I enjoy shooting but in my opinion revolvers just make common sense for most applications.

Although I don't have anything to back this up, my theory is that autos became so popular due to the high capacity 9's and the TV/film industry which promoted them as the gun to have. With the advent of the 10 round limit and some objective thinking I believe a lot of people realized that the great majority of civilian defense situations don't require a tremendous number of shots. Afterall, most of us don't get in gun battles with drug lords and their henchmen everyday. Bottomline line is I think people are appreciating the simplicity and "beauty" of revolvers and not caught up in the fad of "if I don't have an auto I'm living in the dark ages". Just my .02, Mike
 
As others mentioned I think autos became trendy. TV and movies had a part but I think when the police switched to autos a lot of people figured if the police needed them so did they.

Unless wealthy if one shoots a lot they need to reload a lot. Bending over and picking up brass gets old. At indoor ranges a lot of it falls forward of the firing line so is gone. I have lost on some autos 30%+ of the brass that way. As noted above one has a greater latitude in power levels they can reload in a revolver unless they have a drawer full of different power recoil springs.

For the price of a tricked out 1911 one can get several good revolvers. The revolvers I have gotten (Rugers, Smiths, Colts) have worked. I had a H&K P7M8 that may or may not work based upon how the gas cylinder was feeling that day (Yah, I know keep it clean). I always wondered if it would work when I needed it. For most of the smaller 9mms and the 1911 one isn't giving up a lot in firepower with a 7 shot 686 Mtn. Gun.

Then there is the last point: I just happen to shoot
revolvers better. Others that I have known have tried
revolvers and found that to be the case, too.

Jim
 
I have focused more on revolvers these days because a lot of the older Smiths are appearing at great prices. I like the newer Rugers because of the strength and pricing.

Autos do jam and revolver cylinders can bind. However, I just like the enclosed or shrouded hammer revovlers for defense (296 AirTi 44 Spl) and general reliability. There is something about hollowpoints peeking out of the cylinders when you are on the wrong end. :D

Revolvers are bulky width-wise, but I like them.
 
Perhaps more women are purchasing guns. I know that my wife loves revolvers and barely tolerates semi-autos. They are easy to load, shoot and clean. The 'clean' part is theory. Her version of clean is to hand me the gun.
 
How many people take autos hunting? :D
That's why 99.9% of ppl use revolvers over autos: power, reliability and accuracy.
They're simply more versatile.
 
Like I said in an earlier thread; I shoot both equally as
well. While I prefer the semi-auto for defensive type
situations, the revolver can't be beat for serious
range work.:cool: :D :)



Long Live The Wheelgun!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
I've never been into the semiautos. I've owned three so far. Sold one, one sale pending, and the one I'm keeping now is a DAO 1086 (10mm). I started with a GP100 and just keep picking up revolvers.
 
I concur

I, too, have no hard data, but the influence of Hollywood can't be discounted in the rise in popularity of full-cap autos, although I don't think that is the entire answer. Hollywood lives on presenting eye candy to the public (the plot/storyline is a secondary consideration), so they need things that are flashy, such as 15-plus-round handguns. It's a lot of fun to the uninformed to watch character A shoot umpteen times at character B, usually missing all but once or twice, and not have to reload.

One of the worst movies I have seen this demonstrated in was "Desperado" (the ONLY good thing about that movie was Salma Hayek--what a sight to behold is she, but I digress). The Antonio Bandaras character was constantly spraying rounds and often missing. If you look closely at the movie, it's easy to see why: The muzzles of his pistols were waving like flags in the wind while he was shooting.

Someone above mentioned that he hopes autos continue to be popular because that will keep the price of revolvers in check; I do too. I just picked up a S&W 19 this week in what looks to me to be great shape from my local gun shop. I wouldn't call it a steal at $300, but it wasn't a bad price either, I think (hope). They also had a used S.S. GP100 3" .357 I may pick up for $270, although I've seen them cheaper in Denver.
DAL
 
I've begun buying revolvers in the last couple of years (after being a dedicated auto guy) because it's a lot easier to find calibers I want in a wheelgun. A look at the recent Taurus lineup will give a good example.

.45 Colt
.41 Magnum
.22 Magnum
.30 Carbine...

it's just plumb hard lately, finding some of these in an autopistola!
 
Certainly Hollywood has played a role in the semi-auto frenzy. (Sure wish I could have found some of those infinite capacity 1911 mags Bruce Willis used in Last Man Standing.) But Hollywood also gave us >50 guys the six-shooter/lever action rifle fantasy westerns. I have no idea how pistols and wheelguns shake out demographically, but it's really nice to see young folks turning to revolvers. I've probably had an equal number of revolvers and semi-autos in my life and am a big fan of both. That being said, if I could only have one handgun, it would be a revolver.
 
I carried a S&W wheelie as a duty sidearm for a few years. Boring. There's nothing mysterious about a revolver in good repair. Load it. Pull the trigger. Bang. Again. Bang. All with boring predictability.

There's nothing much left to do to improve them either. The Mateba auto revolver is an interesting curiousity, but it's an exception.

The MOST beautiful handguns are revolvers, not only because of their appearance but the history and legends that are called to mind when seeing them. There's also a lot of area for engraving, etc., which is just icing on the beauty cake.

So why do I currently have so many autos? Will it fire? Will it blow up? Will it jam? If it does, CAN it be cleared within the half-life of a gnat?

For now, I like the adrenaline and adventure, the same as in the days when my Jag's owner's manual said "When cruising at speeds exceeding 130 MPH, periodically let off on the throttle to allow the upper cylinders to lubricate." Flat out, it would cruise at 155 MPH.

But, I knew that someday I would be driving a sedan. That day is now -- and the day of the revolvers is coming.... :D
 
The "Wonder9" invasion of the 1980s and 1990s really did hurt revolver sales.

One place where it didn't really impact it much, though, was small, defensive revolvers.

I did an article for American Rifleman, a "roundup" of all of the small snubbies that were available at the time, 1994, and was absolutely shocked at some of the sales figures that were quoted to me in confidence by several manufacturers.

Since then, the market has only gotten a LOT better for this segment.

As long as revolvers continue to offer what they have always offered, they're going to be with us for a long, long time.
 
I think the obvious answer here is the best.

Nothing defines Amercia at peace better than a revolver.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top