Are revolvers relevant in the 21st century ?

At 40 years old, I’m probably on the young side of average age for this forum. With that being said, I am an old soul. The more I age, the more I have an appreciation for how my parents and grandparents did things. I admire and appreciate revolvers more and more as I age because of their history in gun development. Elmer Keith playing around with revolvers is very much a part of where we are today. Most police work that has been done, has still been done with revolvers. And yes, there is something to be said for an all steel and wood well fitted revolver. A cookie cutter semi just can’t compare in fit and finish. You wanna hunt with a handgun? Revolvers are where it’s at. I understand most people’s idea of hunting is still hunting in a tree stand for deer with a rifle, but there are many other methods. Ever run hounds that treed or cornered black bear? You better be in shape keeping up with them... and a magnum revolver is awful handy as a sidearm. Wanna discuss power/accuracy abilities beyond 50 yards? Revolvers will generally lead that discussion.

When we talk of the one dimension of CCW/SD use, revolvers very much appear ancient. While some people may not see any reason to own or carry a pistol other than traditional SD from criminals, that doesn’t mean that those reasons don’t exist. As for SD against criminals... revolvers are adequate. Semi autos have gotten extremely small, reliable, and capable. I dare say their advantages for average everyday CCW are hard to ignore. But... this still doesn’t make a revolver irrelevant (ever for SD). But then again, I shave with a straight razor so there’s that. Straight razors aren’t irrelevant either :D.
 
I’ve got, several, revolvers. If I’m out hiking in the desert. I’ll have a stainless revolver. Either a 3” 65. A 2 3/4” Speed Six or even an SP101. Loaded with 158 GR hardcast. Two speedloaders. One with hardcast. One with snake shot.

There is nothing on 2 legs, 4 legs or no legs I can’t defend myself against.

I carry the same gun where I live. My threat level here is very low. Again, a good .357 will get me through.

I’ve carried a gun just about every day of my life for close to 40 years. Always reassuring. (Off duty) rarely needed.

I think people live a fantasy of long protracted gunfights. Multiple assailants. Scooting and shooting. Multiple mag changes. I suppose it could happen. Realistically, it won’t.

I’m guessing if you are fighting that many bad guys, you’re not gonna survive into the second mag swap.

A revolver and a speed loader will allow the vast majority of gun carriers to survive the vast majority of gunfights they might actually get into.

If I suddenly stop posting. Maybe I was wrong. So be it.
 
I have owned over 45 center fire semi automatic handguns. Having finally admitted I am not a semi auto kind of guy, I now have zero. I have eight revolvers; six center fire. I feel confidant we will be relevant enough when we need to be.
All the armchair experts with 9mms and or "combat" shotguns are welcome to do their thing, just like I used to do fast draw.
 
Revolvers do what they've always done just as well as they ever have. Maybe even better since bullet technology has come a long ways.

However, I do believe that semiautos make a better choice for self defense in most cases.
 
Imagine you and your better half are attacked by a hood somewhere. He has a gun or a knife, what ever. would you just let him do his thing or would you like a knife to fight back with or would you prefer a revolver? The down side of the revolver for me, and I much prefer revolver's, is less fire power and other than detective special types, hard to conceal. decide what one to like best and learn to use it. or as in my case I went with fire power and concealability. I don't shoot semi autos as well as my revolver's but I don't expect to ever have to make a shot much over ten feet and with the target the size of a chest, it's point and shoot. Have to pretty much try to miss!
 
Imagine a hood has a gun or a knife..
Click to expand...

Imagine he has a knife and takes your gun from you. It happens more than you think. Imagine your assailant is in wait and has the element of surprise. Now you have armed a criminal.

Imagine the thirty bucks in my wallet is a fraction of the cost of a call to my lawyer. You’re welcome to your stance on this and it’s your right.

I have shot infinitely many more pinecones than bad guys. Which of us is being realistic?
 
Relevant? It's a retro thing. My revolvers feel right at home with my dial telephones and picture tube TV's. My wife calls me her dinosaur, and I'm quite alright with that.

Don
 
I carry a 642, I'm sure it'll shoot 5 times. No magazine to fall out or fail. No slide to jam on a goofy round or just because it's a semi. I know you don't want to hear it but it's based on my experience. I shoot a lot more auto than revolver these days. There is just more to go wrong with the semi. I do have 2 or 3 semis that have been 100% up to now. I have a Beretta that is almost 100%. Had the bottom fall out of a mag., failure to load first round from slide stop, engaged safety on reload a couple times(it's a decocker only now). A revolver can let you down too, unburned powder under then extractor can be a problem, had that happen one time, had to shoot it single action. It's just that I've had a whole lot fewer malfunctions with revolvers than semis. The only place a semi shines is they hold more ammo.
 
pete2 said:
I carry a 642, I'm sure it'll shoot 5 times. No magazine to fall out or fail. No slide to jam on a goofy round or just because it's a semi. I know you don't want to hear it but it's based on my experience. I shoot a lot more auto than revolver these days. There is just more to go wrong with the semi. I do have 2 or 3 semis that have been 100% up to now. I have a Beretta that is almost 100%. Had the bottom fall out of a mag., failure to load first round from slide stop, engaged safety on reload a couple times(it's a decocker only now). A revolver can let you down too, unburned powder under then extractor can be a problem, had that happen one time, had to shoot it single action. It's just that I've had a whole lot fewer malfunctions with revolvers than semis. The only place a semi shines is they hold more ammo.
Click to expand...
Totally agree.
 
That's one of the gun sayings that needs to go away. It's a poor attempt at justifying what comes down to personal preference.
 
pete2 said:
I carry a 642, I'm sure it'll shoot 5 times. No magazine to fall out or fail. No slide to jam on a goofy round or just because it's a semi. I know you don't want to hear it but it's based on my experience. I shoot a lot more auto than revolver these days. There is just more to go wrong with the semi. I do have 2 or 3 semis that have been 100% up to now. I have a Beretta that is almost 100%. Had the bottom fall out of a mag., failure to load first round from slide stop, engaged safety on reload a couple times(it's a decocker only now). A revolver can let you down too, unburned powder under then extractor can be a problem, had that happen one time, had to shoot it single action. It's just that I've had a whole lot fewer malfunctions with revolvers than semis. The only place a semi shines is they hold more ammo.
Click to expand...
Oops quoted wrong post
 
Originally Posted by 101combatvet View Post
If you can't kill someone with five-six shots, you need more range time.
Click to expand...

If your objective is to kill someone, you're gonna get more jail time...

The entire point (and the only valid legal reason) to shoot in self defense is to STOP an attack.

STOP

not kill, and not wound, but to stop an attack....

IF the attacker is wounded or even killed in the process of being stopped, so be it. The law recognizes this can, and does happen.

If you tell the cops or the court you planned to kill, you meant to kill, you are literally confessing to murder. Not a good plan.

And the other side of that coin is that, if you tell them you "only meant to wound", then you are admitting to them that you did not believe deadly force was justified, and therefore, YOU should not have used deadly force and shot someone. Also not a good plan.

We shoot (when we absolutely have to,) to STOP a violent attack on our persons or someone else. NO OTHER REASON is justified under our laws.

Yes, its a word game, but words matter, in Court, words either put you behind bars (maybe for life) or let you walk out a free man.

Also, be aware that if you are in court over a shooting, not only does what you said to the cops or the DA matter, but anything you've ever said, anywhere to anyone, might matter. In today's world, they ARE going to look at everything you've ever said online, including posts in this forum...

Don't do the DA's job for him...that's just a waste of our tax dollars!:D:rolleyes:
 
I made a table based on handguns manufactured (as reported to ATF) from 2007 through 2019 (had to post it as a graphic for formatting purposes). As plainly seen, revolvers, as a percentage of handguns declined in in the first five years of the period, but have pretty much leveled off since then. Of course, a decreased percentage of revolvers does not mean they are irrelevant, just that they are not as popular as they used to be (something that we all knew already). I do see the leveling off as an indication that a substantial number of people appreciate revolvers for what they are --- low maintenance, relatively simple to operate, dependable, and good for defense, training (DA trigger), and range/plinking.

KV3l8XY.jpg


Here's a graph just showing the percentages:

rx6rdX7.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top