Are revolvers relevant in the 21st century ?
- Thread starter Kurbsky
- Start date
No. My bro-in-law is high up in the CHP. He says lots of officers (about half) carry a j-frame or LCR in 357 mag as a back up gun. Usually on the chest just above or on top of the plate carrier.
He says that if they have to go to a back up gun it means they’ve likely been disarmed and are hand to hand, so they want a dead reliable gun that won’t jam while grappling (unlike a semi-auto) and that has lots of stopping power. A 357 snubby fits the bill perfectly, so it is a very common choice.
In other words, yes revolvers ARE relevant today. Even in law enforcement. But not as a primary weapon.
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Carl the Floor Walker
Moderator
Are Revolvers for LE Dead?
"You might not see revolvers in many duty holsters anymore, but they are far from ineffective when they're carried, "
While Police carry a heavy duty gun, they all may not when off duty. I know for a fact that some actually do carry revolvers. And the one's I know are darn good shooters at the club I belong to.
https://www.officer.com/tactical/firearms/handguns/article/21208604/are-revolvers-for-le-dead
"You might not see revolvers in many duty holsters anymore, but they are far from ineffective when they're carried, "
While Police carry a heavy duty gun, they all may not when off duty. I know for a fact that some actually do carry revolvers. And the one's I know are darn good shooters at the club I belong to.
https://www.officer.com/tactical/firearms/handguns/article/21208604/are-revolvers-for-le-dead
jetinteriorguy
New member
Delete. Decided this post actually not worth replying too.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"That's not the case 99.9% of the time with autoloaders. "
99.9? Really? Care to provide the source for your number that cites the research?
And remember, WAG isn't authoritative.
"Yep, bucky, locked up cylinders happen all the time. Very common. "
It's not uncommon for my revolvers to lock up 7 or more times on a SINGLE trigger pull!
About the only thing that is going to catastrophically lock up either a revolver or a semi-auto in the field is a squib load that lodges a bullet in the barrel.
Squib loads are EXCEEDINGLY rare with factory ammunition, likely more common with homebrewed.
There are, however, any number of mechanical issues that can happen with either revolvers OR semi-automatics that will render them out of service and can happen any time.
I've been witness to quite a few instances for both types of handguns over my decades of shooting....
I've seen mainspring failures on revolvers.
I've seen trigger spring failures on semi-autos (Beretta, primarily)
I've seen two piece guide rod failures on semi-autos.
I've seen firing pin breakages in both revolvers AND semi-autos.
I saw a firing pin safety failure on a Colt 1911 that meant that the officer who carried it was likely carrying a completely dead gun on duty for two weeks. He was not happy.
And, I still am not sure what happened, but within 30 rounds my brand new Walther CCP in 9mm locked up completely and had to go back to the Walther to be repaired.
Those are just a few of the failures I've seen over the years for both revolvers and semi-autos.
99.9? Really? Care to provide the source for your number that cites the research?
And remember, WAG isn't authoritative.
"Yep, bucky, locked up cylinders happen all the time. Very common. "
It's not uncommon for my revolvers to lock up 7 or more times on a SINGLE trigger pull!
About the only thing that is going to catastrophically lock up either a revolver or a semi-auto in the field is a squib load that lodges a bullet in the barrel.
Squib loads are EXCEEDINGLY rare with factory ammunition, likely more common with homebrewed.
There are, however, any number of mechanical issues that can happen with either revolvers OR semi-automatics that will render them out of service and can happen any time.
I've been witness to quite a few instances for both types of handguns over my decades of shooting....
I've seen mainspring failures on revolvers.
I've seen trigger spring failures on semi-autos (Beretta, primarily)
I've seen two piece guide rod failures on semi-autos.
I've seen firing pin breakages in both revolvers AND semi-autos.
I saw a firing pin safety failure on a Colt 1911 that meant that the officer who carried it was likely carrying a completely dead gun on duty for two weeks. He was not happy.
And, I still am not sure what happened, but within 30 rounds my brand new Walther CCP in 9mm locked up completely and had to go back to the Walther to be repaired.
Those are just a few of the failures I've seen over the years for both revolvers and semi-autos.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"The reality is - the are no longer being used by the military, police and even by criminals."
Criminals don't use revolvers? I guess that's why police seize so many... revolvers... that have been used in crimes.
Criminals don't use revolvers? I guess that's why police seize so many... revolvers... that have been used in crimes.
wild cat mccane
New member
New myth introduced.
"police carry j-frames because of close hand combat needs a gun that will always work."
If a slide on an auto is stopping an auto from firing, recall the cylinder rotates on a revolver at the force only by the trigger finger.
So if physically grabbing a revolver with a human hand and hard, where the cylinder is the largest part of it, doesn't stop a cylinder from rotating but does push the slide out of action on an auto, you just might be making stuff up
"police carry j-frames because of close hand combat needs a gun that will always work."
If a slide on an auto is stopping an auto from firing, recall the cylinder rotates on a revolver at the force only by the trigger finger.
So if physically grabbing a revolver with a human hand and hard, where the cylinder is the largest part of it, doesn't stop a cylinder from rotating but does push the slide out of action on an auto, you just might be making stuff up
It is possible for a sufficiently strong person to grab the cylinder of a revolver and hold it preventing DA firing. This does not matter if the hammer is already cocked, and it is also almost impossible to maintain the hold very long. Simply twisting the gun (and pulling the trigger) will usually result in firing. It is also possible for a person to jam their hand between the cocked hammer and the frame or slide, preventing the hammer from falling enough to fire the gun. Lots of things are possible, which is one of the big reasons for training.
Likewise, many semi autos (primarily service class Browning tilt barrel lock up designs) can have the slide forced back, out of battery enough for the disconnector to not allow the gun to fire. This is difficult to do by gripping the gun, but not impossible, and is much more likely and common to happen when the muzzle of the gun is pressed in contact with the attacker.
It is important to remember that while the guns can be rendered unable to be fired, it is only for a brief instant, and that any change (breaking the attackers tight grip or moving the gun just enough so its not jammed against something means the gun WILL FIRE when you pull the trigger.
It's NOT like what they show in the movies.
Carl the Floor Walker
Moderator
The Hidden Advantage of Shooting Revolvers
Here is something I truly discovered years ago. And I have have posted many times about this. You become a better shooter. And I seriously believe this. In fact the first gun I bought my son after teaching him firearm skills was a LCR22. And told him to practice and train with it often. It will hone your skills better than anything you can do. And for me, it has become my favorite 22.cal range gun.
I do shoot Semi's and carry them, BUT they are DAO. And for me that is the only trigger I want on a firearm, especially for EDC.
Their really is a "HIDDEN ADVANTAGE"
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/hidden-advantage-shooting-revolvers/
Here is something I truly discovered years ago. And I have have posted many times about this. You become a better shooter. And I seriously believe this. In fact the first gun I bought my son after teaching him firearm skills was a LCR22. And told him to practice and train with it often. It will hone your skills better than anything you can do. And for me, it has become my favorite 22.cal range gun.
I do shoot Semi's and carry them, BUT they are DAO. And for me that is the only trigger I want on a firearm, especially for EDC.
Their really is a "HIDDEN ADVANTAGE"
https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/hidden-advantage-shooting-revolvers/
New myth introduced.
"police carry j-frames because of close hand combat needs a gun that will always work."
If a slide on an auto is stopping an auto from firing, recall the cylinder rotates on a revolver at the force only by the trigger finger.
So if physically grabbing a revolver with a human hand and hard, where the cylinder is the largest part of it, doesn't stop a cylinder from rotating but does push the slide out of action on an auto, you just might be making stuff up
I’m not saying it’s true that revolvers are better for hand to hand struggles, I’m saying that was the rationale used by LE officers known by my brother in law. Myth or not, that was their thinking.
No need to be a jerk about it. Sometimes I forget how much these forums are populated by grumpy old men.
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jetinteriorguy
New member
Another thing I’ve learned shooting my revolvers DA, it helps counter act flinching. I actually shoot better DA than SA other than shooting.38sp wadcutters or a .22 where recoil is very light.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"It's NOT like what they show in the movies. "
WHAT?
You mean all those movies featuring martial arts master Hoo Flung Pooey Dung disassembling the bad guy's pistol before he can pull the trigger is false?
WHAT?
You mean all those movies featuring martial arts master Hoo Flung Pooey Dung disassembling the bad guy's pistol before he can pull the trigger is false?
I just mentioned in in another thread.... When I was cycling every day I kept a 642 in my jersey pocket. Something about sweat and lithium grease didn't mix and it bound up hard, the lithium grease inside the pistol had almost turned to stone. A thorough cleaning fixed it but it wouldn't have worked had I needed it. Well it would have for one shot, but the trigger stuck to the rear afterwards.
Never having been a cop, and more than 40 years past my active duty military service, I really don't give a snit about what they carry and use.
Perhaps not for you, but for me there is a lot more to handgunning than just self defense and CCW, and because of that, revolvers are still quite relevant. For some things they are still the preferred choice of most people, even if they are no longer the preferred "duty/service" class arm for police and military organizations.
If you don't think revolvers are relevant, then, for you, they aren't. Go enjoy your pocket combat tupperware or what ever it is that floats your boat, its all good. For me, both semis and revolvers, and even single shots are "relevant".
Perhaps not for you, but for me there is a lot more to handgunning than just self defense and CCW, and because of that, revolvers are still quite relevant. For some things they are still the preferred choice of most people, even if they are no longer the preferred "duty/service" class arm for police and military organizations.
If you don't think revolvers are relevant, then, for you, they aren't. Go enjoy your pocket combat tupperware or what ever it is that floats your boat, its all good. For me, both semis and revolvers, and even single shots are "relevant".
wild cat mccane
New member
As a millennial, fear not, at least the 4 and 6 inch will live on as I like them and send money at them.
Does make you wonder what happens to revolvers when the baby boomers get old and die off. There are going to be a lot of j frames out there with a pretty small market.
Does make you wonder what happens to revolvers when the baby boomers get old and die off. There are going to be a lot of j frames out there with a pretty small market.