Is a revolver a good "first gun" ?

M

mr00jimbo

New member
I am ready to buy my first gun. This is for range use only because Canada has no CCW. I like the revolver because it seems to be more reliable and easier to maintain when compared to a semi-auto. Do you think a revolver is too powerful for a novice shooter? Would a .357 mag (with .38 special loads) be a lot more powerful than say, a Sig 9mm?
Thanks for your time!
 
I think a revolver is good for a first gun.

I'm not so sure about the 'easier to maintain' item however. I have several 6 guns, and like them, but I'd rather clean my semi autos than my revolvers.
Semi autos are definitely much less of a hassle to clean. You only have one bore to clean, not one bore and 5, 6, or 7 chambers, and cleaning the chambers can be somewhat of a pain, at least to me.
 
A revolver is an excellent tool to begin your handgun education. A quality wheelgun will last your lifetime, and your children's lifetime, with proper care and periodic maintenance. I can only speak from experience, but I still have and still dearly love the first centerfire revolver my dad let me own. A Ruger Super Blackhawk. I shot a few magnum loads in it...(an ego thing) but I have shot only 44 specials in it ever since. It is still 100% like new in the factory box with all the original paperwork from the hardware store where my dad bought it. Yes, big city hardware stores sold guns back then (1968). The $109.95 price tag is still on the box, and there are still 8 unfired rounds of Norma 240 gr. jacketed flat points in their original 20 round box. Are revolvers better than autos??? Billions of words have been written about it for decades...but you know what??? The only thing that matters, is to find that special first gun that tugs at your heart and holds the promise of a lifetime of enjoyment. My only advice.....when you finally get your first handgun....never let it go. It could become a part of your life...I have heard so many others regret selling or trading their first handgun. I own dozens of handguns now, but only the first one holds a very special place in my safe.
 
Every shooter should have at least ONE good revolver in their possesion.

1. Reliable
2. Safe (easier to confirm loaded status)
3. More intuitive for the beginner (no slides, magzines, safeties)
4. Wide variety of ammo

Look at it this way. A good 357 will last forever. For training, teaching or plinking you can load it with low power 38 wadcutter and shoot all day. Later, for home defense or hunting you can load it up with some full power 357 magnum rounds. An auto is far more picky about power level. Too low a power level and it will fail to cycle. Too high, in a gun that you put a lower power spring to work with the low power rounds, and you are goign to knock the snot out of it.

All this said I love my 1911 and grew up with guns but the first one I bought on turning 21 was a 6" 357. It is long gone now but I will always hang on to my dad's 6" blued Colt Python.
 
+1 Muskateer.

I own both. Revolvers are easier to maintain IMO than semi autos.

If U R on a budget, Taurus makes great revolvers (avoid their semi autos though) for around $300.

OR, while buying a used gun is risky for a novice, many people here like Ruger GP100 and S&W revolvers for around $300.

Expect to pay twice that for a new Ruger or SW.
 
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Safety First

A revolver is much safer then a self-loader in the hands of a novice. Nothing makes me more nervous then seeing a rookie shooter with an auto and no guidance at the range. At least with a revolver, after each shot, the hammer is resting on an empty chamber.
 
Revolvers are very good guns for novice shooters. If it is only for the range and not for home defense, then you could opt for a .22 revolver. Very cheap to shoot and all day at the range wouldn't leave your wrists aching.
 
Its hard to go wrong with a revolver. They are reliable, extremely accurate, and very versatile, especially in the .357 Mag variety. For practice and training shoot light .38 spl loads and when you feel you are comfortable with the gun shoot some .357 Mag loads. In my opinion the .357 Mag is much more powerful than a 9mm and is much more versatile. .38spl ammo is cheap and very accurate and has light recoil. With some loads it is also a good defense cartridge. In the woods 158 or 180 grain full-house .357 Mag loads offer excellent punch and penetration and are capable of taking deer. A hot 180gr .357 Mag load will do about 1300-1400fps from a 4" revolver, even faster from a 6". For an all around gun for plinking and self defense I would go with a 4". For a plinking and hunting gun as well as self defense roles a 5-6" barrel is also good and increases the power of the underated .357 Mag cartridge. With the use of JHP self defense ammo, the .357 Mag is one of the best man-stoppers of the pistol variety. I personally think everyone should own a .357 Mag revolver.
 
Get one! Theyre great to learn on (1911s are better to learn on but wheelies are a close 2nd)! SW 686-6 and a 4" snout baby!
Semper Fi
-L7
PS Holy @!#$% Im hyper tonight!
 
My first pistol was a Ruger .22 semiauto. I think that revolver or SA doesn't matter as along as the first one is a .22 and the person is dedicated to practicing a lot before they get the second one. cje1980 is probably right about the .357 after the person has shot a few thousand .22 rounds.

Do they sell Taurus in Canada? Taurus makes a pretty good .22 revolver, like Leadcounsel said.
 
Revolvers are probably the best handgun to learn on. Less buttons and knobs. When I first handled an auto and a revolver at the gun store, I pressed the wrong button and the magazine slid out and fell on the floor :o
But now I own and appreciate both. The Semi is easier to clean and maintain, but then again, it's a Ruger. :D My wife and I now prefer Semiautos but I still enjoy the revolver as well.
 
Safety First

With proper instruction and supervision, either type of handgun would be safe. Now we know that many folks learn how to operate a firearm on their own.

Any loaded handgun pointed in my direction would tend to make me nervous. But if it is a just fired revolver, I know that the hammer is resting on an empty chamber. With an auto, the hammer is over a live round. I think a revolver offers just a little bit more of a margin for error.
 
I got autos before I got revovlers. The autos are nice but I haven't looked at them the same way since I got a revolver. My mom has and is proficient with an auto but still prefers a revolver. The reason: simplicity. I think a revolver will be an excellent choice for you both because of simplicity and versatility. A .357 Magnum can be loaded with anything from .380 level .38 Specials to low end .44 Magnum level .357 hunting loads. A properly set up .357 Magnum will do anything one needs done with a handgun.
 
malachi

Ya know, they make medication for that.
For both of you that is.
Click to expand...
I have some! I keep forgetting to take it... :rolleyes: But doncha get a little tired of hearing all the motherly advice?
 
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I love revolvers and usually carry at least one.
That said I think a .22 semi auto is an excellent training gun, esp for range use. They are generally a lot less expensive than a revolver, fun to shoot, and cheap. You can get a good quality .22 semi for probably half what a revo goes for. My first gun was a Browning Buckmark.
Revolvers are hard to master.
 
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