Is it time to put revolvers in the museum?

Not ready for the museum just yet.

I work plain clothes hunting bad folks and serving papers on tham and others. I just qualified this past December with a 4 inch 66-4 and a 2.5 inch 66-2. I'm currently dual qualified on revolvers and semi auto's (S&W 3rd gen 45's). More often than not I've got a revolver in my holster.

It is all about putting a first, accurate shot on target. Any competent shooter is capable of doing so with a quality revolver. Regards 18DAI
 
The same. Same silly mag disconnect, same stupid LCI .... just has a polymer grip frame with a different angle.... and the mags have a big plastic "toe".....
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I see you have the same love for it huh? haha.

I've thought about picking up one of the new SR22s just for the easy of disassembly.
 
Both semi-autos and revolvers have distinct advantages and disadvantages when compared to each other and neither is universally better than the other, it depends on the individual and his/her circumstances. While capacity and speed of reloading are certainly advantages of the semi-auto, those are not necessarily the most important factors to everyone. Power-to-size ratio, contact-shot capability, simplicity of use, and misfire clearance procedures are all much more important to me than capacity or speed of reloading and a revolver has the advantage in those four areas so that is what I carry.

Also, just because police have, for the most part, transitioned to semi-autos does not mean that such is the best choice for you or me. Cops more often than not find themselves in very different circumstances than private individuals do and, as such, the requirements for a cop's handgun may be very different than those of Mr. John Q. CCW. Bear in mind as well that, while semi-autos may rule the roost as far as full-size duty guns for cops, snubnose revolvers are far from dead, or even particularly rare, as a BUG for police.

Bear in mind that both semi-auto handguns and swing-out cylinder DA revolvers were developed and refined concurrently (both are products of the late 19th and early 20th century). If a revolver had nothing to offer over a semi-auto, it is doubtful that they would have remained available and in common usage for so long.
 
Revolver hard to clean?

Much easier than most autos.


Sure, you can tap off a few mags faster without having to reload cylinder, but if speed is a necessity with you, get practice with moon clips.


Revolvers into the museum? Not a chance. There is still a huge market that is demand of them, so the factors of production will still be supplying them.

It's rough to compare a modern revolver to a VHS, as the revolver offers some distinct advantages over an auto, whereas a VHS doesn't offer anything over a DVD or blue ray.
 
Some of the first replys focused on me, later the focus shifted to people
sharing how they still use their revolvers. I found the 'sharing' to be more useful. Keep them coming. Techniques of cleaning are appreciated.
To those who found it funny, explain the humor.

I'm not bashing revolvers I'm saying that in my case I don't use it as much
as I used to. Hey, I still watch movies on my VCR sometimes. :)
 
And really even the capacity thing isn't always true.

A S&W 627 has as much capacity in it's cylinder as a .45 1911 does in it's magazine.

The S&W 617 holds as many rounds in it's cylinder as my Ruger MarkIII (or any factory 22 semi auto that I can think of off the top of my head).
 
For personal defense the revolvers offer no advantages. But with longer barrels and magnum chamberings they have their places. I still keep a few revolvers around just to shoot from time to time, but I have no personal practical use for one anymore. Anything that I need a handgun for is better accomplished with a semi-auto.
 
As far as cleaning is concerned, I find revolvers to take a bit longer to clean but to be easier to clean. While I have to clean multiple chambers on a revolver as opposed to just one on a semi-auto, my revolvers don't require me to disassemble the gun in order to clean it properly (I shoot only DA revolvers, most SA revolvers would require removal of the cylinder). Even so, I find that for routine cleaning a bore snake cleans just as well, if not better, than a rod, brush, jag, and patches and does so in a fraction of the time.

As for carbon rings from subloads, I've simply gone with good old-fashioned prevention in that I simply don't shoot large amounts of subloads through my guns without cleaning them. Honestly, I don't shoot that many subloads anyway because if I wanted to shoot .38 Special or .44 Special ammunition, I'd use a gun chambered specifically for those cartridges.

If you handload, you can avoid the carbon rings by simply loading your light loads into magnum cases (a perfectly safe and acceptable practice). Even if you don't handload, several companies now offer "Cowboy" loads in both .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum which are little more than .38 Special and .44 Special loads in magnum cases for use in Cowboy Action shooting.
 
Another advantage of a revolver is they will fire almost anything.

Want to use Glaser Safety Slugs, CCI Shot shells or Federal Gaurd Dog? You don't have to worry about it not cycling.

Your idea of the best "manstopper" is pin-grabbers? You don't have to worry about various bullet shapes not feeding
 
I have a 4inch S&W 686 that I love. It's a great shooting gun. But I rarely shoot it because of the time it takes to reload and clean it. With my auto loaders I can quickly fire off a mag or two in the same amount of time.

I remember when revolvers were used by law enforcement ..nowadays your out gunned with them.
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Your just yanking our chains, right?
Slow to reload? Speedloaders are cheap. Try some.
Hard to clean? Stop, you're breaking my heart.
Outgunned? How many shootouts do typically get into? LE needs are not necessarily the same as those as the typical CCing citizen. For one, LE's are probably not going to make themselves scarce if a situation looks questionable. I have no problem with with running away.
 
If you change the premise to revolvers with 4" or greater barrel lengths, you might have a point, since I believe the place of the revolver today is the short-barreled concealed carry or backup gun. But even then, as a sidearm while hunting, I would still prefer a long-barreled magnum revolver over a semi-auto.

I agree for the majority of cases the semi-auto is superior, but revolvers have some areas where they hold their own or are better than semi-autos.
 
Your just yanking our chains, right?
Slow to reload? Speedloaders are cheap. Try some.
Hard to clean? Stop, you're breaking my heart.
Outgunned? How many shootouts do typically get into? LE needs are not necessarily the same as those as the typical CCing citizen. For one, LE's are probably not going to make themselves scarce if a situation looks questionable. I have no problem with with running away.
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My thought exactly. For the VAST majority of civilian cases of firearms usage, a 5 or 6-shot revolver is more than adequate.
 
My Old 2 Cents:
My preferred Carry Guns are a 45 Long Colt Sheriff's Model Single Action or a
38 Airweight DA in my Pocket.
I shoot SASS Matches every week ,weather permitting (Arthur Issues)
A Pair of Single Action 45 Long Colt Rugers making White Smoke. (Black Sub)
As far as Cleaning : Cleaning Them is Quicker than when I Shoot
A Wild Bunch Match with a 45ACP 1911 (Smokeless).
But they do take more time to Reoad, but as Wyatt Earp said:
"Fast Is Fine But Accuracy Is Everything"

This Old Gal Says It All:


Hagen
 
I decided a long time ago that revolvers are pretty much obsolete for any purpose I would ever have, short of a maybe a 44 for hunting (and even that is quite rare).

In my opinion, quality "pocket nines" have sufficiently negated the J-frame type guns and I think that the plethora of quality service/ duty semi autos did the same for service revolvers a LONG time ago.

I know, I know, I know, gun fights ONLY last 3 seconds and 2 rounds... And in that case I'll just keep right on being ultra prepared.
 
My handguns are used far more at the range as opposed to combat. When it comes to shooting for precision I'll take your 686 over most of the service autos available. The only out of the box centerfire pistol I owned that came close to my revolvers in accuracy was a SIG P220 45 ACP. Although I have yet to fire my Springfield Range Officer 1911.

There were still plenty of revolvers available for sale at the last gun show I attended a few months ago. So there is still a demand outside of museums. Like Salmoneye said , I'll be glad to take that hard to clean 686 off your hands.:D
 
In my opinion, quality "pocket nines" have sufficiently negated the J-frame type guns and I think that the plethora of quality service/ duty semi autos did the same for service revolvers a LONG time ago.
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Can you shoot multiple rounds with your semi in the pocket, like you can with a revolver? Ever limpwristed a semi, or heard of anyone saying they did? Ever get a stovepipe with a revolver? Or a failure for the slide to lock back, or a double feed, weak mag spring, bad follower, or brass in the face with a revolver? There are plenty of reasons and justification for carrying a revolver. Pocket 9's have not replaced the revolver, in many cases they hold the same or similar capacity, are more reliable, and easier and more comfortable to shoot than any 9mm that will actually fit in your pocket. I think revolvers, like 1911's, are'nt going anywhere, and still have a very secure place in the shooting world. The fact that the cops or whoever else carry semi's doesnt necessarily transfer to the ccw population, or the shooting enthusiasts.
 
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