Revolvers hit harder than autos

C

cplane

New member
I have really been impressed with my Smith & Wesson mod.617 10 shot 22 revolver since I got it last saturday. One of the things I like is the fact that the bullets seem to hit their target a little bit harder than my Ruger MKII does. It seems more noticeable with a 22 cal. than with the bigger more powerful rounds like a 308 rifle. Does anyone happen to know just how much velocity is lost with an automatic vs.a wheelgun ? I know they are still pretty potent in an auto, but every little bit helps with a 22. :cool:
 
I might be wrong here, but I was thinking that velocity would suffer more in a wheelgun due to the cylinder gap venting some of the pressure. Since a semi-auto has no way to vent pressure more of it pushes the bullet out the end of the barrel.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here. It's happened at least once or twice before. :D

Joe/Ga
 
The semi-auto vents the pressure through blowing the slide back. The revolver pressure all goes to pushing the bullet.
 
I think both of you are right. I think that revolvers lose some power throught the gap between the cylinder and the barrel, while autos lose some power in cycling the slide. My guess is that these two competing factors probably even themselves out, leaving both autos and revolvers with similar barrel lengths with similar velocity from the same bullets.

What I would add is that non-auto or revolvers (ie, single shots, bolt actions, or pumps) are probably a little more powerful than either of the above.

This is all my unfounded opinion, though.
 
Hi, cplane,

There is some pressure loss in a revolver due to the barrel-cylinder gap. Some pressure is lost in an auto to work the slide/bolt. But I don't think the differences either way are discernable to the shooter as "harder hitting". I think you are just pleased as punch with the new gun and like to think it is a tad better than the old one.

Jim
 
Let's not forget that the barrel length of a revolver and auto are measured differently. A revolver with a 4" barrel actually has a longer barrel than an auto with a 4" barrel.
 
I agree.... but barrel length is far more critical in .22RF in my experience rather than the 'auto vs revolver' controversy, you don't give us the barrel length data, but both the Ruger and the Smith have 6" I think...so we are back to personal perception again!

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A thought from 'Big Bunny'...."The sword does not kill, it is a tool in the hands of the killer".... Seneca 'the younger' (circa AD 35)
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MrBlonde:
The semi-auto vents the pressure through blowing the slide back.[/quote]

You may be right, however I think I remember reading at one time or another that the recoil that operates the slide on a semi-auto does not get to a point where it will cycle the slide until after the bullet has left the barrel. Otherwise, tilting barrel designs would be terribly inaccurate which is not the case at all.

I guess this would be a good research project for someone with a chronograph, a semi-auto and a revolver of the same caliber and barrel length and some time to kill. :)

Somehow I doubt that the velocity would be more than 50fps different one way or the other.

Joe/Ga
 
Gino our postings crossed!

Noise is also a factor in perception of power, the revolver may well be noisier in an enclosed space!!
 
There have been several different "tests" of same caliber pistols and revolvers. The results are pretty much the same.
Some revolvers are "faster" than autos, some autos are "faster" then revolvers. From a practical standpoint, it comes down to a dead heat.
A good deal depends on "variables". Barrel length, cylinder gap, recoil spring strength, and barrel wear.

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Archie
 
Autos hit harder with equal barrel lengths int the same cartrdge due to no barrel cylinder gap.
PAT

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I intend to go into harms way.
 
Your results may vary..............


Chrono testing is required. Otherwise you operate on 'theory'. I own matching guns in 9mm and .357; one is always faster than the other.

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"All my ammo is factory ammo"
 
One thing that may make a revolver hit harder at a certain barrel length. . . .

Doesn't "barrel length" include the chamber on an auto, and is pure barrel with a revolver?

E.g. a 4" barrel on a 45 is really about 3" of rifling.

Battler.
 
The feeling of more power with a wheel gun perceived. It feels like more because of the noise produced by the cylinder gap. The actual power is about the same as a auto.

Robert
 
Hi, Joe Klug,

In a blowback pistol, the bullet has left the barrel before the breech opens. The breechblock has to be made massive enough that its inertia keeps it from moving until the bullet has left the barrel and pressure has dropped. But in a recoil operated pistol, movement of the barrel-slide unit begins when bullet movement begins and there is some barrel-slide movement before the bullet leaves the barrel. (This movement is not caused by gas pressure, but by the recoil resulting from the movement of the bullet. If the barrel is completely blocked and the bullet cannot move, the gun will not open.) It is the momentum of this movement that completes the unlocking and full rearward movement of the slide.

Jim
 
I didn't read all of the above, so I may just be repeating someone elses words. I've HEARD that there is supposed to be more velocity out of a Revolver... but the more I think about it, I DOUBT there's much of a difference. There may be more felt recoil in a revolver simply because there's no recoil spring to absorb the recoil.

A semi-auto looses velocity (pressure) in the recoil/blowback stage. A revolver looses pressure through the b/c gap.

Go with whatever you like. I like the fact that you can have more rounds in a semi-auto. I'll stick with them for now.

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Almost Online IM: BenK911
ICQ # 53788523
"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"
 
I should of stated that both barrels are 6"and I was shooting hyper velocity viper bullets at a paper plate duck taped to 2 x 6. The revolver seemed to knock bigger splinters loose compared to the auto. But You all are right, I was just a little excited with my new toy! I still like my auto but there is something about a revolver that is classic. Thanks for the feedback everybody. :D
 
Haven't chonographed .22 rimfire from identical length revolver and autos, but HAVE done some testing that may or may not be relevant.

Comparing a five-inch barrel Colt Govt. model .45 auto with a S & W .45 ACP revolver with six-inch barrel shows the auto flinging the identical load about 40 fps faster. Average of five shots from each. This settled the matter to my satisfaction.

I do understand there are minute differences from gun to gun, and barrel to barrel. The load was 230 RNL with 6.5 Unique. Don't recall case brand but I did match them all for head stamp.

Best regards,
Johnny

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---The Second Amendment ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights---
 
I don't mean to sound preachy but you guys are way off about semiautos and pressure. Unless you have a very rare "gas operated" semiauto pistol, there is no pressure loss because of the slide movement. All the pressure of the cartridge pushes the bullet out the barrel. Recoil is what drives the slide to the rear. That pesky guy Newton had it figured out in his second law (I think). For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Second, someone above was correct in that most semiauto barrels include the chamber while revolver barrels do not include the cylinder (chambers). Thus, a 5" pistol barrel is not the same in terms of performance as a 5" revolver barrel. It would seem, from the above that revolvers would have an edge but they loose that edge because of the barrel/cylinder gap, which does loose pressure. You can't say as a matter of fact that all revolvers will have less performance (velocity) than auto pistols because the cartridge, the powder, and several other variables come into play.

Preception is often that revolvers have more power but this is more often than not a case of "felt recoil" being greater. I had a 5" M25 S&W that I used to let people shoot along side my 5" Government model. Every single person who tried the two insisted that the ammumition in the revolver was hotter than the ammo in the pistol. This was after I loaded both out of the same box of 45 ACPs.
The axis of the bore for the revolve rides higher, thus the recoil force is generated higher above the wrist, making it feel like it kicks harder. The axis of the bore for the auto pistol generally rides lower, and the recoil impulse is partially absorbed in pushing the slide to the rear. Thus, the auto feels like it kicks less.

To the new shooter all the above could well make you believe "revolvers hit harder than autos".

Dave T
PCSD Ret.
 
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