Revolvers...why?

H

HKguy9

New member
OK y'all don't take this the wrong way, but I'm trying to find why I could possibly need or want a revolver; what niche do they fulfill?

Besides the fun factor of course.

For defensive rounds, do semi's have it for firepower or does the .357 Magnum top them all?

Autos have it for capacity, I also happen to shoot them a lot better.

Subcompact autos are only a tad larger than snubbies and slimmer, too.

So, help me think of an excuse to get a revolver. Those snubbie M66s are cute!
 
the artristy and allure of the wheelgun are completely different from that of the auto. the skill required to master it is a completely different challenge.

for some the crossbow is sufficent, for others the compound bow does all that is required...but the art of launching an arrow and striking a target is only accomplished with a longbow...i know it seems rather OT, but it is the feeling involved in shooting a wheelgun
 
Buy a .22 revolver for a plinking gun. You can reload the revolver with almost as many rounds (most hold between 8 and 10) but reloading is easier and faster because you have fewer steps.

Also if you want a pocket gun you can shoot from inside the pocket, the snubbies are the only way to go. Most autos will almost immediately stovepipe and jam.

As for reliability, some will tell you that revolvers are much better than autos. Not sure whether I agree with that or not however. I've heard of too much that can go wrong with both.
 
Which would you rather fire from your coat pocket?

a 1911 (very bad idea) or the attached .357 mag?

Also, as C.R. Sam has reminded us, if a contact shot is necessary, your auto is likely to suck in all kinds of imuprities which may affect its functioning as it cycles.

The model 649 is an all-steel shrouded hammer J Frame DA/SA .357/.38. It is similar in size to a .380 auto.
 

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I wondered the same thing last year. Then I bought a little model 36. The 36 was so nice that I thought I'd try something a little bigger, so I bought a snubby model 66. That was about seven revolvers ago. They look awesome, feel good in the hand, can be exceptionaly accurate, they always work..( if they don't you simply pull the trigger again), they don't require $30 magazines to function. If you reload, you don't have to crawl around on the ground, or through the toxic brew on the floor of the range to pick up brass.
Pick up that M66 and you'll understand.
 
A revolver won't eject empty brass into your eye.

Shooting a revolver weak handed, limp-wristed and upside down won't cause a problem, but can with a semi-auto that relies on it's slide going into battery.

Semi-autos have slides that may get stuck in clothing during a contact shot.

If you squeeze the trigger and it goes "click" on a dud, all you have to do is pull the trigger again to fire the next bullet.

You don't have to worry about disengaging a manual safety.

They're nice to look at.

I can't feed CCI shotshells through my USP, but all my wheelguns do just fine.

The handgun I am most accurate with is my Taurus 617, shooting single action.

With all that said, my current carry gun is my USPc. I do like extra ammo capacity. My Taurus and my S&W 640 do take turns however, and my 640 is what I'm carrying today; it's much more compact and more concealable than my USPc.

(edited for silly, embarrasing typo)
 
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Fun is the #1 reason, I love all those accessories for the J frames. It is pretty easy to work on. Lastly, I don't consider a USPcompact, nor a Glock 26/27 ideal for the pockets. The J frames truly are! Get a used one and play around with it, soon you will be hooked. I was a total auto guy myself, but have open my mind, and now I love the little guns.
 
Why choose a revolver?

The reasons I prefer revolvers:

More reliable with many kinds of loads/bullets (bullet profile will not cause a malfunction in a revolver, nor will underloaded rounds).

Great range of power choices (examples: .38 spl/.357 magnum, .44 spl/.44 mag, .45 Colt/.454 Casull). Most semi-autos can only handle one range of power level. Revolvers are thus more versatile.

Better grip ergonomics/less subjective felt recoil (I like the way revolvers fit my hand, and the heavy medium frame revolvers such as the Ruger GP 100/S&W 686 soak up recoil VERY WELL--they sort of roll in the hand more than semi-autos). In other words, for me a revolver has more mild subjective recoil when compared to a semi-auto using a similar powered cartridge. YMMV

Improved ability to hit accurately (revolvers just shoot better groups on average for me--especially when using SA trigger).

Better out of the box sights. None of my semi-autos have sights as good as my GP 100s or 686.

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Your results may vary, but you owe it to yourself to at least give revolvers a chance and try them out.
 
"Revolvers have slides that may get stuck in clothing during a contact shot."

Say WHAT Runt?

You carry one of those Webley-Fosberry revolver thingies? :D
 
Oh and one other thing, while you are there read the article "In defense of the sixgun" in the section entitled "the shooting range"
 
Shooting a revolver weak handed, limp-wristed and upside down won't cause a problem, but can with a semi-auto that relies on it's slide going into battery.
Click to expand...

Whoa, does this look like a movie?

Although you probably won't need this capability, you may need to if you're wounded on your back and you need to get off multiple shots:rolleyes:

There's just some think about revolvers that autos don't have, namely accuracy, reliabilty, and versatility.

My old Dan Wesson with a nearly shot out barrel can outshoot my Ruger Mark II Govt. Model. Revolvers have fixed barrels which lead to better accuracy, and fire more accurate cartriges.

The only malfunctions I know of with a revolver are light strikes and parts breakage. Compare that to potential problems with an auto.

Revolvers can fire light, heavy, +P, +P+, -P, -P-:D , wax, wood, plastic, (yes, they exist) and just about anything else that won't get stuck in the barrel and revolve with the cylinder, so you can shoot it indoors.

You also have more grip options due to the fact that the only thing underneath the grip is the frame and the mainspring.

Yes, they are thicker and and have less capacity, but they also have more stopping power and penetration. If you need 5 rounds to take down somebody with a .357, you probably won't be able to take him down with 10 rounds of 9mm or .40. Of course, a square shot to the head will do the trick, and that's where the revolver's advantage in accuracy comes into play.


I'm not bashings autos in any way. They just don't have the accuracy, versatility, and reliablity of the revolver, at least without some gunsmithing.
 
Revolver accuracy is usually great right out of the box - I'll post my 629 pic again - the groups were fired one full cylinder at 25 yards. I know with this revolver if I miss it was surely no fault of the gun! The clean crisp trigger break of a stock Smith or Colt revolver is worlds better than any of the out of the box semi-auto triggers I have ever tried. I enjoy guns that are capable of precision accuracy above all else - the centerfire revolvers produce that for me far better than any centerfire semi-auto.

Now rimfire 22 semi-autos are another story - they have a fixed barrel like a revolver and my MKII Ruger and Smith Model 41 are both extremely accurate!

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Some possible reasons beyond the aesthetic for owning revolvers.



  • For any given barrel length, a revolver will have a longer effective barrel than a semi-automatic.
  • the center of mass on a revolver is above the trigger while the center of mass of a semi-automatic is further back.
  • multiple shots are usually faster with a revolver than with a semi-automatic
  • for a given barrel length, the revolver will usually have the longer sight radius
  • all of the more potent rounds are available only in revolvers
  • revolvers will shoot whatever fits in the hole. You don't have to worry about "Will it like this brand?"
  • the manual of arms is simpler on a revolver
  • revolvers can be reloaded quicker than semi-automatics
  • there is far more variety and models available in revolvers than in semi-automatics
  • jams and hangs occur less often with revolvers
  • because the barrel on a revolver is fixed, they are usually far more accurate than a semi-automatic.
  • while it is easy to find revolvers that shoot semi-automatic ammunition, (9mm, 45acp, 40S&W, 10mm) it is more difficult to find a semi-automatic that will shoot revolver ammunition
  • there are far more choices in barrel length with revolvers
  • revolvers are usually less expensive than comparable semi-automatics
 
My GP100 is slower to load even with speed loaders than my pick any bottom feeder. But, and this has happened to me, If you drive to the range only to discover that all of your magazines are still at the house, you can stop at the FLGS and buy more spending anywhere from $6 to ?? for more, IF there are any for your particular firearm. On the other hand, if you left your speed loaders at home, you have only an inconvenience.

Magazines will eventually wear out. The cylinder won't.

Now my current favorite toy is a S&W 625 .45ACP. Clips are $.25 each. I bought a bunch when they were $.10 They can be emptied with a virety of different tools. They keep that expensive .45 brass in one place. And to top it off, the intimidation factor of an "N" frame is great.

One more thing, in a .357 you can load the cylinder with everything from .38S&W short to a firebreathing .357 back to back or stair step and the gun will keep running. Try that with a .45 Wad loads and full house +p stacked in the mag.
 
It is a very rare incident indeed for a modern double action revolver to "accidently discharge" even in the hands of a novice. The long double action 10 pound trigger pull is a deliberate and intentional act. A flick of a lever and the cylinder swings out, the revolver can not be fire under any condition then. No surprises when cleaning a gun. It will get the job done with less whistles and bells.:) However I might add, the Colt 1911 is a whole more "fun" to shoot.:D Heck get what you like, or get them both. Enjoy
 
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