The incredible vanishing revolver.

G

Grayfox

New member
Not long ago we had a thread in which many of us said that we still own, shoot and love revolvers. There's no doubt that there are alot of wheelgunners on TFL. But, I'm beginning to have doubts about the average gun owner.
Today I went to a gunshow. It was a local show, not real big, maybe 100-150 tables for about 50-75 dealers. I had with me three guns which I might sell or trade depending on what I could find. All were revolvers.
Likewise, the guns I was most interested in finding were also revolvers.
What struck me was the incredible shortage of wheelguns at the show. There was a pretty good assortment of 2" pocket snubbies, but anything bigger was practically nonexistant.
I counted exactly 3 four inch .357s, one six inch .357 and one eight inch .44 mag. None of which I would have bought.
Oddly enough, one of the guns I brought was a well worn Charter Arms Undercover that I had picked up dirt cheap just to resell. That gun didn't make it 10 feet into the building before somebody snatched it up for much more than it was worth.
The other two revolvers I had, one S&W and one Colt, nobody cared about seeing.
Long guns and auto pistols could be found in just about any flavor you could want. More than enough to find whatever you wanted.
So, It would seem that little two inch snubby revolvers are just as popular as ever, however medium to large frame revolvers are no longer wanted by the average shooter.
What do you think?
 
There are a fair amount of revolvers
at TX shows. I grant you that there
are lots of snumbbies and then the
larger calibers 44s and 45s.

There aren't that many long barrel new
357s around like 686s. There was
a spate of Taurus Trackers.

So from what I see, the revolver market that
is hot:

a. Snubbies
b. SAA
c. Hunting calibers

One thing that is interesting is the lack of used police revolvers at resonable prices. In Gun List or SGN there a lots of ads for
SW 66s, 65s, etc at reasonable prices. But
you don't see these at the shows. Some
used 357s but they are high $200s.

I would be interested in looking at guns
like the SGN ones but don't see them.
 
The current fad seems to be toward combat rather than general purpose or hunting revolvers and autos. The gun show vendors will cater to the frenzy.

I really downplay the need for combat weapons as I've seen only two maybe situations in the 35 years I've had my shotgun. I feel I get much more use and value from general purpose guns.
 
Every thing has its time in the sun.

My guess is folks buy what they use (or think they'll use) and that is moving more and more to the CC and personal defense. And the market responds accordingly. Autos generally outshine revolvers in those areas and the snubbies remain popular because they are light and tuckable and reliable.

Depending on the area I suspect you might find gun shows with a fair sprinkling of the real "loudenboomers" in wheel persuasion that folks would use for hunting or silhouette. I expect a good number of folks still carry wheel guns (I occasionally do) for farm or ranch work – but those folks are dwindling in number – plus most of them already have whatever it is that they use – unless they are also a shooting hobbyist.

About a ½ century ago autos finally aced the revolvers out of the target field. You can get (with effort) a revolver that will shoot with the autos, accuracy wise, but why go through the effort. 20 years or so ago almost every American law enforcement agency issued revolvers. Not so true any more.

Also, aside from the chambering and some cosmetic tinkering, what great change have we seen in revolvers in the last 30-40 years? Or even the last 90 years? When you get to that borderline area with the really powerful rounds like the .44 mag and up – the revolvers still hold their own – but they ain’t gaining ground. There again – if I hunt and want a longer barrel, a revolver (or single shot) is apt to be my choice (or might not – depending – but still a viable option). And, if you want a short barrel gun (3-4 inches) in a really large caliber handgun – revolvers are almost the only choice. There again – I’m a skinny old f**t. How’m I going to conceal nearly four pounds of handgun that only has the option of 6 (or 5) rounds? Plus the first time I drop the hammer at the range – hey, 9mms sound a lot more like something I could really live with. If I’m going to put up with 4 pounds of gun/ammo for CC – I’ll very well look at an improved load and my old 1911.

I have an elderly Model 57 Smith that is the only gun I’ve every made a wing shot on a bird with (luck) – and I dearly love it – but other than a hunting or home defense gun – what real use do I have for it. (And there are better guns for home defense.) I carried it for animal protection for some years – but how many folks (me included now) live in areas where that need is anywhere near legit? Feral hogs? See two paragraphs up. If the open carrying of sidearms again comes into fashion for civilians – I’ll break out that old Model 57 and feel fine about it. How-some-ever, you’re probably younger than me – but I expect neither of us will see that day.
 
Grayfox, I went to a gun show here in VA last Saturday, about 135 tables. There was no shortage of revolvers. I would estimate there was 10 times the number of revolvers in each category you mentioned along with lots of cowboy types, Vaquero's, etc. And there were quite a few antiques, SAA's, Webley's, etc.
 
Gun shows are odd...
When I bought my Ruger 22/45, it was the ONLY one I saw at the show. I also saw quite a few HK and Sigs, also a number of Berettas.

The next gun show I went to, had at LEAST 8 Ruger 22/45's, NO HKs, SIGS, or Berettas (that I saw)but there were a TON of Taurus and Ruger semi-autos. I also saw a large number of hunting quality wheel guns (6+inch barrels). There were also a fair number of concealable revolvers...

If you don't see what you want at a gun show... be patient... the next one will have it...

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Stand against evil, lest evil have its way...
 
Grayfox

I see exactly what you mean. One goes to the gun shows and all that you see are the latest techno gun from company X. Everyone gathered around the newest automatic pistol, drool slimed in front of the table. Not many people enjoy the fine quality of a revolver anymore. Instead most opt for a Mattel plastic toy, all because it is the in thing. "La ulitima onda" is what we call it in spanish. The latest fad.

Well, my dealer had a Smith & Wesson sale this weekend and I purchased another fine piece of American engineering. Got a Model 657 Classic Hunter II, 41 Magnum. There is not a auto pistol made that is as pretty.

657hunter.JPG


Robert



[This message has been edited by Robert the41MagFan (edited December 14, 1999).]
 
I agree with Guy. The reason is this: people have this subconscious idea of what the millenium (future) will bring, so they go and grab the latest high capacity autos that they can find. It's also about marketing. The gun rags, most of which are not even fit for toilet paper, are espousing round capacity rather than round usefulness. I enjoy the milspec .45 ACP immensely. I will put no aftermarket stuff on it whatsoever. Smooth out the ejection port (done), and I'm done. I'f it's good enough for Sgt. York, it's good enough for me. Revolvers are king for most handgun work. I own a S&W 442 stoked with 125gr. Starfires. Great piece, but again, a snubby.

------------------
"Stop forest fires--ban matches."
 
Grayfox. The reason is simple. The movies.
Schwarzenegger uses an auto. Guns never malfunction in movies. (Except for the ones aimed at the good guy which go "click-click" every time.)
Bring Clint Eastwood back as an aging Dirty Harry and have him shoot up San Francisco again and M29's will go into another 4 yr backorder situation.
Autos are popular also because it's what the cops use now. Cops are good guys so everyone wants what the cops use.
Neither my BHP nor Glock has EVER stopped for any reason. And I suppose I carry those because I think I MAY have to defend against a couple BG's, but if I knew I had to count on one gun for all seasons, it would be my 6" M66 just for the versatility.
 
The local gunshop in my area reflects the trend: two large display cases chock full of autos, and two small display cases thinly arrayed with revolvers. Most of the revolvers are either SA (in any caliber) or two-inch DA small frames, which seem to sell rather quickly. A few S&W K-frame .38s or L-frame .357s are for sale, but they sit in the case for months before anybody buys them. It's even worse with N-frames, which rarely pass through this shop. The dealer has had only two N-frames for sale in the last six months, and I bought both of them! I guess the dealer reckons that if his customers show so little interest in medium- and large-frame DA revolvers, he's not going to tie up his money in them.

Personally, I figured that, after the so-called Crime Bill, the pendulum would swing away from pistols--Wondernines in particular--and back to revolvers. It probably has to some extent, but not like it once was. I think that most of the lost Wondernine market has been captured by autos in larger calibers as well as by smaller, more concealable nines, rather than by revolvers.

Just my $0.02.
 
Starting out, I tended to be a semi-auto fan like many (most?) people. But lately I'm really liking S&W revolvers, expecially N frames. To me, revolvers are just more interesting mechanically. Apparently, I'm not alone: I just ordered a Performance Center 625 V-Comp (.45ACP) and discovered that the initial run sold out, so now I'm looking at an 8 week wait to get mine!
 
Things evolve. For the semi-auto handgun the evolvement of plastic resin guns. For the revolver, titanium revolvers and cowboy single action revolvers. Who would have thought a revolver brought out in 1873 would be in hot demand. Ten years ago, if someone said plastic guns would be more than 50% of the market would you have believed it? Revolvers dying or evolving?

------------------
Courage is only fear that has said its prayers.
 
One reason for the lack of revolvers is the change in police trade in policy. With the adverse publicity given trade ins, more departments are scrapping their old revolvers and auto pistols rather than trading them. Of course this is like scrapping a car that was involved in an accident, but the emotional blasts from the anti-gun gang are not reasonable and cannot be responded to with reason.

Jim
 
I've noticed that in the last few years, more good guns are being KEPT than sold, so dealers have mostly 'dregs'. There's so much interest and demand for good handguns that it becomes a seller's market. Dealers who bring 100 used guns to a show might have ten that don't go bow-wow. Add to that that even when buying new, you are increasingly liable to get a lemon, and you have a serious situation. I've got mine, but I feel sorry for the guy who doesn't, yet; it gets harder every year. I also notice that the guns that ARE available are mostly crunchentickers...darned few good autos or quality revolvers. slabsides
 
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