The state of modern revolvers and the people who use them

I'm over 50 and bought a SW Bodyguard revolver.
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The new plastic bodyguard, right?

Polymer I could live with, done right.

I also would like to see companies like smith and wesson and ruger experiment with different designs, like maybe a low axis barrel aligned with the bottom chamber like a Mateba or chiappa rhino.
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If you haven't noticed, Taurus does a lot of experimenting. Sometimes it works (the Judge), sometimes it doesn't. But they are doing it.
 
I like them just the way they are. No "updates" required.
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I'm pretty much in this camp. Don't get me wrong: something like the S&W TR8 is neat, what with the underbarrel rail and all, but is it really all that "updated?"

After all, it's still an N-Frame, and it's not much of a departure from the New Century if you step back and look at it.
 
Focus on the purpose of the gun... and I think they're doing a good job of it right now. BUGs, hunting revolvers, home defense... all useful!

Revolvers without purpose don't sell. Weird calibers, bad finishes / outdated designs to save on cost.. stuff like that will bury this platform if the bottom feeders keep at it.
 
I think that cnc machining will keep the revolver viable for some time to come.

"Carry" guns can be made very economically while quality and function remain very high.

The precision of CNC allows todays production revolvers to be works that custom builders used to dream of.

Revolvers still have the advantages of versatility and power levels that semi autos cannot compete with.

IMHO there is a place in the market for a modern top break revolver.
 
A revolver is just a different type of handgun to me. If you look into it, modern double action revolvers with swing-out cylinders came about at at just the same time the first autoloaders did. Since then, both have had a slew of upgrades occur in what is essentially a core design.

Revolver do some things worse than autoloaders sure, but vice versa.

For this 23 old young buck, I carry a S&W 642 in my pocket every day and don't feel the least bit "outdated" nor "outclassed" by anyone carrying the latest polymer automatic. It's simply different strokes for different folks and I see the double action revolver sticking around for a long time.

YMMV.
 
If I could find salvador's revolver, without that darned 'oil-hole', I'd sell a kidney on the spot! Damned near perfect!

Love the Model 21 for woods-walking. The Model 23 ain't too shabby, either. Real shame they're gone. Can't get the Bride to let me sell off both my kidneys, so I guess I'll just have to dream & drool.
 
I think the key to the revolver's future is for younger people to lose the ghetto pants, that would be dragged to the ground, if belt carrying a serious gun. The age of pocket carry is not conducive to carrying (or owning) guns originally developed for open carry. The revolver becomes a range "toy" inherited from Grandpa.
 
Well this seems pretty speculative... so here are a couple of my thoughts... I think the trouble is... there are serious differences / requirements based on type of use... from a serious carry point, the light weight helps a lot... but that's not conductive to range use... range use & home defense cross over, but not so much with hunting...

so there will always be at least 3 different "formats" unless you want to add the single actions as a 4th...

short, light weight, easy to carry, with smallish diameter cylinder... CCW type revolvers ( BTW... I still like a short light weight revolver, even though I do have a several good holsters, & a good gun belt )

medium barrel length, heavier revolver for night stand / range use

longer barrel scope mountable hunting caliber use

single action range fun & cowboy use...

as far as materials... I have several scandium frame, titanium cylinder revolvers, with smaller cylinders... add provisions for a compact laser, I don't like the plastic, but perhaps that will bring in new shooters, & or keep the price point down...

the medium barrel length revolvers adding extra rounds seems to be a plus, better sights, tritium or fiber optic, would be a plus for night stand use... as would possibly a rail for mounting a flash light???

longer barrels could use integral scope mounts, & calibers popular for hunting, in finishes that wear well, aren't flashy & with grips comfortable to shoot

the cowboy guns just by nature need to be left alone, with the only improvement being better looking finishes like premium case colors, or deep blue colored blueing
 
I'd rather go backwards a little and be able to buy new S&W and Colt revolvers like those built 50 years ago. THAT would be an improvement.
 
I'd rather go backwards a little and be able to buy new S&W and Colt revolvers like those built 50 years ago. THAT would be an improvement.

YES!!!
But I'd like to see that time span go back about 80 years.
Calibers, models barrel lengths and QUALITY!
If they had to charge $2000 for them I still think they would sell them all. Freedom Arms charges $2200 for their guns and sells all they can make.

THERE IS A MARKET for good revolvers.
Not everyone wants to be a SWAT cop, or an “operator”.
( A term that has morphed into a very stupid application)
 
The Webley-Fosbery Self-Cocking Automatic Revolver, sounds like a fun shooting iron, doesn't it?
Being a nearly 59 years old and a Glock carrying guy, yeah I got rid of the P5, I'm also a revolver shooter and carrier. On the range chasing after my brass to reload has me using revolvers more as my joints get stiffer.

My wish list revolver; carbon steel, parkerized, wood grip, with fixed sights the front sight having a bright green fiber optic light pipe. Six shot 32ACP and sized accordingly for pocket carry.
Yeah, I'll never see one made.
 
So many folks are so ingrained with handguns as they relate to SD/HD, that they don't realize how much the interest in handgun hunting has increased in the last few years. While many of the new revolver models introduced by major manufacturers lately, has been at the SD/HD market, there have also been many directed at the hunting market. For big game/dangerous game hunting, at least in the immediate future, the revolver will always be the favored handgun.
 
I think I am like most revolver owners who bought a revolver because they are simple, what we grew up with and they can last for a long time given proper care. I don't want any newfangled gadgets or modern "improvements". With modern technology, they can be made better than back in the "good old days" if one is willing to spend the money to get a quality product. I saw revolvers for decades before I knew there was any other kind. Deep in the mountains where I grew up, we had single shot or double barrel shotguns that were considered a tool, lever action 30 30s, single shot 22s and revolvers. Didn't need or want any fancy stuff.
 
The design has been perfected.

The double action revolver hasn't changed appreciably in nearly a hundred years. We've magnumized them, alloyed them, tacticalized them, but a steel framed double action revolver will be easy to learn, easy to shoot and accurate enough by handgun standards. They might continue to lose some share of the market, but the design will keep many many people wanting more.
 
I think Taurus is doing a lot of experimenting these days in revolvers, and some of their results have been pretty intriguing to me. Sure, their quality isn't always up there with Ruger or Smith and Wesson, but in innovation, I think they are trying out some new ideas.

I don't think there's a need for rails, although I would like to see some more versatility in the styles of laser grips. If the ergonomics of the Crimson Trace grips don't agree with you, you're pretty much out of luck. I don't have that complaint, but I've known some that do.

I like the squared cylinder in the Chiappa Rhino, but I wonder if it could be done with a traditional revolver like a GP100. I would think that it would narrow the profile a bit and make the gun a bit more concealable, but I could be wrong. I could see a line of "carry" revolvers with those cylinders.

I'd really like to see more medium frame .44 mags like the S&W 69 and Taurus Tracker. My only complaint about these revolvers so far (and, I'm probably the minority in this) is that they feel too light. I'm not really sure what it is that makes me think that. I can look at a spec sheet and see the Tracker at 34 ounces, but it feels lighter. I can't help but wonder if a medium frame .44 mag could be made to "feel" more... substantial?

I've wondered for a long time why the Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 special doesn't have more copy cats. The idea is sound enough, and people really like it. You'd figure more products like that would have come out over the years. A three inch variety would be nice.

Maybe I'm crazy, but one caliber that just begs for a revolver to me is the 5.7 from FN. I can't help but feel like that round just belongs in a good revolver. I don't know how the mechanics work on guns that shoot .45, 40, or 9 without moon clips, but if the same could be done with 5.7 I think that round would take off.

Just bouncing around ideas.
 
[QUOTECouldn't care less. I usually don't buy a revolver unless it is at least 50 years old.

][/QUOTE]

Yup. The good ones don't need anything to stay "viable". The better question should be what do shooters need to do to stay viable these days.
 
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