Wheelguns Are For "Oldtimers"??

Another good reason....

Wheelguns have been around for over a hundred years and are damn near perfected.
You dont have to worry about things like the phase 3 malfunction or a cracked frame rail and the manufacturer refusing to do a real recall, like say the makers of one popular piece of tactical tupperwear.
When the L-frame had a probllem with the firing pin hole Smith and Wesson placed ads in magazines and contacted owners to let them know.
That may not be "Perfection" but it is Honorable Behavior.
 
Another "Old Timer" for BOTH.

I'm 59 now and I've always preferred auto pistols. I learned to shoot handguns with a Colt Challenger .22 beginning at age 15. Bounced around with revolvers some, but didn't feel like I was a "Real" pistol shooter until I got my first 1911.

When I first became a peace officer, the rules were simple: Carry anything you want, as long as it's a double action Colt or S&W, four-inch barrel, .38 or .357. This was pretty universal in Texas law enforcement, except for some plain clothes types, and, of course, the Texas Rangers.

In 1972, I was the first officer in my county to carry an autoloader sidearm full time. In the next several years, it became fairly widespread, and we all know the current state of cop holster guns.

I've always liked revolvers, and just considered autos to be more efficient. Funny thing is, in recent years, I've come to appreciate revolvers more and more. I occasionally carry my Colt .357, my Agent, or even a '40s vintage four-inch Military & Police on duty, just for a change. Yep, I regularly qualify with each. Drives the youngsters mad when the gray haired old dude takes his skinny-barreled old Smith and does better than most of them with their super tacktikul flat black plastic automatics. Even packed my .45 Colt Mountain Gun a few times, but it drags my belt down a bit.:)

Best,
Johnny
 
Hey Bulldozer

Just thought I'd tell you that I'm going to steal your signature line. Its time for a new one & that's a helluva good one. Maybe I'll see you at Gunpowder some time.

VOTE FOR KATHLEEN... Quinlan
 
It's not the years (49) but the miles (millions). Engine still running strong, but the exhuast systems needs to be replaced. And a carb rebuild probably wouldn't hurt. And I ain't talking about transportation.

First handgun was 6" Dan Wesson (still have it), the remainder are three S&W 625 3" and one .45 ACP derringer. Wife LOVES her 4" Taurus.
 
Well, Count Me In, .....Dammit!

Hello. NOT the oldest guy here, but I am 51. "Why is youth wasted on the young?"

I have always preferred semis in handguns, but still appreciated, liked and used revolvers as well.

During the earlier years in law enforcement, those of us in uniform were required to use either S&W or Colt 4" revolvers in .38 or .357, but were supposed to use .38 Specials. Bawahahahahhahhahahahha!

Been shooting handguns since the late '60s, but got pretty serious beginning about '69, but kind of "like" revolvers better as time goes by. While I still believe that the "best" for personal protection in terms of "power," ease of quick hits, reloading, etc, is a 1911 in .45 ACP, I feel very well protected with a slick .357 revolver or .44 Special or .45 Colt. I believe that for most of us, we'll run out of time before we run out of ammunition.

I tried quite a few BUGs while an LEO and now lawfully carry as a private citizen. MOST of the time, I tote a revolver, an S&W J-frame .38 loaded with Remington +P 158 gr LSWCHP. I also practice with this little thing once per week.

So, count me in as another "oldster" liking revolvers.

Best.
 
Well I qualify. I’ve been in the game for over a half-century, both for business and pleasure. So far as handguns go I’ve shot just about anything you can load cartridges in - plus some that had to be stuffed with loose powder and ball.

I notice a lot of folks are looking at this subject from a personal defense point of view. That’s O.K., but really I’m not looking to get into any gunfights. Bad for one’s health.

One of my favorites is an S&W 1905/Military & Police - 38 Special, 6 shots, 4” barrel, blued (what’s left of it). It was made around 1947 or 48 and was one of the last made with what's called the “long action.” Most of these have flawless double-action trigger pulls and shoot precisely to point-of-aim/point-of impact. Back then they made them that way. Expensive though. I had to pay $125.00 for it. (gasp!)

Another is an old S&W 38-44 Heavy Duty made during the late 1930’s. 38 Special, 5”barrel, probably had some finish once. But the double action will bring tears to you’re eyes and it too shoots right to where it’s pointed. During what was called the Great Depression gunmakers lavished handwork on they’re products because they could afford too. Truly great guns and you can find them now selling for a song, so long as it isn’t a .44 or .45.

Have a Colt Single Action Army, one of the early second issue. .45 Colt, 7 1/2" barrel. Won a Metallic Sillouette match once going out to 200 meters with fixed iron sights. Of course that was in the days before "silhouette pistols" came into the game. I like this six-gun.

I suppose if I really thought I was going to get into an unavoidable social misunderstanding I might opt for my favorite (but old) Colt L.W. Commander. But shellshuckers are such a nuisance - you have to bend over to pick up the brass.
 
31 years old and my favorite wheelgun is my new Dan Wesson 7460 (.45ACP, .45AutoRim, .45Super, .45WinMag, .460Rowland).

Prior to picking that beast up, it was my Dan Wesson 715-2 .357 Magnum.
 
Hey, I'm 15 and I love my M66 357.

I think it's something about going boom every time.

I don't buy by the "cool" factor in a defense handgun.

nsf
 
I'm afraid you may be right. My job requires that I be armed. The only fellows carrying revolvers are older. All the new guys get semi autos. I have always enjoyed shooting a revolver but after competing in a recent shooting competition for my branch, I too see serious disadvantages to the revolver as a full size duty carry weapon in this day and age. It was almost painful watching the few revolver shooters in the competition speed load and throw the volume of fire down to hit speed steel targets (they received an eight second handicap) . There will always be the Jerry Miculeks of the world that can pull off amazing feats with extensive training, but for the typical armed guard/officer, the semi autos advantages in reloading and volume of fire are going to keep it moving further ahead of the revolver as a duty weapon.
 
Favorite revolvers

:) This is my first post on this forum: I'm 57 and the guns next to my bed are; Colt cobra with 125 grain Fed Nyclads on my wifes side and 2 1/2 S&W 19 in nickle with 125 Fed . Hydroshocks on my side. I have many of every frame size S&W and Colt to choose from.
 
I prefer revolvers because as a handloader, I like to know where my brass is.

Also they are more dependable and shoot better out of the box.

A third point is that one can load a revolver and forget it for 10 years (or more) and expect it to fire reliably when you pick it up and start squeezing the trigger.

The down side to a revolver as a defense gun, is thickness (concealability) and limited ammunition, but I don't thing real gun fights last that long anyhow. Not like Miami Vice, at any rate.

I am 65
 
reality vs hollywood

Anybody can be taught to fire by indexing the trigger on a Smith and Wesson in about 15 minutes. You pull the cylinder back to the point it locks in place and adjust your trigger pull. Its like firing a Single Action auto then.
As for layingdown fire, that looks cool in movies and on television, but you know what? The reality is that most shootings are over in about four rounds and take place at ten feet.
Stopping power, speed and accuracy are a lot more important than the number of rounds you can fire.
I was in a scrape once and If I had a long barrelled wheelgun, it would have been over fast...Instead I laid down some cover fire so a friend of mine could get away and get help.
Rememebr the Great FBI Miami shoot out?
The agent who stopped the fight, used a .38 revolver and a shot gun to do so...It was not a case of outgunned, it was a case of the rest of the team not having any gunfighting skills....
One hot magnum in the head would have stopped the two guys who robbed that bank in LA as well, I bet.
Reloading speed and volume of fire are only an advantage if you miss the target....Who wants to miss the target?


>>>There will always be the Jerry Miculeks of the world that can pull off amazing feats with extensive training, but for the typical armed guard/officer, the semi autos advantages in reloading and volume of fire are going to keep it moving further ahead of the revolver as a duty weapon.<<<
 
The 1986 Miami shootout was ended by the best pistol for a pistol fight...a 12 gauge. The 1998 North Hollywood robbers were smoked by AR 15s comandeered from a local gunshop. While I enjoy shooting revolvers as much as anybody, I see there usefulness in my line of work as diminshing. The military seems to have made this decision oh about 90 years or so. Most police departments made this decision in the last thirty years. I stand by my comments.
 
Hello. Not quite ended with the shotgun although its use did turn the tide; the final shots were fired from an S&W Model 13 or 65 (don't remember if blue or stainless) 3" .357 loaded with +P .38 Special ammunition. They were fired by the wounded agent who used the shotgun.

Best.
 
"During the earlier years in law enforcement, those of us in uniform were required to use either S&W or Colt 4" revolvers in .38 or .357, but were supposed to use .38 Specials. Bawahahahahhahhahahahha!"

Here's an even better one for you Stephen. My uncle, who is about to retire from the Chattanooga PD, had the OPTION of loading the last 3 in the cylinder with .357. Subsequent loads (in the speedloaders) could also be .357. This was just before they switched to autos. Hahahahahahaha!

(I imagine people shot the .38 for qualifying, just to keep up appearances.)
 
Hello. I know that some did where I worked and the divergence between POA and POI was pretty severe. I moved the sights on my M19 when shooting the wadcutters, but before leaving resighted in for "long thirty-eights."

Best.
 
Right tool for the job

When it comes to weapons selection you have to remember to use the right tool for the job.
The reason the military chose semi-autos 90 years ago was moslty because semi-autos worked better in muddy trench warfare environments like Flanders.
(Conversely, the revolver was popular with troops in the jungles during WWII because of its being less affected by rust than the semi auto.)
Revolvers were issued long after the M-1911 was adopted too, by the way.
Interchangability of parts was also a factor the military had to keep in mind, as a military pistol gets fired a lot more than a law enforcement sidearm. It is easier for a non skilled person to rebuild a semi auto from parts than to hand fit a revolver.
As for law enforcement going to the semi-auto, that is really more of a case of trying to be trendy than anything else. Statistics still show that the typical gunfight is about 10 feet in range and over in about 4 rounds. At that range and with that number of rounds fired semi-auto or revolver, it does not make much difference.
You notice that cops (and holligans) tend to want what heroes in movies carry. For decades most officers were happy with .38s and .357 revolvers. When Hollywood upped the cinematic arms race, many officers wanted to carry whatever the cinematic cops at that time carried, be it Clint Eastwoods .44 magnum or Mel Gibson's 9mm.
I have yet to see a case where a high volume of fire saved an officers life, where aimed shots would not have been more effective.
Conversely, I have seen many cases where high volumes of fire had no effect on a gunfight as the officers just sprayed and prayed and missed with their new tactical toys.
Even if you face multiple attackers, really, three aimed shots are going to do you a lot better than 15 misses.
Was there a reason why these departments made the switch that was based on reality? Or was it just to be trendy?
Throughout most of North America, your biggest threat in LE is getting shot at point blank range, during a traffic stop. Tactically speaking, a .41 magnum makes a lot more sense in that particular scenario than any semi-auto round.


>>>While I enjoy shooting revolvers as much as anybody, I see there usefulness in my line of work as diminshing. The military seems to have made this decision oh about 90 years or so. Most police departments made this decision in the last thirty years.<<<
 
Here's another post that just won't quite... Kinda like a quality wheelgun.

I'm 26, going on 65. I'm currently an apprentice-curmudgeon. ;)

Bought my first handgun at age 19, but it was a Jenning's J-22, so that doesn't really count. :)
Then, a few months later I got a nickeled S&W M15 from a guy who had traded his rusty pickup for it, his Dad found out and made him get rid of the gun. I paid $200.

Then, I got the job at the gunshop! It was a second job, and for 18 months straight I took home my pay in quality iron.
Up over two dozen now, and I see no sign of stopping.

I do have three autos (besides that POS Jennings, which, like I said, doesn't count). Colt 1911A1, Ruger 22/45, Glock 19.
I like my autos, but I love my revolvers!
:)
-Kframe
 
Well, since I originally posted on this thread in March I'll post an update (hey, bumping this was a good idea because it is probably more deserving than most).

I am now 32 and I own the following revolvers:
-still have the S&W 65LS
-6" S&W 586 (for those few that don't know 586s are in .357mag)
-Colt Police Positive Special in .38spl
-a brass framed Remington 1858 Army blackpowder replica (I've had it for a year)

I had but sold:
-I sold the Taurus 605, just too big a caliber for such a small gun but I do want a .38spl or .32H&R mag J-frame or equivelent
-Taurus 82 (I was stupid to sell that one)

I love revolvers. I like autos (some I love). With a few exceptions I plan to mainly own revolvers and 1911s. My current favorite gun is the 586, followed by the CZ 75, 1911 and the other two centerfire revolvers (which among those four are my favorite tend to alternate). Even without MD's new built in lock law I would probably buy mostly revolvers for the forseeable future but with the law I will probably buy one or two autos in the next 1-3yrs (until I move) and the rest will be new Taurus and used Colt and S&W revolvers.
 
I have 2 H&R .22 9 shot wheel guns, A 6"smith 686 w/ scope set up for deerhunting and my favorite is my Smith model 13-2 w/ 4" bbl. I use for concealed carry, when I'm not carying my Taurus PT22 (semiauto).
I'm 56.
 
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