Where are the new revolvers?

C

ciwsguy

New member
So aside from the 22 single action wheel guns, where are the new 357 and 44 magnum revolvers? I’ve been looking for a S&W 629 6-1/2” revolver for about two years and haven’t found anything. Forget Taurus - I wont buy another one of those again. Wondering......
 
Haven't you heard? COVID is the excuse for everything. Nothing in stock, nothing can be back ordered, no idea when they will be restocking the shelves. It's all because of COVID. Just ask them.

Anymore nothing works, everything is broken.

Dave
 
Took me 12 months to find both a Lever and revolver in 44M. I wanted a 4 to 6” revolver … a new 6” 629-6 come into to a LGS about an hour from me. Jumped on same day. I monitored listings every day from all the local shops. Patience
 
Patience you say?

We’ve lost that a long time ago. The frustration is showing everywhere in case you haven’t noticed.
At least the ammo shortage is showing some relief.
Also, have you noticed that the semi auto handguns are so plentiful on showroom shelves that there’s hardly any room for revolvers behind the glass
 
upstate81 said:
Gunbroker?
Click to expand...
Quite a few new Smiths on GB. I’ve seen a few at Farm and Fleet. Davidson’s has 629 6.5 inch in both full under lug or classic. That’s what I could find in 3 minutes. Don’t bother with local shops if you want something, find a distributor with it and have your FFL/ shop buy it from them.
 
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A lot of manufacturers are busy with the micro nine craze at the moment. That's what is selling so that's what they're pumping out. Revolvers take more machining, fitting, and timing time than the cheap poly nines. Just join a few online waitlists or buy what you want on gunbroker for a premium. Just the way it is for now.
 
Because they aren’t that simple to manufacture. Machining the cylinder so that it lines every chamber up to the bore properly isn’t easy, then it has to be timed to the individual gun. The trigger assemblies are also much more complicated as they have to unlock the cylinder, rotate the cylinder, lock the cylinder on the next chamber, drop the firing pin block out of the way, and actuate the hammer in one stroke. Where a modern semi auto can usually just be assembled, a revolver will generally need some tweaking and hand fitting.

(from Quora)
 
The LGS I favor has new Kimbers, some Smith, as well as Charter, EAA and Taurus. A few SAA clones as well. That’s not too mention a decent assortment of new levers from .22 up to .45-70.

Guess it’s just a matter of where and when
 
All I hear about is this newer engineered Python. Then it seems no one wants a S&W with a hole in the side. I heard something about Kimber producing a revolver.

I am not one to trust since I only like the older S&W's.
 
Covid is the reason Taurus revolvers are gone, but their autos from the US are everywhere. Brazil was decimated by covid. All Taurus revolvers are made in Brazil.
 
One 629 magically showed up at a local gun shop

Not cheap, ended up at over $1000 including tax. 6.5 inch Classic 44 magnum. Very heavy double action, single action nice and crisp.
Hate the Hilary hole, but that can be fixed.
 
The real answer is the same answer as why US Vista ammo maker is basically only making 9mm ammo right now.

It's being bought like crazy. 3rd quarter was the best in their history.

Retail revolvers are going to have a tough future as their main demographic is the oldest demographic (ie, next to die off) and guns are durable goods (ie, old ones work for a long time).
 
Lavan said:
Because they aren’t that simple to manufacture. Machining the cylinder so that it lines every chamber up to the bore properly isn’t easy, then it has to be timed to the individual gun. The trigger assemblies are also much more complicated as they have to unlock the cylinder, rotate the cylinder, lock the cylinder on the next chamber, drop the firing pin block out of the way, and actuate the hammer in one stroke. Where a modern semi auto can usually just be assembled, a revolver will generally need some tweaking and hand fitting.

(from Quora)
Click to expand...
This isn’t true anymore. CNC machines and MIM or EDM parts make 98% of a revolver and housewives stack the action parts and springs in the frame, slap on a side plate and buzz the screws in with an electric or air powered screw driver. Couple of double action pulls and they’re branded ready to go. That’s why you have even Colts and S&W’s that need to be returned to the factory. And Taurus at an even higher percentage. Human involvement in the process is kept at a minimum. Hand fitting is an urban legend these days.
 
Which is a great thing.

1. it admits the parts weren't built to spec to begin with in yesteryears,
2. it assumes the human eye and hand can catch and modify part fitment beyond a machine, which it never could (yesteryears or today)
3. assumed these modifications happened before metal treatment, otherwise metal treatment is removed and the parts were less hard in spots modified and/or less resistant to rust.

We know 3 never happened. S&W never fit guns and then treated parts.
 
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