Will revolvers ever die?

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Carbon_15

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First of all, I'm a diehard revolver fan, please don't flame me to death.

It seems the accuracy of auto's gets better with every new model and mouseguns chambered for full-size duty rounds are common place . Within the last few years atleast, it would appear that with a quality auto and ammo, reliability is almost a non-issue. The current state of semi-auto technology got me thinking..what are the practical advantages that keep the revolver market going. Semi-autos have always had the advantage in capacity and quick reloads. Autos are generaly flatter and lighter than their wheelgun counterparts. Revolvers are fairly maintinance free, but there are plenty of autos that will keep running with a revolver-esqu maintinance schedule. But then there's the issue of power. Revolvers are typicaly chambered for more powerful rounds than autos, giving them the advatage for hunting. Then along comes guns like the Desert Eagle, Glock 20 10mm, and the newer weapons chambered for 9x23 and .45Super/450SMC giving the auto fans a hunting alternative. Try as I might, I couldn't think of a practical reason to choose a revolver over a pistol. HOWEVER, many many folks still do. My "always" (and many times only) CC gun is a revolver, my favorite plinkers are revolvers, my guns which inspire the most pride of ownership are revolvers. When I'm watching a good war picture on AMC, the gun I pick to snipe at the badguys :D is almost always a revolver. I love my auto's, but there is just something about a nice wheelgun that makes it feel right in my hand. My autos are tools and fun toys, but my revolvers are more special.
Are people with my attitude towards revolvers all thats keeping them going, or is there something more practical that I'm overlooking?

Jason
 

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Try as I might, I couldn't think of a practical reason to choose a revolver over a pistol.
Click to expand...

I can think of a few, actually:

-Ammunition-independent, will "cycle" any bullet shape, weight, or charge.

-Higher "power-to-weight" ratio than autoloaders.

-No stoppage drills, other than pulling the trigger again.

-Easier to learn and operate for novices.

-Loading status can be verified instantly visually.

-Can be made completely safe and inert just by opening the cylinder.

-Cannot fail to cycle or fire when fired from a pocket or pressed up against an assailant.


I'm sure there are a few more, but those are the ones off the top of my head.
 
Just go look in almost any gunshop and see how many out-dated single-actions are in the case---seems like they are more popular than ever.

I'm rounding out my collection of handguns--which were all autos until a couple of weeks ago--then I brought a new Redhawk home-----now I'm looking for a .357 to go with the Redhawk---either a S&W or another Ruger.

So it looks like there will always be a demand for revolvers.
 
You went a long way toward answering your own question.

Reliability, pointability and 'that special something' that you just don't get from an auto.:)

IMO, when you stuff either of them into an IWB, the revo comes out tops for CCW. The grip{of choice} is smaller than the grip-frame of a self-shucker in the same size/weight/power class.
 
I seriously doubt it.......

"pull da trigger, hear da "BOOM." No "BOOM?" Pull da trigger again."

Any questions?

Do any of you remember the cannon of a wheelgun that "Lord Humungus" pulled out in the first ROAD WARRIOR? Ain't been a semi-auto ever made that makes a good first impression like a big ol' hogleg. THAT'S why wheelguns will never die!
 
Everything dies, eventually.
Plinked, target shot, carried etc autoloaders for over half a century. Have owned dozens of em.

Same with wheel guns.

Prefer wheel gun for defense.
Prefer autoloader for offence.

Sam
 
You spend a lot of time gripping a revolver and learning the double action pull. As Jim Bouton said in "Ball Four", in the end they (baseballs and revolvers) grip you. Revolvers take effort that is eventually rewarded with an uncommon skill among shooters, mastering the double action pull. I like all my guns, having had a great time recently shooting my HP and 1911. They are great tools. But revolvers become your friends. Their triggers have unique personalites and they all grip a little different. I regret every gun I have ever sold. They all had characteristics I liked and now miss. But my gun stories revolve around revolvers. I had a 14 once that was a one inch gun at 25 yards.............................
 
As long as there are shoots such as IDPA there will be revolvers. Watch the latest auto's choke and become a wheelgun believer.

Of course a guy can always stick with the semi-auto and pick up his master's rating in the lame excuse division.
 
It's an interesting question and well posed.

I can't speak for anyone else but personally I feel that there is a certain comfort level with a revolver that if I need to use it, it will work. I own a dozen high quality pistols and as much as I admire them and enjoy shooting them, everything from .22 to .45, what is it in my nightstand that I choose to protect me, a S&W 66 snub. I just feel good about it. I don't get out to shoot nearly as much as I would like to and having a pistol just sitting around with a loaded mag without having been fired in a few weeks or possibly a couple of months gets me wondering if it will work should I have to pull the trigger. I have always had very good luck with the pistols I bought and have only had to send one back for repair, a KelTec P32. So its not experience that makes me question the reliability of pistols, its just that everything needs to work just right in order to fire, and that to me is a very sobering thought.

I also agree 100% with Victor Louis that a revolver snub is easier and more comfortable to conceal than most pistols. The thin part of the frame just fits perfectly under the belt line with just the grip above it. Sorry for the long dissertation. I guess I just really like revolvers and think there will always be a place for them, at least there will be for me.
 
I just like the idea of no magazines. Pre-ban post-ban low cap high cap wolfe springs green followers green eggs and ham. Arrrrrg.....life is just less complicated with revolvers. If the SHTF scenerio ever does happen I'll just use my "liberator" S&W 66 or 19 to liberate a Humvee with a 50cal on board. A six shooter should be adequate for most other social situations.
 
What puts revolvers out front in my mind is that most any quality revolver with have a near-perfect SA trigger right out of the box. When I pick up a Ruger, S&W, or Colt (never tried a Taurus) and try that SA trigger, I expect crisp and I get it. With autos, sometimes I get crisp, more often I get mushy. Even really nice and expensive guns like Berettas, SIGs, and H&Ks have variance in the quality of their factory triggers, with the statistics favoring "horrible". The other factor is target-quality adjustable sights, which come standard on any good wheelgun and will cost you from $50 to $150 to put on an auto.

When you add it all up, I can shoot a box-stock $350 GP-100 a hell of a lot better than, say, a SIG P220 with tightened fit and a Bar-Sto barrel, even if their mechanical accuracy is the same.
 
Carbon 15: better watch out when your are taking down the bad guys on TV. About 20 years back, there was a shooting incident involving one of the Sacrament Sheriff's deputies. A few of them were home watching "the Rifleman" and knocking back beers. When one of the bad guys got the drop on old Lucas McCain (the hero) one of the deputies yelled:

"Look out!"

Then he drew his service weapon and put a round into the TV.

True story, I swear.
 
Long Live The "WheelGun"-

I started out with one, back in 1969-70 or so; and I
have never regretted it one bit.:D To this day, I still
thoroughly enjoy shooting revolver's; probably more
so, than my semi's.:( For extremely long range, the
revolver with a barrel of between 4" and 12" can't
be beat.:) I perfer the standard 5" or 6" length on
my six shooter's; and I most likely can hit a nat's
ass on a quilt, at 100 yard's withou the use of
special optics.:rolleyes: :cool: :D

LONG LIVE THE REVOLVER!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Well. I still believe that the semi-automatic is a fad. A better question might be Will semi-automatics catch on?
 
Even though I carry a SIG P239 and occasionally a Combat Commander, revolvers are uniquely simple, relatively safe (almost fool proof), and most of all my wife likes them. I'll be keeping my revolvers.

Long live both DA and SA Revolvers.
 
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