Not sure they're making a comeback as much as they're what's available since the lockdown and the new buyer phenom that's come along with it. My LGS still has a generous supply of wheelguns, as well as a limited quantity of 38spl and 357mag ammo on hand. The auto loaders and AR's disappeared last Spring as did 9mm, 40 S&W, 45acp, and 5.56 ammo. As others have mentioned, I too have a soft spot for revolvers. They outnumber automatics in my safe. That said, I still believe any rekindling of interest is due to the times. If new shooters had any choice in the matter, they'd opt for a Glock 19 or an M&P. My $0.02 you understand.

I imagine in this day and time, it would be incredibly difficult if not impossible to define a trend in firearm sales. People are buying firearms in record numbers, and I suspect if they can’t find what they intended to buy, are buying whatever is available.

I love all my revolvers, and enjoy shooting them all. But in the current reality, where my vehicle or my person could be surrounded by rioting thugs, I want every advantage I can get. From what I’ve read through the years, citizen involved shootings are normally (?) resolved with 3-5 rounds. So a good revolver with a speed-loader or 2 should be enough...if things were normal, they certainly are not.

Today, I’ll keep my Glock 43x with 3 extra magazines close at hand.

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Danny
SWCA #3370 - SWHF #672

Putting 6 shots into one hole with a Victory 38sw never gets old.
Then again, I still think wadcutters are a carry round.

I am a handgun hunter. I have been since '65, in the last century. If you are going to hunt big game, it's probably a revolver you want to be carrying. You have 5 to 6 shots to deal with your quarry. Plus all the big powerful calibers are mostly chambered in revolvers. Sure, you can get a Desert Eagle ( I have one, in .50Ae ) or a Wildey, which are hard to find, much less finding the ammo for one. The bolt action single shots can be chambered in big calibers, but what if you need a quick second, or even third shot? No, all my go-to big game handguns are revolvers, except for my Desert Eagle, which is my hog gun.

Couldn't be said better. I certainly agree. My 1947 factory nickel M&P sort of says it all.

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John

I love them.Thats all that I own and I own 11. My last semi auto a beretta was given to one of my fellow officers when I retired.I dont miss the semi autos and love shooting my .38s.

I carry a 5" 629 "Classic" (full underlug) 44mag from pajamas-off until pajamas-on, every day. In a homemade under-the-shirt cloth vertical shoulder holster. Very comfortable and well-concealed. And I'm not a big guy: about 130 lbs and 5'9". Stoked with 240gr full-spec Underwood JHP's. I can comfortably shoot those for a whole range session, because I use a very relaxed grip with flexed and relaxed elbows ... the recoil gets soaked up by the mass of my forearms, and never reaches my eyes, neck, or brain-box. I shoot strictly single action, cocking the hammer with my weak thumb ... doesn't really add significant time between shots, because of the very high (vertical) muzzle rise due to my relaxed grip: I just cock it on the way back down.

With my DA-only 642-2 Lightweight, I sort of shoot single action. I pull the trigger until my senses tell me I am into single action:
1. The trigger finger touches the end of the thumb.
2. I hear and feel the faint click at the end of the cylinder revolvement.
Then I final aim and fire.
This is my first gun which I bought on July 27. This forum has been an education.

Vintage40s,

Hopefully down the road you'll get something
like a K-frame .38 and try just pure double
action shooting, no staging or stops or
hesitations.

With a bit of practice you'll find you don't need
to stage a trigger---just a straight even and
smooth pull through--and you'll be on target.

In fact, try it sometimes with the J-frame; again
with a little practice you might be surprised at
how well you do.

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Ubi Est Mea

I like the lightest possible SA trigger I can get. To that end, I put in an 11 lb rebound spring, that gives me about a 3 lb trigger. It feels even lighter than that. My previous EDC was my 10mm 1911, with a 2-1/4lb trigger. For some unknown reason, my 3 lb 629 trigger FEELS even lighter than the 2-1/4 lb trigger on the 1911. Also for unknown reasons, I shoot my 929 more accurately than I shoot my 1911.

I would highly recommend you learn how to properly shoot a DA trigger, with a straight-through pull, especially with a defensive-oriented gun like the 642. You likely won't get the chance to stage your trigger in a defensive encounter, so it's better to learn how to pull the trigger straight-through before you need to (and hopefully you'll never need to).

Get some snap caps (if you don't have them already), and spend a few minutes a day dry-firing. The key is to pull the trigger as quickly as you can while also pulling smoothly and steadily (no starts and stops, no hesitations). Start slow, focusing on smooth and steady, then as you get the hang of it increase the speed. Pulling the trigger faster, while maintaining smoothness and steadiness, will disturb the sights less than pulling slowly and/or with hesitations. Also, it's perfectly acceptable to let your finger slide across the trigger face as you pull, so long as you pull the trigger straight back.

Paying attention to the trigger return/reset is also important. Ideally, your trigger pull and reset will be at the same speed. With time, you can develop a smooth rhythm when firing quickly that will help keep your shots on target.

It takes some practice, but once you do I think you'll find you'll be able to get more of a surprise break with a straight-through pull, which will help you shoot accurately. I used to stage my trigger like you, but once I got the hang of DA shooting I found that a straight-through pull helped me be more accurate more consistently.

Just my opinion.

Yep...

Smith and Wesson k-frame revolvers are my soft spot when it comes to handguns. Oh, I love my Colt 1911s, don't get me wrong. And I have a few other semiautos as well.

But put a k-frame in my hand and I'm a happy shooter.

Did I mention that my EDC carry is a 642?

So, are revolvers making a comeback?

I'd like to think that's true, but I seriously doubt it. They're maybe holding their ground and will be viable into the foreseeable future. But it's clear that tupperware semiautos are front and center these days.

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With S&W, you're holding history in your hand

I love revolvers and have several. I also have some semi automatic pistols. I wonder if the increase in sales has more to do with pricing and perceived quality. Smith& Wesson has had a problem competing price wise with semi automatics like Glocks or their clones. It is simply cheaper to ingect plastic than machine steel. Current Revolvers are as much as double the cost of a new Smith and worse with the more desireable older models. It has also been about 20 years since the hole appeared and many believe this as a major quality fault. I have bought about a dozen Smith & Wessons in that time. Recently I bought a pair of 642's that eliminated the hole and the rest including a couple of expensive Mountain guns that were older pre hole models. When you think about it is a wonder they do so well.

Hello Fokes, I'm an old farmer from Arkansas. Another fellow shooter from the Accurate Shooter board directed me over here, been on that board forever as Farmerjohn and you can check my history over there. shoot mostly 600&1000yd IBS, old bullseye pistol shooter, still got all my pistols but my eyes are gone. Can still kill an old doe with my Mod 57 but they got to be under a 100 yds anymore. Anyway I have a few S&W revolvers, try and pickup any that I run across that have the firing pin on the hammer. Got hold of on last that I can't figure out what model it is and a gentleman on the other site sent me over here, it's got a K on the butt and the serial# is 273362, just wondering when it was made,
thanks John

My Grandson and his contemporaries look at a Revolver like my Dad’s generation looked at flintlocks 😉

The Grandson is warming up to Revs, hey at least his carry piece is a 3914.

I'm a 24 year old shooter. And revolvers definitely outnumber semi autos in my large collection. I started collecting milsurp in high school and my first handgun was a British Enfield revolver. Hated shooting it and still do. But not as much as my Nagant. I started buying older Model 10's and caught the bug bad. The revolvers are just so much more fun to plink with. I carry a Model 19-9 from the Classic line on the ranch and my most recent purchase was a 586. Bought that as a pre-election investment. Ive had buddies offer to buy it but after shooting it, I cannot justify parting ways. I've taken a lot of friends and the Europeans from my grad program shooting pretty often and they love shooting the revolvers. They might not shoot well with them, but they enjoy the revolvers. I think us younger folks are seeing the revolvers as fun range pieces but will open up to them as carry pieces.

I'm in my mid-thirties and I too have a safe where the revolvers outnumber the autos my a good margin.

Having been in one of the local shops a lot these last few months; even the revolvers were taking off from the shelves. Not sure if it was due to the availability factor, but I saw a good handful of people ask for revolvers. That being said, the last few buddies that I've taken to the range during 2020 (all but one new to firearms) all ended up with an auto...and a Beretta O/U but that's another story.

As for me, while I'll appreciate much any firearm, I grew up attracted to target/field shotguns, revolvers, single shots, lever guns and nice wood n steel over most other things.

I’m way more of a revolver enthusiast than automatics but most of my revolvers are large frame. Not the easiest for carry. I like my S&W 469 9mm for carry.

It can be done. My EDC is a 5" Classic (full-underlug) 629 .44mag, carried in a homemade under-the-shirt vertical cloth shoulder holster, from pajamas-off until pajamas-on, every day. Very comfortable and well-concealed.

My kickin’ in door days are long behind me when Ammo superiority was paramount, hence the preference for semi’s. In the civvy world, my preference for EDC is the old reliable revolver...

Welcome to the Forum, Arkfarmer.

Hang around. This a GREAT forum.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Why did a lot of shooters go after plastic guns anyway? I seen a guy trading in two plastic pistols for one new pistol. It makes me think there following what the gun rags rate as the gotta have new plastic pistol.

I been a revolver guy all my life. Pistols are ok. I never had great accuracy until I built my 1911. Man size targets no problem but tight grouping just wasn’t me. At 25 yds my built 1911 will shoot clusters and cloverleafs. Yet my colt python at 100 yds I can make pin point shots. After each shoot at the range I practice at 100 yds with handguns just to keep the edge sharp. One must know his limitations or do we have limitations, with 3’ of Kentucky windage my cz85db is accurate at 100 yds. Knowing and understanding your capabilities of your weapon matters.

I shoot at 25 yds all the time. Nothing shorter.

Welcome to the s&w forum. It’s a great forum. The longest distance here we have is 100 yds at the range.

The used plastic pistols are taking over where the used revolvers have been in the used case at the LGS have you noticed? Some are running out of room.

I purchased more revolvers during the plastic craze.

My thoughts exactly. Good explanation.

I agree with almost all the comments. I especially like the ones in which "I don't have to go chasing my brass". I find revolvers are easier to keep clean and in "top shape". Plus, they really look like great works of art -- and they work great!!!

I spent the last 4 years working part-time in a local gunshop, unfortunately. And I am currently back as an instructor at the local indoor range. That gives me a pretty good view of what people are wanting in handguns and the state of the industry.

The only place I hear or read that revolvers are making a comeback is here. And only here, on this section of the board. Out there, nobody wants them. They don't order them. They don't rent them. They don't come into the store asking about them. Other than a few old guys standing at the door, before we are even opened, asking have we taken in any nice pre lock s&w revolvers. And even their numbers are dwindling.

The compact and subcompact 9mm "ccw guns" killed the market for revolvers. The Sig 365 and to a much lesser extent the Springfield Hellcat being the final nails in the revolvers coffin. Those that carry guns for a living know the threat has changed. And even the "CCWers" can see that the threat is no longer one individual. What sells is cheap striker fired plastic pistols that are crammed with as many rounds as manufacturers can stuff into them.

The gun must be as small and light weight as possible, easy to shoot, require no maintenance and recoil like a .22. Otherwise, the buying public is not interested.

I am sure there are those who desire and want to buy and carry J-frames and LCRs. But other than a brief run on Kimber K-6S a couple of years back, I haven't met any. Yea, "have a gun". Copy that. But of all the many things one can expire from these days, nostalgia would be the most foolish cause of death. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

When I recently took my grandson to the range his favorite shooters was the 629 with magnum loads. Shooting a 44 mag revolver is like driving a big-block 60s muscle car: An unforgettable rush and so much fun.

Teach your (grand)children well.

Hey, I resemble that remark! Damn 18, have you been following me?

In my neck of the woods,for one young shooter who shows up with a revolver(to me a young gunner is anybody 35 or below),19 show up with an auto.And amongst those 19,16 will be with a polymer framed 9.
While I shoot 75 to 80% of my handgun ammo in revolvers,I must admit the auto is the big favorite here.
If I remember correctly.when I was a kid(35 and below),I too liked to squeeze the trigger quite rapidly with more than 6.

The ONLY other revolver I have seen at the range is when my shooting buddy brought his 19-5. Otherwise, I’m the only one.

I never really could get into polymer handguns. Most of them were too light; great for carrying, not nearly as fun to shoot. Plenty share the same sort of basic look that, while functional, isn't exactly what you can call pretty. The only polymer pistol I have is an issued Glock, and while I do appreciate it for being simple, reliable, and robust, it's not something I would've actively tried to purchase. I'm glad that folks like CZ, Sig, Beretta, IWI, etc are still putting out metal handguns, and especially glad that Ruger, S&W (minus a particularly unsightly blemish on the side that keeps me from buying any new production wheelguns from them), and Colt, among a few others, are still putting out admirable revolvers.

I've been doing my best to share my adoration of the revolver with my coworkers and friends - folks that are mostly in their twenties and early thirties. Everyone always seems to be fascinated with revolvers or at least highly appreciative of the way they look and how they hearken back to a bit of classic Americana. They're a lot more approachable for the new shooter and otherwise less intimidating. Watching those that generally haven't had the chance to handle a revolver before try one out for the first time is pretty magical. In the sea of modern polymer wonders, an all-metal handgun certainly stands out. Especially when it's a revolver. Limited capacity and increased prices compared to the polymer semi-auto competition surely aren't doing them many favors in this day and age among the general gun buying populace though.

I carried the same Model 10's on the job from 1986 until I retired in 2011, when the switch came in the early 90's everyone seemed to jump on the semi-autos, I stuck with what I knew worked, had to use it on occasion and it kept me here. I have the mentality,"ain't broke don't fix it." I own Glocks and Sigs, but I still have my 10's 2&4 inches and my 36, they still get carried more often. The young guys who came on as I was leaving would ask if my revolver actually worked, I'd laugh, best was I had a new kid ask what the round things on my belt pouches were, "grenades" he asked. speed loaders. The ribbing stopped at the range when you were trained appropriately on a wheel gun and went to the range and practiced you can make that revolver move as quick as any auto, and place your shots even better. But I went through the academy when policing was taught and shooting was taught, not social work and gender issues, or de-escalation psychology.

I like my M-547.

Attached Images

M547.jpg (200.1 KB, 22 views)

My first ever gun purchase was a wheelgun, a Ruger Super Blackhawk circa 1973...It's long gone now, but 18,000 guns later (if I count the inventory from my two former firearm businesses) it looks like my last one will also revolve in a circle as I rebuild my post-divorce/retirement collection...As of yesterday, 2 semi-autos (Smith and Kimber) and 12 revolvers (Smith and Colt) have taken refuge in my safe......Ben

At my club revolvers are as common as vehicles with manual transmissions. Which is not a bad analogy, IMO. I like driving a stick for the fun, but in no way can I argue it's better than an automatic as engineering has overcome all the advantages a manual used to have.
There a few niches left for revolvers that I can think of, bullseye, long range shooting, hunting, calibers more powerful than the 10 mm.
Side note, talked to a local city cop and they've recently been issued Glock 19.

I haven’t scrolled all the comments but, in my opinion, automatics are cheaper to produce, have a higher capacity of rounds, are more adapted to polymer parts and more affordable for the general public. That being said.....I like revolvers.


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I agree. I love my revolvers and feel I could defend myself using them if needed.

Still, it's hard to ignore the efficiency of the new polymer wonders.

No, they don't have the soul of the older revolvers but they tend to work well, carry a lot of bullets and be easy to shoot.

They are typically lightweight and pretty corrosion resistant.

The accuracy and triggers have been improving with the latest generations.

They represent a compelling, cost effective and practical choice for many.

When I shoot the latest polymers, I am more surprised than anything by how good they've gotten for being a bunch or plastic and stamped metal wrapped around a barrel.

LOL!!! You get a "like" just for that gem alone!

It reminds me of the range visit where I got to try a brand new M2.0 plastic wonder gun out of the range's rental fleet. Unlike much (most?) of the rental fleet, it hadn't been beat to a pulp yet. Impressed the Hell out of me.

Would I buy one? Nope. I'm through and done with my "Plastics Period" and back to all-metal... magnificently-made vintage S&W revolvers, in particular.

Different strokes for different folks.