Are revolvers getting scarce in your area?

[nsl]

Yep, hard to find and high here in Arkansas, which confuses me because this is supposedly a poor state. I can find a nice, older Smith at a shop, ask about the price on the net, get told over and over "Too high!!!", then go back in a week to find it gone.

 

[jimmyj]

Revolver are here if you want if you want to pay the prices.

 

[RIKMAN]

Plenty around. Not so cheap for most part.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[luis]

I once brought up the question to a very trusted friend and dealer as to why dealers do not carry more revolvers for sale. The answer was so simple it is scary. Marketing studies have proven that pistol owners will out spend revolver owners 17 to 1. In other words for every dollar a revolver owner spends on ammo and accessories the pistol owner will spend 17.

Dealers are going to spend money on the cash cow (pistols).

 

[luis]

I once brought up the question to a very trusted friend and dealer as to why dealers do not carry more revolvers for sale. The answer was so simple it is scary. Marketing studies have proven that pistol owners will out spend revolver owners 17 to 1. In other words for every dollar a revolver owner spends on ammo and accessories the pistol owner will spend $17.

 

[lev83]

Lots of lower end guns available (Taurus/Rossi/Rohm) a few Rugers and some beat up S&W's. I keep running the shops because every now an then I still turn up a nice S&W but prices are usually too hard to swallow.

 

[K-framer]

Same thing here (Raleigh, NC). Not many gun shops around, but the ones that are here seem to have 75 % or better autos vs. revolvers. Plenty of revolvers at the gun shows that come through here on a regular basis, but still LOTS more autos, overall. That seems to be the handgun market, these days... everybody wants plastic autos.....

Not me. Can't stand them. I don't even like alloy - framed revolvers, let alone plastic ones. I guess I'm a dinosaur....but I'm proud to be one ! All - steel revolvers for me....always !!!

 

[Wee Hooker]

Revolvers arn't sexy enough for most movies these days. Most new shooters want what they see on TV or in the holster of LOEs. Almos NEVER do you see anybody under 50 walk in and ask to buy/order a revolver. Consequently, I see almost NO new revolvers for sale with the exception of J frames. ( Still hard to beat for practical carry situations once you know something.) For used, I run into 1/2 of what I used to just 10 years ago. Those are now usually an old timer clearing out the safe. :-(

 

[Wee Hooker]

Revolvers arn't sexy enough for most movies these days. Most new shooters want what they see on TV or in the holster of LOEs. Almos NEVER do you see anybody under 50 walk in and ask to buy/order a revolver. Consequently, I see almost NO new revolvers for sale with the exception of J frames. ( Still hard to beat for practical carry situations once you know something.) For used, I run into 1/2 of what I used to just 10 years ago. Those are now usually an old timer clearing out the safe. :-(

 

[Lobster Picnic]

I see a lot of large revolvers for sale, especially 44 Magnums, hunting revolvers, etc. Not so many .22s available, they get scooped up quickly.

 

[gr7070]

Revolvers arn't sexy enough for most movies these days. Most new shooters want what they see on TV or in the holster of LOEs. Almos NEVER do you see anybody under 50 walk in and ask to buy/order a revolver.

This argument is common and at best simplistic.

Couldn't it be that people are choosing Glocks and XDs, etc. because of the new technology that has created lighter guns, reliable guns, less corrosive material guns, bigger capacity guns, faster reloading guns, easier to conceal guns, competitively successful guns, etc.?

I mostly shoot revolvers, and when I don't it's either 1911s, all steel Ruger MkIII, or decades old design classic Remington 1100.

The plastic guns aren't my favorite, but they are outstanding guns. Every bit as good as older style guns and in some ways they are superior.

Let's give the benefit of the doubt that buyers are choosing their purchases reasonably enough.

Sure there are tactical Timmys about, just as there are non-hunters buying .460s and .500s just for the wow factor themselves.

Plastic makes a great gun. I'll own one some day.

 

[Jack Flash]

A few rambling comments and a very mild rant...

The Pacific Northwest has seen a constant decline in the availability of "Golden Age" (1960-1980) S&W's for ten years, and the availability is getting progressively worse.

This quote hits the nail on the head for my area too. Once you filter out the Colt SAA & clones, Rugers, Tauri, and current production S&Ws, there are not enough "Golden Age" S&Ws to fill one small shelf in the display case in my local GS.

There used to be great pickings when police agencies turned in their old wheelguns for "wonder nines" but those days are pretty well gone. Now, agencies are turning in Glocks for SIGs (or vice versa) so that's where the bargains are now. Not to knock Glocks or SIGs by any means, just stating the facts.

One thing that amazes me is the 100+ year old M1911 design is still going so strong. Everybody and his brother makes a clone now and they fill up at least 30% of the auto display cases.

A few months ago, some folks on this site were giving the advice to

"Sell your old revolvers now! The bottom is about to fall out of the market! Soon you will not be able to give them away! SELL THEM NOW!!"

Well, this dire prophecy has not come to pass yet. I wonder if anyone who has said that in the past would like to give us an update? (Not trying to start a fight or flame war, which I would never be a party to, just seriously interested in hearing if anyone still holds that point of view.)

 

[stantheman86]

Dealers stock what sells, and for most it's the (new) M&P's, XD's , Glocks etc.

There's nothing wrong with plastic guns, I just don't particularly care for them. The Glock, XD, M&P's and others are reliable, durable guns that will outlast 99.9% of the shooters that buy them. The poly guns can go 80-100,000 rounds before anything major has to be changed out, besides recoil springs. The average buyer picks out a Glock 19, or XD, etc. and puts a few boxes through it and it sits in the nightstand or gets carried. Even most LEO's who carry the plastic guns don't put near enough through them to worry about wearing them out.

The age of the full size "duty revolver" is over, and most of them get sold to wheelgun enthusiasts. The days when a 6" 586 was a first-line choice for a HD or range gun are over. I still recall my Dad buying his 6" 586 and 2.5" 66 brand new in 1989 and at the time these were top choices for defensive and recreational handguns. If you went to a gun shop in the 80's the guy behind the counter would still show you new full size wheelguns that WEREN'T "collectible" yet

The plastic wondernines like the Glock 17 were still brand new and had not gained a foot hold in the market yet. Now, in 2012 when me and Dad take the 586 (or any of our numerous revolvers) to the range most of the firing line looks at us like we're shooting a flintlock

 

[DDDWho]

Dealers stock what sells, and for most it's the (new) M&P's, XD's , Glocks etc.

There's nothing wrong with plastic guns, I just don't particularly care for them. The Glock, XD, M&P's and others are reliable, durable guns that will outlast 99.9% of the shooters that buy them. The poly guns can go 80-100,000 rounds before anything major has to be changed out, besides recoil springs. The average buyer picks out a Glock 19, or XD, etc. and puts a few boxes through it and it sits in the nightstand or gets carried. Even most LEO's who carry the plastic guns don't put near enough through them to worry about wearing them out.

The age of the full size "duty revolver" is over, and most of them get sold to wheelgun enthusiasts. The days when a 6" 586 was a first-line choice for a HD or range gun are over. I still recall my Dad buying his 6" 586 and 2.5" 66 brand new in 1989 and at the time these were top choices for defensive and recreational handguns. If you went to a gun shop in the 80's the guy behind the counter would still show you new full size wheelguns that WEREN'T "collectible" yet

The plastic wondernines like the Glock 17 were still brand new and had not gained a foot hold in the market yet. Now, in 2012 when me and Dad take the 586 (or any of our numerous revolvers) to the range most of the firing line looks at us like we're shooting a flintlock

I can not disagree with anything you say. I took my 686 which I had not shot in years to the range last week. I must say it is one sweet shooter. Heavy? yes, smooth as silk trigger pull? yes. Pride of ownership?.... behind compare.

Comparing it to my Ruger SR40 tupperware gun is like comparing Marilyn Monroe to Marilyn Manson. There is something about those plastic guns that does not bring "heirloom" to mind while the 686 does.

 

[jughed440]

There are quite a few S&W revolvers for sale at the local gun shops or gun shows, but 75% of them seem to be 38 special snubbies, and the rest are 6" or 8" barrel larger caliber models. Any that i would be interested in are hard to find and way too expensive.

 

[Alpha Wolf]

Gun stores are businesses first and are there to make money. If there is 90% demand for autos that is what they will stock. Why the quantum shift in what pistols are purchased?

I think it is a cultural issue. Older guys like me grew up watching Cowboys ie John Wayne along with all the Police and Detective movies shooting revolvers, and seeing Police all walking around with revolvers. So it is pretty natural for one of my age to think of wheel guns as normal and good enough. I never did think the CHP were under armed in the 70s with their 357 mag revolvers.. LOL The only autos we even were aware of were the 1911 and Lugars.... Those others were Saturday night special *** that we all avoided as junk or even dangerous to shoot.

Since the 80s Glock single handedly brought autos to the forefront. Why? One is cost. Another is that the younger generation seem to love new tech and these seemed new when compared to Revolvers or old steel guns. These are now what just about all LEOs carry. They are also now the star of movies and TV shows that those under 50 growing up saw, not revolvers. It is quite natural then for them to want autos for reason similar to why we think of revolvers as cool. If that is what gets you to the range or to be a gun owner, great!

Many newbies want to start out with a gun they can brag about that is "Bigger and better" than any of their friends. Not the best logic when one needs to learn all the basics of hand gun shooting. Also egos affect their purchase. They do not want to be "seen" with a starter gun. So it is either an auto or massive 464 / 500 revolver. Revolvers are just not good enough.

Since Autos normally hold more bullets than revolvers most newbies go that route for the firepower advantage as the main rational... While true. But if your problem continues beyond 5 rounds you are going to have a really bad day. IMHO If you cannot really shoot well they may "Need" 18+ rounds in a gun to get 1 hit.

Or they buy spontaneously. I know I do a lot of research and test a lot of guns before I purchase any gun. I find this is not the case with a lot of those I know who are new shooters... They buy what is hip and what all their buddies have. Not what would serve their needs best.

I have both autos and revolvers. Best of both worlds. LOL

Buy what gets you out to the range.... But start with a gun small enough to actually learn good shooting techniques.

 

[1 old 0311]

When the days are "OVER" isn't that the time there are lots available at give away prices? When something gets "SCARCE" prices go up, availability goes down..............like now.

 

[18DAI]

Yes, good ones are scarce. There are plenty of current production revolvers sitting in the cases for those that might buy that sort of thing.

I think the days of the $1000 model 19 may not be that far away. Regards 18DAI

 

[elm_creek_smith]

...I don't know, maybe my brain hasn't caught up with inflation yet and maybe revolvers are worth more then I think they are but I'm having a hard time believing it. Especially when you can get a good hi-cap semi for $350-$400. Kind of makes the old 6 shot revolver worth less, not more IMHO.

The fact that semiauto prices have come down to where they should be based on the materials and mechanics in most of them should not affect the values of the precision machined perfection of a good American "..old 6 shot revolver..."

ECS

 

[nutsforsmiths]

I don't seem to have a problem finding revolvers in gun shops around here, but semi-autos are king. It's mostly J frames and Night Guards around here.

As Henry Ford would say about his Model T "You can get it in any color, as long as it's black". That's kind of the way it is right now with firearms!