Bill Lear
Member
The old, "If you can only have ONE" survey!
I'm going to adopt a bit of Devil's advocate position on this one and assume that if I can only have ONE, that also means I won't likely have ready access to parts and springs and such - basically, the last gun I'll ever own for the eternal apocalypse!
To that end I think I'd opt for an 1873 Colt "pattern" revolver of one of the current, high quality Italian makers such as my favorite; Uberti. While the DA revolver has every advantage over the single action in terms of swing-out cylinder, reasonably fast reloads (with speed loaders), quick ejection of fired cases, and DA capability, they are also much more complex internally. In any sort of post-apocalypse scenario, stealth, hiding, going undetected are paramount, because the moment you end up in a firefight it won't matter a whole lot whether you started with a M25 or a Ruger Vaquero if you've failed to retain the advantage of "going small" and only using a gun when you have no other choice.
I suspect that shortly after the apocalypse there will be thousands of ARs and AKs found laying about, left by former owners who thought that high-tech piece of hardware imparted super powers upon meeting up with a squad of opposition equally armed.
So, the rationale: All DA revolvers are highly complex inside with parts that interact, and can "interference interact" as in when the trigger is short-stroked resulting in a "jam" due to the trigger sear abutting the hammer DA sear "just so" causing a solid, metal-bending collision of parts. Then is the short stroke that allows the cylinder to rotate while the hammer happily bobbles in place without cocking - no cocking = no bullets flying out! Then there is the overall more delicate structure due to the cut-away frame to house the cylinder crane, the larger barrel-cylinder gap mandated due to rapid heat buildup into the forcing cone causing a narrow BC gap to close and seize the gun by cylinderfull number 3 with proper .357 magnum loads. If any part breaks, or wears excessively, it will require better steel, and a better gunsmith the replace it - as will springs.
Now, with the 1873 it's pretty simple. The hammer and trigger are simple, robust parts. The cylinder bolt is probably the most complex part, but within the ability of someone skilled with saws and files to recreate. The flat spring - or more modern, bent round wire spring used for the bolt is easy to fabricate, as is the massive leaf spring to power the hammer. The frame is a solid "O" shape with a thick, solid center pin fully supported at both ends. The firing pin can be easily shaped from a section of steel rod and suitably hardened and tempered...overall a VERY simple, robust, strong, nearly unbreakable group of parts!
The SA trigger means EVERY shot has the same, precision trigger break, and anyone who has ever shot SA and DA revolvers already knows they can be emptied as fast as a DA with fully controlled technique, meaning accuracy!
I'd probably opt for the .45 Colt for the same reason as the 1873 - a massive case that can do an excellent job whether using modern smokeless, or home-blended black powder. The big bores thrived in the era of black powder and didn't get any weaker in the smokeless world. I've got .45 Colt black powder substitute loads I loaded up 20 years ago that will still register over 850 fps across the chrono with 250 grain hard cast lead slugs - not too many ANYTHINGS want to soak one of those up, let alone six.
When you carry a DA revolver you have the assurance of exactly ONE shot before the probability gremlins arrive, because as you release that trigger, YOU are the weakest link and can short-stroke the action! No such problem with a SA.
The slower unloading/loading process is actually a benefit because it forces you to consider and use other options over trying to blast your way out of a situation which, in "revolver world" is iffy at best.
Some will say a Ruger New Model is better - and it is. Bank vault strong with unbreakable coil springs throughout, a Ruger .45 Colt is certainly on the table and deservedly so, I simply prefer the sleeker, more seductive lines of the 1873!
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