In which decade did you purchase your first revolver?

[lrrifleman]

I am hoping to identify a trend to see when the revolver was king. It is my suspicion that revolvers were purchased more frequently prior to 1985, then semi-autos were the first handgun of most handgun owners.

I am going to make the dangerous presumption that most, if not all, of the participants in this forum were born after 1900, but I will have this survey start at 1900.

 

[NYlakesider]

1972--- got a new on the market Ruger Security Six 4'' blue .357 and still have it!

 

[ralph7]

I am hoping to identify a trend to see when the revolver was king. It is my suspicion that revolvers were purchased more frequently prior to 1985, then semi-autos were the first handgun of most handgun owners.

I am going to make the dangerous presumption that most, if not all, of the participants in this forum were born after 1900, but I will have this survey start at 1900.

I don't think this poll will show you the time frame you want.
The revolver was king up until the 1960s.

 

[model70hunter]

My first were in 67-68. A Colt Detective, Cobra, NIB Colt SAA in 38 Special.

Now If Id just been smart enough to keep them.

 

[Inusuit]

I don't think this poll will show you the time frame you want.
The revolver was king up until the 1960s.

I guess it depends on how the OP and you define "king." There certainly were popular semiautomatic handguns around for many years before the 1960s. Luger, 1911, Hi Power, etc. And I don't think the move to semi autos by law enforcement agencies occurred until the 1980s. What happened in the 1960s to dethrone the revolver?

 

[walnutred]

I don't think law enforcement stared switching to semi autos until the Wonder 9 craze hit in the early 80's. Other than a few 1911's from what I remember most LEOs around here were carrying revolvers until then. Best I can remember I was 13-14 when I bought my first revolver, an H&R 22, which would have been around 71 or 72. Since the choice was based on what I could afford not sure it helps your poll.

 

[Backlighting]

My first revolver was a S&W 625, bought in the 80" as a companion to my Colt Combat Commander. Wish I had them back... sigh.

 

[DWalt]

My first revolver purchase was in 1967 - and it was a Llama. A pretty good one too. But I already had multiple Lugers, P-38s, and 1911s (plus a Polish Radom) I purchased in the 1950s.

I forgot a couple, so the above is incorrect. I bought a K-22 in 1964, but traded it off shortly thereafter. Then in about 1966, a Ruger Blackhawk in .44 Magnum came along. Same story. But both those were also from the 1960s.

 

[imashooter2]

The question you ask doesn't correlate to finding out when the revolver was king. It will only determine when a subset of revolver aficionados bought their first one.

 

[ddixie884]

1964 I was 13. My mom had to sign for it. Ruger bear cat from sears, $39.95........

 

[arjay]

'73,it was a blackpowder cap and ball,I was only 18.

 

[lrrifleman]

What I believe, is that while the the revolver lost some ground with the introduction of the crew served wonder nines, the biggest loss of ground was with the introduction of polymer framed semi-autos. The polymer pistols lowered production costs, increased corporate profits, and led to a reduction of revolver offerings. With the exception of the "Dirty Harry" movies, most of the Hollywood flicks post '80 seemed to glorify the crew served autos.

If we look back, blued carbon steel handgun offerings declined most likely in the late '80s, giving way to the stainless steel handguns, which then gave way to the polymer pistols that I personally dislike. By the '90's, I would safely venture that the major manufacturers offered less than a third of the revolver offerings that were offered in the '60s.

 

[mtgianni]

I am hoping to identify a trend to see when the revolver was king. It is my suspicion that revolvers were purchased more frequently prior to 1985, then semi-autos were the first handgun of most handgun owners.

I am going to make the dangerous presumption that most, if not all, of the participants in this forum were born after 1900, but I will have this survey start at 1900.

The obvious place to start is with the last revolver rather than the first. Buying a pistol should somehow tie in as well. I don't think this will give you an accurate representation of what you want.

 

[folkie johnson]

Handguns

I got a nice Ruger 22 single action for a xmas present and I still have it.My first purchase was a model 10 in 38 s&w in 1964,that one is long gone but have had 3 since then, still have one 5 inch barrel like new I am hanging on to that one.

 

[Decker]

First ever (and I still have it, box and all) was bought on my 21st birthday. A 6" S&W Model 19 Combat Magnum.
My wife will likely end up hanging on to it as a keepsake when I'm gone.

Bought it brand new at a Montgomery Wards sporting goods department gun counter. 1971.

 

[Wyo]

1971. Bought an old 5-screw M&P, 4", from a friend for $35. Those were the days! You could buy Colt 1911's then but the chances were no better than about 50/50 that one would actually work. Didn't get my first auto until the late '70's.

 

[Cyrano]

My first was a Mauser zig-zag model 1878. Bought it in Mexico from Weston's in Mexico City. Those days ae gone forever.

 

[CH4]

1984 - 686 4"

 

[whitestang]

1979. A Dan Wesson 15-2 6 inch vent rib barrel,in .357

 

[gmiller0737]

1979 A Ruger New Model Blackhawk in .357 Magnum Still Have it.