Revolvers making a "come back"

[rwsmith]

After my last model 10 purchase......

I grew up shooting both, and will continue to shoot (and carry) both until I leave. However...

My revolvers outnumber my autos by about 4 to 1.

I walked into my LGS one day, and the gunsmith who was working there at the time (a young guy) said, "Hey, it's the revolver guy!"

I have a 1:1 ratio between the two. Four each.

Oh, and when I walk into my LGS they giggle, poke each other in the ribs and say, "Hey, it's the top dollar guy!"

A friend asked me one time, "What does is mean when you buy a car and when you are leaving all the salesmen are standing in a circle laughing and yours says, "Lunch is on me today"?

 

[Moo Moo]

Would it be fair to say that the "J" Frame , for the CCW market, be leading this comeback for revolvers?

 

[notsofast]

I like both semi auto's and revolvers, but I have 10 Smith revolvers and one Colt 1933 "1911".
Enjoy them all

 

[BAM-BAM]

I have both and IMO both have their place..........I grew up shooting revolvers.....years shooting and qualifying double action only with a 3" 65.

Back in the day when I first read about the "New York reload"..... and having just watched/then read "Serpico" I thought the perfect NY combo would be a 2 1/2" model 19 and a Browning HP....... the .357 19 being primary with the Browning as back up. Figuring if I'd need more than 6..... I'd need/want a lot more than another 5 or 6

Today if the SHTF I'd go with a 3" K-frame with 6 rounds of 125 gr .357 hollow points (my old Model 65 or more likely my 3" 66) as my primary backed up with a Beretta 92; either a Compact at 15+1 or more likely my Wilson Combat Centurion with 18+1 (mec-gar mags)

My choice of the Beretta over a S&W is 30 plus years of shooting one and my SHTF Personal/home defense long gun, for my "Burb of the Burgh", is a tricked out (light,sling, 2 spare 20 rd mags on the stock and red dot) Beretta CX-4 9mm carbine set up for Beretta mags...... plus two more 20rd mags in a double mag pouch all packed into a padded "guitar" case

Maybe a bit over the top.... but as I watch the Sunday morning news, now is the time to plan not as the SHTF.... with the hope you may never need to execute that plan.

 

[Old cop]

I carried a revolver for the first 20 yrs of my career and had to use it more than once so I know it works & have confidence in that platform. In retirement I carry a 340PD loaded w/+P and a speed strip in my off pocket.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I guess the thrill of semi-autos is waning. I have noticed in ALL the gun magazines that they are writing about the "benefits/advantages" of a revolver, esp. the .38 Special. The latest mags are praising the penetration/stopping power of the .38 Special..its ease of carry, its "point & shoot" with moderate recoil. And its popularity with the "older,mature" citizens who may have difficulty "racking the slide" on a semi-auto. I find it interesting. I have always loved the feel, look and effectiveness of my .38 Special and am glad that others are now rediscovering this, too.

Might have something to do with the editor walking into the room and announcing "OK it's time to switch from semi autos to revolvers for the rest of the year and Joe, I need that article on the perfect gun for rabid feral dogs for the October issue-let's go with the new Kimber this time-they just gave me a K6 so make it about that one"

 

[rubiranch]

Of course, not everybody is willing and/or able to do so, and that's all right. That's why J-frames were invented.

My EDC were J-frames for 12 years and now I carry a 45 Shield M2.0 and really like it.

I only have two semi-autos, an M&P 45 and the Shield and I enjoy both of them.

Not sure I can say that I enjoy shooting my revolvers over the semi or the semi over the revolver.

 

[BAM-BAM]

LOL there are still 'Gun Rags"......... haven't even looked for one since I joined here and a couple of other Forums!!!!!

Ues to buy 2 or 3 a month back in the day.......... but in the 21st Century you guys and gals are a much better source of good reliable information.

 

[rwsmith]

If I carried a revolver....

Would it be fair to say that the "J" Frame , for the CCW market, be leading this comeback for revolvers?

... my model 36 or model 38 would be my choice.

 

[UncleEd]

I'm thinking if Biden wins in November and the Liberals have their way by banning all semi autos, the revolvers will be the hottest thing out there!

No, all autos won't be banned but a new
magazine capacity law could be passed
although no action was taken durng the
Obama years.

But I believe Smith and Ruger were looking
to the future when they started making
7 and 8 shot revolvers. With 7 or 8 shots
and the power that can be packed into a
revolver (over a normal sized auto) cartridge,
the revolver in many ways becomes equal or
superior to the auto.

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

So the gun rags are running out of ideas to talk about?

Reinventing the wheel(gun) I suppose.

And a lot of those so called writers may get a free revolver or two
to write a favorable article. So they hype whatever pays the
most.
Like said above the wheel guns never left me.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Here's the real story

Hollywood prompted the semi-auto revolution.

The directors got tired of "us" joking about some "cowboy"
getting 10 or 11 shots out of a six-shooter! They tried to fix that
with Clint Eastwood telling the bad guys he couldn't remember
how many rounds he'd fired ("feeling lucky, punk?").

Today most folks watching Keanu Reeves (as John Wick) or
Bruce Willis (as John McClane) don't know a Beretta from a
Browning, and they have no clue how many rounds are in the
magazine.

My grandmother started me at age seven with her I-frame
Model 31. Now I focus on the .38 Chiefs Specials from 1950
through 2000.

"Semis" are those long lines of tractor-trailer rigs climbing Elk
Mountain on I-80 in southern Wyoming.

 

[malph]

I doubt revolver shooting is increasing to a degree that could be termed anywhere close to a "comeback". Most younger shooters have no experience with revolvers and aren't likely to develop a yearning for them.
I base this on the frequent weekday trips I've been making to a private gun club range for the last ten years or so. I don't recall the last time I saw a revolver shooter. From cursory glances, I would guess that most shooters use striker polymer-frame guns and shoot up very close, from three yards to fifteen. Very seldom will one of these persons shoot on the twenty-five yard range. Maybe the revolver shooters come out on weekends when I'm not there.

As for gun articles on the .38 Special, there are (like Jack O'Connor said) only about a dozen topics one can write about when it comes to guns. Everything else is pretty much a spinoff variation of one of the twelve.

Just when someone thinks there cannot possibly be room for another 9mm handgun, a new one appears and people read about it and buy it even if it offers virtually nothing (or even less) over similar guns that have long been in production. Sort of like the 1200 (that figure is probably no longer accurate) commercial hot sauces and salsas that are made in Texas, there has always been room for one more - maybe, until now.

Nothing wrong with the .38 Special; I'd much rather read about it than another 9mm gun or ammo creation.

The articles, I think, are attempting to promote revolver shooting amongst younger and newer shooters.

For the older heads, we do not need to be convinced.

There is a whole generation of shooters now that have no real experience with revolvers.

They think the Glock has a great trigger.

It's those folks that the article is attempting to sell revolvers to.

 

[ContinentalOp]

There is a whole generation of shooters now that have no real experience with revolvers.

In Ed Lovette's The Snubby Revolver, he relates an interesting anecdote. He was observing a class of DEA recruits during their academy training. They had done a simulated warrant raid. One of the recruits had recovered a DA revolver. During the debrief, the instructor told the recruit to make safe. None of the recruits knew how to operate the revolver. They didn't know how to open the cylinder. The instructor then taught them all how to do it.

 

[vintage40s]

... a lot of people who never had guns before are going for the simplicity of a revolver since defense is on their mind rather than different types of shooting.

Would it be fair to say that the "J" Frame , for the CCW market, be leading this comeback for revolvers?

That's what this first-time gun owner did two months ago. Got a 642-2 CT Airweight.

 

[vintage40s]

... There is a whole generation of shooters now that have no real experience with revolvers.
They think the Glock has a great trigger.
It's those folks that the article is attempting to sell revolvers to.

I think those folks will be disappointed in a revolver trigger.
I hated the heavy trigger of my S&W 642-2 and thanks to this forum, I immediately had a trigger spring kit installed.
Duty/Carry Spring Kit for J-Frame Revolvers

 

[ContinentalOp]

I think those folks will be disappointed in a revolver trigger.
I hated the heavy trigger of my S&W 642-2 and thanks to this forum, I immediately had a trigger spring kit installed.
Duty/Carry Spring Kit for J-Frame Revolvers

It's been my observation that most of the people who complain about DA triggers, revolver or semi-auto, are people accustomed to either 1911s or Glocks. Not always, but most of the time.

Of course, it's different if a gun's trigger actually is heavier than it should be, i.e. out-of-spec.

 

[BigBill]

So it's auto pistols vs revolvers in some cases?

Magnum revolvers first, s&w n frames, RedHawks gets my onions frying.

Pistols it's 1911a1, cz metal handguns next.

Plastic guns, a no no, never interested in them, I'm going to hell plastic melts.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Plastic guns, a no no, never interested in them, I'm going to hell plastic melts.

I thought they weren't allowed in New Jersey...

 

[rockquarry]

I suppose I've had at least a hundred revolvers in the last fifty years, almost all of which were double-action Colts or S&Ws. I can't recall one that had an unsatisfactory trigger.

 

[Rushing1]

On duty, I always carried metal pistols: German Sig 220, Cz Rami, and S&W 642. ( all 3 at the same time)

Reliability first, my accuracy with it, and it's stopping power.


Revolvers are life savers. One can depend on one.

I have lots of plastic autos. Those are nice too: the Glock remains in the car: and gets most abuse.

In my area, the most revolvers are seen in Pawn Shops. I browse them often. Saw an unfired Python 6 inch couple of days ago: $2,400.
It is the heartbreaking time of having to sell heirlooms.

Just purchased a S&W 29: times have changed----new carjackers are more savvy: many wear armored vests. Small calibers are of minimal effect, but a crossdraw 44 with a magnum load will crush the chest. ( special circumstances warrant specialized tools)

The Lake Poet, William Wordsworth understood, wisely, that,

"Into our own hands,
Our safety lies"

And a revolver will always have a place

 

[jcs266]

I suppose that's an individual thing. I do believe most people can probably carry and conceal a larger gun than they think they can, though it typically does require a bit more committment and forethought regarding clothing and carry gear.

I used to routinely carry a 3" 65 in an IWB holster under an untucked shirt for 12+ hours/day, even in hot, muggy summer weather. It was well-concealed and comfortable, but I used a good quality holster and a good, double-layer gun belt to support it all.

Of course, not everybody is willing and/or able to do so, and that's all right. That's why J-frames were invented.

My 3" 686+ is with me 12+ hrs a day and everywhere I go. With proper wardrobe and belt/holster selection it's easily carried.

 

[otis24]

Comeback?

When did they ever go away? Seriously, they've remained in production to this very day by just about every major firearms manufacturer that ever produced Revolvers to begin with, folks have continued to carry them all the while, and they still have a strong niche in the role of Wilderness Defense because they simply offer maximum power in the smallest possible package.

Sure, Semiautomatic Pistols are generally more popular, but I honestly think that has more to do with the significantly lower cost of polymer-framed pistols as well as the lower cost of ammunition when it comes to pistol cartridges. Because the most popular carry firearms tend to be single-stack subcompact pistols which only have marginally higher ammo capacity. If there were most inexpensive, ultra lightweight polymer framed Revolvers available like the Ruger LCR and Taurus 605 Poly, then I bet that Revolvers would be more popular among average shooters due to their greater ease of operation and greater power. (5-6 rounds of .38 Special or .357 Magnum vs 7-8 rounds of .380 ACP or 9mm Luger.)

And many people gravitate towards autos because they are thinking primarily self-defense. I love my Hi Power and my Sig, but for back country, you are right. The revolver platform offers more power and can be had in different size platforms. I would want a revolver for back country/woods carry. Right now, my needs are primarily home/self-defense.

When/if finances allow, I will own a revolver or two again!!!!

 

[anoblefox]

I think the current looting/riot situation is attracting many 1st time gun owners to get whatever is available. My longtime belief is that revolvers are the BEST choices for those new to the firearm world. Perhaps this has some influence on the renewed interest in the wheel gun.

 

[eTripper]

I've always been a fan of revolvers. But the popularity of 'wheelies' is cyclical, and they seem to come in and out of vogue. Their biggest plus is their reliability, simplicity, and versatility.

 

[oink]

I carried a revolver most of my career. I also carried a semi-auto back-up most of my career. I like them both but I've always been a better revolver shooter. Until I retired I could still out shoot the vast majority of young guys and their issued semi-autos, even with my failing eyes and unsteady hands. Retired, I carry a semi-auto more as a slim one is just so easy to carry. But I still carry a revolver at times. I guess I'm just not very loyal.

As far as I can tell revolvers are not making a comeback although collectors are driving the prices up. At my last qual I was the only old guy that qualified with a revolver. I qualified with both.

 

[Mr Wonderful]

I like semi autos and revolvers, but I always find myself messing with or just taking out and looking at or playing with my revolvers more.

 

[Mr Wonderful]

Well when I qualify on the HR 218 course I always take my 4" 686. The instructor always asks if I brought that piece of 19th century technology.
I always answer yes and smile.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Beautiful, and I like that grip better than what comes on it. As soon price get back to normal, that'll be the next revolver I buy.
Thanks for the pic. Seeing it with that grip makes me want one even more.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I'm not sure if revolvers are "coming back". My perception is they never really left. I still see a few at the range (500 members) where I shoot.

I've gone into the polymer realm lately to discover that there are some benefits but I prefer metal for most things. I purchased my first handgun in 65 or 66 which was a revolver. I can't think of a time where I didn't have at least one. I believe there 5 in my safe now.

My observations are revolvers won't ever be as popular as semi autos are now. I say that because I have just about everything and I can't see an advantage over something like a Sig or HK for self defense. I do still carry a revolver occasionally but I think of it as a 3yd knife. I definitely do not plan to get into any gun fights with it. I'll use my HK for that.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I've always been a fan of good S&W revolvers, particularly those of a number of years back that were lovingly and finely finished at the factory.

These revolvers WORK. They go BANG when you pull the trigger as reliably as anything mechanical can achieve. Retrieving your expended brass does not involve hunting around in the grass to find it. It can be left loaded indefinitely with no spring fatigue, and will be ready to serve you when you pick it up - no safeties or any other gadgets to worry about.

As a matter of fact my last purchase was a K-frame .38 special. Most people looking at it would probably say it looks like new. It's not new. It's almost exactly my age - made in 1939.

Call me a dinosaur if you will - but I'd consider myself pretty well armed with this one unless I was facing a herd of stampeding elephants...

John