Why Revolvers/Wheel guns

[LPD256]

If John Wayne, Roy Rogers, and the Lone Ranger carried semi-autos, then I'd be a semi-auto fan.

 

[white cloud]

I much prefer revolvers, bolt action rifles and pump shotguns the best but these new fangled guns have their place. While I don't like chasing brass and I worry about having enough magazines, things like Glocks and ARs are amazingly easy guns to work on yourself. Glocks don't seem to rust much either and I shoot them well.

 

[dmthomp32]

I had been shooting and carrying revolvers for 20 years before I got my first duty semi-auto. It took me a while before my accuracy with the semi matched my revolvers.

For me the revolver takes me back to a simpler, less complex time. It lets you slow the pace. Every action is controlled by the shooter, from loading to ejection of the spent brass.

While I now use the semi almost exclusively for defensive purposes, a revolver will always play a role in recreational use. Besides that, IMO only a 1911 approaches a revolver in pleasing the eye.

For me that is it. I like the loading and unloading experience. I like only shooting six rounds at a time and how much longer a box of 50 lasts. I love the accuracy and the option of double or single action as it's almost like having two different guns in one. Along those lines I also like the flexibility in caliber I can go from a light .38 special target load to a .357 mag that comes roaring out of the barrel. Once again it's like having two guns in one. Plus when I go to the range, rarely does anyone shoot a revolver, it's always a sea of glocks and other modern plastic guns (not knocking them, I just appreciate diversity when it comes to firearms).

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

 

[NevadaBob]

About 2 years ago I began leaving the semi autos at home in the safe when going to the range. Since then I've acquired several more revolvers. My most recent acquisition is a Taurus 605 Poly that I picked up from Cabela's gun library. All my revolvers are snubbies. They're just plain fun to shoot.

 

[ACORN]

Easy. They're cooler than penguin poop.

 

[Green Frog]

Power and velocity, Revolvers win hands down. In every class.
22 Jet
327 mag
357 mag
41 mag
44mag
45 colt (loaded to potential)
460 mag
500 mag

I guess my contenders and XP100s will get do it, But the semis don't get it in the power race. Doesn't mean they don't have their place. Have several 22 semis and a nice 1911 clone. If I absolutely knew I was going into a gun fight with multiple opponents I would chose a semi over a revolver, but then I would chose a short semi rifle over a pistol. The chances of me being in a gun fight where more than 5 or 6 rounds are going to change my out come are slim to none.

The no chasing brass thing is a valid point. At 68 bending over or crawling around on my knees sucks. If I do something that requires quick reloads I use a moon clip gun and bring one of those magnet on a extending tube handles. It grabs 6 rounds off the ground easy.

While I agree with you in general here, you're leaving out the Desert Eagle and Auto Mag. They could be argued to be semi-auto rifle actions on pistol frames, but they do have the power!

I'm a couple of years older than you and just had a knee replaced, so the idea of crawling around looking for brass is even less appealing to me than it is to you!

 

[Sgt 45]

I believed in autos for a long long time and carried them for 50 years, then my right wrist started to act up and the recoil of the autoloader torqued it in a way that just about puts me on my knees some times. The revolver does not, even though there is more recoil it smacks the palm of my hand but leaves my wrist alone SO, I find that the M69 or 629 is my EDC with loads that are 75-80% of factory .44 mag and I prefer the lighter bullets like 180 gr or 200 gr, reloading is something that I have to get better at and they don't make moon clips for .44 mag that I know of, not that I have a gun that would take them. A 686 with full power 125gr HP comes in third.

 

[jnichols2]

I think it has something to do with going back to my roots, or reliving the old Saturday morning Westerns.

My WWI Colt Model 1917 is like shooting history. My .44 Magnums are like...


Revolvers have also made me a better shooter. At first, single action was king. Then I got a 2" J-Frame. I practiced for three months. By then I also shot my semis much better.

 

[357 shooter]

Personally, I find revolvers to be great teachers. Ninety-eight percent of my revolver shooting is done single action, unless it is with my Model 36. My revolvers were purchased for target games: bullseye, metallic silhouette, and PPC.

Yep , one feature I most appreciate about a good Smith revolver is accuracy - no tuning or accurizing work needed. The accuracy part is already standard. In the 1980s I shot some metallic silhouette and revolver bullseye with stock Smiths.

Even today with my bad eyesight (I use red dots on target guns) I can still shoot a Smith revolver as well as any stock repeating handgun with the exception of my 22 target pistols and even then it is sometimes really close. The only stock centerfire semi-auto I have that gives my Smith revolver some competition at 50 yards is a Springfield Range Officer 1911.

Some 50 yard targets with my 586-4.

 

[Rammer Jammer]

I prefer revolvers for carry and general range fun. They tend to be more reliable and that is what I want in a carry gun over capacity. Plus no bending over at the range to pickup my spent casings for reloading.

For home defense I rely on a high capacity plastic fantastic where the weight of the gun doesn't interfere with daily activities and so I can have more rounds on tap.

Each have their place, but overall I prefer revolvers and they outnumber my semi autos.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Revolvers are more reloader friendly, easier to recover the brass. Also don't have to worry as much about OAL of a reloaded round. Or bullet shape, feeding ramp, etc.

 

[CapnB]

Like most, I have some of each. To me, the autos are efficient tools, while the revolvers are more like works of art. I rely on the autos for their purpose, but I appreciate the revolvers for their history and craftsmanship. I'm more experienced with revolvers, but proficient with both. My EDC is a single stack sub-compact DAO 9mm and my "house gun" is any one of many K frame .38's, which constitute the bulk of my accumulation. At least one of each goes to the range. Always.
Good shootin',
Doug

 

[Justin T]

They are a study in practical simplicity. Other than that I don't need to think about it too much. Don't really want to, to be honest. Ruins the simplicity of it.

 

[Garthe]

Great question!

My Dad was a combat shooting instructor in the 60's/70's. Not only was I cheap labor for his reloading projects. But, I also traveled with him to shooting competitions. Fast forward, when I reached my 50's I felt this nostalgic pull to S&W revolvers. He shot a Python in competition. But carried S&W at work. I'm lucky that my Dad is still with us. We talk offen about that time frame and my revolver collection is a result of our collaborative discussions. My Dad will be forever linked to my revolvers and that fact is very comforting to me. He just turned 80 severial months ago. Time is short and I'm enjoying every minute I can with him. That reminds me...I need to call him today. I want to add another M-19 to my stable. I wonder what barrel length he will recommend to me...?

 

[Robotaz]

I trust revolvers. If you look at firearms pragmatically, like they're just metal parts that are controlled by their user, there's just something so simple and safe about a revolver. I carry one and never ever think about it in any way other than inspiring confidence. Autos, when I carry them I am always hoping they don't screw up and get me hurt or killed.

 

[lkabug]

There is just something magical about the revolver. Or perhaps it's the nostalgia thing.
I see many more bottom feeders at the range, and I must admit I too have and shoot auto loaders. But the revolver was my first love. Time and guns may change but you never forget your first love. That model 10-5 will be with me 'til death do us part.

 

[rockquarry]

I still prefer double-action revolvers over conventional semi-automatic pistols, but only by a slight bit. I guess I really like them all, with the exception of the polymer striker-fired guns and their trendy, funky Glock-style triggers.

There may be many today who have had no experience with revolvers; indeed sad.

 

[mikerjf]

You can stick a revolver in your pocket and 20 years later when you need it, it will work.

Love my Glock too, tho...

 

[Jeppo]

My DA journey

I've been pleased to read the comments about DA revolver shooting possibly improving one's overall ability to control a gun. Ergo, my story. The premise being that I'm having a devil of a time improving how I shoot...

Almost a year ago, a friend and valuable contributor to this forum was over shooting at my place. Along with some classic Smith semi's, he brought a K frame. Watching his mastery of that gun, I had an epiphany...forcing myself to shoot a revolver in DA might help me learn better trigger control. So, I set out to find a similar gun.

Thanks to another friend and forum contributor, I learned yet a third had a 66-1 he wanted to sell. It happened I'd already bought a nice 4513TSW from him so I knew what to expect. We agreed and I made the purchase over last winter's holidays.

I made the commitment to shoot nothing but revolvers during all of 2019. I've put several thousand rounds thru the 66-1 (and a few boxes thru my trusty 442) while resisting the powerful temptation to shoot my other guns (including numerous very special ones I've bought this year) and those of friends who come over to shoot. Crazy as it sounds, I haven't even fired my carry gun this year.

Has spending half again as much per round (.38 vs 9mm) helped me? Maybe but I'm certainly not where I'd like to be. As soon as I post this, I'm going to run another couple boxes thru the 66. Will I be any better firing SA semi's? As long as we're not snowed-in, I'll find out New Years Day.

 

[rockquarry]

I've been practicing bullseye-type shooting (one hand) single-action with all revolvers and semi-automatics for about twenty-years now. Used to shoot two-handed Weaver stance some before that and will do that now on occasion just to check point of impact in comparison with bullseye one-handed shooting.

I enjoy bullseye shooting far more and have learned much more about breathing, trigger control, uniformity of grip, etc. than I ever did using two hands.

It will likely be different for everyone, but I've noticed that at 25 yards (I don't shoot closer than that, but occasionally shoot at 50 yards), bullet impact will consistently be several inches lower when I go from bullseye to two handed shooting.

I realize gunfighting/combat and self-defense enthusiasts use two hands to shoot and I would, too, if necessary, but I find it's pretty easy to go back to two-handed double-action shooting, even after practicing bullseye shooting exclusively.

Granted, we all have different opinions, likes, dislikes, etc., but if you haven't seriously tried bullseye-type shooting, you might find it quite enjoyable and improve your shooting skills at the same time.