1. Under stress, revolvers are generally easier to operate.
2. Typically easier to operate with weakened or injured hands or compromised gripping ability.
3. Inherently more accurate (slights attached to barrel on a revolver; aligned with the barrel but attached to the slide on a semi-auto).
4. Ammo, #1: Precise overall length of the round not as much of a factor as with semi-autos (revolver rounds headspace on the rim, semis on front of the chamber)
5. Ammo, #2: Major revolver calibers (.38, .357, .44, etc.) have larger case capacity than major semi-auto calibers (9mm, .40, .45).
6. Ammo, #3: More variability possible in ammo; rounds can be very low to very high power, and will work; unlike semi-auto, where rounds have to be within a certain range of power to operate the recoil-driven mechanism properly.
7. Ammo, #4: Bullets of almost any design will function in a revolver, whereas most semi-autos require a properly ogived bullet of the right material, for proper feeding.
8. Ammo, #5: Higher power rounds are more practical in a revolver than a semi-auto.
9. Ammo, #6: Revolver ammo will not suffer bullet setback from repeated loading, as bullets in semi-autos can if chambered repeatedly (this can lead to dangerously high pressures in rounds, esp. 9mm and 40). Bullet setback can occur in revolvers from recoil, but is less dangerous (see para 5, above).
10. Revolvers have more choice for grips, in terms of fit and aesthetics.
11. Greater functional reliability than semi-autos, especially small semi-autos; fewer malfunctions and stoppages than semi-autos.
12. Easier to operate from inside a jacket pocket, especially "hammerless" models. Hard to operate a pistol with a reciprocating slide inside a pocket.
13. Revolvers don't leave shell casings on the ground (No brass to pick up; no shell casings left at the scene).
14. Revolvers have a soul; semi-autos are tools.* *Certain semi-autos designed by JMB may be an exception to this observation.
15. Long, heavy DA trigger press makes handling most revolvers safer in practice than most semi-autos, especially striker-fired, pre-cocked, light-triggered semi-autos.
16. Revolvers are more amenable to mounting of scopes (an advantage that is lessening a bit with new technology, e.g., RMR sights now available for many semi-autos).
17. Can’t be pressed out of battery during a struggle.
18. Revolvers typically telegraph incipient mechanical problems before they cause the gun to stop operating – cylinder timing, failure to carry up, cylinder binding (“cramps”), extractor rod loosening, etc., all these let you know they are starting to need repair or adjustment.
19. A dud round can be bypassed by a quick trigger pull, unlike on a pistol, where the slide has to be cycled by hand to chamber the next round.
20. Needs less lubrication than a semi-auto; less susceptible to becoming “dried out” or to suffering congealed lube like a semi-auto that has been stored for along period of time.
21. Most common ammo caliber (e.g., .38 Special) is not listed as “military” and thus not restricted in sales (as is 9mm, .40, and .45) in certain areas, e.g., Mexico, Latin America, etc.
22. Revolvers cannot slamfire if their firing pin becomes gooped up from lube, carbon etc.
23. Ammo, #7: Revolvers are much better at handling long, thin, high velocity ammo like .17 HMR, .22 WMR and .327 Fed Mag.