Do younger shooters buy revolvers?

[George Dickel]

I'm old, 71, but still good looking and grew up on westerns and the old gangster movies where the revolver was the gun used. Unless it was a war movie you didn't see many auto pistols. I know the revolver is regarded by many as over the hill and an antique that has out lived it's effectiveness as a defensive firearm but for me there is just something about a good revolver. Seems like when I go to the pistol range all the younger shooters are shooting auto pistols, just older guys like me that shoot revolvers. I have a number of autos and enjoy shooting them but other than the 1911 they just don't have the personality of a nice revolver. Once we oldsters are gone will there be enough interest in revolvers or will they be just overlooked and forgotten and become valueless?

 

[nettlle]

These days the young ladies in my family seem to prefer the revolvers. In spite of me being a semi-auto person. I have both to show them and do my best to appear unbiased. Most of the time.

 

[Orcon]

Yes, the dreaded millennials buy revolvers. Life will continue after you're gone, just like it will once I'm gone.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

I really don't want this thread to turn into a 'young people don't know what's good thread'.

Because, yeah they (we?) do.

I have 3 revolvers right now.

First one was a Uberti Schofield when I was 19 or 20.
Then a Model 10 (circa 1930s-1940's) when I was 26
Then a Uberti SAA when I was 23 or 24.

I foresee many more in the future.

I am not yet 30 so I am in the middle of what I consider "young" but far from being "old".

 

[earlthegoat2]

I’m 36. Technically a millennial. I’ve owned a majority of revolvers in my life. A few 1911s, HPs, and an HK P7 in there with them. Currently I only own revolvers for handguns.

S&W started putting the lock on guns nearly before I was old enough to purchase one. None of mine have it.

 

[.308 Norma]

I'm 70, and my wife is not that far behind. I don't figure on our grandchildren (all boys) buying many revolvers seeing as how they are going to inherit all of ours.

 

[RealGun]

I'm old, 71, but still good looking and grew up on westerns and the old gangster movies where the revolver was the gun used. Unless it was a war movie you didn't see many auto pistols. I know the revolver is regarded by many as over the hill and an antique that has out lived it's effectiveness as a defensive firearm but for me there is just something about a good revolver. Seems like when I go to the pistol range all the younger shooters are shooting auto pistols, just older guys like me that shoot revolvers. I have a number of autos and enjoy shooting them but other than the 1911 they just don't have the personality of a nice revolver. Once we oldsters are gone will there be enough interest in revolvers or will they be just overlooked and forgotten and become valueless?

I think the major influence is concealed carry, and the revolver is just not getting the nod as the superior choice. Even the auto pistols are suboptimal because younger people don't dress to conceal and pick the pocket sized guns. There though is where the little snub revolver shines and is quite popular. At the range I wish I had a dollar for every person with a new micro pistol that won't cycle. The revolvers at least go bang.

 

[Sistema1927]

Shhhhh! More for us old farts if the young whippersnappers aren't buying them.

 

[nettlle]

Young people, good, bad, or indifferent are not as mechanically inclined these days. That's not necessarily a bad thing. A revolver is a less complicated tool than a semi auto.

 

[627PCFan]

Im 38 and a revolver guy. The only semiautos Im interested are the 1911s I build.

 

[docbrown]

Depends on your definition of younger .. I am 51 and own two revolvers and one semi-auto. I tend toward revolvers, but like semi-autos as well.

 

[George Dickel]

Yes, the dreaded millennials buy revolvers. Life will continue after you're gone, just like it will once I'm gone.

I don't believe I disparaged millennials in my post, just that my observation at the different ranges I where I shoot, I don't see younger people shooting revolvers. I'm glad to hear that they are popular with that demographic group.

 

[WestKentucky]

At 15 I got my first handgun, a Phoenix hp22. At 16 I got a Taurus 689 (66 vent rib). I’m now 33, married, 2 kids, 3 slide guns in the safe (one is the wife’s Glock) sitting behind a dozen revolvers and a tc contender. My next purchases will be (probably in this order)

Rossi or Taurus .357 long barrel
Remington cap and ball revolver
Cobra 32 mag derringer (for 32 long)
Birdshead Heritage 22 convertible
Variant of the Colt Lord derringer
Ruger Mk target pistol (probably a red 22-45)
Something DA revolver, stainless, UNFLUTED
Llama minimax or Baby Rock pistol
Victory Smith
Colt Official Police
Charter Pathfinder

I don’t class myself as a millennial, but I’m likely younger than most folks here. My 6 and 8 year olds have seen my gun collection, and were fascinated by “cowboy guns”. There may not be much hope for millennials, but there is still hope. (Now y’all sell off your collections to deflate the market and allow my collection to grow.)

 

[MidRoad]

Well some of us do! I'm 27, and I can't get enough of revolvers right now. I'm still half tempted to offload my 1911's for a few more revolvers. My friends have started aquiring revolvers after shooting mine. They like they're plastic guns well enough, but man do the smile when the shoot a wheel gun. The model 60 is my CCW. Traded a Glock for gp100 and a p01 for that Blackhawk.

 

[Tallball]

I am 53. I probably own slightly more semi-autos than revolvers, but I prefer the revolvers and shoot them better.

My daughter is 14 and has been shooting with me since she was about eight. She much prefers revolvers, but as others have said, she will be inheriting mine and won't have much need to buy one.

 

[badkarmamib]

At 37, I have owned 2 C&B 1858 Remingtons. I have a Heritage Rough Rider in the cabinet now, for my kids. I find autos fit my hand better. Obviously, and it would be sacrilegious to think otherwise, the 1911 is as good-looking as an auto can get. But, aesthetically, even to my eye, a 1911's inherent beauty pales in comparison to 90% (or more) of the revolvers out there. I wish I liked the feel of them more. It would make brass clean-up so much easier...

 

[somethingbenign]

I just bought my first revolver this week. Wife is already looking to see what revolver will be her first now that she has seen mine. I'm probably going to switch over to wheel guns for the most part, especially for range toys but also a LCR for pocket carry. Oh and I'm 27.

 

[375supermag]

I see a fair number of younger shooters at my gun clubs and they seem to shoot revolvers a fair amount but not asuch as semis.
My own son, age 24, has about 6-8 handguns only one of which is s revolver.
It is a stainless S&W Model 66 in .357Mag.
He doesn't really need to buy any as he will inherit around 30-40 of mine one day.
He does shoot revolvers a lot however.

 

[Orcon]

I don't believe I disparaged millennials in my post, just that my observation at the different ranges I where I shoot, I don't see younger people shooting revolvers. I'm glad to hear that they are popular with that demographic group.

I didn't mean to be rude, I sarcastically use the term millennial because it's lost all practical meaning not unlike tactical. You've got to remember that revolvers are fairly expensive compared to the plastic fantastics available and most young people are a bit on the poor side. Plus, most auto ammo is cheaper than the going rate of 38 spl, 357, 44 (of any kind), etc...

 

[George Dickel]

I didn't mean to be rude, I sarcastically use the term millennial because it's lost all practical meaning not unlike tactical. You've got to remember that revolvers are fairly expensive compared to the plastic fantastics available and most young people are a bit on the poor side. Plus, most auto ammo is cheaper than the going rate of 38 spl, 357, 44 (of any kind), etc...

Oh yeah, I remember my younger days and not having enough money to even pay attention. Now that I'm older I have enough disposable money to make a moderate purchase now and then. After I retired I took up reloading and it really helps on ammo cost, couple weeks ago I shot over 500 rounds of .44 mag, 38 special, and 45 ACP. Revolvers, especially the older Smiths are definitely on the expensive side compared to the new autos being made so I can understand the prominence of autos being used by younger folks. One of the things I really like about revolvers is that I don't have to chase casings like with my semi auto pistols.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I'm 68. Everybody at my club knows me as the revolver guy. I have some semis, but probably ten times as many revolvers. No, I am not going to say how many, but it is a lot. I bought my first revolver in 1968, a Cap & Ball, brass framed 44 caliber 'Navy' Yeah, I know there was no such thing, but what did an 18 year old know. Bought my first two cartridge revolvers in 1975.

At my club, most of the pistol shooters, no matter how old they are, shoot semi-autos. A few will bring a couple of revolvers every once in a while, but most shoot semi-autos.

I am the only guy who regularly shows up with interesting old revolvers, because I really like interesting old revolvers.

 

[IlikeSA]

I wasnt until I got into reloading. Now its almost all I buy.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

When I was 28 I bought my first handgun, and it was this.
View media item 94When I was 29 I bought my second handgun and it was this.
View media item 50View media item 49Now I'm 37 and own these.

686+

• Zaydok Allen
• Oct 28, 2016

Nill Grips

French Ordinance 1892, 8mm Lebel.

• Zaydok Allen
• Oct 20, 2016

Built in 1912

1860's Belgian pin fire

• Zaydok Allen
• Oct 20, 2016

9mm

Regulation Police 1923

• Zaydok Allen
• Oct 20, 2016

View media item 95I have 6 more on my list right now.

The tradition will continue. We won't let it die.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I'm still on the comfortable side of 40 and I very much prefer revolvers.
I own them at a 2 to 1 ratio over autos. That distance will get wider.

 

[bannockburn]

Growing up most of the guys I knew had revolvers, mostly S&W, Colt, and a few Rugers; all were double action designs. Not that we couldn't afford them but the Colt Government was really the only game in town for many years, that is when you could find them. Some of my first handguns were revolvers: a Hawes Deputy Marshall in .22LR/.22 Magnum, a Charter Arms Undercover, and a Colt Trooper Mk.III. My older brother prefered semi-autos and that's where my interest in them began. Pretty soon I had traded most of my revolvers for semi-autos and it's really only been in the last ten years or so that I have gotten back into wheelguns.

My kids have shown no interest in revolvers either; all they like shooting are semi-autos. I doubt they will ever change from that preference but there's no telling what the future may bring.