Major virtue of a revolver

[Styx]

The claim is "for all-day concealed carry, I find a single-column semi auto much more comfortable than a revolver, and than a service-sized double column semiauto, for that matter."

You should try more types of holsters.

Do you think I should wear a long topcoat all day? How would you dress to conceal an L-Frame revolver with a five inch barrel?

NO!

You should dress for the gun. It doesn't take a long coat and top hat to conceal a L-Frame or your Kimber K6S . You're not EDCing a 5" semiauto, so who do you feel you need a 5" revolver?

Colt now sells a six shot snub with an excellent trigger pull, which is what I wanted.

Your K6S also has 6 shots, a good trigger, and you know it's reliable. Why would you change a reliable firearm for a question mark with a good trigger?

A rather simple, basic human factors engineering analysis. Or, one could try using common sense.

Do you have data and the statics on that?

You seem intent upon arguing for the sake of argument. I would never suggest that anyone change how one dresses unless I thought it helpful.

What makes you say that?

Let's remember that there is a lot more to handguns than concealed carry and defensive shooting. In my opinion, it is in those areas where the revolver really shines.

So those who conceal carry revolvers for self-defense are making a bad choice or not the best choice? What data are you basing this on?

 

[Miami_JBT]

Because threat level and lifestyle are relevant. What I would carry as L.E., a drug dealer, gang member, or if I knew someone was out to kill me, or if I lived in a Chicago ghetto would be different than what I would carry where I currently live.

You most likely seen cases where 12 were fired. Revolvers have been in use and carried by civilians for over a century till this very day. During that time, multiple attackers existed. During much of that time, semiauto handguns existed in single and double stack. With that said, cite a self-defense situation where someone was found dead next to their empty revolver.

Yes, I believe it's a logical conclusion and "meaningful measure of merit. Why else would I have meaned it?

You cherrypick a sentence out. Refer to the rest of the paragraph and everything else I wrote.

It comes from common sense and my lifetime of seeing real-life crimes reported and discussed in depth on firearm forums, local news, national news, and caught on video. I don't recall criminals getting what they came for, not being detained, and sticking around to stay in a gun fight to go above and beyond to kill a stranger. I've seen them kill someone they've robbed who had already surrendered, but I have never seen them have what they came for and stick around to stay in a gun fight with an armed citizen. I've always seen them flee in these situations. I can post examples of the latter.

It's not politically. It's a fact. Most high crime areas where most of the shootings, robberies, murders, etc happen happen in states and cities ran by Democrats. It's because they're soft of crime and often catch and release. It is only logical and common sense for the crime rate and threat level in one's environment to influence the level of protection they would need.

I've seen cases where officers were stabbed by a charging attacker before the could draw and get a shot off FYI. I believe that I can get hits on a fast-charging attacker while firing from the pocket, whereas I might not have the time to draw and get the gun up in time otherwise. If I have time to draw, I have the option to draw. In either case, with a revolver in the pocket, I have more options.

Again.

1. I'm a former cop and have made plenty of people hate me.
2. I'm a public spokesperson for a national gun rights organization. That in of itself has people hate me.
3. Add one and two, and that equals a number of people who would like to hurt/kill me.
4. I've been stalked, have had death threats made against me, vehicle and personal property vandalized, and even my spouse has been threatened and targeted.
5. I travel across the country to what you consider "bad areas" as part of my responsibilities of my job.
7. LOL at you getting off shots from the pocket at a fast-moving attacker. You wear a windbreaker in the summer? Or do you pocket carry in your pants/shorts pocket?

Here's a nice example of what I've faced.




Nothing like coming to your vehiand finding your tires slashed after promoting gun rights.

 

[jmr40]

reason to like them so much,
is that they are not ammo dependent to operate.

With quality factory loads both semi's and revolvers are pretty much equally reliable. And with poorly put together handloads both are about equally unreliable.

Over the years I've had far more malfunctions with revolvers than semi's. It takes VERY little dirt to gum up the works in a revolver. Ejector rods work loose and bind up the cylinder etc. Most has been discussed above. Semi's, especially striker fired guns, have all the moving parts enclosed and away from dirt or damage that can prevent the hammer from falling or the cylinder from turning on a revolver

Whatever your flavor (mine's .357 revolvers) you can load powder
puff loads to wall shaking loads and happily work the gun.

My 10mm pistol will fire mild 40 S&W loads up to the hottest Buffalo Bore loads pushing a 220 gr bullet to 1200 fps. That basically duplicates the best 357 loads.

Don't get me wrong, revolvers have their place. Even though I can duplicate 4" or shorter barreled 357 mag loads with my 10mm pistol, a longer barreled revolver will beat it in power and accuracy. I choose my 10mm for close range large predator protection. But if I were hunting I'd choose a 6" or longer barreled revolver.

IMO the greatest advantage of a revolver is the ease of loading/unloading. A lot of new shooters struggle getting a magazine loaded, getting the slide to lock back or even to release the slide. A lot of older shooters no longer have the hand strength to manipulate those controls too. Most anyone can drop 6 into the cylinder, close the cylinder and pull the trigger. I prefer a semi for most of what I do, but I'm betting the day will come when I'll have to give up my semi's and use my revolvers.

 

[Miami_JBT]

I like revolvers because I like revolvers. Mechanically speaking, semiautos are far easier. A revolver is a complicated machine compared to a modern automatic.

To me, revolvers are just timeless and classic. I like 'em.

 

[StrawHat]

I have been shooting for 6 decades, handguns for 5. Most of that time revolvers, nearly exclusively. Can I shoot a self loader? Yes. Can I clear a malfunction in a self loader without having to think about it? No. Will I carry a self loader for my edc? No. Why? Because I am not confident in my ability to keep it shooting. Will more practice change my decision about what my edc sidearm should/will be? No, I am pushing 70, I really don’t want to carry a selfloader. You think I should? Too bad, my life, my choice. You do you and leave me to do what I think is best for me.

Thank you.

Kevin

 

[.308 Norma]

To me, revolvers are just timeless and classic. I like 'em.

Me too. Especially single-action ones - which I have several examples of. I'll probably keep on carrying my Glock 19 as my EDC/CCW though.

 

[BJung]

Revolvers are quite versatile. I can dry for them for practice. I can shoot wax or glue gun bullets with a primer with them. For a .357, I can shoot .38 special light loads through them and load up to hunting loads. I can kinda shoot 9mm bullets through them. I cast so I cast .356 bullets, powder coat and enlarge the bullet and size to .358". The revolver is simple and makes a good home defense load. It's accurate.

 

[Targa]

Me too. Especially single-action ones - which I have several examples of.

Im with you guys. I am drooling over this Blackhawk at my LGS right now. I think I have worn my wife down to a “Fine, just get it “ point. I am ashamed to admit that as both a revolver fan and a reloader I do not own a .45Colt...
Hopefully that changes shortly..In reference to the price, he is going to come down $150 if I decide to buy it. Not a chance was I going to pay the price he has listed.

 

[Anchorite]

I remeber reading the works of Michael deBethencourt who was at one time a knife instructor and firearms instructor at SIGARMS Academy. He opined that the revolver was better than the semi auto.
Here, in brief, are his 25 reasons. He explains each in detail in an article that I can scan and repost if anyone wants it. but I'm only going to type in the first sentence of each of the 25. This has stuck with me for decades.

1. Worlds safest live round indicator.
2. Minimum maintenance.
3. Superior reliability.
4. Faster into action.
5. Ya seen one, ya seen 'em all.
6. Fewer shot necessary to prove reliability.
7. Ammunition choice.
8. Misfires are reflexively corrected.
9. Always available to trusted others.
10. Much easier for beginners.
11. Loading is easier.
12. Easier to unload and make safe.
13. Easier to shoot.
14. Less expensive.
15. Greater tactical versatility.
16. Looks nicer. Jury-friendly.
17. Grips are infinitely adjustable.
18. Pocket fire.
19. Four season common carry.
20. Cheap practice.
21. Points well.
22. Can't fatally foul up the grip.
23. Less likely to accidentally discharge.
24. Stopping power available in small package.
25. Safer after the incident.

BTW. I agree with all of them from personal experience and preference.

 

[UncleEd]

Anchorite,

THANK YOU

 

[Derek Zeanah]

As I and others have said, there are many "virtues" of a revolver. I prefer one, except for defensive carry. For some people, and in some circumstances, revolvers are the most practical choice for self defense. But realistically, the semi-auto is usually the better choice for that purpose.

I happen to agree, and I chose to wear a 6-shot 357 today.

When discussing carry pistols, an instructor gave me a hypothetical once: assume you know with certainty that you will be forced to use lethal force this week to defend your life and the life of your loved ones. You don't know when, who, where, how, or how many - you just know that it will happen. And your daily routine must continue - you can't just stay home or go on vacation. Given that, what will you carry this week?

My answer was (and is still) a steel framed 1911 because I shoot those the fastest, with good practical accuracy, and I can reload them quickly and without thought. I'd choose the most effective caliber I own as well, because I'm wired to think size matters. So gimme a steel commander in 45ACP with 2 spare mags as I typically carry and I'm good. I could just as easily grab a double-stack as well should I feel like capacity was more important than projectile diameter, but 1911-pattern it is, in a mostly full-sized platform.

Now, shooting a revolver is more pleasant, and I can make long distance and precise shots more consistently with a revolver, and the 357 is nothing to sneeze at. If I expected my wife to need to step up I'd likely give her a revolver, as she grew up shooting a Python. But if her life is on the line, I'd prefer more than 6-7 shots to resolve the problem.

But there's a reason most folks who expect to have to do serious social shooting choose a pistol over a revolver. And maybe I'm a bit Fudd-ish by not just grabbing a Glock 19X which is way cheaper than what I carry, plenty reliable, easy enough to shoot, and 9mm is likely "good enough," but I like what I like and luckily I can indulge a bit on the arms I carry.

Revolvers have some great advantages - again, I've got one on my hip right now (a pretty, lightweight blued beauty) - but for combat use you give up a lot.

 

[mcb]

I am always amused by the these threads they always seem to devolve into Revolver vs Semi-autos.

First up I like and own both but personally like revolvers better and use them more often. That said other than a few niche advantages if you're serious about the use of a handgun for social situations (Military, LEO, Concealed Carry etc) I don't see the few advantages a revolver has outweighing the many other advantages the semi auto has for those social situations.

I base this opinion primarily on my experience as a competitive shooter and secondarily my own self defense training classes I have taken. Yes competition is not real life but it test hardware and practical gun handling skills like few other activities. I have been a USPSA competitive shooter since 2005. Starting in 2007 I shot both semi-auto and revolver divisions in USPSA and IDPA frequently. At a lot of club level matches we were allowed to shoot the match more than once and so I frequently shot the match with both a semi-auto and a revolver. In 2013 I switch exclusively too revolver until 2018 when I switched back to both but also reduce the number of matches I was going to (pursue other sports). I have personally had and watch both semi-autos and revolvers fail in competition, everything from minor jams to complete non-recoverable failures (sever broken parts). The total failures were rare and I would not say revolver or semi-auto is better than the other in the extreme case. Failures were more corrilated with the quality of the handgun and ammuntion than the action type IMHO.

What I can say with a fairly high amount of certainty is that my own scores with the revolver were rarely better than my scores on the same stage with the semi-auto and I was the same B-class shooter in all the division I regularly competed in. I can also say that at the club level I beat way more semi-auto competitors than I should have with my revolver. Indian/Arrow shenanigans no doubt.

In my experience if you take a new shooter (one past the basic safety and marksmanship training) and have X amount of time and ammunition to train that most shooter will increase their proficiency more for that limited investment using a semi-auto than a revolver. Notice I said most not all, there are always exceptions. The manual of arms of a revolver is no doubt simpler but once you move beyond the rudimentary skills of safe handling and being able to stand and hit a stationary target the semi-auto does almost everything better and simpler. Shooting fast, reloading fast, capacity, recoil mitigation, malfunction clearing etc all happens faster and with the semi-auto. There are just less fumble areas with a semi-auto especially on the reloads.

Just watch a complete newbie at a IDPA/USPSA, if they pull out a basic semi-auto is usually still painful to watch, but if they pull out a revolver rig its almost always down right torture. When you apply that time pressure of the sports and the new shooter has the gun go empty for the first time the short comings of the revolver become glaringly obvious. God forbid a malfunction happens.

I love my revolvers but I do not lie to myself that in a social situation I am not leaving some capability at home by carrying one of my revolvers vs one of my semi-autos. YMMV - rambling.

Oh and moonclips rule! Nothings better than beating the filthy bottom feeders with the noble round gun and the moonclip makes that possible.

 

[armoredman]

I blocked someone who was being an arrogant snob, always nice to not have to read insults - I get enough of that at work.
I like my semis and I like my wheelguns. Would I carry my 1858 Remington New Model Army as a defensive sidearm? If it was all that was left, sure, but I think I have better options. I understand the ammo restrictions of revolvers, so I copper my bet - New York Reload.

 

[Miami_JBT]

I blocked someone who was being an arrogant snob, always nice to not have to read insults - I get enough of that at work.
I like my semis and I like my wheelguns. Would I carry my 1858 Remington New Model Army as a defensive sidearm? If it was all that was left, sure, but I think I have better options. I understand the ammo restrictions of revolvers, so I copper my bet - New York Reload.

A Remington 1858 will put someone in the dirt effectively today just as it did during the war between the states.

 

[Pat Riot]

Good. It looks like things are settled down.

The first handgun I ever fired was a revolver. The second was a flintlock, but that’s not important now. I have always liked revolvers.
I remember as a kid going to gun stores with my Dad and looking at all the revolvers in the glass displays. My Dad hated handguns and was always shooing me away or directing my attention elsewhere. Ironically he bought a Smith & Wesson K22 that ate a lot of my money in high school buying ammo and gun cleaning products.
As a kid I used to love the old black and white cops and robbers shows and movies. I had a special thing for “snub nosed revolvers” as they were always called in those shows.
The first semiauto gun I fired was a 1911 in the US Navy. For years the 1911 was my gun. Then one day, on my 36th birthday I bought my first revolver. A S&W 442 Airweight because I had to have a “snub nosed revolver”. I was stoked! Then I went to the range and got a shock. I couldn’t hit a darn thing with that gun. Well, I am happy to say I just needed practice. I still have that gun today. I carry it more than any of my other guns. Often it’s my New York reload.
I dropped 1911s in 2005 and went to Glocks for my semiautos.
Today I have twice as many revolvers than I have semiautos. Actually, that’s probably not real impressive to some of you considering I only own 6 Glocks and a dozen or so revolvers, but I dote on my revolvers.

 

[armoredman]

Good. It looks like things are settled down.

The first handgun I ever fired was a revolver. The second was a flintlock, the third was a flintlock revolver.

Sorry, my over active sense of the ridiculous did this...
I get my Uberti Cattleman II Birds Head back on Friday, all repaired and ready for the dance, holster still awaiting from Simply Rugged. I'll probably carry it as a hunting revolver, but it could go with me elsewhere - a solid six gun beats harsh language.

 

[Pat Riot]

Sorry, my over active sense of the ridiculous did this...
I get my Uberti Cattleman II Birds Head back on Friday, all repaired and ready for the dance, holster still awaiting from Simply Rugged. I'll probably carry it as a hunting revolver, but it could go with me elsewhere - a solid six gun beats harsh language.

I thought “Oh crap! Did I write that?”

If you have a flintlock revolver would you post pictures please…pretty please?
Also, I wouldn’t mind seeing photos of your rig once you get your holster.
I have decided that this year I am going to carry my S&W model 10 in a Tanker / Aviator holster when out hiking/hunting. For fishing I think I with stick with my S&W model 63 .22 LR on my hip.

 

[Kleanbore]

To me, revolvers are just timeless and classic. I like 'em.

Same here. For those of us who are old enough to remember, the blue steel service revolvers carried by LEOs in the days of old are far better looking than the modern police pistols we see today.

When I was young, the single action revolvers shown on the covers of Gene Autry and Wild Elliott comic books always caught my attention. Today, the fancy Colt and Smth single acions and the lwonderful eather we see here from CraigC have the same effect on me.

When I was able to acquire a Colt SAA .45, I found that I could shoot it quite well. I had to sell it--I needed the $150.

I had not realized that the 586/686 frame is almost the same size as the Colt 1892 Army and Navy revolvers, the Official Police, and the Python, until I read something by Ayoob on it. When I came across one from the Pro Shop with a tapered underlug and a five inch barrel, it became a must have, and I headed out to that store out in the country first thing the next morning, The rubber grips don't look classic, but they...well, a gun is a tool, Marian.

I am very happy that Colt has returned with some really nice revolvers. Were I not past the age of acquiring things for the sake of having them, I would have one or two.

 

[UncleEd]

I am very happy that Colt has returned with some really nice revolvers. Were I not past the age of acquiring things for the sake of having them, I would have one or two.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever read.. Hey, keep on living, doing and enjoying. And
nothing is better to mark a life's milestone than a new gun, even if that milestone is just
another couple years, months or days. Of course, don't go crazy either.

 

[armoredman]

She is special - it's my BBQ rig, completed. Smith 64-3, Hogue Monogrips, Tucker HF 3 holster.

 

[Pat Riot]

I am very happy that Colt has returned with some really nice revolvers. Were I not past the age of acquiring things for the sake of having them, I would have one or two.

If you have the means I think you should treat yourself.

 

[reverseturn]

The singular one major virtue?

How about this: safest administrative handling, and the most difficult to have an inadvertent discharge with.

Certainly agree with this comment. Last I looked over 10,000 a year seek ER treatment for "accidental gunshot wounds". Even discarding the liars and instances due to real knucklehead behavior its a pretty significant number. If one's actual goal is to reduce the chance of a negative outcome a reasonable case can be for picking a revolver. Even if its motivated reasoning.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Good points! Another sometimes overlooked benefit of a revolver in bad situations is a contact shot. No slide to go out of battery can be very important up close and is one reason I really like a Jframe as a backup.

 

[Kleanbore]

How about this: safest administrative handling, and the most difficult to have an inadvertent discharge with.

Agree!

Another sometimes overlooked benefit of a revolver in bad situations is a contact shot. No slide to go out of battery can be very important up close and is one reason I really like a Jframe as a backup.

That "contact" shot, to bestowed, would require enough force to push the slide out of battery.

And should the other person grip the revolver firmly enough to impede the rotation of the cylinder, the gun would not fire.

Jack Ruby was prevented from firing an attempted second shot at Oswald by an officer who gripped the gun for that purpose.

 

[UncleEd]

.

And should the other person grip the revolver firmly enough to impede the rotation of the cylinder, the gun would not fire.

Jack Ruby was prevented from firing an attempted second shot at Oswald by an officer who gripped the gun for that purpose.

True enough regarding Ruby. But a twisting motion to the right (on S&W) can overcome the hold.
In fact the hold aids in turning the cylinder as the shooter presses hard on the trigger. Now
impeding the hammer, that's a different matter.