Vern Humphrey
Member
You're absolutely right there. During the Viet Nam war, the Air Force (for reasons unfathomable to normal humans) adopted the .38 revolver as their standard issue handgun. Army helicopter pilots (for reasons even more unfathomable to normal humans) followed suit.A revolver simply has more things that can go wrong, more places for outdoor grit, mud, sand, snow, ice or whatever to enter the gun. Most of the moving parts are exposed where they can be damaged. Many more small complex parts with close tolerences to fowl up.
A quality semi has almost all vital parts enclosed. In the rare event you do have a problem with a semi, it is quicky corrected in the field, often in seconds, and with no tools. When a revolver goes down on you it is out until it can be disassembled and repaired with tools not typically carried in the field.
Every military on the planet has been testing this theory for well over 100 years and revolvers don't even come close when used in harsh, dirty outdoor conditions
I have seen many a S&W turn into absolute junk in the jungle.
On the other hand, on my first tour I carried a Colt M357 -- but it was my gun, and I took good care of it. It's still in perfect shape, albeit with a lot of finish wear.