Revolvers still have their place?
I'd think so.
The 5-shot S&W J-frames are selling as fast as they can produce them. They can make for an excellent secondary/backup weapon ... providing the user has a very good grasp of properly & effectively using a DA or DAO revolver.
Granted, there seems to be fewer folks who learn and master their handgun skillset using a DA revolver nowadays, so that probably has an influence on the acceptance of revolvers.
Also, the very attributes that make the diminutive 5-shot revolvers so versatile and useful for lawful concealed carry generally also makes them harder for many people to shoot accurately, controllably & effectively. (I miss the days when cops learned their handgun marksmanship skills using DA revolvers.)
They still work for a lot of folks, though.
I favor my J's over .22, .25, .32 & .380 pocket pistols. I like the range of available bullet weights & designs of the venerable .38 S&W Special over the smaller pocket pistol calibers. I like the development of some of the newer hollowpoints & loadings made for use in the short-barreled snubs.
Yes, the revolver cylinder is a bit thick compared to most pistol slides, but the rest of the revolver isn't that thick. That makes my pocket (holstered) carry method more easily accomplished with my J's than with my little 9's, .40's & .45's.
The snubs are also lighter than my small 9's, .40's & .45's.
Yes, the capacity is reduced compared to 6, 7 & 8-shot pistols. I tend to look at capacity as a consideration after other factors, though. (Besides, I was fine with carrying an issued or personally-owned 6-shot revolver for some years, and I finished my LE career carrying an issues 7+1 shot .45 pistol.
)
Sure, loading a revolver requires a bit more training & skill than a semiauto pistol. No argument. However, having watched any number of cops & non-LE folks try to load their pistols under just the minimal stress of qual courses-of-fire and range drills over the years, most of them don't experience much (or any) "advantage" when it comes to being able to load (reload) their pistols.
When it comes tight down to it, I'd not lose sleep at night if i were to return to active duty and was told I'd be carrying a revolver as a service weapon. They make some pretty decent 6, 7 & even 8-shot medium bore revolvers nowadays.
I'll be carrying one of my J's when I go out to enjoy some activities around town a bit later this morning.