Why have revolvers become passé ?

[Center fire]

Over the past 10 years I have seen a dramatic decline in the use of revolvers as well as there availability at gun shops. Why have revolvers become passé? I myself like revolvers over semi-auto pistols. I find my shooting to be more purposeful when shooting a revolver over a semi-auto. I find with a revolver I want to make ever shot count. I tend to get sloppy with semi-autos and just fire away.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

I bought a Ruger LCR last year and I really like it....got a 2 1/2" tube for my Dan Wesson and I shoot and carry that as well as my polymer framed 9mm's. I think the trend for concealed carry has been compact and subcompact semi autos since all 50 states now have concealed carry.

But don't kid yerself. There are a lot of revolver shooters out there and will be for some time.

VooDoo

 

[ljnowell]

In my opinion they haven't. Sure among many keyboard commandos that claim to carry two fullsize autos and two compacts along with a tactical vest and body armor they have.

In the real world, amongst many average conceal carriers they are very popular. Just look at the sales numbers of j-frames, LCRs, etc. they are very popular.

 

[Panzerschwein]

When did they?

Sure semi-automatic handguns have ebbed into great popularity but I think the revolver is here to stay for some time. The subcompact revolvers like the J-frames are all over. I carry one myself as EDC. I enjoy shooting revolvers slightly more than semis at the range, I try to hit the target as best I can no matter if I'm using a Brown Bess or a .22 target pistol! !

 

[skoro]

They're just not as fashionable as high capacity tacticool tupperware, which is what's in fashion currently. And those pistols that are in fashion tend to be pretty darn good, to be honest. Still, I like my wheelguns and usually carry a 38 snub.

 

[Ed Ames]

They haven't, in the corners of the market where they offer a technical advantage.

Semi-auto pistols have a good but not overwhelming presence at the very low power (.22LR) end of the market. They dominate the low power (.25 to .45 ACP) market. They very quickly drop off at intermediate power (.357 and .41 magnum) and they have almost no presence in the high power domain (.44 magnum range). Apart from rifle-receiver (AR and AK "pistols") they have zero presence in the very high power (.454 casull on up) zone.

Revolvers are commercially available across the entire range (.22LR up to .45/70, .50S&W, 7.62x39, etc). They are downright popular in the areas where semi-autos don't play.

Maybe you are really seeing the preferences of your peers and not the market as a whole?

 

[BSA1]

Passé?

While revolvers have fallen out of favor with LEO's they are very popular in the civilian markets. Revolvers are the most common choice for women buying a self-defense gun and the big three gunmakers are constantly adding new models.

With California's new gun laws revolvers will become very more common.

 

[wojownik]

Revolvers have never been passe, IMHO, but they have been overshadowed by semiautos in the mass market, entertainment media, etc...

I think this one goes back decades ... higher capacity, ease/speed of reload, perhaps even the attitude that that revolvers were too "old school" in favor of higher tech. Perhaps this was all nudged along in the 1980s by police acceptance of semi automatics in the 80s, and the increasing use of semis over autos in TV/movies (though the trend started years early, think of the movie "Die Hard" - Bruce Willis and his Beretta, Alan Rickman and his oh-so-cool nickel HK P7, and then the overweight uniformed LAPD cop and his revolver...).

I know I certainly had my own biases in favor of semi autos, for all the above reasons. When looking at my first handgun, I didn't even consider a revolver ...

It wasn't for some years before I was drawn to revolvers as well, first hands on with a Colt SAA, then some other truly old school Colts (Official Police, M1917).

 

[ivankerley]

man if they're passé I wish the prices would come down, least the places I've been locally they're kinda high.
gene

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I must have missed the memo that revolvers are passe, since my prefered SD handgun is a .38 revolver.

 

[frankiestoys]

I like both but , but don't own anything in plastic anymore ,revolvers included ...WTS if its a SHTF situation I want a mag that holds as many rounds possible but as a edc its a J Frame for me.

 

[plexreticle]

If anything there is a resurgence in the revolver market.

 

[MAKster]

Clearly a 4" service revolver in 38 spl or 357 is not very popular today. But I think snubby revolvers are still top sellers.

 

[zerobarrier]

I started out with only semi's but now have found myself liking revolvers a bit more. I mainly carry a 45acp revolver 4" barrel. I have picked up a 44mag, 38spl, and would love to get a 357mag, and that new S&W model 69 in 44mag. My LGS keeps a pretty good stock of revolvers, 2 cases full and 4 cases of semi's

 

[*Kemosabe*]

It costs more to make a revolver than a semi-auto, so the semis generally sell for less.

The lure of lower pricing is also at play in the semis popularity.

 

[twofifty]

Through shear ignorance, I once thought revolvers were passé.

That was until I saw them used in IPSC competition. The revolver guys
were shooting very well and were having lots of fun. So I gave it a try.
When I scrape up the money I will get a nice revolver for competition...another
fun toy to play fast games with.

 

[Bobson]

For the same reason muskets are passe, just to a much lesser degree.

For the untrained/unpracticed everyman, a pistol is much faster than a revolver. For instance, the amount of time I've spent with revolvers could be measured in minutes, on one hand. It probably takes me around 12-15 seconds to empty and reload a Ruger LCR. I've spent considerably more time with a pistol, but even when I was new to them, I could empty and reload an M9 in close to 1/3 that time (or about 4-5 seconds, if my estimate is on). I would expect, too, that given equal amounts of practice, most people can more effectively/quickly manipulate a pistol.

 

[Comrade Mike]

I own two semi autos and four revolvers with no plans to buy any more autos. I must have missed the memo.

 

[SDGlock23]

I guess revolvers don't really fit the bill as being tactical and modular and all that. But fairly recently I bought a BFR in 454 and just bought (another) Blackhawk .45 Colt convertible, love me some single actions.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I own many handguns.

Half of them are revolvers.

Guess I missed the memo, too.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

30 years ago, the number of revolvers produced was awfully close to pistols. Now pistols outnumber revolvers 5 to 1. While some may prefer a revolver, the numbers certainly are skewed in favor of pistols.

 

[Elkins45]

As a reloader I am increasingly appreciative of the ability to recover 100% of my brass without having to hunt for it in the gravel. The ability to retain 100% function at any power level and bullet shape is also a plus.

Revolvers aren't passé among most shooting enthuseasts that I know.

 

[mikemyers]

Very simple answer.

pas·sé
adjective
1. no longer fashionable, in wide use, etc.; out-of-date; outmoded


Why did this happen? When I grew up, myself and all my friends wanted guns like the TV cowboys had, six-shooters, especially the ones that took "caps" so they went BANG! Anyone raised like that, and who went through the stage of pretending to go around shooting the bad guys, might really be thrilled when they could get the real thing.

Fast forward to today. If you watch on TV, or the movies, or most of the magazines, the guns that most of the heroes have are something that looks much more sinister, and that's what people nowadays are likely to want.


If guns can have "charm", I think that feeling fits revolvers best. Maybe it's just my upbringing. Semi-autos make me think of the military, current entertainment stars, and maybe even with attached accessories such as lasers, flashlights, night vision - all the new stuff, that gets kids and younger people excited - much more so than the old fashioned stuff that was used to protect the good guys from the rustlers and Indians.



Of course, you can apply this to the likely future, when both revolvers and the current semi-automatics will become passe, replaced by computerized guns with electronic ammo that will hit the bullseye every time, won't work for anyone who steals it, and will probably be constantly "on-line". Laugh now, but 50 years from now, that's what I expect will be quite common.....

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Passé? I don't think that's true.

They offer clear and measurable benefits over semiautos that we revolver shooters acknowledge and value.

Semiautos have benefits over revolvers too, but passé? Not so much.

Of course, the simpler answer is polymer and Hollywood.

 

[rcmodel]

I don't think so either, judging by the number of revolvers vs semi-auto's around my house.

Or judging by the prices fine old S&W's and Colts are bringing lately!

Maybe the video games & action movies are influencing the younger generation in choosing less accurate guns with no soul? And half a box of ammo in every mag.

(Spray & Pray beats Accuracy every time, right?)

But I don't do video games & the latest movies much, so I remain pretty much unenlightened.

(Except for 1911's, old Colt Woodmen, and a few certain S&W & SIG autos built the old school way before plastic.)

rc