Are revolvers better?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I suspect your definition of fast and mine are probably different given you last sentence. There is no way I can reload my revolver as fast without looking but again I am trying for sub 2-second shot-to-shot reloads in competition.
Correct. Competition is a whole different story than real world self defense.
 
Correct. Competition is a whole different story than real world self defense.
Hence the reason the numbers show us the overwhelming majority of those that teach/train in earnest for real world self defense situations choose a magazine fed handgun over the noble round gun.

ETA: According the the ATF numbers*, From 1986-1990 manufacture made on average roughly 1.75 semi-auto pistols for every revolver they made. In 2010-2015, a similar 5 year period that number has increased to nearly five semi-autos for every revolver made. Semi-autos may or may not be better but the customer thinks it is.

* https://www.atf.gov/resource-center...tates-annual-statistical-update-2017/download
 
Last edited:
I'm a civilian. If I ever need to reload in a gunfight (an improbable variation of an improbable situation), it will almost certainly be because someone is currently shooting at me. However fast I reload in competition, I will want to reload faster, not slower! I won't be able to, since I already reload as fast as I think I can in competition... but the idea that I will be comfortable with a more leisurely reload in "real life" than in competition makes me laugh.
 
wow! i always thought even during self defense /duty a revolver made you more responsible with your shots. when you the the tapes of so called trained pro's they use all 15 and hit maybe once or twice. can anyone say spray and pray!
so for me i prefer revolvers
 
wow! i always thought even during self defense /duty a revolver made you more responsible with your shots. when you the the tapes of so called trained pro's they use all 15 and hit maybe once or twice. can anyone say spray and pray!
so for me i prefer revolvers

Why not really guarantee accuracy and carry a single-shot muzzleloader?
 
Hence the reason the numbers show us the overwhelming majority of those that teach/train in earnest for real world self defense situations choose a magazine fed handgun over the noble round gun.

ETA: According the the ATF numbers*, From 1986-1990 manufacture made on average roughly 1.75 semi-auto pistols for every revolver they made. In 2010-2015, a similar 5 year period that number has increased to nearly five semi-autos for every revolver made. Semi-autos may or may not be better but the customer thinks it is.

* https://www.atf.gov/resource-center...tates-annual-statistical-update-2017/download
Some customers, in fact the majority of customers, agree with that. But that has nothing to do with which choice is better.

Understand, I am not claiming one is better than the other and really don't much care whether one format is better than the other. All that is relevant to me is what I prefer; what I am more comfortable carrying.

Perhaps if I were making or selling handguns and it was a matter of which put more money in my pocket I too would consider the one that was the easier sale to be better.

My point was that it is possible to reload a revolver without looking down at the gun; not that one format was better or faster than the other.

It really is that simple.
 
Unfortunately, too many of my close friends and family members have been mugged and/or sexually assaulted. My cousin was murdered.

All of the assaults were similar: by surprise, from close up, and the winner was decided quickly.

Speed of reload or speed of clearing a malfunction would have made no difference.

All that would have mattered would have been being able to draw and get a few shots off very quickly and very reliably.

You do not have time to fix a malfunction or reload while you are being stabbed, choked, or having your head beaten against the asphalt.

I am not choosing a side. I am just stating the ugly realities that have been related to me.
 
Unfortunately, too many of my close friends and family members have been mugged and/or sexually assaulted. My cousin was murdered.

All of the assaults were similar: by surprise, from close up, and the winner was decided quickly.

Speed of reload or speed of clearing a malfunction would have made no difference.

All that would have mattered would have been being able to draw and get a few shots off very quickly and very reliably.

You do not have time to fix a malfunction or reload while you are being stabbed, choked, or having your head beaten against the asphalt.

I am not choosing a side. I am just stating the ugly realities that have been related to me.
It's impossible to like your post even though it might be the most important, most relevant in this whole thread. Thank you!
 
Why not really guarantee accuracy and carry a single-shot muzzleloader?

Mainly because I don't have one, but I do sometimes carry my 1903 Smith & Wesson DA Model 4 with an empty cylinder under the hammer so only four rounds of 38 S&W before a reload would be needed. I feel absolutely comfortable on those days. Sometimes if I feel the threat level might be high enough I'll add one or two 5 round speed loaders in a pocket.

standard.jpg
 
wow! i always thought even during self defense /duty a revolver made you more responsible with your shots. when you the the tapes of so called trained pro's they use all 15 and hit maybe once or twice. can anyone say spray and pray!
so for me i prefer revolvers
What makes you think the people in the videos you refer to are "trained pro's"?
 
wow! i always thought even during self defense /duty a revolver made you more responsible with your shots. when you the the tapes of so called trained pro's they use all 15 and hit maybe once or twice. can anyone say spray and pray!
so for me i prefer revolvers
I used to think the same thing. Then I started competing. I amaze myself at how many times I miss 18x24 rectangular steel targets at 15 yards. With a revolver. A lot of other guys do, too. With an autoloader. When you're in a hurry, it's hard to hit every shot. You will miss some. I know a lot of guys will say "you have to slow down and aim" and they're somewhat correct. It doesn't matter how fast you are if all your shots are wild and off target, but you also have to be fast enough to matter. At any rate, I don't believe the revolver makes me any more accurate than the autoloader guys, other that it puts in the mindset to at least try to be more accurate.
 
This may start a big debate but I'm wondering y'alls thoughts.

Five pages in, I don't think many people have opinions on the matter.

Capacity aside are revolvers better than semis?

Yes, they are absolutely better. My answer is as detailed as the question.

The sheer versatility of a revolver being able to have a completely different bullet with a mere pull of the trigger.

That would require a person to push the cylinder release, turn the cylinder to the correct ammo position, and remember which way the cylinder turns before pulling the trigger, ala Vin Diesel as Xander Cage in XXX.....or just dump the whole mix bag cylinder at whatever target until it gets to the type desired. I heard somewhere that hardcast lead may not even hurt a snake, so it's better to use incredibly tiny shot from short, rifled barrels.

No semi could handle that.

Totally correct. A person can load the semi auto mag with different types of ammo, but they must all be able to feed and cycle. OTOH, a person with a semi-auto could have fired an entire magazine, reloaded, played some checkers, whittled a pipe, and planted the back 40 acres in the time it takes to discern and choose which cylinder should be fired in which situation.


I hope you had as much fun reading these responses as I did writing them. Popcorn threads are great! Totally surprised this one is still going. Cheers!
 
I have revolvers and I have autos. I love them all....well, except for that one...:)

When people ask me “What is better? This or that?” My response is always “For what? Why do you ask?”.

Usually the question is preceded by a desire by the person asking to justify something. So I will go out on a limb here and assume you asked because you want a justification to either buy a revolver or someone is pushing you to buy one and you may not want to. I didn’t read all five pages of the “Chevy vs Ford” debate nor am I going to.

If you want a revolver, buy one. If you don’t want a revolver, don’t buy one. Simple.
 
The question should be: "Are revolvers better for what?" To be clear, they are not the best for firing many shots. They are not the fastest reload.
For NRA Bullseye shooting the winners all shoot auto pistols. For serious large game hunting, a single action revolver probably gets the most action. But mostly pistol shooters are concerned with self-defense.

Revolvers are very reliable. Between a properly designed, built, tuned and maintained revolver and a properly designed, built, tuned and maintained semi-automatic pistol there is little difference in reliability. The same for power and accuracy (for self defense use). Truthfully, I've never been attacked or been in a situation likely to lead to being attacked by a whole chapter of an evil biker gang, or a reinforced regiment of Red Chinese regulars or a dedicated squad of bomb throwing terrorists. I do not see the need for an extended shot string or one-second reload. Despite the popularity in competitions, those problems just don't occur. On the logical side, in such a case, by the time one gets the sixth adversary, number nine or so gets you.

On one hand I find semi-auto pistols easier to hide and carry. (I'm retired and don't wear a 'Bat-belt' anymore.) A relatively thin pistol fits nicely. On on other hand, a revolver is just more elegant. Semi automatics are easier to repair or adjust and the gun smiths who work on auto pistols greatly out number the revolver mechanics. I find a double action revolver works better on multiple targets. I find semi automatics work better to shoot the same target six or seven times, quickly.

I suggest working with both and deciding on one's own.
 
I have RA and am back to carrying two Airweight J frames. When I am in a flare up I can't count on being able to get a sufficient enough grip on my G27 or reliably rack the slide. I have always shot better with my revolvers. The last time I shot the LEOSA qualification course the instructor commented on that.
 
I have two centerfire handguns. One is an auto, 6 rounds +1, and slim. The other is a revolver, six rounds, and stout. Depending on the cloths I am wearing and weather or not I'm headed into the woods or town that makes the difference as to which one go's with me. I can shoot them both to the same degree of accuracy.
I guess it boils down to what are you comfortable with and which feels best in your hand, and or what kind of threat you might run across. Purpose driven...
 
I use both, Magnum revolvers for hunting and target shooting, Semi Auto for personal use. One often overlooked advantage of revolvers is that you don't need two hands since you don't have to work the slide. Revolvers are easier to use for those with injuries or hand problems. Some people cannot work the slide of a semi auto.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top