Half As Many Love Revolvers...

[lee n. field]

1. Do you like Revolvers better than Semi-Auto's?

2. Do think the time will come when there will be, in effect, no revolvers for self defense?

3. Which do you own more of, Revolvers or Semis?

1. I'm not particular.

2. I hope not.

3. Autoloaders. It's just turned out that way.

My current plans are for a wheelgun for my next gun. An SP101 in .357 is what I have my eye on. My reasons are: 1)a step up in power from my Makarov. 2) Brass retension is 100% instead of <50%. 3)Ammo availability -- you can't get better than .38/.357. There are other reasons, but this being Illinois. . . . Look! Elvis in a UFO!

 

[1911user]

Let me clarify: I'm not saying that an "expert" would automatically choose a semi over a revolver. I'm saying I'd hope an inexperienced user would not choose a technically complex firearm without getting trained for such a tool. An expert, by definition, would have the knowledge to select whatever tool would be best suited to a particular job and have the knowledge/experience to use said tool for maximum benefit.

 

[wundudnee]

It's nice to see that this thread hasn't deteriorated into a flame war between gentleman revolver shooters versus them other guys that shoot them bottom feeding, jamomatic, brass flinging and box shaped precision plastic things.

I shot my boy's .45 Glawwk once and kinda liked it, but I'm not going to tell anybody. It kind of reminded me of when I took my cousin to the prom.

 

[munk]

There is an attribute of men called tinkering. It's linked to collecting. But there are a whole class of people who are drawn to the semi for no other reason than, 'stuff moves and connects". The knowledge to make a semi- auto work, fire, put on safety, and disassemble for cleaning does not qualify as 'expert' by any measure. These same folks can program their VCRs, too.

But the observation that a 'expert', or even ordinary man, would choose the best tool for the job is right. Many of us as civilians do not live in places that warrant 20 round magazines. On the other hand, if you live close to an inner city, you may need several 20 round mags and your old Lady backing you with the AR, too.

I think most defensive uses of a firearm are over in only a couple shots. I think a revolver is a fine weapon and can do this thing. It can also hunt, go through a auto body if it has to, and dispatch rabid animals or attacking predators.

Certainly today we have semi autos that do these things too.
I like both of them. For a beginning shooter, there are even semi-autos simply directed, double action only with easily engaged safety measures.

We actually have it pretty good in this start of a new century.

munk

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Answers:

#1. Yes
#2. No
#3. Don't currently own an auto.

It's late and I'm getting tired. So here's the short version:

I have nerve damage on my right arm that leaves me with 0 fine motor skills in that arm. Therefore clearing a jammed slide/messed up mag etc. could prove fatal. So I run wheelguns.

Plus: as some board members here will attest I have a SEVERE case of MAGNUMITIS. (I've never seen a ruger wheel gun I didn't like, and I buy 296 and 2400 powder in 8 lb. kegs).

 

[absolute0]

5 of each

But I'm a revolver guy at heart

 

[Black Snowman]

I'm an auto guy, I tried to love revolers, but they've actually been more troublesome than my autos. Maybe it's because I'm attracted to oddballs. I'm 50/50 problems/perfect on my revos and 10/90 on my autos, and the 1 auto I've had trouble with I knew was a problem child when I bought it. So, can't really complain there.

My S&W 646 seems plagued by the netorious sticky extraction and is very sensative to being dirty. I'm about to have a 10mm cylinder made for it, we'll see if that helps the reliability.

My Taurus 455 Ti had some initial trigger reset issues and a horrible trigger. Turns out it was just because the action was full of sand! Now that it's clean it seems to be running OK but it's so light (21 oz) that I have a lot of trouble shooting it accurately. I have to be really careful of my grip because a slight change will drasticly alter POI and I haven't found the magic solution yet. Plus I get bullet pull something aweful with it. I have to use light bullets at target velocities or make sure I burn off all 5 rounds before attempting to reload.

Only one of my autos that has given me any grief is my Delta Elite, and it's a bastard child of a gun to start with and it's been modified. So, it has excuses. My CZs, my Glock, Desert Eagle and my Browning have all been great. In defense of revolvers my Taurus 669 and my Ruger Super Redhawk have been flawless.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

1. Do you like Revolvers better than Semi-Auto's?

2. Do think the time will come when there will be, in effect, no revolvers for self defense?

3. Which do you own more of, Revolvers or Semis?

1. That's not an answerable question -- for some purposes (defense, some target work) I like autos. For hunting, general knocking around, revolvers.

2. Nevah hotchee, GI.

3. Seven revolvers, five automatics.

 

[goon]

I like revolvers but generally speaking I can't shoot them as well as automatics.
Mechanically though, they fascinate me. When I can afford it, I am looking to get another Security Six, A Uberti Colt knockoff, a S&W Russian repro, Colt Open Top repro, S&W M-60 and a 696, and a Ruger Bisley .357. This is more of a "lifetime goal" than a short term plan though what with money being hard to come by.
I want a couple more automatics too though.
Really, I just like most any gun.

 

[Majic]

Like others I cut my teeth on revolvers. Being a reloader I hate the brass chasing.
The revolver still does a very good job in self defense like it always has. Production hasn't slowed on SD designed models and in fact has probably picked up in the last several years. The revolver has been the same size, chambered in the same cartridges while the semi-auto has went up and down in size, and still evolving in cartridges. The revolver grew up a long time ago and we are still waiting for the semi-auto to get to that stage.
You will have to look deep in my safe to find the semi-autos. Most of those will be chambered in .22lr.

 

[Eskimo Jim]

Munk,
There have been some very interesting posts on your topic. The post about more people asking "How do I get this auto to work etc" might be on the mark to some degree.

1. I prefer revolvers to autos. Mainly because I don't like chasing brass and I like to reload my own ammo.

2. I doubt that revovlers will become phased out. I sure hope they don't. Teh revolver dsign has been around for at least 150 years or so while the auto pistol has been around for about 100 years. Given the improvements to the semi auto over the last 100 years, they still haven't been able to make revolvers become extinct. On a sad note, the standard 6 shot K frames aren't in S&W's catalog anymore. That's too bad. This is a great mid range revolver.

3. I think there are move revolvers in my collection than Semi autos.

-Jim

 

[Majic]

On a sad note, the standard 6 shot K frames aren't in S&W's catalog anymore

What happened to the M617 and M648? I know they haven't dropped them yet. The .22 caliber market is just to strong.

 

[MikeIsaj]

If I had to pick one, it would be a revolver. They're just more dependable. My son and I argue this all the time, once while at the range and clearing his malfunctioning Berretta.

I love 1911's. Was in the Marines for ten years, carried one most of that time, fired thousands of rounds without a malfunction. Then there was one day in Beirut, when I really needed it and it failed to feed, repeatedly. Fortunately I was not alone and the shotgun worked.

The high capacity of an auto is over rated. Most self defense uses will involve less than six shots.

 

[munk]

I've seen it over and over; owners of the miracle semi autos, with their fast firing and deep capacity, spend the majority of the shooting time at an informal range picking up brass. I'm always amazed at how well brass hides- next to the smallest leaf and stone.

( I guess I should note 'fast firing' is in the model- the 1911 actually slower cycling than many Smith revolvers)



munk

 

[bjbarron]

Do I like my revolvers more than my autos...yes.

For me it's a question of classic design. There is nothing like holding a handfull of hogleg. I've got several autos, but they are original Lugers, 1911s, or Walther PP types. Classics. None of my revolvers is younger than 30 years old...Colts and Smiths. My pocket gun is a Model 36 snubbie with a quickclip instead of a holster. My Trooper shoots < 2" groups at 25 yards...even with my 60 year old eyes. I couldn't ask for better.

When (on the rare occasion) my wife is in a gun store with me, she is always drawn to the cowboy designs...lever and wheel guns. She says they have a more attractive design than the modern automatics. I agree. She is an artist and rates everything by it's beauty (except for me, fortunately).

Revolvers are just generally more beautiful....with the added fillup that they always work.

 

[chickenfried]

I'm sticking with the part of my original answer where I said semi-auto's feel better to me and I shoot them more accurately. But I've also become a S&W revolver nut. My last two purchases were smith revolvers and my next two purchases will be Smiths.

So now I'm just one gun collector.

 

[Boss Spearman]

1. Do you like Revolvers better than Semi-Auto's?

Revolvers. I don't even like semi-autos.

2. Do think the time will come when there will be, in effect, no revolvers for self defense?
(and only those models for hunting, competition, or Cowboy action shooting commercially viable)

I'll always use them, and hope they'll be around.

3. Which do you own more of, Revolvers or Semis?

Revolvers. I only own 2 semis and I don't like either one of them.

 

[TMM]

i love both, but i don't like the look of SA revos...just DA/SA. oh yea, and the hammerless ones are ugly too..

the Rugers are my favs for looks.

~TMM

 

[caz223]

My first was a wheelie, my second was a shellshucker.

I guess I like both autoloaders and revolvers ALMOST equally, with a slight edge to the wheelies.

Revolvers have kind of been reduced in numbers in the last twenty years, but things have a way of coming around.....

I prolly own more revolvers, but not by much, I just sold one of my autos this morning.

 

[John Ross]

Centerfire revolvers outnumber centerfire autos about eight to one in my safe. I like powerful guns and long range accuracy and there is no comparison between a good revolver and any semi.

I shoot a lot (>1000 rounds a week) so that means reloading and my definition of Hell would be filling all those magazines and chasing all that brass.

I like target .22 autos as they are extremely accurate and I have a few of those, mostly Smith 41s. I have 40 magazines for them and get my shooting school students to load them all for me every class before they leave.

FWIW Ross Seyfried once told me than when G&A runs a cover photo of any fullsize semiauto handgun on the cover, newsstand sales are 2 1/2-3 times what they are when they run a cover with a fullsize wheelgun.

It's interesting the results I get when I provide a dozen different guns in my class, half wheelguns and half semis, and urge the students to try them all. Many people who turned up their noses at revolvers find they are indeed easier to hit with and pack a MUCH bigger punch.

I send students to a local gunshop with good staff and decent prices, and they tell me that I'm the best unpaid salesman S&W has ever had. They've sold DOZENS of 329s, 640s, 340s, 629 Mountain Revolvers, and 500s to my students who liked what they shot in class.

JR

 

[PX15]

Pistols VS Revolvers

I've been a pistol/revolver owner for over 40yrs. The first revolver I lusted after was a used Nickle plated Colt Cobra that at $65 was too pricey.. I bought a 25cal Galesi pistol for much less, and it was much,much less firearm.. What a piece of merde..

All to say, here I am 40years down the road (or up the road, depending I guess on which way you're headed) and two days ago I picked up my newly purchased "like new" Nickle plated Colt Detective Special. And yep, I have 2 older Colt Cobras in the house. Somehow my first contact with the Colt snubbies has ruined me for life. There's just something that feels "right" about the little Colts..

I've spent a lot of money acquiring the "flavor of the month" firearms over the years, but I keep coming back to the little revolvers. I don't think revolvers will ever be completely out of favor. The small revolvers fit a "nitch" that nothing else can quite fill.

Periodically I get interested in automatics, (I've got a Sig/2 Keltecs/1 Walther/ S/W 3913)but sooner or later I put them back in the "safe", and pull out a snubby revolver. I think persons who are not in law enforcement, or have to face potential threats daily are probably better served by the revolver. Point and shoot... period.

Firearms are like ice cream.. Everyone has a personal flavor of choice, but is not opposed to trying a different flavor ever now and then. Generally after the change in flavor most folks ease back to the original favorite. (Chocolate, for me).

As I get older I seem to appreciate older things. Probably just impending senility, or early stage of "old timers" disease. Whatever the logic or reasoning, I just derive a great deal of pleasure from my small Colt's...Quality built, accurate, great triggers.. What more could you ask? (All because I didn't have $65 in 1965?)

Just my opinion. Best Wishes..

 

[Gunnutz13]

I like em both...

revolvers and semi autos...for form, function, aesthetics...

I'm just a gun nut.

My revolvers...
Ruger Bisley Vaquero
Ruger Security Six
S&W Model 13
S&W Model 19
S&W Model 629

My semi-autos...
Browning Buckmark
Colt Model 1908 Hammerless
Colt Gold Cup National Match
FN Hi-Power
E German Makarov
Para Ordnance P12-45
Ruger P89
Sig Sauer P226
S&W 645
S&W 659
Walther PPK/s
Spreewerk P-38