* Because curves are cooler than straight lines.
* Because the revolver's action is more scalable than a semi-auto; teeny featherweight .357 snubbies are no problem (to build), nor are monstrous hunting hand cannons like the .454, .475, .480, .500 ... the Desert Eagle is a mere vulgar curiosity by comparison.
* Because you can almost always find excellent, hand-fitting aftermarket grips for any given wheelgun. None of this short-double-stack-.45-ACP business that feels like gripping the end of a black plastic 2x4.
* Because nothing you can do with an autoloader says "hold it right there, buddy" (or at the range, "OK, watch this") with the same unmistakable style as the
cli-click! of thumbing back the hammer of a sixgun.
Finally, I must endorse GlenJ's comment:
... just watch any Dirty Harry movie especially Magnum Force.
John Milius's
Magnum Force (1973) is perhaps the most concerted piece of pro-DA-revolver propaganda ever committed to celluloid. Let's review. Nary a shell-shucker to be found in the whole flick. The rogue cops all carry sweet 4" Pythons. Lots of speedloader handling on display. The opening sequence of the film is literally
nothing but a long, drawn-out profile shot of a S&W Model 29 .44 Mag, held in a hand, against a lurid red backdrop as the funkified '70s theme music plays and the credits roll ... and then you watch the thumb rise, and
slowly, lazily cock back that beautiful pinned hammer ... and then the menacing muzzle turns to face the camera ... and Harry recites his litany ... "do you feel lucky?" ...
BAAAM!
That's what I call cinema.