Observations of Revolver Owners

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MrBorland said:
What you describe aren't inherent qualities of a revolver. You're describing a nice Sunday drive in a classic Buick. Push it hard enough, and you'll find the opposite is true on all accounts, and you won't be loving revolvers simply because of how they contrast to semi-autos.
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Lemme clarify a bit: Their versatility is one of the revolver's great virtues, but it also means the well-rounded wheelgunner's got numerous numerous & diverse skills to master - from cloverleafs at 25 & 50 yards in single and double action, to runnin' & gunnin' with all your brass strewn on the ground, to hunting, to understanding their inner workings or appreciating their history, or to simply relaxing enough to immensely enjoy that "Sunday drive in a Buick".

So, while runnin' and gunnin' is just one facet of revolverhood, it's the one most likely to strip away any romantic & idealized notions they never malfunction, brass is always retrieved without bending over, reloads are leisurely, and newer S&Ws categorically suck.
 
Revolving pistol owners exhibit a certain aura of class and style that semi auto owners and expecially tupperware users haven't a clue about. If I have to explain you wouldn't understand.

cultured.jpg
 
I'm a dyed-in-the-wool revolver guy.
(and I reload)
I'm also middle-aged & too wide around the mid-section.
So I hate having to bend over to pick up the brass from a semi-auto.
and I hate losing it in the snow too.

Fired about 300 rounds at the range today.
Not a one of them was from a semi-auto.
 
"...and reloads are slow and deliberate, with one round going in a time, giving the shooter a chance to evaluate his/her groups after six shots."

That's nice if you have a revolver for plinking. If you carry it for self-protection, you need to practice FAST reloads with a speedloader. Or carry a second gun. 5 or 6 shots are gone in 1 second in a self-defense situation; then it is time to reload.
 
I once got under some guy's skin wicked bad. I was about 23. He was about the same. He showed up to the range with his girlfriend who could conservatively be called smokin' hot.
He shows up wearing black combat boots with black tactical pants, nylon belt, etc... you get the picture. Wannabe SWAT.
He opens up his range bag with an H&K USP and what must have been 20 magazines, all loaded up already. He looks over at me. Jeans and a flannel shirt, shooting my 19-3. Loading one round at a time, and just looking decidedly un-tactical. Kinda smirks at me and looks back to the GF.

He says, "ok hun, watch this," and he opens up on one of those targets that looks like the bad guy pointing a gun at you. At a range of 15 his shots look like a shotgun pattern at best. Many of them entirely miss the bad guy and land on paper but outside the lines. I'm sure some missed the target all together, but that didn't stop him from pumping through 100 rounds as quickly as humanly possible. When he turns around what does he see...
His GF is actually watching me. At 25 feet putting all the rounds in the same little clover leaf shaped hole. I used one of those "blue man" targets. Every round was in the orange circles. Over and over again.
He says "hey, you looking at this?" and blasts through another mag. She looks at him to humor him, but comes back to sanding behind me now.
He got so annoyed he packed up his gear and told her "c'mon, let's go."

It was pretty epic. I happened to be having a good night. I promise I'm not usually that good either. The timing just happened to work out perfectly.

I'll edit to add: Speed was not an issue here. There were a few where I put up a different target and banged through the cylinder as though it was an SD scenario. Accuracy still beat the heck of of him with his H&K. I'm sure it wasn't the H&K's fault. I'm sure the gun is more accurate than 99% of shooter who would shoot it. This kid was just a tool.
 
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Good story Ben. I don't know if I could concentrate with a smokin' hot young lady watching every move I make. :D

...5 or 6 shots are gone in 1 second in a self-defense situation; then it is time to reload.
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It sure is. That is IF you have speed loaders or even carry extra ammo.
 
I've taken several handgun classes, and the advice is always to carry a reload (instructor joke: "What do you call a man who only carries a 5-shot revolver? An optimist.")

Bianchi Speed Strips or the newer "Tuff Strips" are a good way to go. Loose rounds in a pocket is also acceptable. I eventually opted to purchase another S&W 642 AND carry a Speed Strip, so I typically have two guns and 15 rounds on me, even wearing soccer shorts and flip flops.

At my last class I put 5 rounds from a j-frame on a target in nine-tenths of a second (timed). But I also know that dreaded feeling of 'click click" with another target to engage and the fumble fingers of trying to empty and reload a j-frame cylinder. My CZ 75 has no problems there, but it is also much tougher to carry/conceal.

Last time I was at the range (one week ago today) I shot my 642 and my 3" S&W M65 Ladysmith, which has a fantastic trigger job right from the factory. My other favorite handgun -- which shoots like an absolute laser beam -- is my 4" S&W 686. That would be my preferred belt gun if I could conceal it better.

So, yes -- revolvers are great!
 
Shot bulls eye comp with simis...carried wheel guns. Still shoot both. PPC's were from 60yds...not 7! (the magic 21')
Dan:rolleyes:
 
Good story Ben. I don't know if I could concentrate with a smokin' hot young lady watching every move I make.
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Well, like I told you, she was standing behind me, so she saw my best side.:neener:
 
What I think when shooting my .44Mag Vaquero:

HIT THE BEAR IN THE FACE

What I think when shooting my Colt Magnum Carry or 1917 Colt New Service Army:

COM COM HEAD COM COM HEAD

What I think when shooting my .32-20:

GRIN

What I think when shooting black powder revolvers.

GET CLOSER SO I CAN SET YOU ON FIRE TOO
 
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Beyond all the other normal, rational revolver reasons given...

I just get a kick at gatherings with "those friends" when they start passing around their compact HK 9mms, and I dwarf them with the Blackhawk or the Schofield replica, hearing...

"How the (bleep) are you concealing that?"
 
I'm mostly a semi-auto guy though I do won a shoot a few revolvers. I actually kinda enjoy the snickering and "Wyatt Earp" jokes I hear in the background when I bring out my cap n' ball Pietta 1858. It doesn't get much more slow and deliberate than that gun :).
 
I like both, but I think the OP has a point... my shots always seem more deliberate with revolvers. The higher the capacity, the more itchy my trigger finger gets to shoot quickly, especially during our nine months of winter where you spend five minutes after each magazine with the gun and your hand in your armpits to thaw out your fingers.
 
And now, as mentioned in another thread, my wife who just passed her CCW permit course, wants a revolver for her first carry gun! I love her dearly, and now we have wheelgun fans getting married and making little wheelgun fans so that the next generation can enjoy simply pleasure of a revolver.
 
Revolving pistol owners exhibit a certain aura of class and style that semi auto owners and expecially tupperware users haven't a clue about. If I have to explain you wouldn't understand.
Click to expand...

It is absurd to posit that shooters of a particular weapon type are necessarily of a higher class. I think most of this is simply about having a nostalgic, old-school personality type, much like the blue-and-walnut rifle shooters and lovers of side-by-side shotguns. It's just an equipment preference, not an indicator of one's quality as a person. And by the way, I personally like both revolvers and semis, and both can be fired with deliberation and fine accuracy, or with reckless abandon that's guaranteed to ruin one's accuracy.
 
People with better taste in guns tend to have better taste in everything else. You're gonna let us have our romantic notions!!! :p
 
19-3Ben said:
I once got under some guy's skin wicked bad. I was about 23. He was about the same. He showed up to the range with his girlfriend who could conservatively be called smokin' hot.
He shows up wearing black combat boots with black tactical pants, nylon belt, etc... you get the picture. Wannabe SWAT.
He opens up his range bag with an H&K USP and what must have been 20 magazines, all loaded up already. He looks over at me. Jeans and a flannel shirt, shooting my 19-3. Loading one round at a time, and just looking decidedly un-tactical. Kinda smirks at me and looks back to the GF.

He says, "ok hun, watch this," and he opens up on one of those targets that looks like the bad guy pointing a gun at you. At a range of 15 his shots look like a shotgun pattern at best. Many of them entirely miss the bad guy and land on paper but outside the lines. I'm sure some missed the target all together, but that didn't stop him from pumping through 100 rounds as quickly as humanly possible. When he turns around what does he see...
His GF is actually watching me. At 25 feet putting all the rounds in the same little clover leaf shaped hole. I used one of those "blue man" targets. Every round was in the orange circles. Over and over again.
He says "hey, you looking at this?" and blasts through another mag. She looks at him to humor him, but comes back to sanding behind me now.
He got so annoyed he packed up his gear and told her "c'mon, let's go."

It was pretty epic. I happened to be having a good night. I promise I'm not usually that good either. The timing just happened to work out perfectly.

I'll edit to add: Speed was not an issue here. There were a few where I put up a different target and banged through the cylinder as though it was an SD scenario. Accuracy still beat the heck of of him with his H&K. I'm sure it wasn't the H&K's fault. I'm sure the gun is more accurate than 99% of shooter who would shoot it. This kid was just a tool.
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Actually most of us dweebs carry Glocks.
 
I've been a collector/shooter for a long time...and accumulated about 25 S&W revolvers...in a variety of models and calibers but mostly .22, .357 mag and .44 mag .../ but I also collect and shoot a variety of high end 1911's ( about 9 now) in 9mm, .40S&W and .45 acp ...and 6 Sig Sauers in 9mm & .40S&W ..../ so I guess the handgun portion of my hobby is a little heavy on the revolver side.

But I've also recently added one single action ...a Freedom Arms 4 3/4", in .357 mag ...that I'm really fond of as well. I wasn't sure I'd like it - but I did my research / made the special order -- and have been very pleased with the gun they made for me. It is quite a piece of craftmanship....

There is something very special about a good quality revolver ...and yes, its hard to go to the range without at least one N frame...or without the Freedom Arms...and while I do shoot them in some tactical drills / reloads ( which I really suck at )...it is also a lot of fun ...to just center punch a target at whatever range you can still see at...( mine is diminishing unfortunately )...

But I do find in this day of polymer frame semi-autos ...that a nice shiny stainless steel or Nickel revolver does get a fair amount of attention from other shooters.../ and I think that's good ...for them to branch out a little and see what else it out there that might interest them.

At the same time, I have long carried a nice 1911 from Wilson Combat as my primary gun, in .45 acp / and I practice a lot with the same model in a 9mm at the range...for tactical shooting ....but sometimes its fun to run a target downrange...with a well made 1911 that is capable of shooting 1" groups at 25 yds ( not with my eyes offhand anymore ) ...but its fun to see what you can do with a good semi-auto as well.

I think its a pleasure to see folks, with nice guns, shooting at the range - and I'm always curious too what they're shooting if it looks a little different....but its true, that I just don't remember the last time I didn't take at least one revolver with me to the range..../ and its always a pleasure to share some info about my revolvers I have at the range if someone asks...
 
I've rarely been accused of class or style, but I do have a S&W 617. Shooting this wheelgun is relaxing on account of it being self aiming in everything from fine single action target work to fast double action soup can spinning. This revolver so totally satisfies my shooting needs that it makes me question why I keep buying other guns . . . not that I'm going to stop any time soon.
 
PabloJ said:
Actually most of us dweebs carry Glocks.
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Yup.

Bit of an elitist vibe in some of these posts.

I love my GP100 and can always find a way to carry my 642, but a Glock 26 is most commonly on my hip. Too many advantages over a revolver

I think this week I'll have to put some flame throwers in that GP100. Just too much fun not to
 
Actually most of us dweebs carry Glocks.
Click to expand...

Fortunately, my agency has a great alternate weapon policy, and does not force you to carry an issued Glock unless you want to.
 
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