Revolver's main advantage?

[harmon rabb]

Flexibility in power of loads and in not caring how a bullet is shaped.
If a round doesn't go off, just pull the trigger again.
No slide to catch on clothing during a struggle.
No compressed springs when stored loaded.
Accuracy. Best groups I've ever shot are with my SP101. Even better than I can do with my 22/45.
Simplicity of use.
Concealability compared to a semi-auto of the same general size. Something to do with the curves helps them not print.

I won't say reliability because plenty of semi-autos are very reliable as well. I'd pit a glock or xd up against any revolver in a torture test.

 

[The Bushmaster]

All of the above...

 

[bluetopper]

Revolver, simple???

Try totally disassembling one and putting it back. Much more intricate mechanisms.

Nothing more pleasurabe to shoot than a nice S&W revolver however.

 

[scottishclaymore]

The thing I appreciate about revolvers is primarily the simpler manual of arms when push comes to shove. It's this factor that has decided me on carrying my revolvers daily, as opposed to any of the autoloaders that I own.

 

[GNLaFrance]

 

[MR.G]

I say reliability

 

[jad0110]

For me, it is a tie between reliability, ergonomics and flexibility.

I like carrying a weapon that can be fired with a less than perfect grip, from an odd angle/firing position and function the same as if it were being held 2-handed in an upright firing position.

I also like the vast array of grip/stock sizes and materials that can be fitted.

With a Magnum, I can reliably fire anything from shot shells and wax bullets all the way up to fire belching monsters.


Oh yeah, and they don't puke brass all over the landscape!

 

[harvester]

Revolvers

Most all modern guns are reliable, accurate, simple enough etc. Its gotta be POWER. Take a 45colt in a Vaquero and it can do near anything from mild to almost wild, and you can say same for 357 and 44 too.

 

[Oyeboten]

The only advantage I am aware of which Revolvers have over Automatics ( assuming the candidates in both Camps are high quality ) is that Revolvers chamber and fire Rimmed Black Powder era Cartridges, using smokeless propellents.


Otherwise, the advantages of either Revolvers or Automatics are very conditional unless we decide to use only some very specific examples for the contest.


If anything, broadly, Automatics have the primary advantage of carrying more Rounds than do most Revolvers.


I like them both equally and for their differences, but as far as I can say, the Automatic is the one with the 'advantage' over the Revolver as far as a broad generalization: is it thinner, holds more rounds, and requires no extraneous elements for rapid re-charging.

 

[Slamfire]

I like them for their reliability and simplicity.

No flippers or levers to forget to move, or bump "safe" when you want the thing to shoot.

Just pull the trigger and it goes bang.

Yes it has less rounds, but I have more peace of mind.

 

[oldfool]

yep, all of the above, but mostly I go with post #6
Glock THAT !

 

[oldfool]

"requires no extraneous elements for rapid re-charging"

Oye... try that rapid recharge without a spare mag (pre-loaded) sometime, and see how quick you really are

 

[oldfool]

I am a little surprised not more votes for accuracy here

comp auto gun vs comp wheelie gun, that's a whole other thing, even enough
same could be said of 22 rimfire TARGET pistols and revolvers
(or Buckmarks/MKs vs K-17/K22s, for example, pretty even ground that)

but any decent quality revolver, std mass produced model out-of-box will outshoot it's dollar-for-dollar autoloader competition every time

 

[Snubshooter]

All of the above plus flexibility. You can't beat a revolver for how versatile they can be.

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi old fool,



You'd said -

"requires no extraneous elements for rapid re-charging"

Oye... try that rapid recharge without a spare mag (pre-loaded) sometime, and see how quick you really are

The Magazine is part of the Autoloading Pistol....and not extraneous.


In Revolvers, a Speed Loader is not part of the Gun, and, is extraneous.


In Revolvers which use Moon Clips, the Moon Clip would be considered part of the Gun, and would be the excpetion to my general observation.


In either Revolvers or Automatics, the Cartridges are considered to be part of the Gun.


Anything necessary for the function of the Arm as intended, is considered part of the Arm.

 

[oldfool]

I don't dispute your definitions in the generic sense, Oye, but... a SPARE mag is not an integral part of any autoloader pistol I ever saw, no more than a spare bolt would be for a bolt action rifle

that's why it is called SPARE
extraneous... "extra"

if your's carries two mags within your gun, you win... but if ain't already in the gun, it ain't the gun, and it pretty much qualifies as extraneous spare parts, no different than a spare tire or a speedloader or a moon clip, or any handful of extra cartridges not in gun, be they in hand, in box, or in EXTERNAL spare magazine

an empty SPARE mag is about as useful as an empty moonclip or empty speedloader or empty hand or flat spare tire, the way I see it

PS
I love S&W wheelies best of all, but I wear a Colt SA autoloader, no spare firing pin, no spare extractor, no spare mag, no spare cylinder
weird, ain't it ?
to each their own

but I will bet a tall cold beverage of your choice that I can drop six casings and put six cartridges back in cylinder of my model 66 (no speedloader, and no moonclip, just a loose handful of spare extraneous cartridges in pocket) ... faster than you can drop an empty mag, reload same non-extra (non-spare) empty mag w/ even "just six", jam it back in your gun and rack that slide

"Anything necessary for the function of the Arm as intended, is considered part of the Arm."
SPARE mag ain't needed to make my autoloader function, nor is spare cylinder in my revolver... one with cartridges in it will function
if I don't kill 'em in <2 seconds (mag or cylinder), they kill me in <3 seconds, how it is
(unless you count my "fast draw', might ought make that <20 seconds)
my threat assessment need not be the same as yours, don't let anybody tell you what yours should be !

peace

 

[Hondo 60]

I voted for reliability. They just go bang every time.

But as a reloader, I also love the fact that it keeps the brass all nice & neat til I decide to unload the spent brass.

 

[Dirty Bob]

I'd vote "all of the above" if I could. One plus for CCW and home defense is that a revolver will survive neglect better than most autopistols. Put a revolver and an autopistol in a drawer for a year, then pull both out and see which one fires all of its rounds without a hitch. The autopistol may (depending on the gun and how you lubed it), but I'm much more confident in the wheelgun.

Not all CCW folks clean/re-lube as often as they should, either. The revolver is more forgiving of this.

I also love the consistent manual of arms with SA or DA revolvers. If you learn one of a class (SA or DA), you've pretty much learned them all, at least until it's time to reload.

I can carry an SP101 and a 642. The latch for opening the gun is different, but that's it. Trigger operation and reloading sequence are the same, as is the speedloader.

I also like that it takes less to "set up" a revolver for carry or HD. Extra mags for some pistols are pricey (An extreme example is one of my favorite autopistols: the SIG P210. I've passed up some chances to buy one because mags are over $100 -- if I could find one). Speedloaders or Speed Strips are inexpensive. For my SP101 I went with a hard nylon Monogrip (under $20), and four speedloaders for $7 each. I'm making my own holster to save $$, and because no one makes what I want and I want to experiment with some ideas I have.

Revolvers are also very reloader-friendly. Headspacing on the rim makes cartridge length a little less important, and the spent brass is easy to find (it's at your feet!). Most revolver cartridges are considered fairly easy for beginners. The .38 Special is especially easy -- and cheap! -- to reload.

I like autos. I just find revolvers suit me better.

Regards,
Dirty Bob

 

[WardenWolf]

Power. Last I checked, no one made a .454 semi-auto pistol.

 

[exdetsgt]

I've got S&W models 10. 15-3, 36, and Glock models 19 and 21. NONE have ever malfunctioned. The revolvers are elegant and classic looking. The Glocks are ugly and you feel like you're pointing a shiny black brick. Revolvers don't scatter brass. Glocks carry more rounds. I carry the Glock 21 on duty. Off duty I carry the Model 36. I like 'em all.

 

[okespe04]

Revolvers are omnivores

 

[kludge]

Power(/versatility)

In just two calibers (38 and 45) and just two guns, I can go from plinking/instructing at the range to the gold standard of self defense to hunting bison.

 

[engineer88]

Wow, for a second there I was worried I was the only one. I chose somplicity as well. But by that I do not just mean manual of arms. Not having to buy magazines and worry about feed lips, etc. As mentioned above mags can be exensive. No concerns about bullet shape to feed, no concerns about the round being powerful enough to cycle the slide.

It is an odd thing that I have glocks and other autos that would be better in many ways and yet a revolver finds it way to my waist most days.

Now in my opinion autos make a huge difference in the pocket. That slimness matters more there. That said a light weight snub is easy to carry in the right pants.

I also believe quality automatics are just as reliable/dependable as a good revolver, I just tend to gravitate towards the revolver more since firing at an angle or one handed may be necessary and a revolver is easier to control one handed (no slide reciprocating) for me at least. Those are the reasons I generally feel more comfortable with a revolver as my primary carry gun.

 

[engineer88]

Sorry doublepost.

 

[CraigC]

Flavor! While there are some classic autos like the 1911 and Hi Power, most are soulless, sterile, bland, boring tools. I don't daydream about using them, carrying them in fine leather, taking game with them, enjoying an afternoon of plinking at tin cans, outfitting them with the finest wood, stag or ivory, having them massaged into custom works of art nor do I sit around fondling them lovingly. They sit in the toolbox while sixguns take center stage.