What do you like about revolvers?

[Ala Dan]

I grew up shoot'in revolvers, and never owned a semi-auto until several
years later. As time passed, I never lost the love of revolver's; as many
has come and gone. Today, my collection is pretty evenly divided with
both revolver's and semi-auto's~!

 

[MCgunner]

Oh, yeah: the SA triggers are to die for but you can't use 'em.

I'm calling BS on this one. There are reasons to use SA for defensive scenarios, not just for head shooting rabbits. I like having the capability and don't carry a 642. Yeah, the SA uses for a revolver in self defense, well, probably 1 percent of all possible scenarios or less, but they exist.

I do carry a DAO semi auto. At least I practice at 25 and hit rather well with it.

 

[Hawk]

I'm calling BS on this one. There are reasons to use SA for defensive scenarios, not just for head shooting rabbits.

Heck, I'd call BS on me too. After all, I'm just a random internet poster.

But this guy isn't:
http://www.grantcunningham.com/blog_files/the_case_for_dao.html

He's hardly a lone voice. Folks like Mas Ayoob have also written on the topic. He's even done so on THR.

In fact, the only folks I've ever seen advocate using SA on a defensive revolver are random internet posters. That's one thing you and I have in common: we're both random internet posters. Can you find any experts of the caliber of Cunningham or Ayoob that are in agreement with your position? I've still got a half bottle of "open minded" pills. I'll be glad to use some and check out any citations you provide. Heck, I'd save a pantload of money and time on getting my DA-fu up to speed.

Now that I think about it even Clint Smith was going on about not using SA on a DVD that came with my last revolver.

 

[Claude Clay]

Hawk

+1+ on your posts.
and your somewhat less than 'random' what with 2700 odd posts.
clear and concise for being cranky--were you to being well rested, i would not want to oppose you in a debate.

neither a revolver nor a slider is perfect. all the time. in all situations.
so carry both

 

[loneviking]

Yes, you do need to be careful using SA in a defensive situation. In my CCW class, the true story was told of someone who confronted a bad guy with a revolver. The BG gave up and lay down on the ground, while the good guy covered him with a cocked revolver. The good guy, somehow, touched off the revolver, shooting and killing the BG on the ground. The good guy was prosecuted sucessfully for 2nd degree murder.

My point, (and one of the instructors points) was to use what's between your head. If the good guy had moved his point of aim to the side of the bad guy, there wouldn't have been a fatality. And no, you also don't want to be ducking and diving for cover with a cocked revolver--but that's no reason to mangle a perfectly fine gun into a DAO.

I still want to have somebody show me how you check a revolver for function without a hammer to release the cylinder so it can spin. If you can't do that, don't cry about revolvers being unreliable when it jams on you!

 

[Beatnik]

The good guy, somehow, touched off the revolver, shooting and killing the BG on the ground. The good guy was prosecuted sucessfully for 2nd degree murder.

If only we had a couple easy to remember rules. One of them might say something about keeping your finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot.


What do I like about revolvers?

1) My wife likes 'em. I get more gun play if it's a time-with-wife activity.

2) I'm younger, but I still don't like chasing brass.

3) Aesthetics. Like they're out of a steampunk story. Hellboy doesn't carry an auto.

4) Says something about the owner. They're thoroughly divorced from military applications at this point. They're an everyman gun. I don't want to be tacticool. I want to be an individual descendant of the gentleman farmer-warriors who founded this nation.

 

[easyrider604]

Oh, yeah: the SA triggers are to die for but you can't use 'em.

Hypothetically, what if a half-crazed, drugged out and obviously unstable BG were holding your little daughter hostage 10 meters away. You are confident of
your DA ability to hit 100% within a 2.5 inch bullesye...at the range, stress free.

Isn't this one situation where SA is preferable over DA?

 

[Candiru]

I like revolvers a lot. In many ways, they're far superior to semi-autos. I wrote an article about this; here's the link: In Praise of Revolvers

 

[Hawk]

Hypothetically, what if a half-crazed, drugged out and obviously unstable BG were holding your little daughter hostage 10 meters away. You are confident of your DA ability to hit 100% within a 2.5 inch bullesye...at the range, stress free.

Isn't this one situation where SA is preferable over DA?

I'll let Cunningham address that scenario for me:

Let's start with the usual argument for retaining single action capability, which I call the "Walter Mitty scenario": the mythical need for making precise long range head shots. Let's face it, folks - this just never happens in real life!

However, let's say that you're having a Jack Bauer kind of day and are now facing just this scenario. Mightn't that be just a tad bit stressful? Wouldn't that make you even more nervous, knowing that you'll be trying the toughest possible handgun shot under the worst possible conditions? With all that adrenaline now flowing through your system, is this really the time that you want a light, short trigger pull that is very easy to accidentally release? Not me, bunky!

I hope to never find myself in the scenario - both yours and his appear functionally interchangeable to me.

I believe his reasoning to be both plausible and compelling.

...and he knows more than I do.

A high stress, adrenal dumping, scenario doesn't strike me as a swell time to try the shot you describe. Whether it should be taken at all might be grist for the "strategy and tactics" section of the forum.

 

[yeti]

Hypothetical questions, questions where all answers are wrong.

Hypothetically, what if he were pressing a straight razor against her throat.

Hypothetically, what if he had a bomb?

Hypothetically, what if there are 2, or 3 or 10 other BGs you don't see or know about.

I just don't like trying to prove a point with what if questions, they just lead to more what ifs.

I like revolvers because a well made revolver, in classic (COLT, S&W) double action design, is a work of art, just a thing of beauty in my eyes.

But I carry and trust my life to a 1911.(another work of art)Life is to short for ugly guns.

 

[Phydeaux642]

Hypothetically, what if a half-crazed, drugged out and obviously unstable BG were holding your little daughter hostage 10 meters away. You are confident of
your DA ability to hit 100% within a 2.5 inch bullesye...at the range, stress free.

That's like asking, "What if I had a 30" waist?"

I like revolvers more for their looks than any of the so called benefits. They are sexy, for lack of a better word.

 

[Evyl Robot]

Hawk, seriously, dude.

I'm relatively new to shooting. I'm young and had no experience prior to 2008. I had entertained the thought of getting a gun for years, but couldn't afford one. I was all set up to become a mall-ninja but for one, fine detail.

I was seduced by the beauty and elegance of Grandpa's pre-24. I could not even SEE another action type. I bought a new Model 29 Classic. Then came the wife's 627PC. Then a pre-10 M&P. Then a 586L-Comp. Then the wife's 640. Then another 586L-Comp. Oh yeah, ther's a Winchester 1300 in there too, but we (I) are (am) totally smitten. I believe that she'll have the first bottom-feeder in the household - whenever that happens.

My 29 is gorgeous. My 586's know their job, and do it elegantly. My wife's 627 is the tack driver of tack drivers. Her 640 is akward in it's appearance but sleek and efficient in performance. The M&P proudly functions flaulessly as it did 80 years ago, I'm sure.

I'm not opposed to getting a slide gun, in fact there are several that I would like to own. But, there are just more revolvers that supercede them on my list.

Long answer short - why do I like revolvers? They are pretty and elegant, but beyond that I don't really know. What I do know is that I really like them.

--Michael

 

[Hawk]

Hawk, seriously, dude.

But, but, ... I like 'em too.

I don't have a 586 but there's several 686s in there. They're all 6" barrel and I'd prefer a little more variety but they were too good to pass up when I saw them.

I have near despaired of finding an older 29 but there's an Anaconda that scratches the itch. I've downloaded some .44 mag and can understand your appreciation of .44 special in the pre-24.

I even have two "with the lock" versions - a 627V8 and a 325 that came with a Clint Smith DVD (exhorting the use of DA only as I've already noted - more than anybody cares to see).

My favorites are probably still my several 57s.

There's a 640 in there and a 40, both of which seem a tad weighty for pocket carry. The 642 might be a plan but I've just not gotten around to actually buying one.

The M&P is on the shopping list but hasn't come home yet.

But.

One doesn't have to dislike revolvers to grow weary - bone weary - of revolver love threads.

Like Mas Ayoob said: Guns aren't marriage - it's ok to be promiscuous. In fact, one might say I like revolvers enough that I'm a teensy bit troubled by the observation that revolver folk tend to have such little esteem for their choices that they feel the need for "love" threads.

Do you ever see "why semi-autos are da bomb" or "why you like auto chuckers" threads in the semi-auto forum? Mostly "no", you don't. Has anyone in the "semi auto" section ever linked to an off-site essay on the wonderfulness of semis?

There's probably a post-grad thesis in there somewhere. "The need of wheelgunners for confirmation bias reinforcement" or some such pop-psy nonsense.

But I'm glad you've bought a couple of new revolvers - they annoy VPC and I love them for that.

 

[pps]

Hypothetically, what if a half-crazed, drugged out and obviously unstable BG were holding your little daughter hostage 10 meters away. You are confident of
your DA ability to hit 100% within a 2.5 inch bullesye...at the range, stress free.

At the range, stress free?

Yep.


In a stress filled environment on a moving, fighting target while I'm simultaneously trying to retain my weapon, seek cover and return fire? nope.

 

[Hawk]

Nice 627 there. You use it far better than I do mine.

I've noticed what appears to be a tendency of S&W to introduce a lot of variations in the thing.

What appeared to be two identical ones at my dealers really weren't - the one I bought had what appeared to be an (almost) case colored hammer and trigger while the other one had a chromed hammer and trigger.

Then there's the all-stainless and the black frame / stainless cylinder / compensator variety.

But I'm not complaining - the more the merrier. FWIW, I didn't intentionally try to hide the lock in the pic nor do I believe I hid it as a Freudian thing - it's just that I suck as a photographer.

 

[easyrider604]

Anyhow, these things are enough to make me think hard on switching completely over to revolvers. Just thought I'd ask and see what everyone else likes about wheelguns.

I like S&W, Ruger revolvers and 1911-type semi-autos. I will trust my life to either type.

But my last 1911 was sold in February so I could simplify my reloading and bullet casting activities, and have more time spent shooting than chasing brass.

Only .38/.357 magnum from here on.

 

[pps]

The screw that retains the compensator sheared from overtightening on mine 2 weeks ago, so off to the gunsmith later this month, as I don't have the tools to remove the screw. This gun had to be sent back to Smith and Wesson for a rough DA and SA pull. It's now a smooth/crisp 8# da/ 2#sa pull, after they re-worked it. To their credit they made it right, but anything mechanical, be it revolver or semi-auto can and will fail.

Though I'm a revolver guy, I may have been bitten by the CZ bug this weekend. A fellow in the next lane got to talking with me. We traded guns (his being the CZ 75B SA) We both said "damn" I've got to get one of these.

I like your pinto v comp. I think it would look even more sharp if they did the comp and cylinder in black too.

 

[Phydeaux642]

Do you ever see "why semi-autos are da bomb" or "why you like auto chuckers" threads in the semi-auto forum?

Yes. Almost every Glock thread.

 

[wep45]

I fired both automatics and revolvers before deciding what to purchase.

I like revolvers because you can instantly see if they are loaded or not. They are easy to clean.

I have limited vision and the six inch barrel on my S&W 686-4pp makes it easier for me to line up the target.

 

[Feanaro]

I'm honestly not sure why I have more revolvers than I have autos. I don't think many of the advantages apply to my needs or are nearly as great as some would have it. Yet they keep piling up as I neglect to buy autos. Sometimes, you just don't need a reason.

Isn't this one situation where SA is preferable over DA?

I don't have any direct experience in the area of shooting people and hostage situations (don't want any either). But I have shot small targets at high speeds in IDPA, single- and double-action. Every SA shot I made was futzed or took much too long. When I just took the shot DA, I hit faster and more often.

I've never disabled SA on any of my revolvers but the only time I cock the hammer is to put a drop of oil down in the works and do some function checks.

revolver folk tend to have such little esteem for their choices that they feel the need for "love" threads

You ain't 'spose to let that cat outta the bag! It don't do no good to antagu... antaga... stir them folks up.

 

[John Wayne]

There are certain 'clock work' sounds a revolver makes when operating that a non-revolver cannot.

Sure they can, haven't you watched any movies lately?

 

[easyrider604]

There are certain 'clock work' sounds a revolver makes when operating that a non-revolver cannot.

Don't you just love the way Hollywood makes DA revolvers spin with the rachet sound?

 

[loneviking]

I'm astonished at the way a DA autoloader can make that 'revolver being cocked' sound in the movies!

 

[tube_ee]

They're human.

The fact that the ammunition is not carried inside the grip allows for grip shapes that mirror the contours of the human hand... which is by no means a rectangle.

We are composed of curves. Nature is composed of curves. We are part of nature. Revolvers are composed of curves. Therefore, revolvers are part of nature. Yes, this is hyperbole.

A revolver in the pocket looks like a lump. An autoloader in the pocket looks like a gun. Curvy shapelessness seems natural to the human mind, hard angles stand out.

They point better. Pick up a Single Six, make sure it's not loaded, and, looking only at an object, point the gun at it. Then look at the gun. You'll get it. The Ruger Single Six might just be the most natural-feeling handgun ever made.

And, of course, there's all the technical stuff about power levels, bullet shapes, and accuracy for the dollar. But, for me, wheelguns have a feeling of a human tool, made by humans for use by humans, that very few brasschuckers can even approach, let alone equal.

Sometimes, it's not about numbers.

--Shannon (an engineer)

 

[Photoman]

There is a MUCH higher incidence of second shot failure with semi-automatic pistols.

LukeP: That is a Smith and Wesson Model 10 with a 4" heavy barrel and armoredman has some great pictures of it. Maybe he'll post a few...