Young people laugh at revolvers?

[P.B.Walsh]

Crap, I'm 16 and and I would love to have a 5" .357 wheel gun matched with a 20" .357 lever!! Now saying that, I'd also love to have a Kimber Desert Warrior. Plastics can be cool but steel is where it's at.

But some of my friends think that I'm weird..... go figure.....

 

[Karl Hungus]

I'm not young anymore, but the first pistol I bought (think I was 23-24) was a Dan Wesson .44mag. I still have it and it's my favorite handgun by far. I've got a couple semi-autos, but for the life of me I can't get into shooting them a whole lot. And admittedly, when I bought the Dan it was because I got a killer deal on it and Dirty Harry Callahan was my hero.

 

[S&Wfan]

My experience is similar to Gordy, who posted on pg. 1. I shot tons of handgun matches for years (bowling pin, IPSC, tactical, etc.) and reloaded to feed my practice habit, and folks started whining when I showed up after a while.

Through the years I shot all sorts of handguns (autos and revolvers) in all sorts of calibers. Statistics I kept show me that I shot my revolvers best of all!!!

Generally most matches would segregate revolver shooters from bottom feeders so I'd truly love it when a "special match" . . . with the winner taking all the registration money would be held at the end of the normal matches. That's when I'd really make 'em cry!

My favorite "special" match was at a steel match. Shooting for the pot were about 35 good competitors. Rules:

1. ANY centerfire, iron-sighted handgun
2. ONE mandatory reload
3. Guns started in a pistol box, EMPTY
4. EIGHTEEN steel plates and "poppers" spread out in a 90 degree arc, at distances between 10-35 yards.
5. Fastest time dropping all eighteen targets won the pot.

I put my competition 1911 (a really slick Colt Combat Elite) up, and brought out my moon-clipped .45ACP S&W chopped barrel 25-2 revolver. You should have seen their reaction. All other shooters were using either 1911-style high caps in .45ACP or .38 Super, except for about three guys with single stack 1911s with multiple 10 round extended mags. So, all these shooters could in theory shoot one magazine, do the mandatory reload for their last target and have a few spare rounds for insurance!

Oh yeah . . . two shooters produced Glock M17s along with the 33 round 9mm magazines. All these shooters wanted to make sure they had enough ammo. However, I knew that the winner would be the one who shot flawlessly at speed.

"How are you gonna will with a REVOLVER," someone asked. "Well," I replied, "I can't miss or reload slow because I've got to load that six-shooter THREE times UNLESS I miss even once." I added, "I don't intend on missing."

Folks, when someone goes into a match, or a gunfight trusting multiple round count as a plus they've probably already lost.

THE WORST TWO SHOOTERS?
The Glock guys! The more they missed the faster they went. One shot over 100 rounds and eventually ran out of ammo!!!

The FASTEST SHOOTER? That would be ME . . . with my revolver! My last plate fell over three seconds faster than the top bottom feeder shooter. I DIDN'T and my reload times with my moon-clipped revolver are as fast as my reload times with my autos.

Luckily for the spray and pray crowd, only their pride got "killed." If the stakes had been moral they'd have been in serious trouble . . . and all these guys were seasoned competitors . . . who'd never competed against a moon-clipped .45ACP revolver shooter!

Folks, shoot what you shoot best . . . and learn to shoot smoothly under pressure of competition or you'll possibly be in great trouble if trouble ever comes your way.

I prefer revolvers for the right reasons, but own and shoot a lot of fine automatics too!

 

[jpatterson]

I'm 21 years old and my two loves are my S&W 66 and my 1911. In that order!

 

[Meeteetse]

As a NRA handgun instructor I have always started shooters with revolvers even if they plan to own and shoot semi's. It is easier and safer to teach basics with a revolver and once they learn the basics, a semi is easy to teach. Many of my students who planned on owning and shooting semi's never made the switch from revolvers once they learned how easy and accurate they can be. Many liked the multi-caliber options of guns like the .38/.357 or even the .44special/.44mag. Had a lady veterinarian in one class who had to travel to ranches out in the country who always carried a 6" S&W .44, and she could shoot.
Of the more than two dozen handguns I own, only four are semi's and that will soon become only three. I love revolvers of all calibers, especially the big ones.

 

[oldfool]

I don't think age has anything to do with it
I own, shoot, and enjoy a variety of autoloaders and revolvers, but love k-frames best of all
at local range you see far far more pistols than revolvers on the line, how it is
(irrespective of shooter age or gender)

I do sometimes get a "look" when laying out my k-frames
but like others here have said, the nature of the "look" does change after they see just how well those wheelguns can shoot
and more than a few are a tad surprised at how fast a wheelgun runs (and hits), even for an old slow guy
often resulting in a few cursory (and mutual) compliments

 

[PX15]

JMOfartO:

Crap, everyone knows wheelguns are "old school" and about as worthless as senior citizens..

WAIT!

I are both!!!!


Jesse

 

[Guillermo]

nice stack of wheelies Jesse!

 

[Nicky Santoro]

Young people laugh at revolvers?

I remember reading a story about an older NYPD detective and a young beat cop came under fire during an arrest. The beat cop expended a full mag from his Glock and hit air. The detective pulled his J frame, settled down, put two in the boiler room, and that closed the case. Laugh at revolvers? Not so much.

 

[Ledgehammer]

Revolvers are easier to teach but wouldn't it stand to reason that a new shooter may need more firepower in a gun fight? they aren't going t o be as accurate. I know I prefer having 15+1 in my g19 compared to 5 in my lcr. I can even carry 6plus 1 in my p3at. I'm a decent shot - it just makes more sense to carry a gun with higher round capacity - hence the reason virtually every le agency has switched from revolvers.

Think about it - cops haven't carried revo's since what the 80's? A lot of these kids weren't born yet.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

Old fossil....

started with a SW 67 after training with a SW 10. Made the transition to the SW 39-2 auto loader. Later we could shoot anything we could qualify with... that got me a few years with a Colt 1911... Forced into a Glock 17 for a while...

Now- as a private CCW person I can carry what I want... mostly a 1911 5 inch if the garments allow it. The "always" gun is a J frame 38. I carry a 3 inch SW 65 357 for a winter gun some days.

Revolvers at the range... I still like to shoot a K frame from the lane between two "under 30's" with black guns. Yea... you get that curious respect thing ...like you get when you come in on a walker.

They shoot fast... I shoot "disciplined"... they burn 50 ...I burn 12. Their B27 looks like Swiss Cheese... mine has 12 quick holes in the head or 'critical T".

They always want to "swap" pistols at some point. I shoot 6 or 7 from whatever they loan me.... center mass and say "nice pistol"... they fan 5 or 6 all over from my SW... and the teaching begins.

It's all about training.

 

[Guillermo]

Ledge,

Were I a cop these days you had best believe I would carry a high powered, high capacity bottom-feeding brass-chucker.

Enjoying the life of the civilian I carry a steel framed wheelgun (usually) because I like them and I shoot them well.

 

[easyg]

First let me say this:
I like revolvers.
I grew up shooting revolvers.
I even own two revolvers.

However....
There's nothing wrong with autoloaders.

You really can't blame most young shooters for choosing an auto over a revolver.

Why?

For the inexperienced shooter, autos are simply easier to shoot accurately.
Yep, you heard that right...autos are easier to shoot more accurately for the novice.

I've never met ANY new shooter that was more accurate shooting a double-action revolver than they were with an auto (in comparable handguns).

It takes lots of time (and lots of $$$ in ammo) to get really good at shooting a double-action revolver.
The learning curve is less severe with autoloaders.

It's hard to tell a guy to keep practicing with the revolver and that he will eventually become competent (especially if the guy is on a tight budget and can't afford lots of range time and ammo, but still wants a good self-defense caliber) when you know that he will become more proficient quicker with a semi.

 

[Seven For Sure]

Revolvers are great for hunting and long distance plinking, better than auto's IMO. They also make great pocket guns for a variety of reasons. You can have a much more powerful round in a smaller gun with a revolver. And last but not least, you can shoot low powered loads like snake shot backed up with regular HP's that won't cycle most auto's without racking the empty manually. Revolvers are no joke but for IWB primary carry, it's an auto for me.

 

[digsigs226]

I'm 23, and I can honestly say that of the 15 or so people my age that I know own handguns, I only know 1 that owns a revolver. However, I would caution the conclusion that it this because the revolver has "fallen out of fashion." Remember that people my age don't have the money to spend on guns that some older folks have, so if you can only purchase one gun, I think it is logical to purchase a pure self defense weapon over a "range gun".

When your talking about normal defense calibers (9mm, .40 S&W, 45 ACP) most people would rather have the larger capacity firearms with quicker reload times than a revolver can provide. It's just that extra piece of mind in the firefight.

That being said, I think the wheel gun still has some advantages over the semi-auto. Without the need for a magazine well, their handle shapes point more naturally for most people. Also, only having six shots also makes you think more carefully about shot placement more, and therefore is more conducive to accuracy. Finally, I don't think anyone would argue that for large handgun calibers (.357 mag, .44 mag, .454 casull, etc) the revolver still reigns supreme.

 

[oldbear]

I still trust my revolvers

Let the KIDS laugh all they want, kids will be kids. But for some of us, "old guys", knowing how and when to use a revolver is how we made it to being, "old guys"

 

[eatont9999]

I am going on 23 and I have been carrying a .38 since I got my CCW at 21. I guess I am still "new" to carrying, but I don't go anywhere without at least my .38 in my pocket. It can be a little heavy, but it is SS. I would rather have the weight to help with the recoil. I carry standard velocity .38HP rounds in it. It does not say it is rated for +P, so I err on the side of caution by not shooting +P in it.

When dress and mood are right, I enjoy carrying my 1911A1 IWB. It is full size and I have HP rounds in it as well. I would like to find a better holster for it, but the one I have is thin, so it does not add to printing much. I can conceal the 1911 pretty well but it helps if I wear something like a long polo, etc. I shoot the 1911 much better than the .38. The .38 has a heavy DA trigger pull. It can be a good thing and a bad thing, I guess. I am afraid to modify the gun for fear of being prosecuted further if I ever need to use it for self defense.

 

[easyg]

Let the KIDS laugh all they want, kids will be kids. But for some of us, "old guys", knowing how and when to use a revolver is how we made it to being, "old guys"

To be honest, even most the "the old guys" around here use autoloaders.

The few guys I see using revolvers around here (NC) are actually closer to middle-age.

 

[mothermopar]

I was at the range awhile back when some younger guy (20's) asked about my little 5-shot.

I said, ***, and let him have at it.

The little 5-shot is/was a 340M&P with with a full cylinder of big-daddy, own the house 357's in it... and they weren't underpowered target rounds either.

He fired ONE round and handed it back. My little fire breathing dragon proved a point: only real men use revolvers! LOL

 

[BullfrogKen]

My comments in this thread have nothing to do with age.


Plenty of old people have been lured into the false illusion that capacity matters, too.


Speed
Power
Accuracy


Nowhere in that triangle did I see capacity.


Fit, reliable performance, and the shooter's competency and ability matter. If you can do it with a big Glock, great. A 1911, great. A revolver, great.

Software, not hardware.

 

[rbernie]

And on that note, I'm closing this down.

The premise was a bit silly but not over the line. Frankly, some folk even managed to take it and form some seriously good contributions around it.

Sadly, some of the responses - thirteen of which I just deleted - were not exactly High Road material.

Time to stop.