As you have probably heard me say, I got my first handgun in Nov 09, a Browning HP, 40. Like it. Carry daily. Shoot usually once a week or more.

Seeing the threads on the revolvers it is easy to tell everyone is passionate about them.

Why? Why does everyone like their revolvers?

Because they're pretty.

Because they're not picky.

And because they're pretty:

In blue:



In stainless:



When they come in pairs:




And when they come with an understudy:



They make you sing "25 or 624?"




And they bring different types together in harmony:




They're good when out and about:

[img]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/oregon45/DSCN4137.jpg[/img]

Or just sitting around at home:

[img]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/oregon45/DSCN4111.jpg[/img]

Why do I like revolvers? Why wouldn't I like revolvers???

Lemme know the next time you head out this way. We'll go to the range, and you can try a few.

Because Marion Morrison may have submitted to a self-shucker, but John Wayne packed a revolver, by God.

If you didn't grow up in the era of Westerns, you might not understand revolvers. We who did feel sorry for you because we KNOW that real guns have cylinders.


(Only kidding a little bit there. There are revolver people and there are semi-auto people. Rarely do individuals gravitate to both.)

To answer more responsively: I like revolvers because they are very tolerant of different loads and different bullet profiles. With no magazine or feed ramp dimensions to worry about you could run a cylinder half filled with shot shells followed up by hard cast wadcutters if you wanted to. That kind of versatility you can't get with an automatic.

Revolvers are, or were before the day of readily available interchangeable backstraps, the easiest guns to adapt to a wide variety of hand sizes. Just bolt on a new pair of grips; I prefer slim grips on my Smith and Wessons, but others might need a more hand-filling profile, which is why Herrett's makes both the Roper and Jordan designs for S&W's.

Revolvers are also less expensive than automatics of comparable quality. The Smith's in the pictures above were all purchased for $500 or less, which won't even get you an entry level 1911 nowadays, and the 1911's in the $5-600 range won't exhibit near the same level of fit and finish.

you can build more exciting guns like 475 or 500 linbaugh




they have great history behind them





who can't love a classic colt




you can hunt any game big or small



and girls love a good revolver

anybody say because they are pretty

Yep, revolvers are purty. I have newer ones that are big and little, but my favorites are older. I have among others, several Russian Nagants, an English Webley, a S&W Victory Model, a Colt Police Positive, and my old favorite, the smooth Colt Official Police. Good luck.

What's not to like?







[img]http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/TheRealHawkeye/DetectiveSpecialI.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/TheRealHawkeye/CombatMasterpiece.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w188/TheRealHawkeye/SmithWesson29-2.jpg[/img]

I prefer the trigger on a gun with a nice, smooth double action pull, like a well used S&W, much better than a single action or �safe action� auto. It really teaches you to keep the sights aligned when pulling the trigger. I also don�t like a short or sensitive trigger when wearing gloves in the winter. Even my autos are mostly DAO, including my current favorite Sig with the DAK trigger.

The auto has to be built around a magazine, while the revolver provides more options for getting a good grip on the gun. This also aids in concealing the part that is above the waist.

I also appreciate the ammo versatility with revolvers, especially the ones in magnum flavors. With the same gun and familiar trigger pull you can go from powder puff loads to heavy duty stuff all in one package without having to change out guns or springs. Revolver hollow points can be more dished out and blunt bullets can be more blunt than semi-auto ammo because they cannot impair feeding (except, sometimes, for reloading).

I don�t believe that revolvers are �more pretty� than semis.

They all have their place.

For when you're feeling blue...

I've never owned a semi-auto that would handle snake-shot cartridges worth a darned.

Jeff

Another reason, they're simple. You can easily look at one and tell if it's loaded from the outside. For a a double action, pull trigger and "boom". For single action, just cock first.

And yeah, they look neat.

And revolvers hold bigger cartridges than autoloaders can practicably handle.

Like you I started with a service type/size auto. I believe I was sold on revolvers when I shot groups at 25 yards with my 686 S&W revolver that were a quarter of the size of what my auto spit out.

I now hunt with revolvers--not many autos are up for this job.

As mentioned here in various ways, there are a lot of loads/calibers that can be shot out of a revolver that cannot be shot out of an auto. You can load them super light and they will still work when you pull the trigger again--heck they even have some rubber or wax bullets that you can shoot in your garage (primer powered only)--Or you can load up one of the big bore power house calibers and take down a cape buffalo.

The current reason revolvers are holding my interest is the history--I love to look at, hold, and shoot SAA, Scholfield 45, or a nice Remingtion 1875. All I can afford are replicas, but I still like them.

because they're pretty....and they hold bigger bullets and more powder.

Did any one mention that with a revolver you don't have to hunt all over the ground for your empties.

All the things they mentioned, plus one main thing is: when you pull the trigger you know it is going to go bang, unless you have bad ammo.

and if you do have a bad shell, you either just pull again, or cock and pull again. no second hand or contortions required.

and no mag to lose and turn it into a single shot or a no-shot, depending on mag safety.

Because they have fed me, entertained me, comforted me, and kept me alive.

One thing I really like about them is that you can actually do the majority of your practice dry fire, and it translates perfectly into improving your actual shooting skills. With an auto pistol, you have to recock it each time during dry fire, which is a really bad habit to develop, so should not be done, which means it's much cheaper to develop a very high skill level with a revolver than with an auto pistol.

And take a buddy to the range with you and have them load the revolver for you each time and have them mix in some spent cases to see how bad you jerk the trigger!

If you know it may be an empty you will squeeze it much more cleanly

You guys are making me want to go out and buy another revolver.
Lovem way more that the semis

Bankcardrep1: I am not being contrary here but I have lived long enough to watch first hand the "popularity" of revolvers be replaced by the "popularity" of semi-automatic pistols.
I am certain there are MORE semi-autos are sold these days than revolving pistols!
My local pawn/sport shop got in a Browning Hi-Power in 40 S&W about week ago and during the interim 5 days that "minty" Browning was scooped up by someone!
I had eyes on it myself but am recovering from a 3,200 mile Big Game Hunting season diesel bill!
I have used both semi-auto pistols and revolving pistols for 40+ years in professional/life and death circumstances and would be hard pressed to defend either as "the best" or the most "popular" for professional use.
I own both and enjoy using both types of pistols - immensely.
It would be nice for you to have BOTH a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol on hand in case you were ever in need to teach or demonstrate their use/function to another new "pistolero".
Yeah, that in itself is good enough reason to buy a revolver.
Good luck to you.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Along with everything mentioned above, in terms of downrange power per lb of gun packing weight a revolver (especially SA) wins hands down.

Pete

Cannot believe I left that out--Thats a big one

did anyone mention the sound of a SA , old model
Not the boom,
the walk and talk of a well tuned SAA or Ruger Old Model.
It just speaks quality side arm.

Russian Roulette with a semi-auto pistol just ain't the same.

I guess I'm the odd one again.

I have about equal numbers of both - and they all serve their own niche.

Oh - nobody mentioned balance and natural pointng ability for some revolvers in some hands.

I don't have to chase my empties, I can make my own shake shot. (A big deal for me!)

Plus, with a revolver I can hit smaller targets at farther distances than I can with any of my semi-autos except for maybe my Ruger MKII.

Throwing my brass into the weeds is the main reason I never liked semi-autos.

Only semi-autos I like are .22's since you don't save the brass anyway.



Added: okay, I really do like 1911's a lot also, I just hate reloading for them.

Ask Terry Kath

c'mon....

make me smile

I have 2 Jframes for CCW and a .480SHR for hunting and a BlackHawk 45Colt for hunting and caust it is too cool.....

Always goes boom.

Never jambs.

(Same could be said for my SIG.)

.17 HMR to .45 LC.

They have the potential to be more accurate and more powerful, and they like any well engineered item are simple to opperate.

I guess its mostly personal preference, but the wheelgun is far from outdated for me.

While its not really beneficial to have twenty different loads to try to hit with, the revolver can eat all without hesitation in a fix. I can't say that for the majority of autos I've seen, even the ones the owners say "never" jam, some costing a pretty penny.

Also, the idea of an endless plethora of bullet moulds and scrap lead can feed one with recyclable, functioning bullets for a lifetime.

The grip shapes and styles also allow more flexibility for acurate hitting and as someone brought up, finding a case in the palm of your hand is not a bad thing.

Reloading speed clips is also pretty quick compared to loading a mag stack. Duplicity or even triplicates of cartridge ammo can be housed in one gun. While the odds of needing, heeding or really wanting that can be argued, its there (firing 38 special ammo from a giant Dan Wesson 357 SuperMag is like shooting a BB gun).

I do like a 1911 type gun, the Woodsman and the Hi-Standard HD, and will not say autos are not worthless, I just like wheelies better.

When I was growing up, hardly anybody used autos. Of course, handguns, as a whole, were much, much less popular than they are today. Many men had one, but wouldn't even own up to it. Lots of guys would tell you, "that thing will just get you into trouble, son".

By far, the most popular autos were 1911's. (Talking centerfires only here.) Occasionally, the Browning Hi Power would be around and some people shot war-trophy Lugers or Walthers. The Smiths had reputations for jamming and were not seen much. All .25's and .380's were considered "Saturday Night Specials" regardless of price. The 1911 itself had the reputation of not being able to hit the broad side of a barn due to its "looseness" for milspec purposes.

So most of my generation grew up seeing the revolver used and our Fathers and Grandfathers eschewing the use of anything else. Again, .22's are not a part of my statement.

True. A teacher's aid said to me yesterday that she hates guns, and added this as just another reason why, i.e., you're more likely to be shot with your own gun if you try to defend yourself with it. I cannot imagine where such stupidity could have originated. If that were the case, we would need to disarm police officers, bank guards, and military personnel.

PS This conversation took place in the context of one of my students being annoyed that he could not do internet research at the school on his research paper on the history of snipers. Every time he did a search he was blocked because it involved guns and gun related websites.

Hard not to like a revolver in my opinion, for so many reasons.







[img]http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii191/magnumthomas/DSC02684.jpg[/img]

Be warned...they are addictive in a highly contagious way...

Also great for kids.

Indeed. Though she's just hefting it there, she's already started on both the Winchester 94-22 and the Hawken's 50 cal.

I like that revolvers are more southpaw friendly as compared to most semiautos.

My first handgun was a Smith and Wesson Model 629 Classic with a 7 1/2" full shroud barrel. I bought it as a 21st birthday present to myself. I bought this over a Desert Eagle because it was more accurate, has an infinitely better trigger, and I could shoot .44 Specials from it and take it hunting with .44 mags.

That and a Smith and Wesson model 686 with a 4" barrel have put more rounds down range than all my semi autos combined. Again, I can shoot .38 specials all day and I can drop in .357's for more oomph when needed. I shoot revolvers better, and the ammo options do it for me.

Because they are powerful and accurate.
Can you do this with a little pistol?

kids do love the revolvers too...