A Revolver Renaissance?

[Casimer]

Has anyone else noticed that there's been a marked resurgence in interest in revolvers, among both casual and competitive shooters, over the past few years?

What prompts me to ask this is a conversation that I'd had the other day w/ a local precision gunsmith (Mark Hartshorne @ Pinnacle High Performance). We'd gotten onto the topic of competition guns and found that we'd both noticed that revolvers have become much more prominent in competitions. He's involved in action and speed shooting disciplines, and I compete in NMC formats.

Mark had also mentioned that he's seeing a lot of requests for high-end jobs building and customizing revolvers, to the point that they dominate his workload.

I know that in the matches I've shot throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, we're seeing more revolvers at BE matches. In fact the NRA had apparently been inspired to initiate the Distinguished Revolver program due to popular demand for a service revolver award and match format. I've been told that the DR match held in concert w/ this year's NJ BE championship match had brought out about 80 DR competitors over multiple days - this is a huge turn-out for a BE match!

So while this evidence is anecdotal, there may be something to it.

 

[ecd1211]

I just bought my first revolver -- a S&W 642 and I must say it's a much prettier weapon than my semi Glocks. I'm thinking that my next purchase might be another revolver -- there's something nostalgic and aesthetic about a good revolver that you just can't find in a semi.

I never thought I'd own a revolver until about a month ago when I was looking for a pocket gun and didn't like any of the semi options. Now that I've taken a more serious look at them, I don't know why I never considered one before.

 

[Majic]

We revolver shooters figured yall would come around sooner or later.

 

[indiandave]

You mean they make hand guns that are not revolvers?

 

[wdelack]

I think ecd1211 nailed it. The popularity of the pocket sized "conceal carry" revolvers has likely helped a great deal in the renewed interest.

 

[Hokie]

We revolver shooters figured yall would come around sooner or later.

I'd imagine that revolver shooters are pretty used to things coming around sooner or later.

 

[rogertc1]

I have not notice a shift to revolvers...just plastic pistols.

 

[Smaug]

I've noticed that they're slowly coming back. I think this is because people realize that although they are maybe not the best combat choice any more, they are good for the Average Joe and for hunting.

Every time I look, there are at least 2-1/2 times more folks viewing the Semi Auto forum than this one. I don't think autos are in any danger, but people have just realized that just because the design is old, that doesn't make them useless.

Revolvers do have their own set of disadvantages and advantages, and we gun people tend to like variety.

 

[model14]

I am brand new to this forum. I just bought my first handgun several weeks ago to be used mainly for target shooting. My friends introduced me to target shooting by letting me shoot various autos and revolvers in their collections. I absolutely fell in love with the S&W k-38 Model 14 with 6" barrel. It looked good, felt good and shot straight. I searched locally and non were available, I then went on the internet and found one (a 14-4) in Utah at Cabelas for $400. I have now put about 500 rounds through it and I am very happy with it. My next purchase will probably be a Model 17 K-22.

 

[rogertc1]

Of course if a hi-cap ban returns, I guess the revolver would be all one could get?

 

[melchloboo]

I agree and am seriously considering putting some gambling money into smith & wesson stock, maybe ruger too.

I was at a gun show last week that had a larger than usual turnout, with a larger than usual first-time-buyer turnout. Consumers are coming in looking for revolvers for the home more than before.

 

[rogertc1]

Last month I bought a S&W M-357 from buds. I thought it was kinda neat looking. Holds 8 round of 357...21oz

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_39_73/products_id/26378

 

[White Rice]

Hand guns and slot machines.

Yes, they have a connection.

I've noticed the rate of fire and the lack of accuracy on the range with semi- owners versus the revolver crowd.

Its like slot machines in Vegas. I used to like playing slots a little. I have no use for them now. You slip in a $20 and tap the Bet Max button and in about 1-2 minutes, the $20 is gone. With the old machines, you fed your quarters in and pulled the arm. Things were slower and you had time to socialize. You felt you were involved. You still lost your money but it was slower, not like having a siphon hooked to your wallet. Made Vegas somewhat fun for a couple of days.

Likewise, with revolvers, you don't have mega capacity magazines. You take it slow, maybe fire in SA and make each shot count. Then you stop and eject the empties, maybe save them for reloading and take the time to slip each bullet in the cylinder. You're involved.

I much prefer revolvers to autos on the range.

Now if they would just let me practice my self defense regimen I'll hopefully never use. I want to practice in pitch blackness, laying down, with my glasses off, half or fully naked, from under a blanket, with a growling Chihuahua laying next to my leg.

Stupid ranges....

 

[wdelack]

Now if they would just let me practice my self defense regimen I'll hopefully never use. I want to practice in pitch blackness, laying down, with my glasses off, half or fully naked, from under a blanket, with a growling Chihuahua laying next to my leg.

It takes a brave man to lay naked next to a growling Chihuahua

 

[Casimer]

It seems like revolvers are recommended to new shooters more frequently than they had been. I'm in my late 30's and had gotten into shooting during the Wonder 9 years. The conventional wisdom was that revolvers were obsolete and uncool and there was no reason to even consider them unless you were going to shoot rifle loads at Kodiak bears. But nowadays, it's pretty common to see them recommended for defensive purposes, and especially to someone who's not a dedicated shooter and just needs a reliable weapon that they can easily handle.

I want to practice in pitch blackness, laying down, with my glasses off, half or fully naked, from under a blanket, with a growling Chihuahua laying next to my leg.

LOL - sounds like you'll need to take another trip to Vegas.

 

[22-rimfire]

If revolvers weren't "back", the price of the pre-lock Smiths wouldn't be rising so quickly. In 1990, it was somewhat hard to sell your everyday Colt and Smith revolvers. For those that liked them, those were good times to visit gunshows.

 

[gopack]

I guess revolvers have been on the decline because everyone seems to want tactical handguns. I don't have any overriding preference, but shooting wheel guns, especially my Ruger SA's is just plain fun. I just bought a Blackhawk .45 convertible. Told SWMBO that it was because of the recent lion sightings in Richmond. The real reason was the neighbors' killer chihuahua. That dog would like nothing better than to rip my face off. Lay down naked with it? Heck no, full body armor.

 

[stevieboy]

Hey, Model14, if you love your K-38 you will REALLY love a model 17 or its successor, the 617. I can't shoot mine enough.

 

[Que]

While I own and shoot many revolvers, I had always looked to them more as range guns. The capacity of five or six seemed inadequate. Of course that's silly as most gunfights are over in one or two shots, and speedloaders can really make re-loading quick, but all of the higher capacity semi-autos has had it's impact on shooters.

That said, now we have seven and eight shot Smiths. I currently own two seven shots and I came to realize that their capacity was equal to a number of semi-autos that I would use for self-defense. Plus, the revolvers would offer near 100% reliability where there would still be some level of question with the semi-autos. Tap, rack and bang isn't a consideration.

A month ago I faced a situation where I thought I had an intruder upstairs while I was in my basement workshop. I didn't have a loaded gun handy so I walked over to my safe and had the choice of many, many handguns, more semi-autos than pistols. Having the pick I instinctively went to a DAO S&W 581. That said a lot to me. Now one of my two home self defense guns is a revolver, a 2.5" S&W 686 seven shot.

The most recent issue of the Dillon Press has an article on this very subject of the resurgence of the revolver. I plan to read it next time that nature calls.

 

[Deet]

In the 70's we all shot revolvers, or model 1911. When someone had a non 1911 semi we usually just giggled and kept shooting. I kinda remember around 1980 an article in Shooting Times that said if you were a handgun manufacturer and didn't offer a 9mm you were destined to go out of business. Article was right, but boy do I miss all those revolvers on the firing line, big slow booms, now all I hear is pop, pop. pop. Hope the revolvers come back like in the 70's.