LimaCharlie

• The first gun I ever shot was a Colt SA .22LR in 1954 when I was seven years old.
• The first handgun I ever owned was a Ruger Super Blackhawk 10.5” .44 magnum bought used in 1966.
• Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger were my earliest heroes.
• I grew up watching and loving western TV shows and movies in the 1950s and 1960s.
• Clint Eastwood was a later hero in the spaghetti westerns and Dirty Harry movies.

ColColt

The only downside to revolvers and of course, not all, is the fact the ammo has to be close to perfect as it does in the auto. Case in point is my M15-3. This was my fault as I apparently didn't have the primers seated as far as they'd go even though when seating them it felt lilke they went home but, several times I couldn't turn the cylinder by thumbing the hammer back for single shot testing due to the primer rubbing against the recoil shield. I had happened with at least one factory GDHP round that did likewise.

With the six I planed on using for defense whether it was CCW or just one under the pillow. I rotate all rounds by cocking the trigger and very gently letting the hammer down to rotate the cylinder for another round to see if there's going to be a problem before trusting it after that happened at the range. It wasn't easy to move the cylinder to get it to clear and you don't want to be fooling with the cylinder in a gun fight.

leftofcentre67

I've only had a problem with Blazer Brass .357 rounds. I've had the odd primer failure with them. I've never had a problem with any other ammo in my GP-141. I'd trust my GP to work a lot more than my SR40.

Meeteetse

I realize it could happen to anyone, but I load my defensive revolvers with high quality factory fresh ammo, not my reloads. My reloads are kept for the range. In over 40+ years of doing this I have never had a problem of any kind in a revolver. Can't say the same for semi-autos, but that is why I prefer revolvers for social work.

blueshep

Years ago I bought my first Ruger GP100 357, then I bought the 44 mag, those are two fun guns and I have had plenty of offers to sell them! I have quite a few semi auto's that I love just as much. I like having both, purchased the Wiley Clap GP100 3 inch a month ago and I really enjoy shooting it.

McD

New used GP100! (See avatar) With all these new plastic autocockers available now, you'd think (if you listen to some guys) that no more revolvers needs to be made. But at our gun shops up in the frozen north revolvers are scarce and go fast when they show up. Thanks to my committed gun shop sales guy, he knew he had something when he took an almost new GP100 in on a trade for a polymer wonder gun. Now, after some range time, I am amazed at the quality and accuracy of the Ruger.
I disagree AND agree with ColColt above. DISAGREE: Autos need more precise matching with ammo due to the springs and all. Revolvers able to shoot varying ammo loads of any power level without malfunction. AGREE: Humans can even screw up revolvers. Bad loads, mis-installed primers, recipe errors, bad springs (too light mod springs) and neglect can destroy revolvers as well as autos.

REDHAWK MN

Fun thread. Made me join the forum. I like revolvers almost as much as I do lever rifles.

I do think some of you are a bit closed minded though. Just because revolvers are more reliable, more accurate (after all who shoots their autos at long range?), and more impressive to an aggressor, you want to ignore autos?

We need both. Tools for different jobs...

JaPes

A revolver is great because I'm not losing any brass at the range. Open the cylinder, eject rounds into an empty big gulp cup. Process the cases for reloading later.

guardjim

Reliability

McD

Revolvers still rule the realms of Power, durability, accuracy, and BRASS. I lost NO brass at the range yesterday.

I shot about 200 rounds and had no problems with fishing through the weeds in the pistol berms. And, guys still seems to be chucking some 38/357 brass, which I found abandoned.

All the hollow points worked. All the SWCs worked. Nothing got hung up on a ramp or in a magazine. It all worked. That doesn't seem to happen very often with the autos...

tomrkba

If you are not losing brass, then you are not training. Shooting for fun is fine, but if you carry your revolver, then you should be developing good habits. A proper speed reload does not involve dumping brass into a bucket. My revolver brass flies everywhere (sandals and hot magnum brass do not mix) because I follow the revolver speed reloading procedure every time. Do it correctly on the range and things will go well on the street.

opos

I like the looks...I like the feel...I like the fact that when I pull the trigger it goes bang...I like no safety and my single actions take me back to the past. When I pick up a Semi auto it's like entering a different time zone...got to load the magazine, got to rack the slide, got to release the safety, got to duck flying hot brass, got to hold so the slide doesn't tear up my hands...sometimes got to clear jams.

If the 6 rounds in the revolver and the 2 in my derringer aren't enough I'm toast anyway. I never had a jam in a Revolver. I' ve had a number of semi autos over the years and currently have none nor have the desire to buy one.

McD

Training for faster revolver reloads... Tomrkba - point well taken... But the difference between getting brass dropped by a revolver, more or less straight down, and the scattering of brass by an auto is well understood by all of us.

Speeding up on the reload does take practice. That is a skill area that you rightly emphasize.
Thanks

ChrisLCR

Why did I choose a revolver?

After doing much homework and firing a few models at the range, I decided this was the best choice for an inexperienced (and slightly timid) person like myself. I certainly didn't buy one for the sake of tradition or nostalgia as some have suggested, but for safety and practicality.

My concerns about revolvers vs. semi-autos are:

1. Safety Being able to immediately know when a gun is loaded and with how much ammo is important to me, and here I believe the revolver is the best option. Stories involving accidental shootings with handguns while cleaning, etc., usually involve a semi-auto with a round left in the chamber or a magazine that was "almost" empty. Indeed, you can be fairly certain that when you hear "The gun just went off" they most likely were not talking about a revolver. Also, I'm a bit leery carrying a semi-auto being "locked and loaded", and carrying a semi-auto any other way is unacceptable in my opinion for self defense. There's no way I'm going to be able to rack a slide on some little CCW semi-auto under stress with sweaty hands, etc. I know there is proper training, safeties, etc., but I feel more comfortable and in control with the long (but smooth) DAO trigger pull of a revolver.

2. Practicality For all the other reasons all ready mentioned: No springs to get soft, parts to replace, FTF, FTE, finicky ammo appetites, issues with dirt and grime, chasing after spent brass, etc. Not to mention the costs involved buying a really good semi-auto, maintenance, accessories, etc. It's possible that revolvers can fail of course, and when they do it can be catastrophic from what I gather, but this is such a rare occurrence that it shouldn't even be an issue for revolver users. Also, I can practice comfortably with my LCR snubbie in the house with snap caps. I can safely practice dry firing and staging the trigger to my hearts content, using speed loaders, etc. The thought of punishing my hands (yes, I'm a softy handed wimp) by pulling the slide back every time I want to practice with a semi-auto indoors with snap caps is not very much fun to say the least. I feel much more at "one" with a revolver so to speak. I'm feel I'm controlling the gun, rather then the gun controlling me.

Having said that, I have no animosity to semi-autos when in the right hands. There is much to be said for them, with their higher capacity mags and quick firing, especially with these "flash mob" and riot type situations we might face these days. I can only hope if I ever found myself in that situation that my LCR could at least buy me some time to escape.

My choices and opinions on types of guns might change in the future considering what level I may be at, but for now as far as handguns go, I prefer the revolver.

Kev93

I have owned many semi autos and sold them all and now only own revolvers.