Why do you carry a revolver?

[busterheiney]

Reliability? Ease of use? Nostalgia?

Seems like the capacity and reload disadvantages would hinder this choice, but I'm sure there are some that still prefer a wheel gun.

 

[Dorkus]

No evidence left?

 

[Glock 'em down]

I cut my teeth on the ol' wheelie. The mighty J frame has accompanied me on many of my travels. Back in the day, they were more reliable than those "Dick Tracy" guns. But nowadays, with the host of mini 9s, as well as pistol and ammo technology being what it is, the tried and true revo is all but obsolete and antiquated.

However...

The size and shape of the 5 shot snubbie makes it a dream to carry on the ankle or in the pocket, but their biggest downfalls are ammo capacity, harsh recoil, accuracy past the red zone and complexity of reloading. It's definitely a weapon for the experienced pistolero.

Years ago, I was at a CLEET training seminar. During a break, I was talking guns n' gear with another old timer. I mentioned something about a J frame when a young officer walked up and said, "a J frame? What's a J frame?"

I explained to him what it was and he replied, "a five shot revolver that you have to basically disassemble to reload? Why"

I gave him my best argument in the wheelie's defense and he said, "times have changed, old man. Try to keep up."

All that being said, there is still a special place in my heart for the Smith & Wesson J frame and I still find a purpose for it quite often.

 

[Aries]

I was at a funeral this morning for an ex-cop and noticed that several officers there were carrying revolvers. I was puzzled as to why, I didn't think anyone carried revolvers anymore. I figured it out when they did the 21 gun salute.

 

[Firpo]

Reliability and simplicity. For now revolvers are what I have my wife carrying. No slide to bite her and and God forbid she gets a click instead of a bang all she has to do is pull the trigger again. My daily carry is a Kimber Micro 9 but I’ll occasionally carry this old IJ for nostalgic sake….my father made it this fine holster.

 

[CZFan]

I like a revolver because it never jams, and if I cannot hit the target with 6 chances I can whomp whatever a lot harder with the steel revolver than a plastic wonder gun.

 

[T. MIKE SMITH]

I'm never not going to love a wheel gun- shot an old IJ 8 round 22 when I was a kid until I wore it out enough to not line properly and finally mess up the barrel at the cylinder. I have an older S&W 640 snub 5 shot I carry in ankle holster sometimes to church and a mod 64 4 inch I keep in the car for a no think back up. My daily carry now is a Sig 365 with a 10+1 and a 15 round mag backup. That's the deal- in less space than the snub takes, I have 26 rounds and if 26 doesn't get the job done, just kill me.

 

[Glock 'em down]

I'm never not going to love a wheel gun- shot an old IJ 8 round 22 when I was a kid until I wore it out enough to not line properly and finally mess up the barrel at the cylinder. I have an older S&W 640 snub 5 shot I carry in ankle holster sometimes to church and a mod 64 4 inch I keep in the car for a no think back up. My daily carry now is a Sig 365 with a 10+1 and a 15 round mag backup. That's the deal- in less space than the snub takes, I have 26 rounds and if 26 doesn't get the job done, just kill me.

Let me know if you ever wanna get rid of that 640.

 

[T. MIKE SMITH]

Let me know if you ever wanna get rid of that 640.

Probably never- I love it

 

[CZFan]

I also believe that modern revolvers are safer than most autos. Plus they don't require a manual safety.