Why do you carry a revolver?

[Snattlerake]

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.

I personally have had a revolver jam due to the primers backing out of their cases during a hot session of rapid fire 357 Magnum. The revolver became as useful as a paperweight I have never carried one on duty since.

 

[Sig365CCW]

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.

Probably still the most carried gun in America. For the average civilian or off duty cop, a j frame carried is way better than a larger gun left at home or in the car.

 

[Steelers Fan]

I personally have had a revolver jam due to the primers backing out of their cases during a hot session of rapid fire 357 Magnum. The revolver became as useful as a paperweight I have never carried one on duty since.

I've never seen that before except for except from reloads. Too hot of charge or primer pockets wore out.

 

[Sig365CCW]

There is a good podcast and YouTube series called Primary and Secondary that has several episodes about revolver carry. Some interesting talk about what the average civilian needs versus those who are tacticool. Also a new website called American Fighting Revolver that features some pretty cool revolvers as well. They can jam with high primers, bullet pull, or pocket debris but I tend to carry a snub more than my 365 or 19. The chances of an old civilian needing a reload are pretty slim even though I still imagine myself to be a mall ninja some days.

 

[Steelers Fan]

There is a whole bunch of reasons for each. It depends on the scale you're using. Does the total grain weight of all the projectiles an auto loader can hold outweigh overall safety and simplicity of the revolver. We all know that people are shot all the time with unloaded guns, or so they thought. But it is extremely rare for a wheelie handler to self inflict unintentionally. There have been more trained professionals ( cops ) shoot themselves or someone else racking the slide (probably the most dangerous regularly performed action of most any weapon) than there have been by revolvers in almost all phases of action. I know when I'm at the range I watch people handling autoloaders a lot closer than any other weapons. If someone immediately and accidently drops a gun after firing a round while you're in their presence, would you prefer it be a revolver that's automatically in safe mode or an autoloader that's cocked and unlocked? There was just a story a while back where I believe OK Cty Sherriff or OKCPD Chief said on TV after an accident had just occurred, that accidents happen fairly often (within the department). This argument has been beat down on previous threads. I'm going to say the autoloader is better for offensive action and the revolver better for defensive action, at least for the average person (not someone who shoots or handles firearms on a regular basis but still some of those that do). This is all mind set at that moment, not the heroic vision many of us have of ourselves. Taking the fight to a perp in an aggressive stance the mind is clearer, alert and calculating (FIGHT MODE). Caught off guard and surprised, nervous and scared, you are prone to mistakes (FLIGHT MODE). Some people prefer to play to the advantage and/or percentage side. Which is yours, and will you be sure at that moment?

 

[Papa Mike]

I personally have had a revolver jam due to the primers backing out of their cases during a hot session of rapid fire 357 Magnum. The revolver became as useful as a paperweight I have never carried one on duty since.

Why would you load a bad round ( high primer)
Into your gun ? How would that bad round of cycled through a semi auto? I have never heard of a primer that was seated correctly back out of the primer pocket.

 

[OneMoreEvan]

The most acceptable answer is "I just like it."

 

[Firpo]

How would that bad round of cycled through a semi auto?

Likely would have been a FTF on the first go.

 

[Sgt Dog]

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.

View attachment 455885

Very nice holster it is! Bret Collier, a member here, is making me one very similar as I type.

 

[n423]

Reliable, I don't have a sword...