Is there any advantage to a revolver?
Revolvers are simpler mechanically than semi-automatic handguns. With fewer moving parts comes a lowered risk of the firearm having issues like malfunctioning. Revolvers are also easier to maintain, once again, due to their simplicity.
Why don't people use revolvers?
Revolvers are thick and can be difficult to conceal
The thinnest 5-shot revolver's cylinder is wider, at 1.3” or more, than the overall width of nearly every pocket capable semi-automatic pistol.
Are revolvers really more reliable?
But all things being equal, yes, it's more unlikely to have a function problem with a revolver than a semi-auto. Semi-autos are more reliant on ammo quality and dirt. However,if you use quality ammo, and properly maintain the semi-auto ,it will be just as reliable as a revolver.
What are the cons of the revolver?
Revolvers are less likely to jam than are semi-autos. If a cartridge doesn't fire, you just pull the revolver's trigger again. With a semi-auto, you have to manually cycle the slide to eject the faulty cartridge and load another one.
Why do people prefer revolvers?
A revolver's grip does not hold a magazine, and it can be designed or customized much more than the grip of a typical semi-automatic. Partially because of these reasons, revolvers still hold significant market share as concealed carry and home-defense weapons.
Why do people still use revolvers?
A pistol, specifically a semiautomatic pistol, has to absorb the recoil of a round to cycle the action. This mechanism adds weight and complexity to the gun. A revolver doesn't need to do that, dumping the recoil into your hand. So, for the same size and weight, a revolver can be more powerful.
Do revolvers hit harder than pistols?
There are quite a few attributes that one could appreciate about the revolver- but reliability isn't on the list. With that being said, revolvers also have some very antiquated attributes which deter most defensive shooters from preferring a revolver.
Are revolvers unreliable?
Revolvers have had a place in national militaries for over 200 years, starting with the Colt Dragoon. They were largely phased out of service with the adoption of the M1911, but a shortage of viable service pistols during both World Wars kept these contraptions in the hands of GI's throughout.
Why did military stop using revolvers?
Revolvers also are inherently more accurate than most semi-automatic pistols because the barrels are affixed to the frame. Most semi-autos have barrels that are in motion during the firing cycle but “locked” into place at the point of firing.
Why choose a revolver over a pistol?
Revolvers are not at all easy to make. The problem is you have two parts, the revolver cylinder, and the barrel that MUST line up EXACTLY to within a few ten-thousanths of an inch of exactly aligned, or it will not work right. Tolerences on semi-auto pistols are much less tight.
Why are revolvers so expensive?
It comes down to personal preference. The revolver guys like to say a revolver is more reliable because you won't have to clear a jam or rack the slide to bypass a cartridge that fails to fire. But the semi-auto holds more rounds, is quicker to reload, and usually has a better trigger.
Is it better to carry a revolver or pistol?
Originally Answered: For home and self-defence, which would be the best, a pistol or a revolver? Both are good. Pistols are less reliable generally, but really don't like being left loaded for months or years and then expected to work flawlessly, which is how many self-defence guns are used.
Are revolvers bad for home defense?
Misfires can present safety risks when you need to have the ability to quickly fire. For situations like this, revolvers can be considered safer, since all you'll have to do if a misfire occurs is rotate to the next chamber. With a pistol, the defective cartridge needs to be ejected first.
Are pistols safer than revolvers?
38 Special is perfectly adequate for self defense, provided you use proper self defense oriented ammunition and use a handgun you are trained on to comfortably fire under stress. Is it the greatest? No, but no handgun caliber is great, when they all suck compared to a centerfire rifle or a shotgun round.
Is 38 special enough?
Many people have difficulty operating a semiautomatic slide, but can swing a revolver cylinder out easily. The first shot in a revolver can be fired single action. Not so with most semiauto pistols, so the first shot is more likely to be accurate. Revolvers don't jam, and aren't fussy about ammunition.
Why are revolvers cool?
Revolvers usually have a capacity of five to eight rounds of centerfire ammunition. Good quality handguns, such as Glocks, have much higher capacities. A standard flush-fitting magazine holds 15 rounds. There are magazines that can hold up to 50 rounds, depending of course on your state's laws.
What's better a revolver or Glock?
The Takeaway
Whether you choose to carry a revolver or a semi-automatic pistol, you should understand the differences between them. Revolvers are more reliable with certain types of ammunition and are simpler to operate. However, semi-automatic pistols offer increased magazine capacity and are easier to reload.
Should I get a revolver or a semi-auto?
Typically, service pistols are semi-automatic pistols (previously revolvers) issued to officers, non-commissioned officers, and rear-echelon support personnel for self-defence, though service pistols may also be issued to special forces as a backup for their primary weapons.
Do armies still use revolvers?
The 38 Special is ideal for pocket carry for its small size and, being a revolver, can be fired from within the pocket without jamming as a semi automatic pistol would. Firing a 357 from a J-frame revolver would not be very pleasant due to the much greater recoil.
Why carry a .38 special?
Because they hurt. Hot gas from the cartridge squirts out the gap between the cylinder and the barrel. If you are holding the rifle normally then you will burn your forearm every shot. There are modern revolving rifles that have some kind of thing to mitigate the problem of gas jets.
Why are revolver rifles not popular?
For self-defense applications, there's no practical difference in stopping power between revolvers and semi-autos, unless you want to be really, really sure that a single shot will immediately drop any attacker.
Are revolvers better for self-defense?
Based on more than 50 years of personal experiences, in the non-military world of self-defense, a high quality revolver with no built in internal key lock safety feature, is without any doubt more reliable than almost any semi-automatic pistol.
Are revolvers less accurate than pistols?
Revolvers tend to be of more solid design and construction and those features allow revolvers to be chambered for more powerful cartridges. It is the cartridges they can be chambered for that makes many revolvers more powerful than most semi-auto handguns.
Why are revolvers so powerful?
I have experienced or witnessed five different types of revolver malfunctions in my decades of gun handling. The big difference between “jams” in revolvers and semi-automatic pistols is that most pistol malfunctions can be cleared fairly quickly.
Are revolvers less likely to jam?
Modern single-action revolvers generally include an integrated safety feature to prevent accidental discharge. For example, Ruger revolvers use a transfer bar safety. This involves the use of a bar connected to the trigger.
Is a revolver a safe gun?
Revolvers aren't immune to malfunctions but the likelihood of those is very rare. Furthermore, the . 357 revolver is a true survival firearm in that it can accommodate the standard . 357 magnum rounds as well as .
Are revolvers good for survival?
They are hard to aim accurately due to the short sight radius. They fire lower powered ammunition than a rifle. Most dont hold as much ammunition as modern rifles. Most militaries have tried to get rid of pistols for the most part.
Why don t soldiers have pistols?
The almost universal trend since the 20th century has been for semi-automatic pistols to replace revolvers for military use, although the transition has been slower in police and civilian use.
What replaced the revolver?
The bullet is seated in the casing of the cartridge, which is too large to fall down the barrel, but sits perfectly in the chamber. The seating is tight to ensure a proper gas seal when the cartridge is fired.
Why don t bullets fall out of a revolver?
Smith & Wesson Model 686 Centerfire
Considering Smith & Wesson's reputation, it should come as no surprise that the 686 can go for hundreds of rounds without a misfire. It's as reliable as any concealed carry firearm on the market, if not better, and doesn't require a lot of maintenance to function.
What is the most reliable revolver?
Revolvers transmit more felt recoil to the user than semi-autos, even chambered in the same caliber, because semi-auto actions absorb much of the rearward force before it gets to your body. Then there's the weight of the gun; lighter guns transmit more perceived recoil.
Do revolvers have less recoil?
45's loud report could often leave one temporarily deaf when fired in a confined space. Consequently, some preferred to clear tunnels armed with a . 38 Special revolver equipped with a sound suppressor and other non-standard weapons.
Why did tunnel rats use revolvers?
Material Costs: The components used in ammunition, such as brass casings, bullets, primers, and gunpowder, all have associated costs. If the cost of these raw materials increases, it can contribute to higher ammunition prices. Market Demand: High demand for a particular type of ammunition can lead to increased prices.
Why is 357 so expensive?
That said, there are some very good revolvers out there designed for concealed carry. I wouldn't ignore them completely. Yes, a revolver is a good first gun. They are extremely reliable, easy to understand, easy to load and unload, and are good to use to learn the safety rules for firearms.
Is a revolver a good first gun?
A revolver's sturdier design means that it can be chambered for more powerful cartridges, although this isn't necessarily of enormous benefit for self-defense. The most powerful revolver calibers that are commonly used for self-defense are . 357 Magnum and . 44 Magnum, but some pistols can also fire those rounds.
Are revolvers less powerful?
Revolvers Tend to Have a Long, Heavy Trigger Pull:
You have to deliberately pull the trigger in order to fire your shots. This is also a negative for people who have hand strength that's below average. It can be hard for some people with weaker finger strength to put accurate shots on a target with a double-action gun.
What are the disadvantages of a revolver?
Pistols have a few disadvantages when compared to revolvers. They are more complicated and have more moving parts. A pistol may use heavier springs that younger and elderly shooters may find difficult to use. Modern pistols usually only fire one shot every time you pull the trigger.
What are the disadvantages of pistols and revolvers?
Modern revolvers, both single and double actions, are safe to carry with all cylinders loaded, as long as the revolver in question is equipped with a transfer bar that prevents the hammer from being driven into the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled.
Is it safe to carry a revolver fully loaded?
Revolvers are less likely to jam than are semi-autos. If a cartridge doesn't fire, you just pull the revolver's trigger again. With a semi-auto, you have to manually cycle the slide to eject the faulty cartridge and load another one.
Why do people prefer revolvers?
All firearms can have problems. Revolvers can go out of time; they can also jam at times, and they can have parts break just like semi-automatics do.
Are revolvers unreliable?
A pistol, specifically a semiautomatic pistol, has to absorb the recoil of a round to cycle the action. This mechanism adds weight and complexity to the gun. A revolver doesn't need to do that, dumping the recoil into your hand. So, for the same size and weight, a revolver can be more powerful.
Do revolvers hit harder than pistols?
Revolvers are also easier to maintain, once again, due to their simplicity. Most of the time, cleaning a revolver only means opening or removing the cylinder and using bore brushes to clean the barrel and cylinders. A little wipe down of the rest and it's good to go. Semi-automatic pistols can require a bit more work.
Why choose a revolver over a pistol?
Regarding the tenet that revolvers are inherently more accurate than semi-autos, author Chris Baker says, “If we're comparing modern production double action revolvers to modern production semi-auto pistols, there's really no case to be made for revolvers being inherently more accurate.
Are revolvers really more reliable?
A revolver contains a revolving cylinder in which bullets are loaded. Revolvers usually hold six shots. The ATF defines a pistol as any handgun that does not contain its ammunition in a revolving cylinder. Most pistols have a removable magazine into which bullets are loaded.
Why are revolvers not pistols?
38 snubbie.” A snub-nose (short-barreled), lightweight revolver chambered in . 38 Special was touted as a perfect women's gun because it was small, light and super simple to operate.
Is 38 Special a girl gun?
Will a 38 special stop and attacker? Yes, 38 special was the standard police caliber for more than 50 years. It stopped a lot of people during that period. Handgun ammunition has improved a lot in it destructive capability since then, too.
Is 38 Special a man stopper?
In individuals without an impact of the projectile at the base of the skull, bullets lodged in the head were found up to a calibre of 7.65 mm (pistol) or . 38 special (revolver), respectively. In cases with a trajectory through the cranial fossae positive results were obtained up to 9 mm (pistol) or even .
Will a 38 Special go through a skull?
The first shot in a revolver can be fired single action. Not so with most semiauto pistols, so the first shot is more likely to be accurate. Revolvers don't jam, and aren't fussy about ammunition.
Why are revolvers so badass?
Revolvers definitely have some advantages over semi autos, and they can be a lot of fun to shoot.
Are revolvers fun to shoot?
It comes down to personal preference. The revolver guys like to say a revolver is more reliable because you won't have to clear a jam or rack the slide to bypass a cartridge that fails to fire. But the semi-auto holds more rounds, is quicker to reload, and usually has a better trigger.
Is it better to carry a revolver or pistol?
A revolver is VERY easy to use, and very difficult to use incorrectly, so long as the revolver is loaded you just have to squeeze the trigger and it'll do its job and it is very difficult to fire a revolver accidentally (negligently), whereas a pistol needs regular practice to be used correctly and safely.
Are revolvers easier to shoot?
Revolvers usually have a capacity of five to eight rounds of centerfire ammunition. Good quality handguns, such as Glocks, have much higher capacities. A standard flush-fitting magazine holds 15 rounds. There are magazines that can hold up to 50 rounds, depending of course on your state's laws.
What's better a revolver or Glock?
The standard pressure for the . 38 Special is roughly 17,000 pounds-per-square-inch (psi). However, the 9mm Luger has internal pressures of 35,000 psi. It's this higher internal pressure, the result of expansive propellant design and testing, that makes the smaller 9mm more powerful.
Is 38 special more powerful than 9mm?
In addition to serving as backup guns, revolvers still fill the specialized role as a shield gun; law enforcement personnel using a "bulletproof" gun shield sometimes opt for a revolver instead of a self-loading pistol, because the slide of a pistol may strike the front of the shield when fired.
Why are revolvers still a thing?
Revolvers have had a place in national militaries for over 200 years, starting with the Colt Dragoon. They were largely phased out of service with the adoption of the M1911, but a shortage of viable service pistols during both World Wars kept these contraptions in the hands of GI's throughout.
Why did military stop using revolvers?
Is a 38 powerful enough?
What advantage does a revolver have over a pistol?
Is 38 Special OK for self-defense?
Why revolvers are better than pistols?
Are revolvers actually stronger than pistols?
It's basically a matter of ammo capacity and ease of reloading. You can reload a pistol faster than a revolver, and you don't have to do it as often, because pistols generally hold more rounds. The only upside of the revolver is the ease of use when it's already loaded, and its less prone to jamming due to user error.
Is a revolver still good for self-defense?
A revolver has very few moving parts. Fewer things can go wrong with it for that reason alone, which means a revolver is less likely to fail during a self-defense scenario. Furthermore, if a revolver encounters a dud, the shooter only has to pull the trigger to align the next round with the barrel (assuming it's a DA).