Thursday, October 17, 2013

The word you're looking for is "obsolescent".

So, Caleb ginned up a ton of hits from outraged revolver fans with a post titled "Revolvers are obsolete". Since Caleb's livelihood is based on ginning up hits, I don't see anything wrong with this, but I do get a kick out of respondees who act like the post was titled "Motherhood and Puppies: Threat or Menace?" People sure do get emotionally invested in their heaters.

Thing is, there's nothing in the body of the post I really disagree with,

"Oh, Tam!" you say, "Revolvers will still kill a bad guy just as dead now as they would on the set of Dragnet! Besides, how did they survive carrying revolvers for so long if they sucked so badly?"

Hey, a flintlock pistol will still kill somebody just as dead now as it did in the grove at Bladensburg, but you don't see many people carrying one.

"Oh, Tam!" you say, "You're setting up a reductio ad absurdum argument! I didn't say anything about flintlocks*. Besides, they only hold the one shot and they take forever to reload."

Ah.

So holding more shots and reloading faster is better, then?

Don't get me wrong, revolvers are still plenty useful, and still dominate niche uses like woods guns or ankle and coat pocket carry. And if some weird solar flare were to cause every self-loader I own to crumble into dust, I'd strap on a K- or N-frame and go about my business without losing any sleep.

But if I can carry more BBs, and be able to reload faster in the bargain, all with no real downside? I'm all for that.


*As an aside, when I worked third shift in a convenience store before I turned 21, there may or may not have been a percussion Colt Navy replica under the counter on some nights. I figured it beat harsh language.

Any bets on how long it takes for the first commenter to say "If'n my revolver's so obsole... obsolecs... obso-whatever, why don't you stand over there and let me shoot it at you?" Hey, a Model A is obsolescent, but I wouldn't bet you couldn't drive one to New York.

64 comments:

Pakkinpoppa said...

A percussion Colt Navy replica works much better than harsh language. Has better range than a sharp stick.

Secret Code: 864 oConvng

Must have detected my "part" Irish.

Goober said...

Woods guns. I love it. Really there are two reasons I like my revolvers:

1.) They come in flavors you can't typically get in an autoloader unless you want to buy a deagle (which I don't. ) my 44 comes with me when I go to grizzly country because I don't feel right shooting griz with a 40 s&w.(not that I'm under any delusion that eeither will be all that effective against a pissed off sow, but carrying long guns while fly-fishing ain't that practical.

2.) For folks less comfortable with guns, they have a super easy malfunction drill. If she don't go boom, pull the trigger again.

Other than that, they are sort of like bolt action rifles. Still useful, still relevant, but definitely eclipsed by more modern technology.

bluesun said...

If I carry a revolver, it's because I like my revolver, and if I carry a semi it's because I like it. No other reason.

Which is basically what Caleb was saying anyway.

Mike Gallo said...

I've always been offended by the idea that "reductio ad absurdum" is somehow a real fallacy. It is one of the most useful ways to point out the error in someone elses process of reasoning, just as you have demonstrated here.

Tam said...

bluesun,

Y'know, I don't even particularly like my carry gun...

Boat Guy said...

"eclipsed"? Dunno.
While I certainly see Tam's point of "more and faster equals better" it boils down to "best tool for the job" and Tam notes one of the most important "niches" that wheelguns fill - the "woods" aka "defense against quadrupeds". Other than cougar, I would not be happy engaging critters with any of my self-loaders to include my 10mm. Carrying long guns while working buffalo isn't practical either so a 4" Redhawk with heavy solids is the next best thing.

staghounds said...

When I lived in New York, there was a short barreled 1860 Army on the night stand.

Tam said...

staghounds,

Beats harsh language, alright. :)

Tam said...

(Heck, for a very specific set of reasons, there is a concealed 2" stainless K-frame within reach when I sleep to this day...)

Angus McThag said...

I don't remember which blog commenting on this topic had a commenter stating that if revolvers were obsolete, they'd be cheaper.

blinkblink

I'll just go get my bargain basement Borchardt or Luger then?

The semi-auto has definitely supplanted the revolver, but it hasn't completely replaced it yet.

I wonder how much gnashing of teeth about this stems from people feeling that every gun they own must have a legitimate practical application; rather than just admit they're toys.

TV Norn said...

I spent most of the '80s conducting 'transition training' cops from 'volvers to semis, and consistently found that performance went up, almost across the board. IIRC, Ayoob said that 'accuracy under stress' improved when folks went to semis, which matches my experience...

Gewehr98 said...

Can't we all just get along?

(I switch between packing my 3" 696, Kahr K9, and Caspian Officer's ACP on a regular basis, myself...)

All good things to have until you can get to your rifle!

Scott J said...

I still say they're elegant weapons for a more civilized age :)

Matt G said...

Besides your mate and your job and your style of dress, there is virtually nothing more personal than your preference in handgun. Nothing.

I can't imagine telling a person that they are nuts for wanting to pick a mate who is blond/brunette/redhead, and thinks overalls and button-down shirts are stylish.

Tam said...

I can't imagine telling somebody they were nuts for their choice of handgun, Matt, so I didn't. Neither did Caleb, actually. I do find the fact that people infer that to be amusing though. ;)

Comrade Misfit said...

Maybe I'm just the odd duck, here. But when I shoot PPC matches at my club, I shoot high-expert with a stock 4" Model 10 and master with a stock 6" Model 19.

With a 1911 and a M92, I haven't shot above high marksman or low sharpshooter.

Weer'd Beard said...

I've really taken a shine to my LCR .357, and do carry it. But for most days I pack a 1911 or my Kahr just because they're better.

And hell the 1911 is pretty old fashioned...but I like having a nice thin gun against my ribs than say a slightly fatter M&P which in all other senses is a better gun.

Also the Assholes in Massachusetts will LET me buy big-boy 1911 magazines....even the mags for my M&P Compact are neutered...

So in other words I'm a pile of niche markets.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Of course everyone knows that revolvers are obsolete. They are a couple of centuries out of date (and style), for crying out loud.

So, in order to keep the economy going and to get with modern technology, I suggest all you revolver owners go to the local gunshop and buy a semi-auto pistol.

Then, ship that worthless, outdated and obsolete POS revolver to me. Regardless of caliber.

You'll feel much better after that. I guarantee it.

Actually, if you send your piece of garbage obsolete revolver to me FIRST, then you have two really good reasons to buy a modern up-to-date semi-auto pistol.

Stuart the Viking said...

Many years ago I had an old friend who worked in a little gun shop on the wrong side of the tracks. He used to tell me that he sold a LOT of replica percussion pistols to people who were no longer allowed to own the "real thing" for various legal reasons, but still needed protection. He didn't sell them to just anybody, he lived in that neighborhood and had a good idea of who was who.

s

Frank W. James said...

I carry a revolver simply because I LIKE them and I TRUST them, but then I'm an old guy.

As for the qualification scores going up when officers and departments transitioned to auto-loaders from wheel guns, there is one small point that everyone conveniently forgets to mention:

And I don't know about other jurisdictions, but in Indiana back when we had wheelguns the mandated police qualification course required 6 rounds at 50 yards as part of the qualification.

AFTER auto-loaders became standard throughout the state of Indiana the 6 rds at 50 yards requirement was removed with 25 yards being the greatest distance.

Now then I can tell you for a fact that having to shoot only 25 yards at the farest distance versus 50 yards made a BIG improvement in the overall aggregate scores both on the individual level and for the departments.

So Yeah, officially, their scores have gone up since they transitioned to auto-loaders, but you are NOT comparing apples to apples...

All The Best,
Frank W. James

Critter said...

so, my Tokarev is fashionable again? kewl. :)

Glen Filthie said...

I bought one of those Uberti 1860 repro's awhile back. I have probably sold more of them than YOU have Tam!

They stink to hell, they are deadly accurate, and after 6 quick ones they get damnably hot. You have to get aftermarket nipples or the caps fall off, you need to fab a taller front site or aim a foot low...but I'll be damned if I can find anything wrong with the gun!

Can't put my finger on it, but there is something intrinsically more fun and satisfying in shooting a tight group with the old stinker than with a tricked out 1911. Killin' hobgoblins should be as much fun too!

Tam said...

Frank,

True, but all my experience agrees that most un- or moderately-trained shooters do better with a shorter, lighter trigger.

Personally? I feel more confident on low-percentage targets with a good DA wheelgun trigger. If I'm shooting tiny metal chickens at 25 yards, give me a K-22 Target over just about any other handgun out there. :)

Frank W. James said...

Tam; I agree with the basic contention that neophyte shooters do better at SHORTER ranges with auto-loaders vs. revolvers, but in talking to the 'aged' instructors out at the academy in Plainfield way back when the reason the 50 yard requirement was dropped was because WHEN IT WAS INCLUDED AFTER THE AUTO-LOADER TRANSITIONS EVERYONE'S (except for the MASTERS) SCORES DROPPED!!

(Which kinda put the lie to the legend that autoloaders brought the score UP!)

And the powers that be within the hierarchy of Indiana law enforcement some 15 to 20 years ago was NOT going to let THAT get out.

Next time you have a range session shoot a B-27 target at 50 yards with 6 rounds from your favorite wheelgun and then shoot 6 rounds from your self-protection autoloader and get back to me, huh?...

All The Best,
Frank W. James

Frank W. James said...

And Tam,

DON'T shoot 12, 18 or a box of shells for each.

Just Shoot SIX (6) ONLY of each and score the target after each set of 6.

Just the way we would on an aged police qualification course...

All The Best,
Frank W. James

Tam said...

Frank,

"Next time you have a range session shoot a B-27 target at 50 yards with 6 rounds from your favorite wheelgun and then shoot 6 rounds from your self-protection autoloader and get back to me, huh?..."

I just said, in the comment to which you are replying, that I prefer a DA revolver trigger on low percentage targets.

Then again, I've done almost all my >50yd handgun shooting with DA revolvers, so there's that...

Caleb said...

Since Caleb's livelihood is based on ginning up hits

A winnar is you.

Tam said...

:D

Windy Wilson said...

If I were to load, say, a Remington Model 1858, how much time could I reasonably expect to elapse on average before the charge became dangerously non-functional for use in a life-and-death emergency? I seem to recall Wild Bill Hickock reloaded his two cap-and-ball revolvers every day with new caps and powder. Is that still necessary today?

Matthew said...

Windy,

No, because Wild Bill has been dead since 1876.

-ba-dum-bump-

;)

Old NFO said...

You hit Caleb, er... the nail, on the head... And stirring the pot again. I'm an old fart and FWIW, I agree with Frank (and you), a good revolver trigger is a joy to shoot!

Sigivald said...

I did notice a lot of people over there missed that "obsolete" was only "in the context of a general self-defense gun for normal human needs".

Where he is 100% correct.

leaddog said...

Windy,

Black powder has 2 properties that make it important to always have fresh powder. It is very hygroscopic. The longer it sits in the chamber, the more moisture it absorbs. A day might not be too bad, depending on the humidity, but I would not bet my life on it. The other property is that as it absorbs water, it becomes very corrosive. That is another good reason to empty it and give it a quick cleaning. Also, firing 5 or 6 practice shots each day will keep the reflexes in tune at least a little.

My Ruger Old Army is pure fun to shoot!

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Being both lazy and cheap, I don't do any training. My revolver always goes bang when I pull the trigger (assuming it is loaded). Semis need both care and practice.

In dry storage is a stock Government 1911 I carried for years. Have no problem running 100 rounds through it in an afternoon. That is $100. The .44 Special starts hurting after 20 rounds. Three or four times a year I go out and prove to myself I can still hit what I need to hit.

Will said...

I suspect part of the problem for shooting handguns long range is the lack of ranges that allow handguns to be used. Most seem to be 25yd max. Probably got tired of people blowing away the target holders. I can shoot on a 40yd tin can range, but not allowed on the 100yd target range. Judging by the wall/ceiling hits at the indoor range, even 25 yds is too much for most handgun shooters!

Anonymous said...

Windy Grease the bullet nose with Crisco & Bees wax melted together, then varnish the caps onto the nipples(I use fingernail polish) , once waterproofed in this way I have carried any of my four C&B revolvers in the rain and still had them go BANG. I have one 1851 navy clone that I keep loaded for years at a time-It all ways go's off. Wild Bill re-loaded everyday because he used Army Surplus powder left over from the civil war, that and his army surplus caps were at best iffy. (it was common to have NONE of the caps in a full can fire)---Ray

Scott J said...

And since I can talk about me and be on topic :)

Here's the last time I ran a revolver in IDPA. This past February. Since I started shooting SSR in February 2011 I decided this year to shoot revolver that month every year. I spend most of my time running a 1911 these days.

This is my 2.5 inch 66-3 shooting cast lead at 140,000 power factor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpoCEEX6iEI

tweell said...

I'm surprised no one has pointed out a big advantage of the revolver over the semi-automatic pistol: brass. As a reloader, I am pleased to pour my used cartridges into a box with minimal trouble instead of hunting on hands and knees for those elusive shells. My youngest daughter prefers her revolver because brass won't get in tight areas to burn painfully (she swears that she can get brass there even wearing a turtleneck).

Ed said...

Revolvers are fine if you only need to fire five or six rounds. Semi-automatic pistols are preferred as they may have higher capacity, can be reloaded quicker, and magazines are easier to conceal than a speedloader.

You pray that you never need to fire the damn thing in anyplace other than a range, but you know in your heart that someday you might, and you fear that you will not have enough.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/New_York_reload

Kristophr said...

You realize that this rifling thingy is just a passing fad?

Tactical trade guns FTW.

Joe in PNG said...

Regarding the 50 yard challange, my current collection of wheelie guns is a Mod 36 and an old Top Break Lemon squeezer .38 S&W. I'm pretty confident that I'd get more hits on target with the M&PC auto chucker.

Matt said...

I do agree that compared to even a single stack auto pistols,revolvers,are,obselecent. Not obsolete, just getting there. My 4 cylinder old Nissan truck is obselecent as well, especially compared to a hybrid SUV. Still meets my needs and gets the job done. Last time I needed a sidearm for defense it was a .380acp Bersa. Not a big improvement over a six shot .357, and modern even though based on a 1930s Walter design. That morning the last thing I was concerned about was whether or not my handgun was modern enough.

mustanger said...

"You realize that this rifling thingy is just a passing fad?

Tactical trade guns FTW.

9:55 PM, October 17, 2013"

So is self-contained cartridges.

mustanger said...

"Regarding the 50 yard challange, my current collection of wheelie guns is a Mod 36 and an old Top Break Lemon squeezer .38 S&W. I'm pretty confident that I'd get more hits on target with the M&PC auto chucker.

10:47 PM, October 17, 2013"

I recall Bob Munden on tv shooting balloons at 200yds with a S&W .38spl 2". He said if you're steady enough, the guns are mechanically capable.

Regarding the .38S&W cartridge, the Brits call it .38-200 (.38cal, 200gr lead flat nose bullet) or the .380Revolver cartridge. From what I've read different places, the London Metropolitan Police have historically used handguns for situations and distances where we think of using rifles.

Joe in PNG said...

But have you seen the rear sight on an old lemon squeezer... check that, almost nobody can see the rear sight on an old .38 S&W top break lemon squeezer.

Greg Tag said...

Interesting thread. Since I just got a copy of Grant Cunningham's book "The Defensive Revolver" I find it interesting to see this discussion.

I think some folks have missed the point - guns are tools. My choice of carry guns is a 1911 or a Colt Detective Special; sometimes a full size Springfield XDm 9. Each is chosen at certain times for certain utility.

The revolver has some advantages and some disadvantages.

Advantages

1) It works every time "six for sure".

2) If you get bad ammo and a "click", simply pull the trigger again.

3) The manual of arms is simple - it is easy to operate - to make it go bang, pull the trigger

4) Even a novice can determine whether loaded or not - if there is stuff in the little holes in the cylinder, its loaded. If not, it is not.

5) A reload is intuitively obvious, and requires no separate part to run, and do so effectively, merely ammo.

6) A revolver will digest ALMOST ANY ammo you can stuff in it. Mixing brands, bullet weights, bullet shapes, even different cartridges ( .40 S & W in a 10mm, .38 SPL., .38 Long Colt, .38 Short Colt in a .357) has no effect on whether it will go bang.

7)Rudimentary safety and use training is simple and fast; a novice can learn and drill what they need to know about a revolver for a house or bedroom gun in a couple of hours; not so a Glock or other plastic fantastic or a 1911.

Disadvantages

1) Capacity - most fighting revolvers are 6 shot, a few manage 7 or 8. The most common carry revolvers have 5. Even small flat semi-autos in real calibers usually manage 5+1 capacity with a quick reload, some larger manage 12-15 or more.

2)Trigger - Little revolvers such as Smith J frame usually have as issued very heavy triggers and require practice to shoot well in DA. Larger revolvers fequently have much nicer triggers but arent as commonly used for carry. SA autoloaders win this hands down.

3) Operator Maintenance - Most revolver issues cannot be fixed at operator level.

4) Gunsmith repair-Auto pistol is hands down winner -Revolversmithing is not as straightforward as working on autos; many modern autos can be fixed with easy drop in solutions. Finding someone to work on a revolver is sometimes a chore, particularly Colt.

Bottom line is the utility of the tool is determined by user needs.

For someone who is not a gun hobbyist, who will visit the range one time a year, and who needs reliability and ease of use, the revolver is hands down the better choice.

For the gun afficionado, former cop or soldier, or the citizen who has the need or desire for cutting edge defensive weaponry, the modern semi-auto is likely the preferred option. The semi-auto option comes at a price, however. The difference is that it requires interest and commitment and continued practice to become and remain an effective operator of the more complex machinery.

My college student daughter put it in perspective. She chooses a Colt Diamondback as a house gun. She is experienced with the 1911, the Glock, and the SiG. Asked why the revolver, she replied " it's simple - I just line up the sights and squeeze the trigger". No fuss, no muss, no slide rack, no immediate action drill, no tap, rack, shoot, no magazine failures.

The power grinder did not "obsolete" the hand held mill file.

Regards

GKT






Tam said...

I should try out some o' them 'revolver' things and see for myself. ;)

EgregiousCharles said...

It is tiring to hear you Children speaking ill of my Flintlock. It is Simple to operate, and requires no rare Chymicals. I may manufacture my own Powder and Ball, and to fire requires but a suitable Rock. Moreover, the Cloud of Smoke engendered suffices to cover an Escape, or provides time to draw Steel. More still, the tiny Bore of present Pistols provides no Confidence. Do not attend a Gunfight with a handgun whose Calibre does not start with a "6." And also a Sword.

Spud said...

I hunt with a 454 in a shoulder rig.
I protect myself with a hip mounted 45 ACP.
Have confidence, just carry both !

Brad K. said...

""Oh, Tam!" you say, .. Besides, how did they survive carrying revolvers for so long if they sucked so badly?""

Um. They "survived", maybe, because the revolvers were available, and semi (or auto) guns and parts were not.

It seems to me that some folks apparently survived before revolvers, and even possibly before Obamacare. That doesn't sound like a prescription for most of us, today.


"Hey, a flintlock pistol will still . . , but you don't see many people carrying one."

. . And yet, Muzzleloader Builders Supply still sells kits to build your own muzzleloader pistol (or Kentucky style rifle).

There is a point that keeping a wood-handled broom (or stick) next to the door can be useful . . if you know how to use it.

wv: 1973 testiclt

Anonymous said...

Matt said it best but EgregiousCharles was priceless. Tam, the hits thing seemed to work for you too. As always, thank you as I learned something new.

ASM826 said...

Obsolete is the word I'm stumbling over.

I can agree that they are an older design and that modern autoloaders are a newer design. I can get behind all the reasons people choose to carry autoloaders (capacity, ease of reloads, etc.)

But obsolete? Not yet. Not in the way that flintlock pistols are obsolete. Not in the meaning of the word. Because they are mass produced and they are regularly used.

ob·so·lete
ˌäbsəˈlēt/
adjective
adjective: obsolete

1.no longer produced or used; out of date.
"the disposal of old and obsolete machinery"

mikee said...

I was going to post as "Trog" and point out the viability of the fire-hardened pointy stick, but Brad above beat me to it with the broomstick, and Trog can't write as well as EgCharles.

So here: There has never been and likely never will be again a firearm as svelte, functional and fun as the Colt Model 1903 Hammerless. It came on the scene just five short years after the epitome of revolver cartridge design, the .38 Special, which transitioned handguns from black powder to smokeless propellants.

Both are now obsolescent. I still enjoy both.

Even Trog would like them both, but he'd likely carry a Glock 19 or a 1911.

Bob G said...

For a walk in my neighborhood yesterday, I just tucked a Ruger New Vaquero (.45 Colt) in my waistband, under my t-shirt. With a 140-year-old caliber and an antiquated design, it's a wonder I survived to make it back home!

I'm more likely to meet an aggressive deer or a family of raccoons while outside than a troublesome bipedal creature, so that .45 Colt starts sounding better and better.

Bob

Anonymous said...

"Y'know, I don't even particularly like my carry gun..."

That statement should be the basis of a new topic, especially considering the amount of ego usually invested in the selection of a particular make/model/caliber.

global village idiot said...

The man who convinced me to get an auto pistol in favor of the Model 15 I carried for a long time was a blogger/preparedness writer from Argentina. Went by name of FerFAL on various boards.

His experience and that of others in Argentina's economic collapse was unarguable, and I'll take plain recitation of dry fact over the loftiest recitation of pure reason any day of the week.

So I got a Hi-Power at the suggestion of my Lodge Secretary. It's what I carry.

My Model 15 is a good gun. I love shooting it. My Browning Hi-Power is a good gun too and I like shooting it.

There's shooting for pleasure and shooting for a reason. I enjoy shooting my rifles and I'm pretty good at it. Not great, mind, but good. It's pure zen with me. Shooting rifles means I'm not thinking about the checkbook or personal dramas or anything - the entire universe shrinks to the rear sight, the front sight, the target and the fundamentals.

But I own a shotgun "for when those unexpected guests show up" and a revolver for when I'm out and about. Both, in my area, have greater utility than my rifle. I don't particularly enjoy shooting either - certainly when compared with shooting the rifle - but I get as good as I can so if the need arises, I know which end the lead comes out of.

And Tam knows what my first carry gun was (still haven't found someone willing to re-bore).

gvi

Matthew said...

gvi,

It tickles me that you stepped "up" from an obsolescent revolver to the pinnacle of 1930's technology. =)

RevolverRob said...

I like old things. Revolvers, balisong knives, Italian switchblades, air-cooled motorcycles, rear wheel drive cars without ABS, and fossils.

Shockingly enough, technology has not completely avoided the revolver, just like ABS is now standard on motorcycles. Last time I checked, my most carried gun, was made of stainless steel and aircraft grade aluminum, was fitted with night sights, a decidedly 21st century set of Crimson Trace Laser Grips, and was chambered in a suitable defensive cartridge. And the reality is, it has a round thing in the middle holding five rounds, instead of a flat thing that slaps in the bottom. I tried replacing it with a flat sided pistol with the same specifications but found it didn't fit in my pocket as well and as such wasn't nearly as useful. It also cost me nearly twice as much.

So I would have to disagree with Caleb and you here in the comments about the line, "but there’s just nothing a wheelgun can do for general self-defense that can’t be done better with a semi-auto pistol" If the revolver is easier to carry and therefore more likely to be carried, it can do something a semi-auto sitting at home can't do...be used to defend my life outside of my home. And since that's the whole point of general self-defense guns...well we can agree to disagree.

All of that said, I find these "obsolescence" arguments entertaining. Hand craftsmanship is also obsolete when compared to CNC machines aided by AutoCad. Yet craftsman who build bespoke products, by hand, one at a time, aren't having a problem selling them. Despite obsolescent technology, skills, and design...

-Rob



Tam said...

RevolverRob,

I agree that an Airweight J is still the berries for coat pocket carry. I said so in my post and carry one myself. Where you and I disagree there is whether that's "general self defense".

For me, a J in a purse or coat pocket is a supplement to the service sized auto on the belt under the coat. If a pocket gun is all somebody can carry due to a non-permissive environment or whatever, then that's all they can carry, and we're back to the category of "it beats a handful of nothing". :)

RevolverRob said...

Tam,

If that is the case. Then you can follow that train of thought to a logical conclusion. The J-Frame supplements the full-size handgun. The full-size handgun supplements the shotgun. The shotgun supplements the rifle. The rifle supplements the squad level machine gun. The squad level machine gun supplements the heavy machine gun. The heavy machine guns supplements the artillery. Of course the artillery supplements the Air, Naval, and ground superiority of planes, tanks, and atom bombs.

So...by that token the key pin in the system is the J-Frame. Therefore not obsolete. :)

Or we might be seeing different sides of the same coin. Ultimately though, it's merely a matter of preference, determined by a personal assessment.


-Rob

NotClauswitz said...

Operators always carried at least two flintlocks and sometimes a third (or more) baby-flintlock in the boot.
But the guy with the wheelock in his pants shot his weenie when he tried to show-off for his GF in the castle.

EgregiousCharles said...

My opinion on revolvers vs. semi-autos firmed up when I laid my 3" barrel Ruger SP101 on top of my Glock 29. The 29 is about the same height and length, flatter, lighter, fires a more powerful cartridge (full-power 10mm vs. .357 Mag), holds 11 rounds instead of 5, has a longer barrel with less flash due to no cylinder gap, longer sight radius, and easier trigger.

Given guns of the same general size and weight and purpose, those advantages (except lightness) are inherent to the design differences. Semi-auto is just a superior design. (Some of the lightness is due to the plastic frame).

However, just this evening I was carrying a revolver, a 2" barrel aluminum-alloy S&W 340PD in .357. Not because semi-autos can't be made that will beat that in the same size; but because I don't personally have one. So in that way, it's not obsolescent for me yet.

Anonymous said...

But my wife can't operate the superior 'new' technology.

She can't work the slide (safely at least)on any semi-auto I own. Maybe she could if she REALLY worked hard to improve her strength and technique - but she is not going to make that effort.

So, for her the revolver is still state of the art. And in all likelihood if she ever does need it it will likely serve her needs. That is hardly obsolete.

And she is not the only woman I know who can't use a semi-auto.

For that matter as we age, even we men may become too weak to use a semi-auto.

In such case a revolver will still be quite usefull.