10 reasons why revolvers are still in

The revolver is a weapon that many of us nostalgically associate with the Wild West era, or with the shooting duels of gentlemen from around the same time. Although these mostly six-shot handguns have been pushed into the background by semi-automatic pistols, they are still in the game and sell well today. What makes them so attractive to shooters and why they are a good choice for beginners, we will discuss in this article.

Almost 200 years with us

Revolvers have been with us for almost two centuries. In 1836, this type of weapon with a rotating cylinder for cartridges (magazine) was patented by Samuel Colt, although to be precise, he was not the inventor himself – that was Colt's gunsmith John Pearson.

A revolver can be defined as "a repeating handgun with a rotating cylinder that serves as a magazine, and usually six (or five, or eight or more) chambers for cartridges". Manually cocking the hammer of the revolver rotates the cylinder, in which case we speak of a so-called single action revolver. If the cocking is done by pressing the trigger itself, it is a double action revolver.

Below, let's look at the reasons why revolvers are still relevant handguns. These reasons can be divided into practical, stylish/nostalgic and tactical/sporting.

Thanks to simpler mechanics, revolvers are less prone to failures, jamming and malfunctions.

Practical reasons

Let's start with the practical ones, which should always prevail when choosing a weapon. After all, we should choose a weapon with reason and not with emotions.

1) Revolvers are reliable and simple

Revolvers do not have as many parts that could potentially break, as semi-automatic pistols do. Simply because revolvers have simpler mechanics and fewer moving parts. Thanks to this, they are less prone to failures, jamming and various malfunctions.

A simpler design also means easier use. Situations in which a weapon needs to be used are often stressful, and the fewer actions we need to perform before shooting, the better. As we have already said, with a loaded revolver, all you need to do is pull the hammer or pull the trigger. No cocking the slide or examining how the safety works.

2) Revolvers are suitable for self-defense

The above is also related to the suitability of using revolvers for self-defense. The more activities you have to perform before shooting, the greater the chance that you or your weapon will fail. In addition, modern revolvers look quite massive and command respect.

Thanks to their construction, revolvers can withstand even stronger calibers.

3) Revolvers are durable

The durable construction makes a revolver a weapon suitable for even more demanding conditions. For example, sand and mud do disproportionately more damage to pistols. Even with a pistol stored for a long time, you have to disassemble and clean it relatively often. This does not affect revolvers with long storage. This is related to the fact that revolvers are easier to maintain, which further contributes to the comfort of their ownership and use.

4) Revolvers are available in stronger calibers

Thanks to their design, revolvers can withstand even stronger calibers. Easily .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum or .500 S&W Magnum. Semi-automatic pistols with such calibers would be quite impractical – not only because of their too large dimensions, but also due to the strong recoil.

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Stylish and nostalgic reasons

Although we have indicated that the rational component should prevail when buying a firearm, emotions still largely control the final decision. Primarily, the gun should be functional, but at the same time it should also look good.

5) Revolvers have tradition and an unmistakable design

The category of revolvers does not change much in terms of design, so for us, owning one or more pieces can be a return to history and tradition. The iconic look of revolvers is timeless and instantly recognizable. There is simply no denying the tradition dating back to the 19th century.

Owning a revolver is not just about shooting. These are weapons that have their own, unique character.

6) Revolvery jsou součástí popkultury

Movies and pop culture in general are full of revolvers, especially in genres such as westerns, action films or noir detective stories. We can hardly imagine an actor like Clint Eastwood without a Colt behind his belt. Revolvers simply have an irreplaceable place in the history of film weapons.

7) Revolvers have character

Owning a revolver is not just about shooting. These are weapons that have their own, unique character. When you hold a revolver in your hand, you suddenly feel a connection to history. After all, this is also why quality revolvers are often luxurious and collector's items and works of art of their own that can be passed down from generation to generation.

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Tactical and sporting reasons

The last category of reasons for purchasing a revolver are tactical and sporting reasons. That is why there are enough supporters of this type of weapon among sports shooters, but also police officers.

8) Revolvers are very accurate

Not just sports shooters will appreciate the high accuracy of revolvers, which is largely due to the solid slide and longer barrel. But also the lower perceived recoil of heavier calibers (compared to semi-automatic pistols).

9) Revolvers have diverse uses

The wide range of uses of these universal weapons includes, in addition to sports and tactical shooting, hunting or personal defense.

The advantage of revolving drums of revolvers is their low susceptibility to wear and failure.

10) Revolvers have minimal magazine problems

The advantage of revolving drums of revolvers is their low susceptibility to wear and failure compared to classic pistol magazines. This compensates for the lower capacity of the drums. Moreover, an experienced shooter with practice can load a revolver almost as quickly as a pistol.

In conclusion

As you can see, revolvers are still relevant weapons that have not yet been and probably will not be overtaken by more modern inventions. Simply because they have proven themselves over time – and we cannot deny them style and tradition. If you buy a quality revolver, it will work for you for a really long time with much less maintenance requirements than a standard semi-automatic pistol. And in addition, you will have a weapon that really looks good.

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