Revolvers

If you’re in an extreme environment where sand, dirt, rain, snow, or ice could affect the performance of a handgun, you can’t go wrong with a revolver. This proven design has been around almost two hundred years and remains a favorite.

People still use revolvers due to their simplicity of design. Fewer moving parts mean fewer chances at a breakdown. Revolvers are available in a wider variety of calibers than pistols, and the upper-end cartridges pack tremendous power.

Guides don’t carry pistols as a backup weapon but pack .44 Magnum or .460 Casul revolvers in Alaska, Wyoming, and Montana when bears can be a threat.

Put enough time in at the range, and you’ll be able to fire a revolver nearly as fast as a semi-automatic pistol whether fanning with a single-action or pulling a light triggered double-action revolver.

Revolvers continue to be popular for self-defense, range shooting, and in heavy calibers, as a backup weapon for big game hunters.

Revolvers come in just two action styles, either single or double action. In a single-action revolver, you must pull the hammer back manually to cock the gun and to advance a shell in the cylinder. With double action, you just pull the trigger and the hammer rolls into firing position while the cylinder advances.

In a single action, the trigger only fires the revolver. In a double-action, it has two functions, with the second firing. Action shooters prefer the single-action since they can “fan” the hammer and pull the trigger much faster than a double-action. Both styles can be adjusted to have very light trigger pulls.

Single-action revolvers require an external hammer, double action can have either an exposed hammer or a concealed one, making them a better choice for concealed carry. Many modern double-action revolvers allow the user to operate in either single or double-action mode with the flipping of an external lever.

The Smith and Wesson .38 Special was the favorite of police and military for decades and continues to be popular in the more powerful .357 Magnum.

It’s hard to beat the Ruger Blackhawk in .357 or .44 Magnum, this is simply a classic revolver with straight lines, style and extreme reliability and accuracy. Ruger also offers the LCR, with a compact 2.25-inch barrel, is an ideal concealed-carry handgun. The LCR acronym “Lightweight Compact Revolver” doesn’t mean it does not have the punch of larger models. Ruger’s GP100 in .357 Magnum has a seven-shot cylinder while the SP101 in .357 Mag has a five-shot cylinder.

Smith & Wesson is a mainstay of American culture. The 642 and 629 Models both offer stainless steel construction. The 642 is small, and light, ideal for concealed carry. In 38 Special it offers a five-round cylinder. The 629, chambered with six hard-hitting .44 Magnum rounds is popular as a backup weapon for hunting guides, and a favorite in handgun shooting competitions.

Taurus offers the Model 85 and corners a niche market with “The Judge.” The Model 85 is an excellent choice for personal protection. It’s five-round 38 Special capacity is ample for close encounters. The Judge is a gun enthusiast's handgun. Chambered to fire either the powerful .45 Long Colt or the even more impressive .410 shotgun shell it’s a hybrid revolver that has captured the imagination of the shooting and personal protection world.