Something unusual at the range

[Oysterboy]

I've made lots of trips to the range when I remembered this guy shooting a cap&ball revolver there and I realized something, I haven't seen anyone shooting a revolver there beside this history buff. They all were shooting autoloaders. I find that strange.

[dyl]

That's the trend.

Just go back out to the menu of the whole forum and see how many are viewing semi-auto vs. how many are viewing revolver at any given time.

Just once I'd like to see more people viewing the revolver section. But then that would probably mean it's near the end times!

[arch308]

I like the reactions when I pull out my .357 or hot loaded 45 Colt. Most of the younguns don't know what to make of them.

[Chris_B]

My 74 year old father shot his C&B 1851 Navy better than this, the first time he handled it. I still think I shot OK. What surprises people is that these things are actually quite accurate once you understand the sights; they aren't smoothbore but that seems to be the assumption

That flyer still sticks in my craw. C&B is fun, but it does take 5 minutes to load the cylinder

[RickB]

I remember reading an account by the Marquis de Fountainbleau, wondering why, on a range trip in 1719, there were no matchlocks on the firing line . . .

[Sulaco2]

I have just recently gotten back into wheel guns. Picked up a .357 Mod 66 S&W and a Charter Arms Undercover .38 both guns I carried for a time as a young cop back around 1978. I think Colt Det Spls and Cobra's are fine investments. Not giving up my Browning Hi Power in .40 S&W but I keep an eye out for fine revolvers at the gun shows...

[OkieCruffler]

I shoot about 3 times a week at my local indoor range. It's very seldom that I see a wheelgun other than my own.

[Walklightly]

Dude, it's 2012! Do still make revolver's?

[kraigwy]

Dude, it's 2012! Do still make revolver's?

Kids

[Shadi Khalil]

The range I frequent is pretty much the same deal. All Glocks, XD's and Ruger .22's. The gun selection at the range, which is limited and way over priced, is pretty much the same. These days I might run a mag or two through my carry auto (which I rarely carry) just for function and familiarity but other than that I mainly shoot my revolvers.

I feel like I get more out of my range time when I shoot my revolvers, especially my Vaquero. When I used to shoot strictly autos, my ammo would be gone before the hour is up.

[jhenry]

I had an old coworker out to my place some years back. I deer hunted with him many times. We went out back to shoot and he wanted to try a Cimmaron SAA I had so I handed him the pistol and a box of ammunition. He didn't even know how to load it. I found that very odd.

I have been to the range and had folks, kids really, stand around and watch me shoot .41's and .44's.

The world is getting stranger and stranger.

[dev_null]

So people are buying up SP-101's and GP-100's but not taking them to the range?

[coldbeer]

I noticed the same thing, nobody brings their revolvers to the range anymore. It's all 40's, 45's and 9's in that order. I've seen a couple 22 revolvers and that's been about it. I feel like a redheaded step child shooting my 357.

[Old Grump]

Maybe you guys go to the wrong range. After I mowed but before the rain came I broke out these. I shot the 2 BP guns Ruger Old Army and Walker and the 22 at 25 yards. The .357 using 38 spcl target loads at 50 yards and the 41 and 44 mag at a 5 gallon bucket at 100 yards. The Walker is brand new the Ruger about 10 years and the rest from 20 to 46 years old. Yes indeed some of us still shoot revolvers and yes Dudley Dudenik some of us carry them and shoot them and they make more of them every day for people smart enough to appreciate quality and reliability.

[Oysterboy]

Nice collection OG.

[Pilot]

Sadly, I only have a few revolvers left in my collection of handguns which is mostly autoloaders. I like the grip of autos better than revolvers, and I tend to shoot them more accurately. When I do shoot a revolver it is typically my USFA SAA.

[Patrice]

.....

[carprivershooter]

I like to try and assortment of guns when I go to the range. I take a 45 acp, a XD 9 my S&W Model 60 3" barrel and my S&W 686 4" barrel. Or my 45 colt or 44 mag, I I shoot inside I can only shoot 44 cal no mags inside. I also think spend more time at the range when I am shooting my revolvers. My wife thinks I don't spend enough time at the range. I think retirement isn't for her. If the rain stops I just may go shoot (that has been suggested).

[BillyBeards]

I am new to shooting but I feel I have seen the same thing. I only have two handguns, a Glock 26 and S&W M64 I always bring both when I go to the indoor range and now that I think of it I don't remember seeing anyone else with a revolver when I've been.
I do tend to shoot the Glock 9mm more because of the price of ammo. If .38sp was cheaper I would shoot it more. Hands down I like my revolver better.
I usually shoot in a IDPA style course once a week and can only remember seeing one guy shooting with a revolver. I just got a holster today, mine will be coming out soon.

[Gdawgs]

I have shot a Ruger Old Army a few times, and I think it is one of the funnest handguns to shoot. Loading it up is half the fun.

[Pianoguy]

The only guys I've seen with revolvers have been older (60+ at least). A few younger people (men and women) are trying out 642's for CC but I don't think any of them have owned them like I do. A surprising number had big revolvers in the CC class I took but I've never seen them again. I have an 1873 Colt SAA (Uberti) that I shoot some, the only SA revolver I've seen there yet. I'd like to bring in an old cap and ball revolver (not sure if you can use them without black powder which they don't allow at my range, though). between shooting and loading maybe get in 15 rounds! But they are fun compared to boring old semi's.

[Newton24b]

its not unusual at all. every gunstore ive ever gone to pushes semi autos. seriously.

its a profit thing for the store, if you sell a gun that has a 15-20 round magazine, and your can sucker them into buying a 30 dollar box of ammo that only holds 15-20 rounds,,,, you make big money in ammo sales.

[ac700wildcat]

I see a pretty good mixture of revolvers and semi-autos at my range. There are generally older guys at my range though. I'd guess that most of the guys in my gun club are in their late forties and older. I'm 30 and appreciate a good wheel gun. I usually take my 357 Blackhawk with me on every trip. I showed some interest in a guys cap and ball revolver one time at the range and he was nice enough to load a cylinder and let me shoot it. It was pretty fun and I shot it well. Actually I shot it better than the owner even.

[603Country]

Just from informal observation at gun shops and from forum discussions, it appears that the general mood is that more bullets are a good thing, therefore semi's with big magazines are better than 6 shot revolvers. It's all about firepower and I guess that more is better in this day and age. Dirty Harry had to worry about his bullet count, but today's actors apparently have 50 or 100 round mags. I used to think that a fellow should only need one or two rounds, and by then he'd know if he had won or lost. These days I'm not sure that's right. So is it best to spray and pray or to make the first one count? Probably it's the latter, but having 15 more rounds left can't hurt.

[Tom Servo]

Many new shooters start on automatics because that's what they've seen in the fictional media, or because someone told them they were defenseless without 15 rounds on tap. They won't even consider revolvers.

Most new shooters come and go, but a small percentage stick around and improve. Sooner or later, they're convinced that they need a good revolver to round out the collection. Most take to it quite quickly and end up being big fans.

I see people of all ages shooting all sorts of things, but the revolver still has its place.