Why do we still use revolvers today if pistols can hold more ammo and shoot faster?
In: Physics
Revolvers have some benefits that semi-automatic pistols do not. One of those is a relatively simple action that is very reliable. Imagine for example that I was concerned about personal defense and wanted to slip a small pistol into my jacket pocket. There is no slide whipping around on top, I could fire the revolver from inside my jacket without fear of a jam. Simple, reliable action can be a big benefit.
Another benefit is that revolvers don’t need to feed the rounds through the grip so the shape isn’t limited by that. Someone with small hands wanting a decently sized round, or anyone wanting *big* rounds, wants a revolver.
Revolvers don’t throw spent shell casings around. There are a lot of reasons you might want to avoid this, including just limiting the evidence that might be used against you in a defensive shooting.
Finally revolvers cycle reliably regardless of the power behind the round. Semi-automatic pistols use the exhaust gasses of the previous round to cycle the next round into the chamber, and not all ammunition does that reliably. Spent casings can be caught in the action, low power rounds or even a weak grip can prevent fully cycling, and a round that fails to fire requires manually cycling the slide.
With a revolver the casings don’t go anywhere and can’t jam anything. A weak grip doesn’t stop anything, a round that fails to fire just doesn’t go off. All the shooter needs to do is pull the trigger again.
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