Pistols vs. Revolvers: History, Aesthetic, and Use Cases

Introduction to Pistols

Walking into a gun store you’ll almost always see two sections for pistols on display – an area for semi-automatics and for revolvers. Semi autos and revolvers are two common dividing types of firearms that have played significant roles in history and continue to be almost as relevant and prolific today. By understanding the different features and characteristics of semi-autos and revolvers, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions when choosing to buy a firearm.

Topics covered:

• History
• Action Type(s): Functions and Mechanisms
• Ammunition Capacity
• Common Uses
• How to Choose
• Summary

Historical Background of Pistols

With advancements made in modern technology, firearms have evolved over centuries. When we can better understand their history, we can draw on how we’ve gotten to where we are now. Pistols, as we know them today, can be traced back to the 16th century – originally in Europe. It wasn’t until 1831 that Samuel Colt had the concept to create a multi-shot, rotating revolver (source). If you are a history buff, recommend reading “Revolver: Sam Colt and the Six-Shooter That Changed America” by Jim Rasenberger. Within the book, early chapters describe how Sam Colt’s involvement throughout the Industrial Revolution and his time working around mills as a native in Hartford, Connecticut exposed him to the thought that things run like cogs. Wheels, cogs, and gears is what production was made of.

Common names for revolvers:

• Six-gun
• Wheelgun
• Six-shooter

Jumping ahead a few decades and the world is introduced to the semi-automatic pistol in 1891 – a design with a larger caliber, high capacity, locked breech design. The semi-auto was groundbreaking in the fact that it had the ability to feed, fire, extract, and eject all within a singular cycle.

Action Types: Function and Mechanism

• Revolvers: Revolvers utilize a revolving cylinder that have individual chambers. These chambers hold multiple rounds and rotate to align the chamber with the barrel, providing a fresh round with each trigger pull.
  • Single-action: Think one action. The trigger performs a single action – which is to releasing the hammer. The hammer needs to be manually cocked for each shot. Because the only action performed is to pull the trigger, the trigger pull weight is relatively weight at 3-6 lbs of pressure required to fully engage the trigger.
    • Most often, single action revolvers are identified based on the loading gate that covers the open chamber.
  • Double action: Think two actions. The trigger performs two tasks to cock and release the hammer. Because pulling the trigger also needs to engage the mechanism to move the cylinder and cock the hammer, the trigger pull weight can be anywhere from 10-15 lbs.
    • Double actions are visually different because they have a cylinder release latch that allows the cylinder to swing out – giving the shooter a chance to load and unload each chamber more easily.
    • Some double actions can only be fired in double-action mode. These usually have an internal hammer where’s no external hammer to pull down. Also, there are double action revolvers that could be fired in single action mode also. The only difference is if you cock the hammer, then there’s only one action left – to pull the trigger.
• Semi-automatic: Semi-autos utilize a recoil-operated spring mechanism, where energy from the fired round cycles the action. Within that cycling process, it ejects the spent casing, feeds in a new cartridge from the magazine, and loads that new round into the chamber. Semi-autos are called semi-autos because one trigger pull fires one cartridge. Fully-automatic pistols have the mechanisms to handle one trigger pull firing multiple rounds.

Differences in Ammunition Capacity

A key differentiating factor between semi-auto pistols and revolvers is their ability to carry multiple rounds. Semi-autos feature a magazine that can hold a larger number of rounds, ranging from 10 to 20+ rounds depending on the model. Reloading is relatively quick because you can swap out entire magazines. In contrast, revolvers have a cylinder that holds fewer rounds, commonly ranging from 5 to 8 chambers. The capacity can change some – but most common are six-chambered cylinders, aka the name “six-shooter.” Reloading a revolver involves individually loading each chamber with new rounds, making it a slower process. This slow process can be advantageous for new shooters who should pause and rest between rounds.

Popularity and Usage

Semi-autos are more common today mainly because of their higher ammunition capacity, ease of reloading, variety based on size, color, grip, and weight. They are commonly used by military, law enforcement, and civilians for self-defense, sport shooting, and concealed carry. For personal protection these are also usually preferred because they can be easily concealed but you don’t have to sacrifice carrying capacity. Despite the dominance of semi-autos, revolvers still hold their place. Those who favor revolvers always credit their reliability and simplicity. There’s overall fewer parts, there’s no slide to rack, no magazine to carry around.

Choosing Between a Semi-Auto and a Revolver

Like with most purchases, there are several factors that will influence your decision between a semi-autos and a revolver. Some considerations include:

• Intended use
• Aesthetics
• Carrying capacity
• Availability of ammunition
• Availability of after-market additions like lasers, flashlights, etc.
• Reliability requirements
• Concealability
• Ease of operation

People often prefer semi-auto pistols for their higher capacity and rapid ability to reload new magazines which make them suitable for situations that require a larger number of rounds. Revolvers, with their inherent reliability and simplicity, are often superior when dependability is crucial – like remote areas where getting new parts is limited or in harsh environments.

Summary

The advancements in pistols isn’t going anywhere. After-market additions on revolvers are becoming more common. There’s even new(er) models like the Girsan MC 14T Tip-Up™ semi-auto pistol that gets rid of the slide entirely. With the tip-up style, it can be a great option for those with joint and grip concerns.

Semi-autos and revolvers, with their distinct histories, mechanisms, and use cases, will continue to coexist next to each other on shelves. Choosing between the two action types will depend on personal preferences, intended use, and specific requirements. Knowing the strengths and limitations of each action type will empower you to find the right firearm for you.