Revolver vs Automatic, What are the advantages? Options

[DrJest]

On the face of it, the automatic has all the advantages; clip size, rate of fire, reload time (although I realise speedloaders can make that distinction less noticeable).

So what are the advantages to using revolvers? I ask because I'm considering a gunslinger adept packing a revolver or maybe two, and although in-game the distinction is really not that big I am genuinely curious what the advantages would be IRL.

[Arethusa]

Reliability, lack of ejected casings, higher powered loads (especially in SA pistols) because of the lack of limited grip length, and personal preference.

[DrJest]

Cheers mate, I knew I could count on you guys :)

[hyzmarca]

Revolvers are cooler. Other that that, nothing. However, if you have more bullets than you have clips it is faster to reload a cylinder than it is to reload a clip.

It would probably be easier to justify your tricked out 10M burst fire revolver to a GM than a 10M burst fire autoloader, as well.

Remeber, if you rely on revolvers then a crazy cyber-ninja will eventually cut off your hand.

[DrJest]

[The Grifter]

Revolvers main strength is it's ease of use, reliability, and some models are able to accept multiple cartridge types. They are (typically) slower to reload than an autoloader, and carry less ammunition, but I know I would've taken my Taurus .45 revolver over the P.O.S. Beretta M9 I was issued in OIF any day of the week.

[SpasticTeapot]

I don't know jack about guns, but I do know that revolvers tend to be a bit harder to gum up or break than semi-automatic pistols. Let's face it; a basic revolver has maybe 10% the moving parts of a modern semi-automatic pistol, and most of them are pretty large. I also have little doubt that blowback and other such mechanisims work oddly under some circumstances; even if one had ammunition that did not require oxygen (or was VERY reactive), gas-based mechanisims will likely not function under the increased pressure.

[hyzmarca]

[Arethusa]

Revolvers don't have 10% the moving parts of an automatic. That is a gross overstatement. But more parts and more prone to catastrophic failure than an automatic is just as wrong. You're also confusing double action revolvers with all revolvers. Also, no ammunition requires oxygen. You can fire any modern cartidge in a vacuum, underwater, whatever. They may not be very useful that way and the gun being fired may or may not cycle (or even survive being fired), but any modern firearm will function in the absence of oxygen.

[The Grifter]

[lorthazar]

Ever seen a cylinder crack in half. Or a top strap disintegrate. I have seen both. not fun.

[Raygun]

That would almost certainly be the fault of whoever was putting the ammunition into the gun. Especially if they were handloading.

Fault count: Dumbass, 1. Gun, 0.

A modern Smith & Wesson double action revolver (686) has 80 parts. A Glock pistol (17) has 34 parts, including the magazine.

Revolvers are generally considered more reliable because A) they do not depend on the ammunition in any way to cycle to the next round, and B) generally speaking, more attention is paid to the function of the magazine (in this case, cylinder) during the design of the firearm. Revolvers cylinders are integral to the firearm, whereas box magazines are (often for the worse) considered more or less disposable. A good magazine makes a lot of difference.

[Krazy]

having used both I think one of the only advantages of the semi is that you can take your unused ammo with you, with a revolver a combat reload dumps good ammo on the ground that you may be able to go back and get. as far as anything else goes, I think that they are about even as far as reliability goes, (all other factors being equal) with speed loaders realoding is not hard and is very quick, but I still prefer a magazine, less things can go wrong

[The Grifter]

[FrostyNSO]

[Krazy]

yes tactical was what i meant as opposed to the "oh shit" reload. As far as problems with speedloaders, I had one dump on me during a fire course. not fun to have to still make the course while hand feeding spare rounds out of my pocket, granted that doesn't happen often, but the fact that it can, and is likely to happen the more the loaders get tossed around (mine were locked in a pouch, not just dropped in a pocket) isn't reasuring. and of course I wouldn't willingly go into a combat stuation with a mag that wasn't tested and tuned, IG I presume that some characters depending on background would have the background to make sure theat their gear was up to snuff.

[Grinder]

Personal preference, i guess. My chars prefer autmatics, like the good old desert eagle or the classical ares pred, but there are es well chars who chose revolvers.

[Raygun]

[Wounded Ronin]

[Wounded Ronin]

OK, I just had a thought.

If you're going with a gunslinger who uses two revolvers, why not go all the way and houserule in some blackpowder Colt Single Action Army revolvers?

I hear they're pretty accurate at, like, 50 feet, but I have never used one. They're still plenty dangerous to be shot by. I think Raygun has written up stats for them.

The best part, of course, is how you have to eject the casings singly before reloading. I sure hope you have quickness 6.

[Edward]

If your going as far back as black powder you may as well not bother against the body armour of the 2060s. they may have unusually good accuracy but penetrating power on black powder weapons was low compared to today and I always assume that by 2060 there has been another improvement (and improvements in armour also).

If your saying reasonably accurate at 50’ (17m) I am thinking that you could model a reproduction with modern ammunition as a heavy pistol with the extended barrel option.

Edward

[shadow_scholar]

While I'm not really adding to the topic, I had always wanted to make an old Gunslinger type character who used a pair of these:

Webley-Fosberry automatic revolver

edited to add: **WOOT!! I finally made "Moving Target"!

[Shadow]

In my personal experience (ie no scientific accuracy, or articles written by brains) I have noticed that Revolvers tend to be more accurate at long ranges and pack a bigger punch. I have also noticed that they are easier to "get on target" then a Automatic.

Having said that I vastly prefer automatics like the Walther P-22 and the Glock 20. Easily two of my favorite guns in the world. And neither have ever failed on me (after putting thousands of rounds through them).

I did have a SW .44 mag for a long time before some bastard who will rot in hell stole it. I loved it, but it would not be my combat weapon of choice.

[Wounded Ronin]

[Raygun]