The Colt Paterson wasn’t the first revolver, but the first successful one. Revolving designs existed well before the Colt Paterson, but it made the biggest impact. That was in 1836. Revolvers have evolved and changed, but there aren’t a lot of technologies from 1836 still kicking around, so why is the concealed carry revolver still kicking around?
Why the Concealed Carry Revolver Should Have Died (Theoretically)
By all accounts, the problems associated with revolvers should have been fixed by now. At this point, the revolver ought to be little more than a curiosity and novelty. Semi-automatics dominate the market and can offer you more ammo in a smaller package, so why haven’t guns like the S&W Shield, the P365, and more wiped the concealed carry revolver off the map?
I have five reasons why wheelguns persist in an era of small automatics.
1. Easy To Conceal
Sure, semi-autos are often smaller than revolvers, but revolvers can be easier to conceal. Ultra-lightweight revolvers can be the lightest repeaters to carry. It’s all the same when carried in an appendix rig like the Incog-X, but the revolver has some serious concealment benefits if you carry OWB or in your pocket.
Revolvers are rounded and curvy, like me, and there are fewer angles for clothes to catch and fewer squares to print under a T-shirt. Revolvers tend to disappear when carried OWB, even with a holster less suitable for OWB. I’ve carried my 432 PD in an OWB ALS holster, and it disappears under a T-shirt.
If I toss a revolver in my pocket, it disappears, and the gentle curves help keep it from looking gun-like. Revolvers conceal easily and always have, which is a good reason why the concealed carry revolver sticks around.
2. Easy to Draw
Revolvers can be easier to draw than an automatic. If we compared revolvers and autos on the draw, we’d have to at least agree that some semi-autos, specifically larger semi-autos, are just as easy to draw as revolvers. However, when we compare revolvers to smaller automatics, the revolver tends to be more intuitive to draw.
For example, when drawing from the pocket, my revolver time is significantly faster than my time with a pocket-sized automatic. With a revolver, I can draw and fire one shot in about 1.4 seconds from a pocket carry position. With a Bodyguard 2.0, that time is closer to 1.76 seconds.
The revolver’s cylinder pushes against the body oh so slightly, pressing the gun a little bit away from your body. An automatic’s flat design sits tighter against the body, which can make it tougher to get a good grip and draw. Additionally, the revolver’s rounded design tends to make it snag-free and smoother to draw.
3. Up Close Potential
The concealed carry revolver excels when you get into a close-up fight. If you are attacked physically before drawing a firearm, then you have a big problem to solve. A gun can stop that problem and hopefully save your life. Revolvers are less sensitive in these situations.
In a physical struggle, a semi-automatic can be disabled. It can be knocked out of battery, which will prevent you from firing the weapon. A revolver can’t get knocked out of battery; no matter how hard you try, it’s tough to disable a revolver in a clinch. With a semi-auto, you have to worry about the magazine getting dropped, the hammer getting disrupted, and the slide going out of battery.
4. Just Works
Revolvers have been around long enough that it’s tough to make a bad revolver. It’s possible, but your average revolver is highly reliable. While many great new semi-autos are coming out, they aren’t always problem-free. If you want to buy something that just works, a concealed carry revolver might be your option.
Modern guns from great companies have had problems. The S&W Bodyguard 2.0 is a great gun, but some early users reported issues with the gun. The same goes for the SIG P365. These guns are new, innovative, and capable, but they didn’t get there without hitting any road bumps.
The S&W 432 UC, my favorite concealed carry revolver, just works out of the box. It’s a design most companies have mastered and imitated from masters. When you get a new revolver, it’s a lot less likely to ever be recalled. It’s plug and play, if you will.
5. Capable Calibers
Small semi-autos often adapt to small calibers. You might be stuck with .380 ACP, .32 ACP, or .22LR. While those can be great rounds, they aren’t known for being hardy, and each is a bit of a compromise. With revolvers, you can get a .22LR or a .380, but you can also get 9mm revolvers, .38 Special, .32 H&R Magnum, .327 Federal Magnum, and even .357 Magnum.
These are big, capable calibers. Some work better from 3-inch barreled guns, but that’s still within the realm of concealed carry. These rounds move fast, hit hard, and penetrate deeply. They tend to do better through thicker clothing or at angles where more penetration is necessary to reach deeper depths.
These small guns can pack serious calibers but can also be quite lightweight. Revolvers can weigh 13 ounces and fire serious defensive calibers, which is tough for automatics to accomplish.
The Concealed Carry Revolver Still Rules
I’m not claiming concealed carry revolvers are better than semi-autos. I’m simply illustrating why the concealed carry revolver keeps kicking. It still has a lot to offer the average concealed carrier. It’s a simple, reliable, easy-to-carry, and easy-to-shoot gun that works well for both beginners and experts.
