Revolver renaissance. Will it last?

[SandyShooter]

The revolver market declined for many years after the 1986 FBI Miami Shootout. Which was the catalyst for for many departments to switch to a higher capacity semiautomatic pistol, citing increased officer safety. This spun off other semiautomatic developments such as the .40 S&W caliber.
I witnessed first hand giving up my SW Model 681 and 4 Safariland Comp II speed loaders for a Sig P226 and two spare mags. As semiautomatic pistols replaced revolvers the revolvers ended up in pawn shops and the used counters everywhere, until the day they were all gone.
A couple of decades passed with minimal change to the revolver world. S&W played with different metals and give all designs a much needed marketing facelift.
Hunting for revolvers that weren’t single action army’s or a Smith J frame didn’t take much time at all.
But in the last 8-10 years that has changed with Colt and others reintroducing previous models. Smith added more models available through the performance center and Kimber, previously focused on traditional bolt action rifles and 1911 pants released the first K96 revolvers and a new player was getting lots of press.
I think we will get another one or maybe two new revolvers designs before interest id no longer there.

 

[4CERTN]

I bet it was interesting to be in law enforcement during that transition like you described.

While not an LEO, I’ve found myself in a bit of a personal “revolver renaissance” in recent years, finding that I shoot a DA S&W wheelgun as least as well as I do semi-autos…honestly, sometimes better than the semis!

Like you mentioned, it’s nice to see makers keeping the revolver going.

My latest is a bit of an oddball - S&W Model 520 circa 1980. New York State Police commissioned S&W to craft them a 4-inch, N-frame, fixed-sight .357 Magnum as a new duty sidearm, then opted for a different (cataloged) revolver altogether (I’ve read differing reports as to their choice being the Model 28 or the Model 581). Reportedly, S&W made the 3,000-unit run of 520s available to distributors. (Adding to the fun, S&W later recycled the 520 model number for a completely different revolver - I wonder why? Had they already exhausted all other three-digit numbers? Ha!)

To my eye, these are almost like an M&P variant of the 28. I’m digging it. Pinned and recessed and all. Range-time to follow soon, Lord willing. I did receive a BK Grips grip adapter (similar to the famed but elusive Tyler T-Grip) that I’ll install before the inaugural range run.

 

[SandyShooter]

Wow. That’s nice and also interesting because the model 13 was available being basically the same gun on a K frame platform.
The transition to the semiauto was accomplished as it was on virtually every other LE agency nationwide.
I was temporarily assigned to the range for two months getting all armed personnel ready for qualification. It was obvious the next OIS would definitely be under the microscope by the public and the legal community. I was an advocate for the switch as I was known to carry a 5” Government model under my patrol jacket during the 2 weeks of winter every year.

 

[joste334]

I just got a GP100 and it is awesome


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk