=== From The Editor===
Plenty of movies and entertainment today even make fun of the “old guy with the revolver,” a notable example of which can be found in the megahit “Lethal Weapon” (which is itself now quite an old film ).
As every gun owner knows, the snub-nose revolver, or “wheel-gun,” gives up ammunition capacity compared to most automatics.
So why would you choose to carry a “snubbie” revolver over an automatic?
It turns out there are some very compelling reasons – and no one is a bigger friend of converting hardcore gun-owners on the benefits of a snub-nose than expert shooter Michael de Bethencourt who has some very interesting reasons for…
Why The Snub-Nose Revolver Isn’t Just For Crusty Old Cops Anymore…
While we say that the snub-nose revolver gives up ammo capacity, we could just as easily say that automatics give up concealability for greater firepower.
A larger weapon has more rounds but a smaller weapon is easier to hide.
The revolver offers concealability with exceptional power.
You can take literally any shooter and start them off on a wheelgun, using the rounds that recoil least, and work them all the way up to something amazingly powerful like an ultralight .357 Magnum snubby.
No other weapon offers that kind of versatility in that size package with that potential level of power.
The snub-nose revolver is thus extremely flexible while retaining concealability thanks to its small size.
The Snubby is Very Accessible
Another advantage of small revolvers is their accessibility.
It’s true that you can hide a pistol nearly anywhere, but there are more places you can conceal and rapidly access a small wheelgun.
You can put it in an overcoat pocket, in the front of a pair of jeans, or even in small bags that you hold in your hand.
You can’t put a full-size or even some of the more compact semiautomatic pistol in these places where a snubby fits.
The Snub-Nose Revolver Is Simple
Last, but certainly not least, is the weapon’s simplicity.
Most shooters imagine that the gun they can handle is the gun that everyone should handle.
They think of themselves as epitomizing the average or even the above-average shooter.
The problem is that from person to person, this is simply not the case.
If you’re a married man with adult children, you may have a wife who’s never going to be a shooter with the skill level that you possess.
As an adult your own parents may also apply here, and your grown children might never have the ability that you, who probably taught them, possess.
Everyone is different and across a family, skill levels can vary wildly from none or almost none to near-professional or even competition.
You can’t be everywhere with your family all the time.
The Snub-Nose Revolver Will NOT Get You Killed
A compact revolver provides a self-defense tool that is simple enough that a wider range of shooters, across a spectrum of ability levels, can shoot it and shoot it effectively.
For concealability, accessibility, and simplicity, the snubby revolver is the way to go.
It is the best compromise among multiple factors. It is the weapon that can protect your entire family.
I’ve shot both semi-automatics and revolvers. I choose the revolver, for Simplicity and reliability. Another caveat would be because of safety. I do not like to train on defensive shooting. Although I have shot for a number of years as a hobby, I simply do it for enjoyment and just don’t like to train all the time.