Anno Gun Rotam -- The Year of the Wheel Gun

Revolvers, wheel guns, six-shooters (or even five-shooters).  No matter what you call them, they have seen a resurgence in popularity this year.  One of my favorite radio shows, "Tom Gresham's Gun Talk", even went so far as declaring this the "Year of the Revolver" after manufacturers took the bold step of introducing so many new models.  If you can't find a revolver that fits your needs this year, you must not be looking very hard!

Ruger is leading the pack in 2017 by delivering their GP100 in a 5-shot .44 Special and a 8-shot Redhawk in .357 Magnum.  There is also a new LCRx revolver out in 357 that is finally making it through the distribution channels.

Smith & Wesson introduced a Performance Center Model 986 in 9mm with a titanium cylinder and a 2.5 inch barrel, blurring the edges of what we refer to as a "snubbie".  For more exotic tastes, you can try the 7.5 inch 460VXR revolver or a 3.5 inch S&W 500.


Six shots is sometimes better than five!  Colt surprised us with the return of the Cobra in stainless steel.  With an MSRP of $699, it will be a bargain compared to the much sought-after "snake" guns like the Python.  But it remains to be seen if it will actually hit dealer shelves anytime soon.  Drop me a line if you see one in your local gun shop.  I will definitely be on the waiting list at my LGS.

A purely anecdotal representation of revolver popularity is that my orders for LCR and J-Frame IWB Kydex holsters is double that of all my semi-auto holsters combined.  An increase in these holster orders can mean two things:  customers are buying more revolvers, and customers plan on carrying them.

If you are even remotely considering carrying a revolver, I recommend that you read and put into action the skills described in Protect Yourself with your Snubnose Revolver, by Grant Cunningham.  Labeling him a gun prophet might be extreme, but there is no doubt that this year was the perfect time for the release of his book.  A renowned instructor and revolver aficionado, Mr. Cunningham has the rare ability to translate his thoughts into the printed word.   While I may not agree with 100% of his concepts, he challenges me to think through my own techniques, particularly on front sight focus.

The NRA Annual Meeting is just a few weeks away, and I fully expect to see more guns introduced just in time for summer. 

P.S.  If you have a hard time finding the new Ruger revolvers at your local shop, give my friends at The Gun Rack a call at 956-213-GUNS