BAER BAER - Jeffersonian

REALITYCHECK
Clint Smith
Editor’s Note: Due to a demand from readers, we’re
reprinting Clint’s column from May/June 2006.
Seems you guys can’t get enough of revolvers!
TM
FIRST-PERSON
THOUGHTS ON
SURVIVING IN
THE REAL WORLD
That’s a steel .44
Magnum being
shot — fast. Tell
me again why that
wouldn’t work?
The Magic Wheel
In a conversation with some young folks, I noticed they were looking
quizzically at me wearing a revolver during a class. They were stunned
I would actually carry one. I mean, “revolvers,” they said, “being old
fashioned and all.” I thought maybe they were tugging a geezer’s leg.
Then I looked at their heads cranked around like the old RCA dog commercials
and realized something astounding: They really, really didn’t get it.
So, it occurred to me there’s a generation of people — not counting
the “I don’t like guns” crowd — who are in fact, “sort” of gun folks, but
don’t know of the legend of the amazingly simple wheel idea.
That Magic Wheel
It would be a foolish child who believes someone can’t defend himself
with a revolver — even today. From the cap-and-ball revolvers
of the Civil War, passing though the failure of the .38 cartridges
in the Philippines and the consequent recall of the .45 big bores, the
revolver has often been asked to step up to the plate and swing. And
swing it did with the advent of the hand ejector systems. Though the
maze of time and tools consisting of dump pouches, speed strips and
speed loaders of the twist and Jet types, the revolver grew over time
into a viable tool for personal protection. Is it the best tool? Maybe not;
but then again, no handgun is. Is it a viable tool? Without a doubt.
The truth be known, many people’s perceptions of personal protection
are based on volume of fire going down range or, perhaps more
correctly, down the hallway. I’m not sure, but last time I checked I think
there might be this legal-accountability thing hanging around the edges
of gunfights, and all those stray bullets flying around. I’m simply not
convinced I need a bucket of bullets to solve my problem.
And so this isn’t like the .41 Magnum — misunderstood or misrepresented
— I don’t believe a 5-shot Chief’s Special is the ultimate
fighting handgun. In fact, most 2" guns should be used by highly competent
shooters, not the “gun in my purse or fanny pack” crowd, who
often buy them. Before someone launches off the chair, I’ll say this;
yes, the gun in your pocket is better than the one at home in the safe
when the fight starts. Someplace in between these vastly split poles is
the equator of common sense for personal protection.
Accurate?
You bet. Revolvers
can often shoot
rings around
production autos.
A Scandium
J-frame in
a pocket is
probably the
ubiquitous carry
gun, and even the
auto guys do it,
although some won’t
admit it. What are they
ashamed of anyway?
Today’s New “Old” Guns
For those who hold no particular grudge
against automatics but are still slightly
attached to the revolving handgun, there is
some good stuff there also. The hand cannons
of .500-this and .460X-whatever are nice, but
since I’m most likely not going Tyrannosaurs
Rex hunting this weekend, I don’t need one
for personal protection against big lizards.
How ’bout 3-ounce .44 Magnums? Count
me out. My elbows already hurt the way it
is. When it comes to modern day revolvers,
S&W and Taurus are the only two significant
makers actively manufacturing revolvers in
any number for self-defense needs.
Local gun stores and gun shows often
display a selection of older Colt and S&W
revolvers, representing the glory days when
revolvers ruled and self-defense was based on
accuracy — not purely volume of fire. Think
hard-case gents like Frank Hamer.
Are revolvers old fashioned? Could be.
Effective? Without question. Are revolvers for
everyone? They’re probably not for everyone,
now that you ask. Yet again, the legend and the
reality of the magic wheel have saved many
lives — long before the age of plastic. If you
don’t know much about revolvers you should try
one out sometime. Ask some guy with grey in
his hair. He’ll know — and understand.
There’s still magic in these old guns.
*
36 WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011