Are revolvers dying out?

[Dirty Dog]

Ok, how does that work out? the manufacturers are businesses, they aren't going to make things they can't sell therefore if they are producing them in great numbers they are still selling so their popularity isn't in danger yet.

It works the same way cars work. The manufacturers make more than one model. While they may not make enough on the revolvers - which in this day and age are very much a niche market, like black powder muzzle loaders - they do make a small profit on them. Or they sell them at a small loss (again, just like car companies) to satisfy the niche market. If you buy a S&W revolver and like it, when you decide to buy a 1911, you might be more inclined towards another S&W product.
The vast majority of the market is semi-autos. But that doesn't mean it's not worth the companies effort to continue to sell products in the niche markets.
You don't think GM makes enough off the Corvette to stay in business, do you?
In fact, as the revolver becomes more and more of a niche item, it may well become more profitable, because people buying them will be buying them as collectibles, and will be more likely to dole out some cash for pretties (polish, coatings, engraving...) that someone buying a gun to shoot isn't likely to choose.

 

[Tez3]

To be honest I've no idea whether they sell loads of revolvers or just a few but when the OP ask if they are dying out and then says the manufacturers are making great numbers of them it sort of defeats the object of asking the question lol.

As far as collectors go, this is probably worth looking at. Anderson Wheeler - Shotgun - London - Rifle - Revolver Makers UK

 

[ballen0351]

It works the same way cars work. The manufacturers make more than one model. While they may not make enough on the revolvers - which in this day and age are very much a niche market, like black powder muzzle loaders - they do make a small profit on them. Or they sell them at a small loss (again, just like car companies) to satisfy the niche market. If you buy a S&W revolver and like it, when you decide to buy a 1911, you might be more inclined towards another S&W product.
The vast majority of the market is semi-autos. But that doesn't mean it's not worth the companies effort to continue to sell products in the niche markets.
You don't think GM makes enough off the Corvette to stay in business, do you?
In fact, as the revolver becomes more and more of a niche item, it may well become more profitable, because people buying them will be buying them as collectibles, and will be more likely to dole out some cash for pretties (polish, coatings, engraving...) that someone buying a gun to shoot isn't likely to choose.

Im not sure what you consider a niche market. At work I see just as many revolvers as I do any other handgun. There still pretty plentiful

 

[Dirty Dog]

Im not sure what you consider a niche market. At work I see just as many revolvers as I do any other handgun. There still pretty plentiful

Well, I did a brief search and found some stats for 2012.
They report just over 6 million handguns being sold in the US that year, with not quite 670K being revolvers. So revolvers, in that year, made up basically 10% of the market.
90% semi-auto. 10% revolvers.
Sounds like a niche market to me...

If your department really has as many people carrying revolvers as semi-autos, you'll probably just have to accept that you've somehow fallen through a time warp and landed in the 1970's. Enjoy the leisure suits...

 

[ballen0351]

Well, I did a brief search and found some stats for 2012.
They report just over 6 million handguns being sold in the US that year, with not quite 670K being revolvers. So revolvers, in that year, made up basically 10% of the market.
90% semi-auto. 10% revolvers.
Sounds like a niche market to me...

600K niche huh ok.

If your department really has as many people carrying revolvers as semi-autos, you'll probably just have to accept that you've somehow fallen through a time warp and landed in the 1970's. Enjoy the leisure suits...

Not my department Im talking about out on the streets, the criminals, the guns we take off the streets.

 

[Chrisoro]

Well, I did a brief search and found some stats for 2012.
They report just over 6 million handguns being sold in the US that year, with not quite 670K being revolvers. So revolvers, in that year, made up basically 10% of the market.
90% semi-auto. 10% revolvers.

source?

 

[ballen0351]

Actually I was wrong. I just pulled up all my cases from 2015. Ive seized 11 guns only 3 were revolvers. 4 semi autos 1 Sks and 2 shotguns 1 hunting rifle

 

[Tez3]

Actually I was wrong. I just pulled up all my cases from 2015. Ive seized 11 guns only 3 were revolvers. 4 semi autos 1 Sks and 2 shotguns 1 hunting rifle

Perhaps people who own revolvers are more law abiding.

 

[Dirty Dog]

source?

The ATF, for one.

 

[Dirty Dog]

600K niche huh ok.

Out of over six MILLION. Yes. That is a niche.

 

[ballen0351]

Out of over six MILLION. Yes. That is a niche.

ok

 

[PhotonGuy]

Ok, how does that work out? the manufacturers are businesses, they aren't going to make things they can't sell therefore if they are producing them in great numbers they are still selling so their popularity isn't in danger yet.

Revolvers aren't used that much, if at all, in police and military fields and from what I've seen even civilians mostly use semi autos. There certainly is the crowd that likes and uses revolvers, there is enough of a cult demand for revolvers to keep production up and to keep the revolver market going but what I've seen the vast majority of people who use handguns do prefer semi autos.

 

[Tez3]

Revolvers aren't used that much, if at all, in police and military fields and from what I've seen even civilians mostly use semi autos. There certainly is the crowd that likes and uses revolvers, there is enough of a cult demand for revolvers to keep production up and to keep the revolver market going but what I've seen the vast majority of people who use handguns do prefer semi autos.

Then again you have answered your own question haven't you albeit the opposite way to the answer you gave before.

 

[Chrisoro]

The ATF, for one.

Can you reproduce the exact report, please? Because the newest annual statistical update on firearms commerce in the US I could find published by the ATF was the 2014 one, and it only included sales data from 1986 to 2012.

That report actually shows a general trend of increasesing revolver sales from 1990->2012, after a fall in sales in the late 1980's, and with over twice as many revolvers sold in 2012(667.357 sold), as in 2000(318.260 sold). Also, the 2007-2012 data shows a very fast rise in semi auto pistol sales the last five years prior to 2012(with 3.487.883 pistols sold that year) and a general trend of a steady rise in sales after a low point in 2001(626.836 sold) that coincided with the low point in revolver sales.

What this tells me isn't neccisarily that revolver popularity is sinking, but that the various firearms manufacturers might have either broken into new market segments with semi auto pistols over the last 10 years, for example as a result of CCW laws becomming more common, and/or the general interest in semi autos has increased. Considering the fluctuations in sales of several of the types of firearms evident in the data, I certainly don't see anything that indicates a very big fall in popularity for the revolver over the past ~30 years, as the 2012 revolver sales, according to that report is just a little under 100k less than they were in 1986, back when the revolver had the advantage of being prefered by law enforcement and security operators to a much higher degree that today.

If anything, the data shows increasing demand for semi autos, not decreasing demands for revolvers. To put the above numbers in perspective, total shotgun sales in 1992 was 1.018.204, and they were 949.010 twenty years later, in 2012. This is proof of normal market fluctuations, not a sign of a general fall in popularity for shotguns, and just as with the revolver sales data in the report, I see no signs of shotgun demand falling to the point of failing to be profitable anytime soon.

 

[PhotonGuy]

Well you see, there will always be a market for revolvers, or at least there always will be in the immediate future. Just as there still is a market for muzzle loading single shot firearms. There is the crowd who likes muzzle loaders and who uses them for historical re-enactments and for sport target shooting. However, I don't know of anybody today who would use a muzzle loader in self defense unless its in a pinch and that's all they have at hand. Same thing with revolvers, people still use revolvers for sporting uses such as target shooting but today I practically never see revolvers being used for professional uses. With a few exceptions, its been a long time since I've seen a police officer with a revolver and from what I know the Army doesn't use revolvers either. As for private citizens, from what I see most of them won't even use revolvers for practical uses such as self defense or concealed carry. Even private citizens are shifting to semi automatics as law enforcement and the military has already done. So, although there is still a market for revolvers, just as there is a market for muzzle loaders, I see them dying out in terms of practical and professional use.

 

[Tez3]

Well you see, there will always be a market for revolvers, or at least there always will be in the immediate future.

so why are you putting up a thread that asks if they are dying out? You've answered your own question three different times and ways now.

 

[ballen0351]

Well you see, there will always be a market for revolvers, or at least there always will be in the immediate future. Just as there still is a market for muzzle loading single shot firearms. There is the crowd who likes muzzle loaders and who uses them for historical re-enactments and for sport target shooting. However, I don't know of anybody today who would use a muzzle loader in self defense unless its in a pinch and that's all they have at hand. Same thing with revolvers, people still use revolvers for sporting uses such as target shooting but today I practically never see revolvers being used for professional uses. With a few exceptions, its been a long time since I've seen a police officer with a revolver and from what I know the Army doesn't use revolvers either. As for private citizens, from what I see most of them won't even use revolvers for practical uses such as self defense or concealed carry. Even private citizens are shifting to semi automatics as law enforcement and the military has already done. So, although there is still a market for revolvers, just as there is a market for muzzle loaders, I see them dying out in terms of practical and professional use.

You do realize there are still law enforcement and security agencies that carry revolvers. Our jail guards have revolvers for there prisoner transport units. And the private security firm at the court house has revolvers. Every time I see the armor car guys at the local banks around here they have revolvers

 

[Tez3]

from what I know the Army doesn't use revolvers either

Why would they when they have these to play with? Support weapons - British Army Website

Soldiers have a different job to do from police officers and security guards.

 

[ballen0351]

Also the summer part time cops in the beach towns give them revolvers. The full time guys have semiautos thats how you can tell the seasonal officers from the real cops

 

[Dirty Dog]

You do realize there are still law enforcement and security agencies that carry revolvers. Our jail guards have revolvers for there prisoner transport units. And the private security firm at the court house has revolvers. Every time I see the armor car guys at the local banks around here they have revolvers

That strikes me as odd. My mother and her department were carrying semi-autos in the 80's. A couple uncles on the State Patrol have been carrying semi-autos as long.
And I'm happy to say that my stepson carries a Glock 22 for his job at the Max Security prison where he works. On transports, they all carry the G22 plus there are shotguns and such.
In this day and age, I'd question the wisdom of any department or company that chose revolvers as the primary carry weapon.