Wheelgun Wednesday: Why You Should Buy Classic Revolvers

Welcome back to another edition of Wheelgun Wednesday. Last week, we took a look at some of the best revolvers to collect as an investment piece. If you happened to miss that article, be sure to click the link here to check it out. This week, I want to take a look at the reason why you should not only buy older revolvers as an investment opportunity but also because of the lost art old revolvers had when it comes to craftsmanship. What classic revolvers lacked in modern materials, they excelled in quality, along with the ability to tell stories, compared to modern production revolvers. Whether it's a first-generation Single Action Army or flashy nickel-framed revolvers from the 1970’s each has a unique story that represents a snapshot in time. Let's take a closer look at why you should buy classic revolvers.

A Piece Of Functional Art

When automobiles were just coming onto the market, the horse switched from a workhorse role to a more passive role, where we can sit back and admire the beauty of the animal. When it comes to self-defense handguns or firearms in general, revolvers are starting to fall into that category of a functional art piece for younger generations. While older generations still use revolvers as an everyday carry piece, younger generations are starting to buy more revolvers to enjoy the experience of shooting a revolver. I truly think modern revolvers are still an extremely viable option for a concealed pistol, but others say semi-auto is the only way to go when it comes to a concealed carry gun. Having older variants of revolvers allows you to shoot and enjoy a level of craftsmanship that's becoming harder and harder to find in the modern age.

The revolvers I own have become the handguns that I take out to the range when I just want to enjoy a relaxed shooting session. It's not necessarily to train or improve my skills, but just to go out and enjoy the love of shooting and nothing more. I will be completely honest and say I carry my revolvers as well now because I think they are still viable options for self-defense, especially if you practice with them on a fairly regular basis. There's a fairly large group of shooters out there that think revolvers are completely antiquated, with no real practical use other than a range toy. I will often get messages from people saying revolvers are completely irrelevant now that we have semi-auto handguns, which isn't remotely true in my eyes. Revolvers are still absolutely effective at protecting you and can be a fun conversation piece for those of you who hang with other gun guys.

An Investment You Can Enjoy

Some of you will believe in collecting revolvers without ever pulling the trigger once. I bought my Model 27 from an individual who kept it as his safe queen and never ever put a single round of 357 Magnum through it, even though he had it for almost a decade. The idea of keeping it nice for the next guy certainly applies to a lot of revolver collectors on the market. I certainly am not a member of this thought process and if I buy a revolver, it doesn't matter how expensive it is, I will always fire it a few times, even if it's only a cylinder, it’s worth seeing how it reacts and feels at the range. Various wealthy individuals will buy guns only as investments rather than something they truly love.

For me, I want to pick up revolvers that are not only interesting to own but will appraise over time while having the ability to shoot them and enjoy the experience of owning classic revolvers. Old school Model 29s are great examples where you can shoot them without affecting the value too much. I know there are a number of people out there who refuse to shoot their Registered Magnum revolvers or Colt Pythons because they are “too valuable,” which I don't believe is a real thing personally. No gun is so valuable that you can't shoot a cylinder through it to see how the gun feels in the hand. At the end of the day, if you pick up an old revolver, chances are you'll be able to buy something that will appraise over time if you keep it clean and enjoy it occasionally.

A Growing Investment Opportunity

When it comes to collecting revolvers, it has become an older generational idea where most younger shooters want the latest and greatest in semi-autos and what kind of double-stack 1911 race gun they can pick up to show off their skills. Rarely do younger shooters want to expand their collection into classic revolvers, but as the older generation continues to age and sell off various guns, there will come a time when some amazing classic revolvers will hit the market.

Overall Thoughts

It's a shame that younger generations have focused so much on the semi-auto market while neglecting some of the true greats of the revolver market. For those of you who are tempted to start buying more revolvers, I absolutely think you should. The market is strong and it's a great time to capitalize on some of the rarer revolvers before the younger shooters learn more about these revolvers and prices rise. This is almost certainly going to happen, which is why I’ve been looking at growing my collection now while I can find various models at an affordable price.