Is a revolver a good choice for a first time gun owner ?

[i4500]

Is a revolver a good choice for a first time gun owner ? And what model and caliber should I go with?

[Robinson]

Well, it CAN be. I think it depends on your short and long term goals as a shooter and gun owner.

Revolvers have some positive aspects and some negative. The biggest drawbacks vs. a semi-auto are ammo capacity and speed of reloads. On the other hand, as Col. Cooper put it "a revolver in the hands of someone who understands it is a very serious item".

Training the trigger press with a double action revolver can be a good way to learn proper trigger control. Revolvers are dependable for the most part, though they can malfunction.

I personally carry a 4" S&W K Frame revolver when I am not carrying a 1911. I was into revolver shooting before I started with semi-automatic pistols.

It really depends on you and what you want to accomplish.

As far as caliber, I would recommend .357 Magnum as a good choice. It is versatile, plus you can shoot .38Special ammunition with the same gun. I shoot much more .38Special than .357 Magnum. In fact most of my revolvers are chambered strictly for .38Special.

[ReverendMeat]

Depends on the use, depends on the specific make/model, depends on your level of commitment.

For current production guns I'd look at a Ruger SP-101 or GP-100 depending on purpose (S&W has plenty of nice offerings too but they cost more. Either way, as mentioned above, something chambered in .357 would be ideal). Shoot primarily DA and practice with speedloaders.

[Dagga Boy]

A medium frame .38 spl (or .357) with a 3-4" barrel is what I recommend to just about everyone as a first firearm and exceptionally good to learn on. We have had outstanding success with this formula in our basic handgun classes. The simple administrative procedures allows for good safe administrative handling, more forgiving of some mistakes (which usually involve a muzzle headed in the wrong place or a finger on the trigger) that allows us to make corrections without tragedy, and a simple trigger that when learned correctly (smooth continuous motion) translates well for those who later want to move to a semi-auto. I truly believe they are the way to go for most non-dedicated shooters..........and if it is your first firearm, you are still a non-dedicated shooter.