By Sheriff Jim Wilson, Shooting Illustrated
One of the big news stories to come out of the recent NRA annual meeting was the partnership between Nighthawk Custom and Korth Arms to market… wait for it… double-action (DA) revolvers. Now, DA revolvers don’t get much space in today’s defensive press. In fact, if you listen to some folks, you are just bound to die unless you carry the latest prophylactic pistol with the 33 1/3-round magazine capacity.
All of that is well and good. New guns are fun. But the simple fact is that the double-action revolver has been saving lives for well over 100 years and continues to do so to this very day. Here are a few reasons that the DA revolver might just be the defense gun that you have been looking for.
The DA revolver is simple to learn to operate and most people have no trouble remembering how to run it. There aren’t a whole bunch of switches, safeties, and gizmos, that need tweaking before you deal with the bad guy. DA revolvers are easy to operate.
In addition, they are easy to maintain. If you are a little forgetful about cleaning and lubricating your defensive handgun on a regular basis, the DA revolver might just be for you. They will still function under neglect and abuse that would sideline most auto pistols. Further, they can sit, fully loaded, for years because there are no springs depressed in the revolver’s ready condition.
While I try to do regular maintenance and lubrication on all of my defensive handguns, I really prefer a revolver for deep concealment. Stashed in a boot top, pocket or waistband, any handgun will collect more than its fair share of lint and dust. This won’t shut down the revolver anywhere nearly as quickly as it will pocket autos.
Many of us live in small towns or rural settings. We may have to deal with the occasional threat from wild animals, especially ones that might be rabid. When your defensive handgun is a revolver, the door is automatically opened to the use of magnum handgun calibers. And you can glow all warm and fuzzy about the 9 mm cartridge, but a .44 Mag. is a really nice thing to have when you are faced with a rabid mountain lion.
Finally, some folks just shoot the DA revolver better than anything else that they have tried. However, they may have been brainwashed about the relatively limited cartridge capacity. Well, at the risk of stirring up the TacTards, I will tell you that the first 2-3 shots that you fire in a gunfight are the most important. If you fire three shots and get three hits, it is going to be real difficult to find that 4th target. Crooks are stupid, but not that stupid.
I would not begin to try to tell you that everyone ought to carry a DA revolver. But I will tell you that you should not overlook them when searching for your own personal defense gun. They are reliable, they are accurate, and they can be had in calibers that pack a real punch.
