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In reply to the discussion: Smarter guns can lead the U.S. to safer communities [View all]SecularMotion
(7,981 posts)15. Did you even read the linked article or did you just read the excerpt??
Reason #1: Five or Six chambers instead of one
An auto pistol has one chamber attached to one barrel. A revolver has one barrel and 5 or 6 individual chambers that have to line up precisely with the barrel in order for it to fire. If due to wear and tear or whatever else, these chambers are off by even a thousandth of an inch, a bullet could shave off a forcing cone or misalign with the firing pin and youll get misfires.
In other words, revolvers require tighter tolerances by nature of their multiple chambers and tighter tolerances mean they are more failure prone by design.
Reason #2: More parts = More chances for something to go wrong
In addition to the 5 or 6 chambers that have to precisely line up with the barrel each and every trigger pull, the internals of the revolver are no laughing matter. If you crack it open and look inside, its like looking at the inside of a watch.
turn on images to see revolver internals
And like a watch, there are plenty of opportunities for these interacting parts to malfunction or get out of time causing failure. Compare that to a modern semi auto pistol like the Glock with only 34 component parts (the smaller number of parts reduces potential for technical problems because there are less chances for something to go wrong).
Reason #3: Most Revolver Failures to Fire are Jams Not Malfunctions
Lets define our terms:
JAM - a serious stoppage that normally involves a broken part or something of that nature that would require tools to fix.
MALFUNCTION - some interruption of the firing cycle that can be remedied simply and/or quickly.
When the primary reason for a failure to fire, 100 years ago, was bad ammo the revolver was reliable because you just had to pull the trigger again.
Now days, ammunition is more reliable so lets look at what else could go wrong with a revolver. These are ALL reasons that a revolver could fail to fire:
*** Excessive fouling under the extractor star can lock up a cylinder (it wont turn, wont rotate to the next round).
*** Recoil can cause bullets to wiggle their way out of the shell casing which can also prevent the cylinder from rotating.
*** Cylinder wont open for a number of reasons (you cant reload)
*** The ejector rod can work itself loose and cylinder wont turn.
*** A grain of gun powder can work itself under the extractor star and the cylinder wont turn
*** Ejector rod is bent (because it was hit wrong during a reload under stress) and the cylinder wont turn
*** High primer in one of the 5 or 6 cartridges keeps cylinder from turning
*** During reloading you can get incomplete extraction and cases stuck under the extractor.
*** Taurus or S&W internal lock has spontaneously engaged and the gun wont fire
*** Strain screw in front strap of grip can loosen over time, if it backs out enough, the firing pin strike will be too light and wont ignite primers failure to fire.
And almost ALL of these are very, very hard to fix in a fight. In fact, its practically impossible. They are true jams that require tools to fix.
An auto pistol has one chamber attached to one barrel. A revolver has one barrel and 5 or 6 individual chambers that have to line up precisely with the barrel in order for it to fire. If due to wear and tear or whatever else, these chambers are off by even a thousandth of an inch, a bullet could shave off a forcing cone or misalign with the firing pin and youll get misfires.
In other words, revolvers require tighter tolerances by nature of their multiple chambers and tighter tolerances mean they are more failure prone by design.
Reason #2: More parts = More chances for something to go wrong
In addition to the 5 or 6 chambers that have to precisely line up with the barrel each and every trigger pull, the internals of the revolver are no laughing matter. If you crack it open and look inside, its like looking at the inside of a watch.
turn on images to see revolver internals
And like a watch, there are plenty of opportunities for these interacting parts to malfunction or get out of time causing failure. Compare that to a modern semi auto pistol like the Glock with only 34 component parts (the smaller number of parts reduces potential for technical problems because there are less chances for something to go wrong).
Reason #3: Most Revolver Failures to Fire are Jams Not Malfunctions
Lets define our terms:
JAM - a serious stoppage that normally involves a broken part or something of that nature that would require tools to fix.
MALFUNCTION - some interruption of the firing cycle that can be remedied simply and/or quickly.
When the primary reason for a failure to fire, 100 years ago, was bad ammo the revolver was reliable because you just had to pull the trigger again.
Now days, ammunition is more reliable so lets look at what else could go wrong with a revolver. These are ALL reasons that a revolver could fail to fire:
*** Excessive fouling under the extractor star can lock up a cylinder (it wont turn, wont rotate to the next round).
*** Recoil can cause bullets to wiggle their way out of the shell casing which can also prevent the cylinder from rotating.
*** Cylinder wont open for a number of reasons (you cant reload)
*** The ejector rod can work itself loose and cylinder wont turn.
*** A grain of gun powder can work itself under the extractor star and the cylinder wont turn
*** Ejector rod is bent (because it was hit wrong during a reload under stress) and the cylinder wont turn
*** High primer in one of the 5 or 6 cartridges keeps cylinder from turning
*** During reloading you can get incomplete extraction and cases stuck under the extractor.
*** Taurus or S&W internal lock has spontaneously engaged and the gun wont fire
*** Strain screw in front strap of grip can loosen over time, if it backs out enough, the firing pin strike will be too light and wont ignite primers failure to fire.
And almost ALL of these are very, very hard to fix in a fight. In fact, its practically impossible. They are true jams that require tools to fix.
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Yes, the tech is there and mouthing gun propaganda doesn't change that fact. nt
flamin lib
May 2016
#24
Ya know, Google is your friend. Please educate yourself and stop wasting bandwidth. nt
flamin lib
May 2016
#34
There is nothing on the market because gun nuts issue death threats to anyone who puts a smart gun
flamin lib
May 2016
#37
And you might fotget to load your gun. If this, if that, if frogs had wings they wouldnt
flamin lib
May 2016
#41
Yeah, and your car won't start with a dead battery either. Only thing is your car won't give
flamin lib
May 2016
#38
You know what? I'm fucking done with your willful ignorance. You have just been put on ignore with
flamin lib
May 2016
#43
Don't you want to hang around and discuss your fraudulent endorsement of the 'electro-Mossberg'?:
friendly_iconoclast
May 2016
#51
When the President's security detail starts using them maybe I'll consider
Press Virginia
May 2016
#3
The Mossberg does exist and has been proven when wet, wen soaked in oil, when covered in mud and
flamin lib
May 2016
#30
"When are you going to...stop regurgitating the propaganda the gun maker(s) feed you?":
friendly_iconoclast
May 2016
#53
Does your truck have air bags, seat belts, anti lock brakes and crumple zones? nt
flamin lib
May 2016
#33
And yet a $40,000+ truck with abundant onboard power, unlimited room for electronics,
benEzra
May 2016
#58
Want a smart gun? Develop one. This is one of the most unregulated economies...
Eleanors38
May 2016
#47