Most old school shooters will disagree here but there are several reasons why I hate revolvers. Revolvers are a common choice for robberies and other crimes because if shot, the shells remain in the gun and not on the ground. They are commonly refereed to in the gun world as "wheel guns" because the revolving cylinder operates like a wheel when fired. That being said, here goes...

Reason number 1: they are very loud. It sounds like a stupid argument but a 357 revolver will shake bullet proof glass ever time it's fired. I can shoot .45 SUPER from my pistol with less noise and more kinetic energy. It WILL damage your hearing if you aren't wearing the proper ear protection. It's also annoying to everyone else at the range.

Reason number 2: the grips suck. They range from tiny to fat but they still lack good substance to hold onto and the ergonomics are generally poor. For those with large hands a small revolver like the Smith & Wesson J-frame is nearly impossible to shoot quickly and/or accurately. There just isn't enough to hold onto.

Reason number 3: limited ammo and the time to needed reload. Some will argue that 1 shot with a .44 magnum is all you need. I agree with that statement but I don't like having a gun that holds 6 rounds or less and takes longer to reload or requires a speed loader. It's like having a black and white television when color ones have been around for ages.

Reason number 4: bad triggers. Again, some will disagree, but the triggers on most revolvers are either to hard or to light. In double action mode it is nearly impossible to accurately shoot small or distant targets. The long pull makes follow up shots very difficult and virtually impossible when done quickly. In single action mode, the trigger is to light. In my opinion, a bad choice for self defense.

Why do people own revolvers? Nearly every time I see someone shooting a wheel gun at the range it's a much older guy. Think Harrison Ford old. Or, it's a woman who was sold the gun by a retail shop because it was the gun they really wanted to move that day. In fact, revolvers can be a poor choice for women because the trigger is often to long and heavy for a woman to shoot. A double action trigger pull of 11 pounds is so heavy that instinctively your wrist and arm starts to drop to accommodate the extra force needed to pull it.

Don't get me wrong, there are tons of crack shot revolver shooters walking around. However, most of them are using customized guns that are very expensive and or have custom triggers to eliminate some of the problems I mentioned above. Short of a hi-point, I'd take anything over a revolver...

If you get heavy into shooting you'll realize how quickly 500 rounds of ammo will go. Previously, I talked about using steel ammo vs. brass. If you are going to shoot a lot steel is the way to go unless your gun won't shoot it. Shotguns are can be good for shooting cheaply because you can't really go out and shoot 500 rounds of 00 buck without a pretty sore shoulder. Sure they are almost $1/shell but if you go out and shoot 20 shells you'll get your fix for shooting.

Handgun magazines come in various capacities these days. To save ammo I usually load 10 rounds into an 18 round magazine. Why? My first 10 shoots are going to be decent. After 10, they aren't as good and I'm basically wasting the last 8 rounds.

The same concept applies to rifles. A 30-round AR-15 magazine will cost about $8.50 each if they are loaded with a full 30 rounds. I usually put 15-20 rounds in each magazine because those are going to be my best shots. I can essentially spend half as much money per magazine and get the same or better results of shooting that day.

Above all else, take your time. Just because you left the house with 150 rounds loaded up doesn't mean you have to go through them in 15 minutes. Take your time, think about the errors and bad habits you trying to correct.

Follow these tips and I bet your shooting improves and you will spend less money.

There are many players in the world of semi-automatic shotguns.  The big name that stands out among the rest is Benelli.  They have a well earned reputation among the shooting community as one of the best.  Other companies such as Remington, Mossberg, and even the Saiga have become popular semi-automatic models. Most interesting is the popularity among the Saiga 12.  The Saiga 12 is a shotgun clone of an AK-47.  It uses all the same parts and design as the AK, but has been modified to allow the gas system to operate with shotgun shells.  Unlike Benelli, Saiga uses a box-fed or drum magazine.  They vary in capacity from 2 rounds to 20.  They are currently legal in California with some modifications.  The popularity of the Saiga 12 has brought many improvements and aftermarket accessories.  They also become popular among 3-gun competitors and clay shooters.