History Main / RevolversAreJustbetter

* The revolver of ''VideoGame/{{Chrome}}'' is a HandCannon that fires 12mm bullets; each one does 3 times as much damage as an assault rifle bullet and can kill enemies with one shot at close range. On the downside, it takes up more space than the regular pistol and only holds 6 shots.

In fiction, revolvers often shown to be better than any other handgun. In video games, they may be the most accurate, most powerful, and rarest of all handguns. In a [[TheWestern Wild West]] setting, TheGunslinger is always slingin' a [[PunchPackingPistol six-shooter]] or two. In modern or futuristic settings, the [[PoliceBrutality Loose Cannon Cop]] is packing serious heat in form of a [[HandCannon Magnum]].

During the American Old West period, .45 caliber revolvers like the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Single_Action_Army Colt Single Action Army]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_%26_Wesson_Model_3 Smith & Wesson Schofield]] were the preferred handguns of cowboys and outlaws, with semi-automatic pistols only appearing during the latter years of the 19th Century. After the end of the Old West, .38 caliber revolvers were very popular among law enforcement and civilians. The advent of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.357_Magnum S&W Registered Magnum in .357 Magnum]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44_Magnum S&W Model 29 in .44 Magnum]] ushered in the era of very powerful handguns, and handgun hunting as a sport was born.

While cowboy films and tv shows first picked up the [[NostalgiaFilter mystique of the revolver]], the film ''Film/DirtyHarry'' is responsible for popularizing Magnum-caliber handguns.[[note]]this has faded a little in recent years, with the first choice for movie hero personal artillery more likely to be a .50AE Desert Eagle, much to the annoyance of gun enthusiasts.[[/note]]

An enduring legacy of ''Dirty Harry'' is that it's often assumed that every revolver is a Magnum, which is simply not true as many are chambered in non-magnum calibers like .38 Special, .45 Colt, .22LR, etc. all of which are comparable to low energy semi-automatic calibers like 9mm and .45 ACP.[[note]]"Magnum" does not mean "really powerful;" it refers to a longer (and yes, inherently more powerful) cartridge version of an existing caliber. The .454 Casull, for example, is a magnumized version of the .45 Colt and was the most powerful handgun caliber for many years, yet doesn't even have "Magnum" in its name.[[/note]]

* Played with in the ''Film/LethalWeapon'' series: Riggs, the hotshot badass, packs a slick automatic while Murtaugh, the aging family man, packs an old-fashioned revolver. Riggs notes that "Lotta old-timers carry those". However, a running gag in the series has Murtaugh display [[ImprobableAimingSkills sniper-like accuracy]] with a single aimed shot.

--->This way of reloading is a [[JustForPun revolution]]!\\

See also: CoolGuns

* ''Left to Survive'' from Upwake.Me has the revolver special weapon class. These have only a few shots but do incredible damage and penetrates the target to continue hitting. Of interesting note is the weapon, ''Jolly Roger''. It's classified as an auto-pistol special weapon but it's actually a very intriguing revolver design. This ornate weapon loosely based on the HDH Støckel revolver, dates back to the Golden Age of Piracy. It's an over-and-under double-barrelled revolver. What makes this CoolGun even better is that its main cylinder has a secondary cylinder placed within it to feed the lower barrel. This secondary cylinder carries a good 8 rounds but the main cylinder holds a whopping 20 rounds! It's this massive ammo capacity and ClockPunk firing mechanism that makes this revolver a fully automatic auto-pistol.

During the American Old West, .45 caliber revolvers like the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Single_Action_Army Colt Single Action Army]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_%26_Wesson_Model_3 Smith & Wesson Schofield]] were the handguns of choice, with semi-automatic pistols only appearing during the latter years of the 19th Century. After the end of the Old West, .38 caliber revolvers were very popular among law enforcement and civilians. The advent of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.357_Magnum .357 Magnum]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.44_Magnum .44 Magnum]] ushered in the era of very powerful handguns, and handgun hunting as a sport was born.

* The French GIGN are one of the only premier counter-terrorist units in the world that [[https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/25547/frances-elite-gign-counter-terror-unit-still-has-a-cult-like-affinity-for-the-revolver continue to use revolvers in their operations]], most frequently the Manurhin MR-73 in .357 Magnum, and they are also known to use the Smith & Wesson Model 586/686 (also in .357) and Model 29 (in [[HandCannon .44 Magnum]]).

** U.S. law enforcement began the switch after some highly publicized deaths of officers killed while they were reloading. One of these was the infamous [[https://americanhandgunner.com/new-info-on-newhall/ Newhall Massacre]] in 1970, California, where 4 rookie police officers died in a shootout against two suspects; one of the cops, James Pence, was shot in the head because his revolver took one second too long to reload and the criminal managed to run up to him and pull the trigger. Another well-known example was [[http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/nypd-ceremony-honors-slain-reloading-low-capacity-gun-1986-article-1.2692979 Scott Gadell of the NYPD]] who died while reloading his revolver. Then, the aftermath and analysis of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_FBI_Miami_shootout 1986 FBI Miami shootout]] led to the FBI switching from revolvers to semi-automatics. Most state and local police followed their example.

In the world of firearms, there is one gun that we can all agree is ''[[RuleOfCool cool]]'': the revolver. As the famous [[BadassBoast saying]] goes: ''"God created all men, [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Colt Samuel Colt]] made them equal."''

In fiction, they often shown to be better than any other handgun. In video games, they may be the most accurate, most powerful, and rarest of all handguns. In a [[TheWestern Wild West]] setting, TheGunslinger is always slingin' a [[PunchPackingPistol six-shooter]] or two. In modern or futuristic settings, the [[PoliceBrutality Loose Cannon Cop]] is packing serious heat in form of a [[HandCannon Magnum]].

An enduring legacy of ''Dirty Harry'' is that it's often assumed that every revolver is a Magnum, which is simply not true as many are chambered in non-magnum calibers like .38 Special, .45 Colt, .22LR, etc. all of which are comparable to low energy semi-automatic calibers like 9mm and .45 ACP.[[note]]"Magnum" does not mean "really powerful;" it refers to a longer (and yes, inherently more powerful) cartridge version of an existing caliber. The .454 Casull, for example, was the most powerful revolver available to civilians for many years, yet doesn't even have "Magnum" in its name.[[/note]]

While the revolver is the HandCannon to a regular semi-auto pistol in most media productions, one shouldn't expect to see a semi-auto pistol as the HandCannon to a regular revolver. This is particularly evident in videogames, where the revolver will ''always'' outclass a semi-auto shot-for-shot: after all, if the revolver didn't have that advantage, then it would be totally useless.

Views are mixed when it comes to guns. However, there is one gun that we can all agree is cool: the revolver.

Let's face it, revolvers are ''[[RuleOfCool cool]]''. In fiction, revolvers are often shown to be better than any other handgun. In video games, they may be the most accurate, most powerful, and rarest of all handguns. If a character is TheGunslinger, chances are it's a revolver he'll be slingin'.

In [[TheWestern Westerns]], cowboys and outlaws are seen with revolvers. But this is because revolvers were the only repeating handguns at that time in history they could afford, as whatever semi-automatic pistols being made at the time were just too expensive. That doesn't stop it from ''being'' cool, though. One could argue this is where revolvers [[NostalgiaFilter first picked up their mystique]], though ''Film/DirtyHarry'' is probably responsible for popularising Magnum-loaded revolvers as the HandCannon of choice; this has faded a little in recent years, with the first choice for movie hero personal artillery more likely to be a .50AE Desert Eagle, much to the annoyance of gun enthusiasts. An enduring legacy of ''Dirty Harry'' is that it's often assumed that every powerful revolver is a Magnum.[[note]]"Magnum" does not mean "really powerful;" it refers to a longer (and yes, inherently more powerful) cartridge version of an existing caliber. The .454 Casull, for example, was the most powerful revolver available to civilians for many years, yet doesn't even have "Magnum" in its name (despite still technically being one to the .45 Long Colt and .45 S&W calibers).[[/note]] An easy demonstration is that, while the revolver is the HandCannon to a regular semi-auto pistol in most media productions, one shouldn't expect to see a semi-auto pistol as the HandCannon to a regular revolver. This is particularly evident in videogames, where the revolver will ''always'' outclass a semi-auto shot-for-shot: after all, if the revolver didn't have that advantage, then it would be totally useless.

* The saying goes that "God made men, Colt made them equal."
** Samuel Colt's five-shot Paterson revolver, first patented on February 25, 1836, and manufactured in Paterson, New Jersey, was the first commercial repeating firearm employing a revolving cylinder with multiple chambers aligned with a single, stationary barrel. Revolver-type firearms had been made since the Renaissance, but they had been expensively made one-off items and lacked convenient features of the Colt such as a cylinder that automatically rotated the next chamber into place with each cock of the hammer. Although the Paterson revolvers sold poorly because people saw them as unreliable novelties, John Hays acquired a pair of them for each of his Texas Rangers, who used them to fight off a band of Commanche Indians in the Battle of Bandera Pass.
** Afterwards, Samual Walker of the Texas Rangers reached out to Colt and asked him to design a more rugged and powerful version that could be fired from the saddle, and that would be powerful enough to take out horses as well as men. Colt delivered with the Walker Colt, a HandCannon weighing four and a half pounds, which was the first Colt to be a six-shooter. Firing these two-hundred-year-old guns today still provides a fairly decent spread on a target from up to 60 feet away, and incredibly for a black powder gun, the Walker remained the most powerful revolver in the world until the .357 magnum cartridge was introduced in 1934. It did have some problems, however, the most notable being bursting cylinders: In addition to the primitive metallurgy of the day, they featured overlength chambers for the front-loaded black powder charge, leading users to over-charge them--especially because they were unused to the Walker's conical bullets and sometimes put them in backwards, creating more space for extra powder than there was supposed to be. In addition, the loading lever catch didn't work well and often allowed it to drop during recoil, temporarily jamming the gun. Walker owners would often secure the lever with a piece of rawhide. Only 1,100 Walkers were made, and Colt commissioned New York engraver Waterman Ormsby to etch the cylinders with a scene of the battle of Bandera Pass, which made them beautiful and also increased the difficulty of counterfeiting the Walker. On top of there having been few to begin with, Walkers in good condition are rare because the people who owned them ''really'' got a lot of use out of them. They were used in the UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar, UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar (mostly by Confederates), and in conflicts with American Indians.
** The Colt Dragoon later solved the issues with the Walker.
* In 1854, while prospecting for gold near Sacramento California, Mexican war veteran Jonathan R. Davis killed 11 armed outlaws who had killed two companions and tried to murder him as well. He killed 7 of the 11 bandits with a pair of Colt revolvers (the rest he killed with a Bowie knife)
* Ed [=McGivern=] set several records on standard Smith & Wesson revolvers. His most famous is to fire five shots into a playing card-sized group in two-fifths of a second. He also shot marbles midair, fired targets that live helpers hung onto, shot targets from vehicles moving at over thirty miles per hour, fired without having a line of vision, shot from the hip and basically got crowds to see him because of his skill. And, to top it off he set several records ''dual wielding'', commonly considered to be one of the least effective tactics in a gunfight. He basically chose the revolver out of preference (the Smith & Wesson Model 10 was his favorite gun), but it shows what they can do.
* Revolvers have some advantages in home defense use. For people who keep it for years in the cupboard with little to no maintenance until it's needed in an emergency, revolvers can have an advantage in reliability. Poorly maintained or cheaply made guns can easily jam. If a revolver fails to fire, you can just try shooting again, as the cylinder rotates to a new chamber. For a semi-automatic, you can be in deep trouble if it jams, and will need to perform a clearance drill (typically "tap-rack-bang") to make it ready to use again. Especially true for gas pistols, which have an increased tendency to jam because there is less force available to cycle the action.
* Revolvers are also capable of being loaded and left loaded for prolonged periods of time without damage to the firearm, whereas semi-automatic firearms have springs in their magazines that can wear out over time, or if left constantly loaded without releasing the tension. Revolvers also don't need a magazine to function, as the rounds are loaded into an integral cylinder that is either fixed to an axle in the frame (single action only) or screwed onto the swing-out crane (modern double action/single action revolvers).

* ''VideoGame/ArizonaSunshine'': You can wield revolvers against the undead, but it's debatable if they do more damage than a glock.

* In ''VideoGame/Ashes2063''[[note]]a [[GameMod total conversion]] for ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}''[[/note]], the .45 Revolver is one of [[PlayerCharacter Scavenger]]'s most reliable weapons. It is always pinpoint accurate, deals considerable damage – on the Survival modes where all attacks are more powerful, it can sometimes kill bandits or even a Pit Fiend in one single shot – and can be fired relatively fast if needed. Heavy bullets for it are not quite as plentiful as light bullets for the 9mm Autoloader and Machine Pistol outside of bandit drops, but the Revolver offsets this with its ammo efficiency. In the game art, it is often featured as Scav's weapon of choice, whether it be on foot or on his [[CoolBike motorcycle]].
* In spite of their name, The Dueling Pistols in ''VideoGame/{{Bastion}}'' are very clearly a pair of revolvers, as evidenced by both their design, and the fact their ammo capacity upgrades explicitly refer to cylinders. They fire as fast as you can pull the trigger, and can be upgraded to either cause knockback or entirely ignore armor. Their active skill is either a rain of lead titled Slinger Storm, or an aptly titled Duel Decider (a devastating CriticalHit.)

** ''[[VideoGame/BattlefieldBadCompany Bad Company 2]]'', ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield 3}}'', and ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield 4}}'' have the MP-412 revolver that kills in 3 bullets, 4 at maximum range, compared to the other pistols that kill in 4 at the closest range at best. It has quite the kick and a small magazine of 6, however.

* In ''VideoGame/JaggedAlliance2'', this is generally averted; the weakest pistol in the game is a snub-nosed .38 that can't even reliably kill with a headshot, The .357 is at least on a par with the 9mm semi-automatics, but is slow to fire, has a much smaller magazine and can't take a suppressor. In addition, the expansion pack adds in Tex, a Japanese {{Western}} fanatic who uses blinged-out movie prop revolvers. He's good with them, but again, the AP costs.
** In 1.13, this is played straight. The best handgun you can get is the .357 Satan, which has a low AP cost and takes the heavily damaging AET round. You can also purchase a Raging Bull or a Freedom Arms revolver, both of which fire the .454 Casull round, or the slightly less powerful [=UDAR=] that fires what are effectively .410 shotgun shells loaded with slugs. This is all somewhat academic, however, as pistols are quickly demoted to EmergencyWeapon status once the {{Mooks}} start showing up with assault rifles and better body armour.

* In ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars OriginalGeneration'', The Giant Revolver does more damage than the M95 Machine Gun for the same amount of upgrades. This is balanced by the fact that it only has 6 ammo, nearly half that of the machine gun. There is also the Revolver Stake weapon on the Alt Eisen. While not a typical revolver by a [[IncrediblyLamePun long shot]], it definitely uses the imagery of one for [[RuleOfCool coolness value]]
** Also in the GaidenGame OG Saga, one of Haken's weapons is the Longtomb Special, a revolver with an incredibly long barrel, [[WaveMotionGun with one extra feature.]]

** [[{{Transformers}} Is it any wonder]] [[BigBad Megatron]] [[TransformingMecha decided to use it for his altform]] in the ''Classics'' toyline?

In [[TheWestern Westerns]], cowboys and outlaws are seen with revolvers. But this is because revolvers were the only repeating handguns at that time in history, not because of any cool factor. That doesn't stop it from ''being'' cool, though. One could argue this is where revolvers [[NostalgiaFilter first picked up their mystique]], though ''Film/DirtyHarry'' is probably responsible for popularising Magnum-loaded revolvers as the HandCannon of choice; this has faded a little in recent years, with the first choice for movie hero personal artillery more likely to be a .50AE Desert Eagle, much to the annoyance of gun enthusiasts. An enduring legacy of ''Dirty Harry'' is that it's often assumed that every powerful revolver is a Magnum.[[note]]"Magnum" does not mean "really powerful;" it refers to a longer (and yes, inherently more powerful) cartridge version of an existing caliber. The .454 Casull, for example, was the most powerful revolver available to civilians for many years, yet doesn't even have "Magnum" in its name (despite still technically being one to the .45 Long Colt and .45 S&W calibers).[[/note]] An easy demonstration is that, while the revolver is the HandCannon to a regular semi-auto pistol in most media productions, one shouldn't expect to see a semi-auto pistol as the HandCannon to a regular revolver. This is particularly evident in videogames, where the revolver will ''always'' outclass a semi-auto shot-for-shot: after all, if the revolver didn't have that advantage, then it would be totally useless.

* For Franchise/IndianaJones, the revolver was as much a part of Indy's image as the whip or the bag, but not the hat. [[IndyHatRoll Nothing beats the hat]].

* A matter of taste in ''7.62 High Calibre'': there are a few revolvers in the game. They are always more powerful than comparable handguns (one of the most powerful revolvers is the Garza, which fires ''12.7mm'' rounds, making it almost an order of magnitude more powerful than most handguns), and due to somewhat high manufacturing standards, they tend to be more accurate. However, they suffer from poor balance, low magazine size, lengthy reloading times (no speedloaders) and, most importantly, they shoot ''very'' slowly compared to handguns. You can fire three 9mm bullets for every .357 shot from the Colt Python.

** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil3'' gives Jill the .44 629 S&W, a more modern version of Dirty Harry's killing gun.

* Lara gets one in ''Franchise/TombRaider: The Last Revelation''.

* Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes from AMC's ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' carries a large stainless steel revolver, despite the fact that most other modern American law enforcement officers have switched to semi-autos like the Glock. But then again, he is Rick Grimes, a serious badass. As the 6" stainless Colt Python is an out-of-production collector's item worth more than a half-dozen new Glocks, Rick is apparently also pretty loaded.

* "Music/HoldingOutForAHero" by Bonnie Tyler: In the music video, the [[KnightInShiningArmor hero cowboy's]] revolver is definitely better than the {{outlaw}}s' [[WhipItGood neon whips]], and it is enough to shoot these riders off their {{hellish horse}}s one by one.

* ''Franchise/MetalGear'':

* LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya's ''Day of Sagittarius'' video game features, at least in the characters' minds, revolver spaceships loaded by smaller spaceships.
* ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure'':
** In ''Manga/StardustCrusaders'', Hol Horse's [[FightingSpirit Stand]], The Emperor, takes the form of a handgun that resembles a very elaborate-looking revolver. It doesn't need to be reloaded, and Hol Horse can control the trajectory of its shots.
** In ''Manga/GoldenWind'', Guido Mista uses an actual revolver in conjunction with his Stand, Sex Pistols. The fact that there are six Sex Pistols makes it synergize very well with a six-shooter, especially since they can each quickly load a round into the gun's cylinder for very fast reloads. At one point, Mista is forced to use a Beretta when his revolver breaks, and the Sex Pistols note that it's harder to reload due to using a magazine.

* ''[[Anime/{{Patlabor}} Mobile Police Patlabor]]'' - the AV-98 Ingrams use "Revolver Cannons," which are actually giant versions of standard police revolvers. Apparently the rounds are so expensive that speedloaders aren't issued, the operators instead being required to get out of their Labor and load the gun by hand.

* ''LightNovel/SundayWithoutGod'' has four characters with revolvers: Hampnie uses a Smith & Wesson Model 29, Julie uses a Ruger [=GP100=], Alice uses a Enfield No.2 [=Mk1=], and Dee uses a snubnosed Smith & Wesson Model 66.

** Subject Delta, PlayerCharacter of ''VideoGame/BioShock2'' uses a river gun instead of a pistol. But even he doesn't entirely miss out; upgrading the shotgun's ammo capacity converts it from a regular double barrel into what is effectively a double-cylinder revolver.

* ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'':
** In ''VideoGame/Persona3'', you know you're ''screwed'' if the friggin' GrimReaper himself is [[GunsAkimbo dual wielding]] Colt Buntlines, each of which has a barrel ''as long as you are tall''! [[SkippableBoss The sound of chains ringing through the hallways are always a good cue for you to run]], [[ThatOneBoss no matter what level you are]]. The Reaper will also show up to kick your ass in ''VideoGame/Persona4'' and ''VideoGame/Persona5''.
** ''3'' also has Takaya, leader of Strega, who's stated by WordOfGod to be carrying a [[HandCannon Smith & Wesson Model 500, the most powerful production revolver in the world]]. [[spoiler:He kills Shinjiro with it, and Junpei only survives a round through the chest when Chidori burns her life out to save him with her HealingHands.]]
** In ''VideoGame/Persona4'', Naoto Shirogane and Tohru Adachi use revolvers as their weapon of choice. In both this game and ''VideoGame/PersonaQShadowOfTheLabyrinth'', Naoto can get a freaking [[HandCannon .44 Colt Anaconda]]. And that's only a mid-game weapon - the late-game revolvers are truly terrifying.
** ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'' has Makoto Nijima, a straight-laced honor student who shoots her revolver from the hip like she's in a Western. She's also the daughter of a cop and loves Yakuza movies, so this probably influences her choice of gun.

* ''Left to Survive'' from Upwake.Me has the revolver special weapon class. These have only a few shots but do incredible damage and penetrates the target to continue hitting. Of interesting note is the weapon, ''Jolly Roger''. It's classified as an auto-pistol special weapon but it's actually a very intriguing revolver design. This ornate weapon dates back to the Golden Age of Piracy. It's an over-and-under double-barrelled revolver. What makes this CoolGun even better is that its main cylinder has a secondary cylinder placed within it to feed the lower barrel. This secondary cylinder carries a good 8 rounds but the main cylinder holds a whopping 20 rounds! It's this massive ammo capacity and ClockPunk firing mechanism that makes this revolver a fully automatic auto-pistol.

In [[TheWestern Westerns]], cowboys and outlaws are seen with revolvers. But this is because revolvers were the only repeating handguns at that time in history, not because of any cool factor. That doesn't stop it from ''being'' cool, though. One could argue this is where revolvers [[NostalgiaFilter first picked up their mystique]], though ''Film/DirtyHarry'' is probably responsible for popularising Magnum-loaded revolvers as the Hand Cannon of choice; this has faded a little in recent years, with the first choice for movie hero personal artillery more likely to be a .50AE Desert Eagle, much to the annoyance of gun enthusiasts. An enduring legacy of ''Dirty Harry'' is that it's often assumed that every powerful revolver is a Magnum.[[note]]"Magnum" does not mean "really powerful;" it refers to a longer (and yes, inherently more powerful) cartridge version of an existing caliber. The .454 Casull, for example, was the most powerful revolver available to civilians for many years, yet doesn't even have "Magnum" in its name (despite still technically being one to the .45 Long Colt and .45 S&W calibers).[[/note]] An easy demonstration is that while the revolver is the Hand Cannon to a regular semi-auto pistol in most media productions, one shouldn't expect to see a semi-auto pistol as the Hand Cannon to a regular revolver. This is particularly evident in videogames, where the revolver will ''always'' outclass a semi-auto shot-for-shot: after all, if the revolver didn't have that advantage, then it would be totally useless.

For a competing product, see the {{shotgun|sAreJustBetter}} (particularly the SawedOffShotgun) or the {{katana|sAreJustBetter}}. Tends to be a PunchPackingPistol or a SniperPistol when not a Hand Cannon outright.

* Dutch from ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' has one (though he's also used a shotgun as well). Chaka (the asshole from the Yakuza arc) also uses one. Revy derides Chaka for being a poser for using one for show more than effectiveness, and uses a pair of custom Beretta semiautomatics herself.

* ''Manga/CityHunter'': Ryo Saeba's personal arm, Colt Python .357 Magnum, seems to be superior to most types of weapons in the manga. With ImprobableAimingSkills and surprisingly powerful bullets, Ryo that can disable a car or a helicopter with one precise hit. Even ''armored {{attack drone}}s'' are not completely immune as seen in ''Anime/CityHunterShinjukuPrivateEyes''.

** Also used during [[spoiler:Takada's abduction]]; one of her bodyguards points a revolver at [[spoiler:Mello]] in the manga. In the anime he instead points a semi-automatic pistol at him.

* In ''Anime/GetterRobo'', both [[AmericanRobot Texas Mack]] and the Black Getter carry western-style revolvers scaled up for use by a 40 meter tall SuperRobot.
* In ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'', Togusa uses a Mateba Autorevolver instead of the standard-issue semi automatics of the rest of Section 9. The explanation for this is somewhat complex:
** In [[Manga/GhostInTheShell the manga]], the Major questions why he uses a revolver, when he should be afraid of it jamming, even if he carries a semi-automatic as backup. On the Major's request, he uses the semi-automatic throughout the manga. For some added irony, a semi-automatic of the same model jams in a later issue... In addition, Togusa is presented as someone with an odd gun choice, using an AS-11 shotgun in addition to his two handguns.
** In one ''[[Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex SAC]]'' episode, Togusa testifies in court that he prefers a revolver to an automatic because revolvers don't jam. It's implied that this is just him rationalizing, and that he really prefers them because he thinks they're cooler. He probably wouldn't have been so defensive if the guy asking wasn't acting as if this was case-turning material.

* LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya's ''Day of Sagittarius'' video game features, at least in the characters' minds, revolver space ships loaded by smaller space ships.

** In ''Manga/StardustCrusaders'', Hol Horse's [[FightingSpirit Stand]], The Emperor, takes the form of a handgun that resembles a very elaborate looking revolver. It doesn't need to be reloaded, and Hol Horse can control the trajectory of its shots.

* Jigen, gunslinging sidekick of ''Franchise/LupinIII'', uses all manner of firearms during his career, but seems to prefer a revolver as his sidearm of choice.
* In ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'', [[MagicWand Devices]] can get "cartridge systems" that allow them to fire powerful bursts of magic. The titular character's [[MagicStaff staff]] loads cartridges from assault rifle-style magazines, and the [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots Wolkenritter's]] Devices have shotgun-style brute-force mechanisms... but guess what Fate, the former DarkMagicalGirl who gets the really cool gear, gets for hers? Yup, six-shot revolver cylinder.

* High Class Demon Commander Scanty from ''Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt'' is very fond of her revolvers. Granted she have been shown capable of [[BifurcatedWeapon turning them into a shotgun]],and unlike most revolvers Scanty [[BottomlessMagazines doesn't seem worried about reloading them]].

* Sumire in ''Manga/VenusVersusVirus'' has a revolver in the manga. In the anime she only has a cheap, dime-a-dozen semi-automatic for a weapon, however the ElegantGothicLolita Lucia (who gets all the awesome gear in the series) sports a revolver.

* ComicBook/{{Hellboy}} has the Good Samaritan in the comics, and in the films he has [[http://www.geeksix.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/hellboy-big-baby.jpg the Big Baby]] too.

* After ComicBook/JonahHex is transported to the future in ''Hex'', he acquires a pair of Ruger Blackhawk .357 Magnums. He choses these because they are single action revolvers like he was used to in the WildWest, but he still manages to outshoot everybody armed with more more modern weaponry.

* Defied in ''ComicBook/TheWalkingDead''. Rick Grimes has a couple of chances to grab a revolver in the first volume, but sticks to his hatchet for taking out zombies and uses semiautomatic pistols or long arms when he needs a gun.

* Justified in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2784825/1/Old-Soldiers-Never-Die Old Soldiers Never Die]]'', as [[Literature/HarryPotter Harry]] is given his grandfather’s Webley Mk. VI to touch off the events of the story, while Hermione is assigned a Royal Irish Constabulary by her grandfather, since the regiment that Harry was putting together was being supplied with old surplus equipment.

* Subverted in ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII''. Marty is given a Colt Peacemaker for his shoot-out with Mad Dog Tannen, and is thrilled about having a real revolver, which he is shown to be incredibly accurate with (thanks to hours of practice on arcade games). Along the way he [[spoiler: gets a reality check, doesn't use it in the duel, and gives it away completely unused.]]

* Inverted in ''Film/TheBoondockSaints''. The main characters berate their friend, David Della Rocco, for bringing a revolver to kill nine people, when his revolver only has six bullets. Rocco had been told there were only two or three men in the room; Rocco's boss, Papa Joe Yakavetta, was actually setting him up to be killed during the assassination so that it couldn't be traced back to the boss.

* ''Film/DirtyHarry'' famously uses a gigantic Smith & Wesson Model 29, which chambers .44 magnum bullets. The gun is extremely powerful, and the long barrel plus adjustable sights make it basically a pocket-rifle. Around the time the movie was filmed, some police actually did carry such large revolvers, but they eventually proved excessively powerful. In ''Film/MagnumForce'', the "rookies" carry revolvers which stand out (.357 Magnum loads), and Dirty Harry explains some technical details of his gun such as the specific load he uses (probably an effort of the writers to justify his use of a powerful handgun like a water pistol).

* In ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly'', Tuco enters a general store and is unimpressed by the storekeep's selection of revolvers. He breaks the guns down and assembles a new gun from the parts that meet his high expectations. In reality, this would have been fairly improbable. Gun parts at the time were rarely interchangeable even between guns of the same model.

* In ''Film/LastActionHero'', the BigBad, Benedict, uses this trope to maximum effect in one scene in the "real world". Benedict fires at Slater with his revolver until the hammer falls on a empty chamber. When Slater comes out of cover and [[LampshadeHanging points out that]] [[BottomlessMagazines guns need to be reloaded in the real world]], Benedict replies that he merely left one chamber empty and then shoots Slater with the bullet still left in his revolver.
* In ''Film/TheLastStand'', TheDragon Burrell wields a Colt Dragoon modified to fire standard metal cartridges. In addition, Lewis Dinkum wields a Smith & Wesson M500 through much of the gun fight with the bad guys which is later picked up by Sheriff Ray Owens which he uses to kill the aforementioned Burrell.

** A bit of TruthInTelevision since Murtaugh is carrying an adjustable sight Smith & Wesson revolver which is much better suited to carefully aimed shots then Riggs fixed sight Beretta.
* Rick O'Connell, as well as the Americans from ''Film/{{The Mummy|1999}}'' loved to use revolvers. O'Connell was shown to be an aficionado of many types of firearms, however. Early in the movie O'Connell is using semi-automatic pistols vs the horsemen, in the desert. Inappropriate weapons for the conditions, being prone to jamming from dust and dirt. In the commentary on the DVD Brendan Fraser, who played O'Connell, confirmed that the weapons kept jamming due to the dusty conditions. In the third movie, there's one scene where Rick and his son, Alex, are comparing their handguns (a Colt Peacemaker revolver and a Walther P38 pistol respectively). Rick boasts of the superior reliability and bigger size of the revolver, but Alex claims that [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything size doesn't matter]].
* In ''Film/PlanetTerror'', when Wray and Abby take out the grotesquely mutated Lt. Muldoon, Wray, the American/Mexican(kind of hard to be positive which, although the actor is Puerto Rican) fires a revolver, while Abby, the Brit, fires an automatic. Both of them actually seem to be about equally effective.

* In ''Film/SkyCaptainAndTheWorldOfTomorrow'', the Sky Captain keeps a revolver tucked into his boot, where he can easily grab it if seated in a cockpit or hoisted into the air by a KillerRobot. For some reason though in the uranium mine scene he's changed to a Colt .45 automatic.

** The logic behind this probably runs that if someone has a revolver, with its easy concealability and inadequacy for gamekeeping, hunting or any other non-criminal/law-enforcement use, then they're probably up to no good. In contrast, rifles and shotguns are common things for any farmer[=/=]landed gentry (heroes in classic British adventure fiction tending to fit into the latter category) to have lying around as a matter of course.

* ''In August of 44'', [[TheBigGuy Tamantsev]] uses two Nagant revolvers in the final skirmish. He prefers them for reliability, and reloading is not an issue: first, the fights against highly trained paratrooper agents are so short and frenzy-paced they tend to be over by the time you need to reload; second, Nagant holds 7 rounds (only one round less than semiautomatic TT used by other heroes) and Tamantsev has two of them and is a renown GunsAkimbo user.

* In [[Literature/LogansRun the novel]] that inspired ''Film/LogansRun'', the sandman guns are six cylinder revolvers, each cylinder loaded with its own special cartridge. The homer would follow and kill the runner. The tangler was a webbing bomb, the ripper would go through armor, the nitro was self-explanatory, the vapor was a gas bomb, and the needler, which function was not explicitly stated, could be conjectured to be a needle slug filled with an anesthetic.

* In Creator/DavidGemmell's ''Literature/StonesOfPower'' series, Jon Shannow, a.k.a. the Jerusalem Man, carries a pair of percussion cap revolvers. These represent the cutting edge of firearms technology in the post-apocolyptic world in which he lives and make him far deadlier than most his opponents who are armed with single shot flintlocks.
* In ''Literature/TimeScout'', given that most gates lead to times before automatic and semiautomatic weapons, this just plain sense. Why carry anything but a revolver when nothing but revolvers exist?

* In the ''Series/CriminalMinds'' episode "Revelations", the [=UnSub=] plays Russian Roulette with a kidnapped and tortured Reid using a revolver. SA Reid later gets the revolver away from him and shoots him with it. Some time later, it becomes apparent that Reid has started using a revolver as his service weapon.

* A couple times in ''Series/DeadliestWarrior''. In the Jesse James Vs. Al Capone episode, [[spoiler:the Colt Revolver is tested against the [[MoreDakka Tommy Gun]], and the Colt gets the edge for better accuracy and the QuickDraw.]] In the Back For Blood special, [[spoiler:the IRA's Webley revolver is matched up against the Spetsnaz' Makarov pistol and the Makarov gets the edge due to it's higher rate of fire and faster reload.]]

* In ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', Jayne Cobb's sidearm of choice (though not his [[ICallItVera very favorite gun]]) is a revolver, and Wash uses a few of them over the course of the series. On the other hand, Mal's pistol is a semi-automatic, and sees a lot more use.
** It's worth noting however that the real-world prop for Mal's pistol is based on the five shot Taurus 38 revolver.

* In the mini series ''Series/TinMan'', Cain uses a completely normal looking old fashioned revolver. How he can fire off much more than ten rounds in one fight scene without ever having to reload at any moment in the show is truly amazing.

*** The most common pattern of Astra Militarum {{grenade launcher}}s have large revolver magazines. These weapons can be highly devastating and are very versatile due to their able, in the lore and some editions of the game, to load [[AbnormalAmmo various types of specialist ammunition.]]
*** The Skitarii warriors of the [[MachineWorship Adeptus Mechanicus]] wield a number of weapons, such as the [[ShockAndAwe galvanic rifle]], radium carbine and arc weaponry, are revolver weapons that fire a variety of AbnormalAmmo that make them far more effective than the equivalent weapons of most other armies.
*** Subverted with stub guns a.k.a stubbers and grot blasta, these guns were often revolvers and are the antithesis of pop culture's idea of a revolver. Largely ineffective, the stub gun/stub revolver disappeared from the mainline ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' (though weapons like the Heavy Stubber, Macrostubber and Stubcarbine persist) and shows up only in the gaiden games. Meanwhile the grot blasta is a weak, crude gun that has difficulty piercing human skin.

** Revolvers also do possess a few benefits over "autoloaders". For one, if you suffer a Misfire, you can simply pull the trigger again instead of having to immediately service the weapon. Secondly, they stand less of a chance malfunctioning when fired underwater. Finally, they, along with manual repeaters, do not suffer a reduction in reliability when shot in outer space.

* Of the conventional handguns available in ''TabletopGame/RocketAge'' the hand cannons are the most powerful and always described as large revolvers. They still pale in comparison to even the smallest Ray weapons however.

* In ''TabletopGame/UnhallowedMetropolis'', with the undead highly resistant to damage, those that fight them favor using powerful guns over weaker ones with a higher rate of fire. So revolvers are the typical handgun used, with the best of them being a [[HandCannon custom heavy revolver]] which is even more expensive and potent than the famed Westgate Executioner 12mm semi-automatic pistol. Also of note is the Magwitch Terminus which is a double-barrelled revolver, it's main barrel uses 12mm bullets while the 2nd will fire a wooden stake to deal with vampires.

* The {{Nerf}} [[Toys/NERFBrand Maverick]]... [[GuiltyPleasures What?]] Hey, it's their best seller! Cheap, has a rail to slap on NERF accessories... problem is, like all nerf guns, it jams if you look at it weird and the cocking mechanism reduces your rate of fire.

** It is particularly popular in the SteamPunk community because of how spectaular it looks painted in brass, tin and woodgrain.

** That other new NERF revolver, the Spectre REV-5, is a 5-shooter with a slimmer body and an improved cylinder-advancing mechanism that greatly improves reliability, accuracy and power. On top of that, [[GunAccessories its Tactical Rail is in a better place than on top of the priming action, AND it can take both barrel extensions and detachable stocks]] for specific situations.

** The Maverick has a bigger, stronger brother, the Strongarm, which features the same six-round capacity, but includes a 'slam fire' function which can launch darts far faster than the Maverick, as well as greater range.

** The Zombie Strike [=FlipFury=] is a ''twelve''-round revolver with ''two'' vertically-aligned cylinders, and a second trigger that flips the cylinders around so you can quickly switch to the second after emptying the first. It even has the slam-fire ability of the Strongarm.

** The Blue Sun mod (which is so popular that it's practically mandatory for players) adds a large number of revolvers, including .38s and even single action revolvers. Both calibers are fairly common early game pistols (especially cheap .38 Special revolvers like the Ruger Security Six), but their only advantage in many cases over semi-autos is that they don't require the player to buy magazines. They still shoot slower and have a lower capacity than any semi-automatic, and decent automatics are available for ''free'' early on. Taking one is really just a matter of style.

* For the Gunslinger/ Gunsmith in ''VideoGame/ArcanumOfSteamworksAndMagickObscura'', the Fine Revolver is the best all around weapon until mid-game. Best rate of fire, best damage per shot, best damage per action point. After that you'll need to rely on the Handcannon (sawed off shotgun), then the Elephant Gun (heavy rifle) before you reach your endgame uberweapon: Droch's Warbringer, a fast-firing and extremely heavy revolver.

* Inverted in the CYOA-style ''A Road Less Traveled'' from Jeffrey Dean and ''Greek Winter Media'', in the first game ''Westward Dystopia'' - your character uses his revolvers as his weapon of choice and he can upgrade them with a laser sight and hollow point ammo. He likes them so much that he doesn't even pick up the superior assault rifles he finds. However in the prequel ''Spire Ablaze'', the hero gets a choice of starting weapon - a shotgun, an Uzi or a Colt Single-Action Army revolver. Of these, the weakest weapon is the revolver (to make up for this, the Technocrat Guild gives you some extra medkits). The hero only gets his favourite set of revolvers (they were part of his graduation test to successfully refurbish them) when his instructor gave them to him.

*** Not to mention it had easily the best reload animation in the game, along with a loud boom that was just a terrifying to hear if you were on the PAC as hearing the Shuko Light Machinegun was to an EU player.

* From ''{{VideoGame/Bayonetta 2}}'' there's SecretCharacter [[spoiler:[[MamaBear Rosa]], Bayonetta's mother]], and her revolvers called Unforgiven, which she wields on both her hands [[ArmedLegs and feet]]. They are basically a [[HandCannon quartet of hand cannons]], and do three times as much damage as any other weapon in the game, balanced out by the fact their wielder has very low defense and is a GlassCannon.

** The first gun found in ''VideoGame/BioShock1'' is a six-shot revolver that is loaded by replacing the entire cylinder like a magazine. It's the most basic gun in the game, and deals relatively low damage. [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon Until you upgrade it that is]]. When fully upgraded, it gains a damage-increasing "ammunition accelerator" and has it's clip size quadrupled by the addition of an extra ammunition attachment. This effectively turns the revolver into a belt-fed, Gauss-revolver. Not that you would need all that [[MoreDakka dakka]], since once you get enough Research points one clean headshot with an Antipersonnel bullet is enough to kill all but [[BossInMookClothing bosses in mook clothing]], and piercing rounds will put a huge dent in Big Daddies.
** ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'' introduces the Hand Cannon, which has the 2nd best accuracy and damage of all bullet fed weapons (the sniper rifle being the only thing above it).

* Gearbox, the people who made ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' certainly seem to think so, which is very true to its SpaceWestern roots. When on your first playthrough as Mordecai, the guy who uses lots of [[{{Handguns}} pistols]], the first guns you get are low-powered automatics. Later, you will find that the revolvers in this game are like combinations of pistols and sniper rifles. On top of that, every revolver pistol, especially Mashers, is a HandCannon. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, with revolver shotguns, revolver sniper rifles, revolver rocket launchers, which are all in seven shot, six shot, three shot, two shot, side-gate, cylinder swapping, break-open with speed loaders... almost every gun with under 8 rounds per reload uses revolver technology. Revolvers are also more prone to come equipped with a blade for melee attacks than any other gun.

* The revolver of ''VideoGame/{{Chrome}}'' is a HandCannon that fires 12mm bullets; each one does 3 times as much damage as an assault rifle bullet, and can kill enemies with one shot at close range. On the downside, it takes up more space than the regular pistol and only holds 6 shots.

* The Anaconda Black in ''VideoGame/CombatArms''. While it has a low-rate of fire and low ammo capacity, it can take down any enemy in one to two shots, making some players label it as a GameBreaker.

* Downplayed in ''VideoGame/{{Control}}'', where revolver-style Grip is the base form of the [[MorphWeapon Service Weapon]]. It's "better" in the sense that it's BoringButPractical, while most of the cooler forms are AwesomeButImpractical. If you do an extremely obtuse and unlabeled sidequest, you are awarded with a unique mod for it that makes it so that any shot that hits an enemy doesn't consume ammo, which actually does make it quite a bit better than most other forms since you could theoretically keep shooting it forever and never have to reload as long as you never miss.

** The [[HandCannon Magnum]] in the Standalone is liked by many over the semiautomatic pistols for many reasons. Style, power and the fact that you don't need to find magazines (Which primarily spawn in Airfields which are known as {{Death Trap}}s due to hostile players heading straight for them to find powerful weapons) are popular reasons.
* In ''VideoGame/DeadEndSt'', a revolver is the highest tier of weapon available and has the best damage, even compared to the automatic weapons and shotguns.

* The ''VideoGame/ProjectBrutality'' GameMod for ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' has the Revolver. It's a powerful HandCannon that can shred weaker enemies and deliver a nasty punch to stronger ones but it has only six-shots meaning you have to reload it more often than the normal pistol, can't be silenced unlike the .45 pistol, and it only starts showing up at later levels. Due to how the gameplay works, it's easier to use the rifle and pistol to kill weaker foes with headshots and use rapid-fire weapons for stronger ones to force them to flinch and prevent them from attacking. The weapon upgrade replaces it with a Desert Eagle, which has the same damage output with the advantage of a larger magazine and faster firing rate.

*** Cradle & Grave, a pair of GunsAkimbo revolvers. They have [[BottomlessMagazines infinite ammo]], but still have to reload-unless you upgrade them, in which case they never have to be reloaded.

* Thoroughly averted in ''VideoGame/DoorKickers''. The revolvers available offer no real advantages over the .45 pistols, but have multiple weaknesses such as a lower fire rate and a smaller ammo capacity. The weakest enemy in the game also uses a .38 revolver that is ineffective in harming your officers.

* In ''VideoGame/EmpireEarth'', the hero characters of [=WW1=], [=WW2=] and Modern eras wield revolvers, while the basic units of the time use rifles.

** Smiley's Revolver and Shades' Revolver are the weapons wielded by a pair of potential Floor 1 bosses (though, you can find either of them on that very floor before fighting them, somehow, or way after that fight). They are decent enough for early-to-midgame, but are always useful to keep around thanks to their passive bonuses: Smiley's Revolver reduces the shop prices, while Shades' Revolver substantially decreases active items' recharge time, which can be extremely important when those items are something like Stuffed Star (temporary invulnerability) or Big Boy (calls down a straight-up nuclear missile.)
** One of the most powerful guns in the entire game, The Finished Gun, is a revolver that quickly fires high damage bullets, and the final shot of each magazine is a larger bullet that deals more damage and reflects enemy bullets.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/EternalDarkness'', where revolvers are among the ''weakest'' weapons you can use, even if you enchant them first, but they can be handy for avoiding going toe-to-to with a [[GiantMook Horror]], at least.
* ''VideoGame/EYEDivineCybermancy'' has 4 different pistols to choose from, the first two (and the weakest) are semi-automatics, the later two are revolvers and to say they are significantly more powerful is an understatement. The strongest of the bunch, the [[HandCannon .444 Bear Killer]], can bring down anything from random thugs to PowerArmor wearing cybernetic super soldiers to [[FutureCopter military grade attack helicopters]] in less than 4 shots. However, the semi-automatics are generally more practical as a backup weapon due to larger magazines and overkill only being necessary against Heavy Jians, Interceptors, and Deus Exs. That being said, the .444 Bear Killer is perfectly capable of being a [[SniperPistol player's primary weapon]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' has a .44 Magnum Revolver that is available at The Den. This revolver can fire faster than the pistols you can find at the beginning of the game, and has more damage than the Desert Eagle as well. You can use it until up to New Reno, where there's the .233 Pistol, which has more damage. However, with the Fast Shot trait, you can shoot faster for one AP less. This means that you can fire the revolver three times with 9 AP. You can also upgrade the revolver to use a Speed Loader, which makes it reload for 1 AP. Cue The Chosen One shooting a revolver three times, then reloading it. All in one turn, if you maxed Agility to gain 10 AP. Now, if you get the perk Bonus Rate of Fire, you can fire it for 2 AP, which means that you can UNLOAD your chamber into a enemy (if you maxed Agility and took two levels of Action Boy/Girl to get 12 AP), then reload it and shoot it five times in the next turn. This makes the gun so powerful you can use it until you find a Gauss Pistol near the end of the game, which has the same rate of fire as the Magnum while doing massive damage and carrying twelve rounds for two turns of uninterrupted death. Revolvers really are Just Better.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' goes to town with this trope. In the stock game, the only semiauto pistols are the completely useless chinese pistol and the 10mm automatic, which is useful early on but soon discarded for something - almost anything - else. The .32 revolver is so weak it's not even worth talking about, but the [[SniperPistol scoped .44 Magnum]] is a far more powerful weapon, and the Blackhawk (special scoped magnum) is one of the most powerful small guns you can use and the best handgun in the entire game. It also makes a [[BangBangBANG very cool noise]]. It's incredibly visceral getting headshots on Enclave soldiers in power armor. Then there's the official expansion, which adds a revolver that's even better than the Blackhawk, and another that somehow uses .44 ammo but fires pellets like a shotgun.
** And then there are countless weapon mods, which add [[Manga/{{Trigun}} Vash the Stampede's]] gun, the original .223 pistol from Fallout 2, many real-world revolvers and even rarities like the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mateba_Autorevolver Mateba Model 6]].

* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' plays with this trope. Of the starter pistols, the .357 Magnum has better damage and accuracy than the 9mm and 10mm automatics, but fires slower, while the .45 Auto outperforms it but requires completion of the ''Honest Hearts'' DLC to obtain. Endgame pistols generally come in two categories: First, the smaller, quicker gun that relies on critical hits, of which there are two revolvers (That Gun, Lucky) and two automatics (A Light Shining in Darkness, Li'l Devil). The automatics fire faster with higher base damage, while the revolvers are more accurate (especially with Hand Loader ammo) with a higher critical hit rate. The second category is the larger, slower HandCannon--all of these (the .44 Magnum and Mysterious Magnum, the [[SniperPistol Hunting Revolver]] and Ranger Sequoia) are revolvers.
* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'' has a few nice (and not-so-nice) revolvers. The .44 Magnum hits like a truck, and legendary effects can make it [[HandCannon absurdly powerful]]. Conrad Kellog, the [[DiscOneFinalBoss Disc-One Final Boss]], even uses one of these to kill your spouse in the prologue, and to fight you. The Western Revolver from Nuka-World is a fancier-looking (and even more powerful) .44 magnum, and [[SniperPistol can even have a scope attached for long-range shots, as the Western Revolver shoots with almost no projectile deviation.]] For more mundane weaponry, the Pipe Revolver Gun uses .45 rounds, and can be modded into either a pistol or rifle, and acts as a powerful early-game weapon, before .45 rounds become widely available.
* Averted in ''VideoGame/TheFallLastDaysOfGaia'', where 38. Special revolvers are the worst ranged weapons.

** Squall Leonhart of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' uses a gunblade with a revolver handle. While he does get more powerful weapons throughout the game, this is his iconic weapon, and is used in every cutscene in which he needs to do something badass.

* The Revolver is considered a Legendary weapon in ''VideoGame/{{Foesio}}''. It does a whole 600 damage (next to Pistol's 300 and Silenced Pistol's 400), and thus is guaranteed to kill any rival player in 2 shots. It is also very accurate, and can fire twice a second, but obviously only has 6 bullets in it, when a Pistol comes with 20 and Silenced Pistol with 15.

* Zig-zagged in ''VideoGame/GirlsFrontline''. Revolvers are part of the [[SupportPartyMember Handgun]] class, and like them are mostly valued by their ability to buff other units in the echelon. Guns like Nagant [=M1895=] and Astra Revolver are good for early game but are easily replaceable later on (the former does get a very useful MOD 3 upgrade down the road). Colt Single Action Army is a staple buffer but competes with other handguns for a slot in most formations (though, like Nagant, her MOD 3 upgrade pushes her to the top of tier lists). Colt Python, on the other hand, has one of the best damage output for her class, making her invaluable for cost-efficient 5 HG compositions.

* ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' and ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'': Gordon Freeman gets two handguns in each game. His starter gun is a 9mm handgun (respectively a Glock 17 or a H&K USP Match), and later he will find a [[HandCannon .357 Colt Python]]. On a whole, it's downplayed for balance purposes. The revolver is incredibly powerful and accurate, essentially a SniperPistol; humanoid enemies will always go down in one shot until very late in the game. On the downside, it has ridiculously low ammo (36 and 24 bullets total in the first and second games, compared to 168 for the 9mm guns), very scarce supplies of ammo for it, and a very low fire rate thanks to high recoil. Finally, the reload speed is sluggish. Thus the revolver excels at picking off targets at medium range, but in close quarters with multiple foes it's a better idea to use the lighter handgun to snap off several quick headshots. The fact that ammo is so restricted that you'll have an overbearing urge to save it for emergencies make this gun TooAwesomeToUse.

* The Rusty Revolver in ''VideoGame/ImmortalRedneck'' does considerably more damage then the basic pistol, but it is also far less accurate.

* In ''VideoGame/JupiterHell'', .44 revolver deals the same damage as a .44 hunter rifle, which 1,5 times the damage of a 9mm pistol, even doing slightly more raw damage per shot than a CRI plasma pistol. Unlike the two of them, it has a 20% critical bonus that stacks with all your other critical modifiers. However, its chambers fit 6 bullets instead of 8, its range is inferior to a plasma pistol, and it is reloaded bullet-by-bullet.
** There is also a rare JS .44 revolver, which is slightly more damaging than the normal version, and also has a better accuracy and a 30% critical chance. However, its chamber is limited to three bullets.
** Guard-type enemies will always carry a .44 revolver in addition to either a basic 9mm pistol, or a plasma pistol if they used to be CRI. [[spoiler:Weirdly, the normal, unpossessed, yet still-hostile CRI Guards that are encountered on Io only carry a plasma pistol, which makes one wonder how their possessed versions found theirs]].
* In ''VideoGame/JustCause 2'', the revolver is one of the various one-handed guns available in the game and is all-round the most powerful (the SawnOffShotgun can deliver a bigger punch, but this requires that all its pellets hit the target, only achievable at point blank range). It's capable of one-shotting just about any non-EliteMook and can be upgraded to pack 12 rounds in its six-shot cylinder somehow. A fully upgraded revolver allows Rico to casually wipe out entire Panauan military patrols with one magazine. Its biggest limitations are a low fire rate and a relatively small ammo pool, but seeing as how enemies regularly carry and therefore drop their own revolvers for ammo this is hardly as pressing an issue as, say, a shortage of SniperRifle ammunition.

* ''Videogame/TheLastOfUs'': The .357 revolver that Joel acquires does more damage than the 9mm pistol (the latter requiring three body shots to kill unarmored humans and runners, while the latter only requires two shots. On Grounded difficulty, the revolver becomes a OneHitKill on humans.) but has a slower rate of fire and less ammo capacity. Then there's El Diablo, a high-caliber revolver with a scope that Joel finds near the end of the game, which will kill all non-armored enemies in one shot by default, and can be upgraded to pierce armor as well.
* Zig-zagged in ''VideoGame/MafiaTheCityOfLostHeaven''. The earliest revolvers you are likely to find are Colt Detective Special and Smith & Wession Model 10, which fire low-power .38 special rounds and are inferior in damage, stability, and fire and reload speed to the semi-auto Colt M1911, with a slightly more common ammo being their only advantage. However, Smith & Wesson M 27 .357 magnum is rare, but packs the big punch you'd expect.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/{{MDK 2}}''. Max the Dog can have a Magnum, an Uzi, a Shotgun, a Gatling Gun and a Ray Gun in his arsenal. Of these weapons, the Magnum has the worst power and rate of fire for Max.

** Revolver Ocelot. It's right there in his CodeName. In the prequel ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'', he starts off with a semiautomatic and is pretty good with it, killing one man with a richochet shot. However, Snake notes his technique is more suited to using a revolver, and he soon switches to the Single Action Army. Interestingly, when he first switches to the revolver, it's shown he has to do some adjusting; for example, he doesn't realize the gun's only got six shots the first time he takes on Snake with it[[note]]Compare the quote on top of this page, showing off his growth over the years[[/note]]. In any case, he [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything rather enjoys]] reloading.

** The only sidearm available to Artyom is, curiously enough, a revolver chambered in .44 Magnum (rather out of place in Moscow, as the .44 Magnum cartridge is only really popular in America). Next to the Bastard SMG, it's one of the most ubiquitous guns around. It is more accurate and does more damage per shot than most weapons firing the 5.45 round--justified, since those cartridges are survivor-made 'dirty' rounds and are inferior to proper 5.45 rounds. It the first game, it can be upgraded to a ridiculous degree, with accessories including an extended barrel or silencer, a scope, and a freaking stock, turning it from a handgun to a downsized revolver hunting rifle. It loses some of this versatility in the sequel, but a silenced version is the first weapon you're given once the game starts in earnest and can carry you through most of the game due to the ammo availability and the fact that [[PunchPackingPistol it hits like a brick]].

* ''Noblemen: 1896'' by Foursaken Media is an aversion. You'd think a Steampunk game set in a post-Civil War America would have amazing revolvers, but it avoids that with the Colt and its successor, the Lemat. Instead rifles are king (the only advantage for handgun users is being quicker in readying for melee). Revolvers only hit harder than the Milita's smoothbore musket, but after that any two-handed firearm outclasses the revolvers. Additionally revolvers are actually the weakest of the handguns - some Officers have an automatic pistol that looks like a Mauser and others carry a sawed-off shotgun. Both these guns are superior to the revolver in damage output and other stats.
* ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'': Dr. Peace, the 9th ranked assassin in the world, uses a pair of golden revolvers during his fights.

* ''VideoGame/NosferatuTheWrathOfMalachi'': The Revolver reloads faster then the Flintlock or Musket and can shoot 5 times before reloading. However, each shot only does a third of the damage, so this is kind of subverted. Not that it makes it any less useful.

** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil1'' offers you a .357 Colt Python, the most powerful gun in the game. In the 2002 remake, it's now a custom tailored Python that uses the name "Silver Serpent".
** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2'' has the Colt Single Action Army, which isn't any more powerful than the normal handgun, and only holds six rounds. But it can fire those six rounds faster than anything short of the submachine gun, meaning it can take down individual zombies ''very'' quickly, but is useless for anything bigger. In the ''Remake'', Claire's starting handgun is a simple 9mm revolver -- when upgraded with the optional parts and using the high-power rounds, it becomes comparable to Leon's magnum.

** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' has two revolvers, both with barrel lengths approaching the size of the revolver in the picture for HandCannon. Both do the more damage than any other weapons per hit in the game.

* In ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'', James Raynor carries a revolver. He has it loaded with one bullet, the loaded chamber rotated away from the barrel, presumably as a safety precaution. It is not intended to be used for combat though, instead Raynor intends to use it on his arch enemy, Dominion Emperor Arcturus Mengsk. [[spoiler:However, he ends up using it on his old friend Tychus.]]

* ''VideoGame/SurvivalCrisisZ'' has the revolver as the starting weapon of the Doctor class, and a purchasable weapon for everyone else. Interestingly, the main benefits of this weapon aren't it's power (which is only slightly above average), but rather it's plentiful ammo and it's decent firing rate (which can be boosted to [[MoreDakka machinegun levels]] with a certain skill).
* Averted with the [=OT-38=] revolver in ''VideoGame/{{Survivio}}'', which is usually considered the second-worst pistol-type weapon in the game, and one of the worst weapons in the entire game. While it is very accurate, and deals pretty good damage per shot, its fire rate is so low that actually killing anyone not already grievously wounded will take far too long next to anything else - unarmed players straight-up punching [=OT-38=] wielders to death indoors is the rule, rather than the exception. You can dual-wield it to fire a bit faster and get double the ammo, but then you lose its accuracy advantage and get double the reload time.
** However, the trope is played straight with the Peacemaker revolver, which has one of the highest [=DPS=] in the game. However, it is only available in the Desert mode[=/=]Potato mode, and is restricted to the rare .45 ammunition, which it burns through all-too-quickly. Thus, a Model 84 rifle can often be a safer bet as far as .45 weapons go, simply because of its range and more consistent damage.

* The Colt Anaconda from ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'' is the coolest as well as one of the best firearms in the entire game. Not only does this piece pack the punch of a shotgun at much longer rangees, but it's also deadly accurate like a sniper rifle and ''fast''. The only drawback is its six-shot cylinder. Oh, and its firing sound is just plain badass. You can also switch to alternate fire and "fan" a room pretty easily, as long as you don't mind stopping to reload every two seconds.

** Subverted in ''VideoGame/WildArms3'', where Virginia's revolvers are...quite weak in comparison. To mock gunplay tropes further, try guessing what's weaker than Virginia's revolvers? Why, it's Gallows' SawedOffShotgun of course! To be fair, Virginia is an item-oriented fighter with speed as her forte, and Gallows is a full on nuking black mage.

* Russian anime-inspired game ''VideoGame/XBlades'' has protagonist Ayumi using a pair of...things. Each one is a double-barrelled, double-drummed revolver with each emerging on the side of a long blade. Essentially, a pistol grip with a sword in the middle and two guns melded on the side. And she has two of them, one for each hand. And just for extra cool factor, her "gun-blades" can be imbued with fire, lightning or even LIGHT, casing them to both hit and shoot significantly harder. Skills are available to make her shoot significantly faster or cause her bullets to ricochet off enemies, and her light and dark modes can further double her rate of fire AND her speed of melee attacks. The English variant X-Blades also adds gun-blade upgrades into wider blades and bigger guns. [[RuleOfCool Who cares about realism or practicality?]]

* In Case 3 of ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'', the victim bleeds to death after being shot ''through the shoulder'' with a [[HandCannon 45-calibre revolver]]. This is actually a plot point, as it's pointed out that the defendant, a 14-year old, wouldn't have been able to use the murder weapon without dislocating his shoulder.

* General Ironwood from ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' uses two revolvers, one being named Due Process, both are gigantic and they shoot Dust as well as real bullets. He faces off against Watts who also wields a twelve shot, ultra-fancy revolver himself.

** Samuel Colt's five-shot Paterson revolver, first patented February 25, 1836 and manufactured in Paterson, New Jersey, was the first commercial repeating firearm employing a revolving cylinder with multiple chambers aligned with a single, stationary barrel. Revolver-type firearms had been made since the Renaissance, but they had been expensively-made one-off items, and lacked convenient features of the Colt such as a cylinder that automatically rotated the next chamber into place with each cock of the hammer. Although the Paterson revolvers sold poorly because people saw them as unreliable novelties, John Hays acquired a pair of them for each of his Texas Rangers, who used them to fight off a band of Commanche Indians in the Battle of Bandera Pass.
** Afterwards, Samual Walker of the Texas Rangers reached out to Colt and asked him to design a more rugged and powerful version that could be fired from the saddle, and that would be powerful enough to take out horses as well as men. Colt delivered with the Walker Colt, a HandCannon weighing four and a half pounds, which was the first Colt to be a six-shooter. Firing these two hundred year old guns today still provides a fairly decent spread on a target from up to 60 feet away, and incredibly for a black powder gun, the Walker remained the most powerful revolver in the world until the .357 magnum cartridge was introduced in 1934. It did have some problems, however, the most notable being bursting cylinders: In addition to the primitive metallurgy of the day, they featured overlength chambers for the front-loaded black powder charge, leading users to over-charge them--especially because they were unused to the Walker's conical bullets and sometimes put them in backwards, creating more space for extra powder than there was supposed to be. In addition, the loading lever catch didn't work well and often allowed it to drop during recoil, temporarily jamming the gun. Walker owners would often secure the lever with a piece of rawhide. Only 1,100 Walkers were made, and Colt commissioned New York engraver Waterman Ormsby to etch the cylinders with a scene of the battle of Bandera Pass, which made them beautiful and also increased the difficulty of counterfeiting the Walker. On top of there having been few to begin with, Walkers in good condition are rare because the people who owned them ''really'' got a lot of use out of them. They were used in the UsefulNotes/MexicanAmericanWar, UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar (mostly by Confederates), and in conficts with American Indians.

* Somewhat TruthInTelevision, because among gun enthusiasts revolvers are known for better reliability, greater accuracy, easier maintenance, and greater stopping power compared to automatics. Particularly with single-action revolvers. Because of basic mechanical designs, the maximum firing speed for a single action revolver is on par with a conventional semiautomatic, although few people can pull back the gun's hammer fast enough to even match normal semiautomatic firing rates. Of course, these benefits are offset by the small number of rounds, greater recoil, difficulty reloading, and difficulty with faster rates of fire (particularly single action).

** The reason for the above quoted great stopping power and accuracy of the revolvers lays in their ability to fire long rifle-like cartridges, down to TheWildWest era .45-70 or the modern-age .454 Casull. The usual pistol ammo has poor aerodynamics due to short and fat shape of the bullet (to fit the width of a pistol magazine) and low velocity (to diminish recoil) and can't be accurate at rifle or carbine ranges, while long rifle bullets may still have some accuracy even from the 6in barrel of a revolver.

** Several Asian police departments held out even longer before making the switch. It wasn't until 2016 when law enforcement in Macau switched to the Glock 17 as their standard sidearm. In 2017, the Singapore Police Force started evaluations for a replacement for their Taurus 85 .38 Special snubnose revolver. While they first tested the [[https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore-news/guns-meant-spore-police-seized-vietnam 9mm CZ P-07]], in April 2019 they eventually settled on [[https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2019/04/02/glock-asia-pacific-to-supply-pistols-to-the-singapore-police-force/ the Generation 5 Glock 19]], ordering 6,000 pistols.

* The Mateba Autorevolver is one of the most sought after and highly performing handguns in the industry. It addresses a number of complaints about revolvers like the tougher trigger pulls on double actions and the recoil and spinning action. The Mateba fires from its bottom cylinder, greatly reducing upward pull endemic to handguns, especially revolvers. As an Autorevolver, it uses the gas from the round to turn the cylinder and recock the trigger, acting as somewhat of a halfway point between a revolver and a semiautomatic. However its still as reliable as a normal revolver and the only downside is that you only get six shots.

** The Colt Model 1855 Revolving Rifle was a weapon that was shelved almost as soon as it was adopted. What made it a disastrous failure of a weapon was that there was a chance that discharging a round would ignite the gunpowder in all six chambers, ''blowing off the left hand'' of anyone who held it like a normal rifle. This was generally a fault with all multiple shot weapons of the era prior to the adoption of the far safer self-contained cartridge, but was not as much of a problem with the handguns since the bullets had a clear path ahead of them. Soldiers would get around this problem either by holding the loading lever near the trigger (so that it would be out of the way of any accidental discharge) or by having only one loaded chamber at a time. The latter solution rendered the advantage of having a revolving rifle moot.

*** It's not the first revolver-carbine to solve these issues either. The Belgian Pieper M1893 Revolving Carbine did so in a more complicated way by using the same gas seal system as the more famous Nagant M1895. Pieper's carbine is obscure today, but at the turn of the century it was a popular weapon in Mexico. However, a certain [[VideoGame/Battlefield1 World War I Video Game]] reintroduced it to the current era.

* True in aircraft weapons where the most popular form of gun armament since [=WW2=] has been [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolver_cannon revolver cannons]]. First invented as a [[StupidJetpackHitler Nazi wonder weapon]] these cannon use a cylinder with multiple chambers, like those of a revolver handgun, to speed up the loading-firing-ejection cycle. Although unable to achieve the crazy rates of fire of a Gatling gun, cyclic rates of between 1000 and 2000 rounds per minute are not uncommon. Moreover, because the revolver cylinder has a lower inertial mass than the Gatling gun's revolving barrels, the initial rate of fire is often much higher which can prove an advantage in air to air combat. Revolver cannons do have more issues with overheating and barrel wear, though.
* The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webley-Fosbery_Automatic_Revolver Webley-Fosbery automatic revolver]], a very clever recoil-operated handgun that (with its six shot capacity, complex mechanism, and high barrel) unfortunately mixed together most of the problems and limitations of each type of gun. What it ''did'' do well was to dramatically reduce the recoil the shooter felt. This made it beloved of target shooters who owned it, until the fraternity caught on and introduced a handicap rule. For obvious reasons, it was also one of the first revolvers for which a speed-loader was invented. Originally chambered in .455 British. An eight-shot version in .38 calibre was made, which featured in ''The Maltese Falcon''.

* For the ultimate in Revolvers, the French AMX-13 and AMX-50 tanks use 5 or 6 shot revolver autoloaders for 75mm to 120mm anti-tank cannons!