History Main / RevolversAreForAmateurs

When they are the villains (usually in modern PoliceProcedural), they happen to be lowly {{Mooks}} like the GangBangers, due to their access to cheap and decommissioned firearms, especially if the semi-automatics or bullpup rifles are preferred by the law enforcement like the SWATTeam.

* ''Manga/CityHunter'': Although many professional gun users featured in the series tend to use revolvers, and they know how to use them, revolvers appeared also in the hands of amateurs, who tend to get humiliated when going against professionals (whether those professionals are using revolvers themselves or not), or even a disarmed Ryo.

* The first weapon the titular character of ''Film/Joker2019'' gets his hands on is a snub nose revolver, which he stores loosely in his coat and proves ''very'' careless with in handling.

* A rather odd example in ''VideoGame/GirlsFrontline'', as the entire playable cast consists of {{Moe Anthropomorphism}}s of various firearms, but a new Commander will always start out with a Nagant [=M1895=] in their roster. As a 2-star doll, her ubiquitousness from map drop and construction means she is extremely easy to upgrade, and her skill set makes her very useful for any kind of echelon cobbled up in the early game. She eventually loses effectiveness as the Commander gathers better and rarer T-Dolls, including other revolvers of higher rarities (for instance, a 4-star Single Action Army, which you can get already at level 65 for completing all of Chapter 4's emergency missions), but this trope can be subverted if she is raised all the way to Level 115 for her MOD 3 upgrade, upon which she remains competitive all the way to endgame stages.

* ''Film/LittleShopOfHorrors'': Seymour, a man clearly not predisposed to violence, carries a revolver when [[spoiler: he goes to kill Orin]]. He's so lacking in confidence with the firearm that [[spoiler: he never actually uses it, Orin instead accidentally killing himself]].

* Pre-Batman Bruce Wayne wields a snubnosed revolver in ''Film/BatmanBegins'' when he plans to kill Joe Chill. He later throws it in the river after Chill is gunned down by the mob and he is harshly chewed out for his intent by Rachel.

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/OneQEightyFour'': The cops in the alternate reality carry modern semiautomatic pistols instead of revolvers. Aomame learns that this is because of a highly publicized incident in which several cops lost their lives fighting off cultists, so the department upgraded their weapons to save face.
[[/folder]]

* ''Literature/OneQEightyFour'': The cops in the alternate reality carry modern semiautomatic pistols instead of revolvers. Aomame learns that this is because of a highly publicized incident where several cops lost their lives fighting off cultists, so the department upgraded their weapons to save face.

* Most ''LARP/HumansVsZombies'' games only allow players to use light blasters (and socks) in the early game, the most popular of which are revolvers like [[Toys/NerfBrand the Maverick, the Strongarm, the Firefly]], and the Tek 6. Hence, players who avoid TheVirus long enough to earn the use of heavier blasters tend to be the more experienced ones.

* Clarence from ''Film/TrueRomance'', is just a comic store employee who is venturing into the drug trade. With only a snubnose revolver as his WeaponOfChoice. While all of the career criminals tote pistols, submachineguns, and shotguns. The only time he's ever able to kill someone with it, he was brutally beaten beforehand. Then when he tries to partake in the final shootout he gets put out of commission before he can fire a shot, although he does survive.

* ''VideoGame/{{Receiver}}'', a game that simulates using a gun as close as possible, features a Smith & Wesson Model 10. It is the easiest gun to use, [[SomeDexterityRequired because it has the least amount of mechanics that you can operate]], thus making you less likely to screw up.

* A rather odd example in ''VideoGame/GirlsFrontline'', as the entire playable cast consists of [[MoeAnthropomorphism Moe Anthropomorphisms]] of various firearms, but a new Commander will always start out with a Nagant [=M1895=] in their roster. As a 2-star doll, her ubiquitousness from map drop and construction means she is extremely easy to upgrade, and her skill set makes her very useful for any kind of echelon cobbled up in the early game. She eventually loses effectiveness as the Commander gathers better and rarer T-Dolls, but this trope can be subverted if she is raised all the way to Level 115 for her MOD 3 upgrade, upon which she remains competitive all the way to endgame stages.

* While the general point holds that revolvers are easy to fire and reliable, ''aiming'' a small snub nose revolver is actually rather difficult and requires some practice to hit anything at more than point-blank range. Of course, the entire point of a snub-nose revolver is to be a small backup weapon only used in emergency self-defense at point-blank range. Decent accuracy (all shots inside the 10-ring) out to about 50 feet is certainly possible but, again, it does take practice.

* While the general point holds that revolvers are easy to fire and reliable, ''aiming'' a small snub nose revolver is actually rather difficult and requires some practice to hit anything at more than point-blank range. Of course, the entire point of a snub-nose revolver is to be a small backup weapon only used in emergency self-defense at point-blank range.

[[caption-width-right:280:Just because someone is packing a six-shooter, doesn't automatically make them into ''Film/DirtyHarry''.]]

* Invoked in the first ''VideoGame/TheGodfather'': You are a newcomer to the mob and the first gun you get from your mentor is a snubnose. You only get better weapons, including a genuinely Better Revolver, later. In contrast, the sequel has you established as a high-level made man from the start and your starting weapon is an automatic.

If a character who has little combat experience needs to kill someone or defend himself, chances are he's going to be packing a revolver, especially a snubnose revolver, instead of a semiautomatic. The less advanced design, smaller ammo capacity, and the shorter barrel are a good visual metaphor for the character's vulnerability and inexperience in combat.

* The first gun Takashi is able to use in ''Manga/HighSchoolOfTheDead'' is a snubnose revolver, which he uses for point-blank shooting. He later passes it off to his friend Kohta and uses a shotgun for the rest of the series. Kohta himself ditches the revolver once he gets his hands on a high-power police rifle.

* Seen in ''Film/ReservoirDogs'' where Mr. Orange and Mr. White try to carjack a woman. The woman hastily pulls a snubnose revolver and manages to shoot Mr. Orange.

* Pre-Batman Bruce Wayne wields a snubnose revolver in ''Film/BatmanBegins'' when he plans to kill Joe Chill. He later throws it in the river after Chill is gunned down by the mob and he is harshly chewed out for his intent by Rachel.
* In ''Film/LethalWeapon'', cautious family man Murtaugh carries a revolver, while the hot-shot badass Riggs carries an automatic. Riggs constantly calls him out on it. Lampshaded in ''Film/LethalWeapon2'', where Leo correctly guesses their weapons based on their personalities. Subverted in that Murtaugh is capable of doling out [[BoomHeadshot headshots]] with frightening accuracy and later carries a semi automatic pistol alongside his revolver as a backup weapon.

* In ''Film/TheGodfather,'' Clemenza provides Michael a .38 snub nose revolver to kill Sollozzo and [=McClusky=]. While he is a former Marine and UsefulNotes/WorldWarII hero, this is his first foray into the "family business".

* Clarence from ''Film/TrueRomance'', is just a comic store employee who is venturing into the drug trade. With only a snubnose revolver as his WeaponOfChoice. While all of the career criminals tote pistols, submachineguns and shotguns. The only time he's ever able to kill someone with it, he was brutally beaten before hand. Then when he tries to partake in the final shootout he gets put out of commission before he can fire a shot, although he does survive.

* Both Walter and Jesse of ''Series/BreakingBad'' seem unfamiliar with guns, and both end up buying small-to-medium sized revolvers when they need to arm themselves. Possibly subverted because Walter does so for a specific reason and on the advice of a competent-sounding dealer (who suggest a revolver specifically because Walt is inexperienced).

* TabletopGame/{{Necromunda}} features plasma cannons, grenade launchers, web-shooting pistols, and even an average gang member can expect to be armed with a laser rifle. Your gang's raw recruits however, are so ineffective and disposable that they are often armed with only a stub revolver....

* While the general point holds that revolvers are easy to fire and reliable, ''aiming'' a small snub nose revolver is actually rather difficult and requires some practice to hit anything at more than point blank range. Of course, the entire point of a snub-nose revolver is to be a small backup weapon only used in emergency self-defense at point blank range.
* UsefulNotes/{{China}} was drawing on this trope when the government decided to begin arming police officers with revolvers after a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Kunming_attack devastating terrorist attack in March 2014.]] The Ministry of Public Security specifically noted that the revolver was [[http://archive.li/xPmG0 "simple to operate, reliable, and durable,"]] considerations which were particularly important for a police force where the majority of officers had zero experience using firearms.

* Clarence from ''Film/TrueRomance'', us just a comic stre employee who is venturing into the drugtrade. With only a snubnose revolver as his WeaponOfChoice. While all of the career criminals tote pistols, submachineguns and shotguns. The only time he's ever able to kill someone with it, he was brutally beaten before hand. Then when he tries to partake in the final shootout he gets put out of commission before he can fire a shot, although he does survive.
* In ''Film/AtomicBlonde'', the only character to have a revolver, is Delphine - the out-of-her-depth French operative (although as a .357 magnum, it's actually a more powerful gun that most others in the film).

* In the ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil2Remake'', 19 year old college student Claire Redfield starts off armed with a snubnose 9mm revolver. Notably, Claire is one of the few protagonists in the franchise who [[ActionSurvivor has no formal combat training]], the closest thing she has to that is being informally taught by her brother Chris in at least the basics of self-defense.

* In ''VideoGame/LANoire'', Cole Phelps carries a revolver as a patrolman, but an M1911 as a detective. Although the "amateur" part is downplayed thanks to Cole Phelps having formerly served in the army and participated in World War II.

* UsefulNotes/{{China}} was drawing on this trope when the government decided to begin arming police officers with revolvers after a [[https://infogalactic.com/info/2014_Kunming_attack devastating terrorist attack in March 2014.]] The Ministry of Public Security specifically noted that the revolver was [[http://archive.li/xPmG0 "simple to operate, reliable, and durable,"]] considerations which were particularly important for a police force where the majority of officers had zero experience using firearms.

Doesn't count for characters who live in a time where semiautomatic handguns were rare, unreliable, or non-existent (such as TheWildWest), or for those who still venerate weapons from such periods as embodying the GoodOldWays. Doesn't count for characters experienced in gunfighting who use small revolvers as [[RangedEmergencyWeapon backups]] to other, larger weapons or for [[HiddenWeapons easy concealment.]] Doesn't count for characters who use a HandCannon, unless they're specifically called out as being out of their depth and unable to handle it.

* In ''VideoGame/LANoire'', Cole Phelps carries a revolver as a patrolman, but an M1911 as a detective.

* ''Film/TrueRomance'': Clarence is just a comic store employee who is venturing into the drug trade. He has only a snubnose revolver as his weapon, while all of the career criminals tote shotguns, submachineguns and pistols.