Revolvers
| Factions | Weapon | Icon | Classes | Ammo | Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Headshot | |||||
 US |
 Colt M1917 |
 |
 Gunner Radioman |
6 / 18 | 44 | 162 |
 VC |
 MAS-M1892 |
 |
Gunner Radioman |
6 / 18 | 42 | 155 |
VC |
 Nagant M1895 |
 |
Gunner Radioman |
7 / 21 | 43 | 159 |
US |
 QSPR |
 |
Everyone Except Sniper |
6 / 18 | 7x10 | 175 |
US |
 Ruger Blackhawk |
 |
Special Loadout Zombies |
6 / 18 | 51 | 188 |
US |
 S&W M10 |
 |
Gunner Radioman |
6 / 18 | 44 | 162 |
US |
 S&W M12 |
 |
Everyone Except Sniper | 6 / 18 | 42 | 155 |
Revolvers are repeating handguns that fire from a rotating cylinder containing multiple chambers, indexing a fresh cartridge in line with the barrel for each shot. They are most often used as compact sidearms, valued for straightforward handling and reliable cycling across a wide range of ammunition. Compared with semi-automatic pistols, revolvers typically carry fewer rounds and reload more slowly, but can be very robust in harsh conditions and are often accurate at close-to-mid handgun distances.
DEFINITION & CHARACTERISTICS
A revolver is a handgun with a revolving cylinder that holds multiple cartridges, with the cylinder rotating to align each chamber with the barrel for firing. Revolvers are commonly built as single-action, double-action, or double-action/single-action designs, and are chambered for a wide range of cartridges depending on role and era. While the category is defined by the cylinder mechanism rather than a specific cartridge, most military and service revolvers are built around common handgun calibers and emphasize portability and durability.
- Common traits
- Role: Secondary weapon for personal defense, emergencies, and close-quarters use; sometimes used for security and specialized tasks.
- Typical cartridges: Common service revolver cartridges include .38 Special and comparable handgun calibers (other calibers vary by nation, era, and intended role).
- Typical fire modes: Single-action and/or double-action (one shot per trigger press; cylinder indexes between shots).
- Typical feeding: Multi-chamber cylinder (commonly 5–6 rounds on service patterns; capacities vary by design).
- Common engagement ranges: Primarily close-range, where quick handling matters more than long-range precision.
- Notable tradeoffs: Simple, reliable mechanism with good tolerance for varied ammunition versus lower capacity and typically slower reloads than magazine-fed semi-automatic pistols.
HISTORY
Revolvers became widely adopted in the 19th century as a practical way to provide multiple ready shots in a compact handgun, and they remained dominant sidearms for many militaries and police forces well into the 20th century. As semi-automatic pistols matured and became widely standardized, many armed forces shifted to magazine-fed pistols for increased capacity and faster reloads, but revolvers continued to serve in roles that favored durability, simplicity, and consistent function.
In the Vietnam War era, revolvers were less common as general-issue sidearms than semi-automatic pistols, but they still appeared in specialist use. One notable example is the U.S. Air Force’s long-running issue of .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolvers (commonly associated with the Model 15 “Combat Masterpiece”) for security and related duties, supported by Air Force training/manual documentation for the Model 15. Separately, tunnel and close-quarters requirements drove niche revolver-related solutions: period accounts describe tunnel exploration kits centered around a .38 Special Smith & Wesson Model 10 revolver, and the U.S. Army’s Land Warfare Laboratory work with AAI produced the Quiet, Special-Purpose Revolver (QSPR), a low-signature revolver concept intended for very close-range use and tested during the Vietnam period.
Sources
- https://www.britannica.com/technology/revolver Revolver | Encyclopaedia Britannica
- https://www.britannica.com/technology/pistol-weapon Pistol (revolver vs semi-automatic context) | Encyclopaedia Britannica
- https://www.reveresriders.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/US-Air-Force-AFMAN36-2227V1-Combat-Arms-Training-Programs-Individual-Use-Weapons-May-2004.pdf AFMAN 36-2227V1 (references Model 15 operator/service instructions) | U.S. Air Force
- https://sadefensejournal.com/weapons-lab-small-arms-development-at-usalwl/ Weapons Lab: Small Arms Development at USALWL (QSPR Vietnam testing/shipment context) | SA Defense Journal
- https://cdck-file-uploads-us1.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/flex016/uploads/cartridgecollectors/original/3X/f/b/fbdcf6fc926af260a03bf892f3a637e31cf29315.pdf Quiet, Special-Purpose Revolver (QSPR) Design Improvements, Technical Report No. LWL-CR-04F70 (July 1972) | U.S. Army Land Warfare Laboratory / AAI
- https://smallarmsreview.com/tunnel-weapon-the-bang-in-the-dark/ Tunnel Weapon: The Bang in the Dark (tunnel exploration kit and .38 revolver context) | Small Arms Review