A revolver is a gun, usually a handgun, with a multi-chambered cylinder that rotates to successively align each chamber with a single barrel and firing pin. Revolvers have several noticeable differences over a self-loading pistol (automatic):
The advantages of a revolver may be summised as:
Revolvers have a simple mechanism.
Revolvers do not require an applied safety mechanism.
Revolvers do not have misfire problems, and can not jam.
The single action firing of a revolver produces an extremely smooth trigger action which leads to much greater accuracy.
However, there are also disadvantages to a revolver over a self-loading pistol:
Ammunition in a revolver's chamber is visible
Revolvers are bulky and fifficult to conceal.
Revolvers are limited in their ammunition capacity, typically to six rounds.
Abbreviations
Warfare
Research Revolver