Revolver

The revolver is a light, single-shot ranged weapon in RimWorld which deals a moderate amount of damage per shot, has a short time between shots, a moderate range and moderate overall accuracy.

Acquisition

Revolvers can be crafted at a machining table once the Gunsmithing research has been completed from 30 Steel, 2 Components and 4,000 ticks (1.11 mins) of work. A crafting skill of at least 3 is required.

Revolvers can be purchased from outlander and orbital combat suppliers, outlander settlements, or obtained from the following raider kinds:

Raider Kind	Chance	Average Quality	Health
Scavenger Gunner	25.83%	Normal	40-110%
Pirate Gunner	14.09%	Normal	70-230%
Villager	19.91%	Poor	20-200%
Town Councilman	43.10%	Good	100%
Town Guard	10.18%	Normal	60-200%
Mercenary Gunner	6.50%	Normal	70-320%
Ancient Soldier	5.38%	Normal	100%

A revolver is also given at the beginning with the Crashlanded scenario.

Analysis

The revolver is clearly an early game weapon. Outside of starting with one, revolvers are very easy to acquire, as early game raiders often use them and they are cheap to both research and make.

For early colonies, the revolver works as a short-medium ranged weapon. It deals decent damage with single shot. It is slightly worse for DPS than the autopistol of the same quality at all ranges. But unlike the autopistol, the revolver has a high enough stopping power to stagger advancing humans or human-sized mechanoids. It is better than the bolt-action rifle for close ranged combat - when combat happens < 12 tiles away.

Despite having a decent range, the revolver isn't particularly suited to medium-range engagements, which is around 15 or more tiles. A bolt-action rifle or greatbow are better at range, and even the recurve bow can keep up. It's best suited as a close-quarters weapon, and can stagger pawns attempting to close distance. As a hunting weapon, the bolt action rifle is better, but a revolver still fairs decent results.

A very high quality revolver, such as from an early inspiration, has surprising longevity. A Legendary Revolver's DPS is competitive with that of an Excellent Heavy SMG at all but very close range, while offering better single point damage, range, and AP. They should not be specifically farmed for - don't spend an inspiration on a revolver when you can make a HSMG, but any that are acquired should be considered even until either masterworks become common or true end-game weapons are acquired.

Stats

Against an unarmored human, a revolver can kill with 4 hits to the torso, 3 hits to the head, 2 hits to the neck or 1 hit to the brain; cripple or destroy limbs in 3 hits; and cripple or destroy eyes and digits with a single hit. It'll generally take around 6 hits (~15.5 seconds average) to incapacitate that human from pain shock.

Attack table

Ranged

Revolver			Accuracy (Touch)	Accuracy (Short)	Accuracy (Medium)	Accuracy (Long)	DPS (Optimal)	DPS (Touch)	DPS (Short)	DPS (Medium)	DPS (Long)	Market value
Quality	Dam.	AP	Accuracy (Touch)	Accuracy (Short)	Accuracy (Medium)	Accuracy (Long)	DPS (Optimal)	DPS (Touch)	DPS (Short)	DPS (Medium)	DPS (Long)	Market value
Awful	10.8	16.2%	64%	60%	36%	28%	5.69	3.64	3.41	2.05	1.59	68
Poor	12	18%	72%	67.5%	40.5%	31.5%	6.32	4.55	4.3	2.59	2.02	101
Normal	12	18%	80%	75%	45%	35%	6.32	5.06	4.74	2.84	2.21	135
Good	12	18%	88%	82.5%	49.5%	38.5%	6.32	5.56	5.25	3.16	2.46	169
Excellent	12	18%	96%	90%	54%	42%	6.32	6.07	5.69	3.41	2.65	200
Masterwork	15	22.5%	100%	100%	60.75%	47.25%	7.9	7.9	7.9	4.82	3.71	335
Legendary	18	27%	100%	100%	67.5%	52.5%	9.48	9.48	9.48	6.45	5.02	675

^{For the full effects of qualities, see Quality. Values shown in Red indicate the weapon is out of range at the reference point for this range band.
The value is provided due to the interpolated nature of accuracy between range points.}

Melee

Feature	Toggle
Attacks

Revolver			Grip (Blunt)					Barrel (Blunt)					Barrel (Poke)					Human: Left & right fist (Blunt)					HP	Value
Quality	DPS^[1]	AP^[1]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	Dam.	Cool.	AP	DPS	Chance^[2]	HP	Value
Awful	3.98	11.6%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	8.33%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	8.33%	7.2	2s	10.4%	3.6	8.33%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 37.5%	100	68
Poor	4.07	11.82%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	20%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	20%	8.1	2s	11.7%	4.05	20%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 20%	100	101
Normal	4.4	12.75%	9	2s	13%	4.5	25%	9	2s	13%	4.5	25%	9	2s	13%	4.5	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	135
Good	4.74	13.73%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	25%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	25%	9.9	2s	14.3%	4.95	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	169
Excellent	5.08	14.7%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	25%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	25%	10.8	2s	15.6%	5.4	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	200
Masterwork	5.92	17.14%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	25%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	25%	13.05	2s	18.85%	6.53	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	335
Legendary	6.59	19.09%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	25%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	25%	14.85	2s	21.45%	7.43	25%	8.2	2s	12%	4.1	2× 12.5%	100	675

^{For the full effects of qualities, see Quality.}

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Note: This is the actual base average derived from the melee verb system updated in 1.1.2610, it may sometimes disagree with the listed value in the in-game infobox.
It may also change depending on the stats and the melee verbs available to the wielder if the weapon is wielded by some other than a baseline human.
↑ Chance for attack to be selected, assuming the weapon is wielded by a baseline human. It may change depending on the melee verbs available to the wielder

Revolver vs. comparable weapons

This section goes over how well the revolver fares against comparable weapons (similar value, tech level or similar characteristics) in 1 vs. 1 combat.

Methodology

All testing is semi-automated which allows for large sample sizes to be gathered per set of results with ease
All pawns have skill levels of 14 in ranged and melee
No pawns have any traits that affect combat performance
All pawns are of at least 18 years of age and completely healthy
Pawns are divided by walls to prevent stray shots from skewing results in any way
Weather is always kept clear
No cover is used for either team

Results in the tables below are the percentages of battles that revolvers either won or tied against the weapon listed in the first column of said tables, with a sample size of 2,000 battles per result. Higher percentages are better.

Unarmored

For the unarmored testing, all pawns wore normal quality plainleather pants, plainleather button-down shirts, plainleather dusters and plainleather cowboy hats.

Other Weapon	3	7	12	18	25	32	40
Autopistol	35.16%	40.09%	44.89%	43.81%	44.41%	-	-
Pump Shotgun	38.99%	37.04%	33.25%	-	-	-	-
Bolt-Action Rifle	74.06%	64.80%	55.62%	41.13%	20.54%	-	-
Greatbow	83.68%	76.09%	66.57%	57.44%	43.91%	-	-

Armored

For the armored testing, all pawns wore normal quality flak pants, flak vests, plainleather button-down shirts, flak jackets and steel simple helmets.

Other Weapon	3	7	12	18	25	32	40
Autopistol	39.18%	41.30%	45.73%	45.21%	47.51%	-	-
Pump Shotgun	42.43%	39.48%	33.40%	-	-	-	-
Bolt-Action Rifle	67.32%	60.00%	51.96%	35.49%	18.03%	-	-
Greatbow	85.79%	79.07%	68.07%	59.97%	43.35%	-	-

Version history

0.18.1722 - Added when the pistol was split into the revolver and the autopistol. Although the autopistol uses the old pistol's sprite, the revolver is functionally closer to the old pistol.
Beta 19/1.0 - All melee attack damages increased 8 -> 9, cooldown increased from 1.6s -> 2s.
1.0 - Received a slight accuracy and damage buff.

Weapons