The MTS has given us a preview as to how revolvers will work in tarkov.
My question is how well can they be balanced around their mechanics, as a shotgun the MTS is pretty equal in regards to it's slow reload speed, capacity and price point.
But will standard revolvers be viable to use instead of a magazine fed handgun?
Remember there are currently no speed loaders in tarkov meaning revolvers will have to be reloaded round by round while auto loaders just require a new magazine, revolvers also have very low capacity at 6 rounds which granted is only 1 less than the 1911 but that's reloaded using magazines.
Regarding damage and ammunition, it is likely given dev images are first revolvers will be .357 magnum, I imagine it will be very devastating against unarmored targets especially with hollow points standard full metal jackets should also be capable of piercing soft body armor such as pacas, there is such thing as .357 AP as well but I am unable to find any info on what it is capable of penetrating.
The biggest benefit revolvers would bring is their inability to jam or misfeed as well as not being effected by misfires, since it's just a rotating cylinder filled with rounds there is no feed mechanism to jam on, and since the cylinder spins with the pull of the trigger a misfire will not require the ejection of the cartridge to clear.
Now I have never had a misfire with any hammer fired pistol so I am unsure as to if the game allows you to just fire again to attempt to set the round off a second time, but if this is the case any hammer fired double action pistol will be capable of this making the misfire negation less relevant.
Overall I see two possibilities for balance in this game for revolvers, either they are available at early level for 20-30k Rubles (or USD equivalent from Peacekeeper) making them really strong early wipe but more expensive than a standard pistol than later you unlock AP ammo making it more relevant later on.
Or you unlock it at a level 2 trader for around 10-15k rubles as a cheap hand cannon capable of cleaning up most scavs with a single shot depending on their armor equipped while being a serviceable weapon against PMCs once AP ammo is unblocked.
My guess by the way is that they will either be sold by Skier or Peacekeeper, and there will be a questline similar to the mosin questline in which you will be tasked to killing PMCs and scavs with revolvers to unlock different attachments and ammo types for them. This quest line will likely end with the player unlocking the Chiappa Rhinos to buy since I doubt they will be the first revolver available to the player.
Personally I would like to see the Manhurin MR-73 added to the game under this category as it is an actual military grade revolver that offers a lot of customization potential.
I do imagine however given the games setting we will be seeing the 1895 Nagant revolver as the first revolver available to the player which will likely be a sub 10k rubles pistol given it's atrociously slow loading speed since it still uses a loading gate instead of swing out, and it's anemic cartridge it fires, the only benefit is it will likely be able to use the TT-33 suppressor since thanks to the revolvers construction it is able to be suppressed unlike others, though it is likely the player will need to purchase a threaded barrel for it first.
