Revolver vs. Semi-Auto

[remington]

I know this has probably already been asked but I still am struggling. I like the firepower of the semi-auto but how important is firepower? I like the simplicity of the revolver etc. Which would you choose for a primary CCW and why?

[RangerRick]

The wife carries a revolver - no safety, just pull till it's over. *I carry a 1911 as primary with one in the tube and two spares. *I'm much more familiar with weapons so it stands to reason I carry a more sophicated weapon as it isn't defensive but for applying extreme prejudice.

Rick

[MadTripper]

Forgive me for not knowing the origination of the story but I seem to remember it being local to my area. *

There was a lady that had her house broke into while she was home. *She had an auto style pistol and for whatever reason it jammed. *The perps then took the gun from her and proceeded to rape and beat her. *For this reason, the person telling the story said a revolver would be a safer option as it is basically impossible to have a jam.

So..., I keep a 12 gauge for home defense. *First of all the sound of a pump gun is very intimidating. *Additionally, buckshot covers a lot of area and is also less damaging after going through a wall and into a neighboring bedroom.

I have a Ruger 9mm if I need to carry something concealed.

As far as firepower goes, you can get just as much power, if not more from a revolver. *Look at a Dan Wesson if you really want some punch. *Capacity is another issue but with speedloaders and spare cylinders, you can almost keep up with an auto.

Tripper

[RangerRick]

As an additional point, the wife carries her revolver in her handbag so the revolver works but in my humble opinion they don't conceal comfortably. I carry my 1911 24/7 and have, long long long before it was legal. If your CCW isn't comfortable chances are great that you won't carry it that time when you really should have. Complacency is a killer. Many say they carry but I think few do because of an uncomfortable carry and their piece ends up in the glove box. The 1911 has a slim profile and at 6'1" & 220 lbs it conceals well with a light vest or shirt tail out and during the summer months I switch to a Colt 380 Government as it's even smaller but less punch - it's a trade-off. As a backup I also carry a North American 5 shot .22 revolver on my belt in a knife holster.

Rick

[Old_John]

I have been packing, several years.........
it sort of evolved for me.
I started off, back about 16 or 17 years ago, with a Taurus model 85, .38 special. I carried that a few years.

I went to a Malarov, 9 x18mm. Good little gun, a little hotter than a .380, less'n a 9mm parabellum. That worked, another few years, or so.

Then.......a couple buddies were carrying 1911, .45acp's.
First I bought a Ruger, KP95, in .45acp. It was like a concrete block on my hip.
So I bought a Colt Commander, later a Kimber, Pro-carry.
I still have them. Easy to shoot. Nice to carry.

I got tired of the weight........And, never having to shoot anything, hunnh.
So, when we moved out here, to the Country, I switched to a Ruger SP101, .357magnum.
Yiup, back to a revolver. I love it. It's always handy.
Even a little 110gr. HJHP will blow a copperhead snake clean in two. I've had it about 5 years.

Last year I bought a 3" Ruger GP100, .357mag., it carries 6 rounds instead of 5. It is heavier, easier to shoot, with heavier rounds. I carry it sometimes.
But. mostly the SP101......

DSW has about 4 different 9mm's. a S&W, a FN, & a couple Keltecs. And also a Ruger SP101, .357mag.
She carries a Keltec PF9, in a pocket holster. She likes Auto's better'n revolvers.

Buy what you like...learn to shoot it, shoot it well.
Have Fun.

[Mac_Muz]

For years I carried a Remington Rand colt .45 clone made for WW-2 and redone for Nam.. It became collectable so I replaced it wit a EAA Witness in a poly frame, which I still have and I still like, but I also bought a bit later a Kimber CDP ProII.

However these days being what they are these days, I am looking into a wheel gun. One I probably won't use often, if at all other than proofing, and occasion shooting to make sure it works.

This might be a 5 shot S&W in .357, but very recently a .327 has come out. Once more read .327. That is no typo. Currently only Ruger has a gun for this round. The case is longer than .32 H&R mag..

The "PC" folks have me bugged and I am not so sure I want them to get any chance to get my BRASS.

Again these days being what they are I have added a NAA Mini conversion, which is 5 shots, in .22 LR and under, and changing out the cylinder is .22 mag, So I carry 2 guns, with the little one being a great hidaway, for when any bigger gun is too much, and for me that can be working, as a tech, because car techs must contort.

The home defence is a 12 ga, which is a bit large for CCW.

[remington]

Yeah, I think the 12 ga. might be a little big for concealed carry ;D.

[AARTY]

I have carried several different CCW guns, .41mag and .357mag in revolvers and .380acp,9mm,.40S&W, and .45acp in Semi's, plus a .32acp Beretta as hideaway. I prefer a 1911 style pistol for everyday cc. I am fast and accurate with the 1911 platform and the .45 works good on NDW's. I carry either a .357 or .41 when I am in the woods, since it is easier to have a couple different loads for different uses.

[tufhelp]

Sometimes location dictates the type of weapon and firepower. Unfortunately I live in a bigger city right now (Albuquerque) and between the gangs, drive bys, home invasions and street confrontations that happen almost daily I carry a 9mm Glock 17, two mags & one in the tube. When facing the spray and pray mentality of these nare-do-wells I feel the need to have the ability to return sprays if the need arose. The wife is intimidated by the Glock but is quite comfortable and deadly accurate with her S&W Chiefs 38 special. Definitely having here confident and only having to pull the trigger to get’er done is important. On our place I vacillate between my old trusty 1911 45 and my Chief.

[mike82934]

My dad and I went around about this one time. He likes a revolver better because of the already-stated fact that it's basically impossible to jam. I prefer a semi-auto because of the greater firepower.
I carry a .45 Glock Model 21, and I told him that because it's such a simple design, it's very unlikely to jam. I don't like that the ten-round clip fits a bit snug inside when you load all ten rounds (seems like a jam waiting to happen), so I just load nine and it feels much better. I'm not so trusting when it comes to more complex designs with more moving parts. You can always chamber one if you have an external safety, but that really only guarantees one shot...you might need more, you might not.
My wife prefers revolvers, and I have to agree that with less experience, especially if you NEED that gun to fire, they're the way to go.

[flatwater]

I just got the new walther p22 for my carry gun with 6 clips which equals 60 rounds. I tried to jam it but it just kept firering. I was in law enforcement for 23 years and never had to fire my wheapon. I started out with a s&w 38 and ended with a glock 10mm.
flatwater

[snickering]

I was involved in a non military shooting several years ago. I had a revolver the bad guy had a automatic. He shot first, the casing didn't eject properly and a stovepipe jam occurred. My revolver with a barrel length of two inches worked as intended.

[snickering]

Cant find the edit button. but wanted to add.

The detective that investigated the above shooting stated to me when it was all done and over that mine was a classic modern day shooting in that the following happened
-We were less than 10 feet away from each other
- Low/ poor lighting conditions
- Average of four shots fired
- Total elapsed time from realizing there was a threat till discharging the weapon, less than 30 seconds.
- Cant recall actually aiming the weapon prior to discharging.

[jim]

It's the "Modify" button.

jim

[chloe3388]

I'll be the odd one here, I carry both at different times. I use a S&W 637 Airweight 38 cal. revolver in an ankle holster when it is hard to carry on belt and a S&W 457 Auto 45 cal on waist.

I have never carried in my purse, it is just to easy for a perp to grab it. Had that proven by a friend who got her purse snatched gun and all.

chloe

[snickering]

I'll be the odd one here, I carry both at different times. I use a S&W 637 Airweight 38 cal. revolver in an ankle holster


Chloe,

Can you carry +P ammo in those airweight revolvers?
I still carry my ancient model 49 S&W Although I wonder after 27 yrs if I should take those +P rounds out and substitute it with something lighter.

[chloe3388]

My light weight is made for +P, nice round..

[DM]

Over the years i've owned more handguns than any one individual should, i've always came back to revolvers.

They have been more reliable, and the best part is, you have a much greater choise of loads in a revolver....

Lighht loads, heavy loads, cast bullets, or what ever... Everything goes through them and that allows me to use them more.

Also, when i'm hunting or i want to shoot long range i can use my 44 mag.... When i'm carrying, i can use something smaller, but it's still a revolver! It still feels and operaes the same way...

Sooo, make mine a revolver... please..

DM

[Eastex]

My wife prefers a revolver, simple, just point and shoot.

I've always preferred the auto loader, especially the 1911. It fit my hand better, the shorter trigger pull was better for me. I'm more accurate with the auto than a revolver. I have carried a 9mm, but now usually carry the colt IWB, and in Texas summer a PPK .380.

[High_Desert]

I will chime in my .02 here too...

I have had my permit now for over 20 years and have found that my requirements and desires have changed a great deal.

I started out with Autos and still own a couple of high quality pieces, but most of the time I have a revolver on me.
For concealed carry, 99% of the time it is a J frame Smith. The exception here is any trip across the mountains to the big cities that have high crime, I carry a 1911. Now this makes no sense as crime can strike anywhere, but for me the 45 is like a security blanket. I am already uncomfortable in large metro areas so the .45 just feels better along with a flashlight and spare mag.

However like DM above, I am happiest kicking around the woods or desert with a quality SA or DA revolver on my hip. I can vary my loads tremendously and as a handloader really fine tune my ammo. I realize I am nostaligic, but for me, a revolver in .45 Colt is the ultimate woods companion.
I can hunt, plink or shoot long range with the same gun.
Sorry for the long post, but it is a fun subject that only you can find the final answer to. Have fun doing it! ;)

Best Regards,
HD

[flatwater]

Training , training , training Then buy the gun you will carry and not leave on the table because it's to big and heavy to carry. Fire power means nothing if you can't hit what your aiming at and or freeze up when the time comes to use your gun. Thats where the training comes in. A real good auto won't jam so don't scrimp on the money it takes to buy a good one. A revolver price wise will be the better gun to buy. Remember that with any carry gun , the chances you will ever fire it is minimal so continue to train with it so you don't loose your skill level. And be smart where you go to stay away from troubled areas , why set yourself up for an attack. One last thing whatever the weapon make sure you can get to it and then train drawing your weapon at home unloaded.
flatwater

[dannistim]

FWIW (probably not much) I'm an active duty Army medic. When I deployed in 2004 I worked in an ER that saw 60% of theatre casualties roll through it's doors. I learned many things durring that time.

1) FMJ 9mm will NOT reliably pierce the facial bones. By extension .38 SPC & .380 ACP probably won't either.

2) "Stopping power" as is commonly thought of does not exist. The only ways to stop an attacker are: Convince him to stop of his own free will, or physically damage him to the point he isn't a threat whether that is from broken bones, leaky plumbing, or disrupted nerves.

3) Very, very few wounds caused by a handgun do enough damage to fall into the latter catagory for tens of minutes.

Think of dealing with a person who is already deranged enough to attack you in the first place who is now even more pissed because YOU just shot him, who won't be incapacitated for at least 10 more minutes

Shooting someone is NOT the last step in the dance of self defense. Not by a long shot. (pun intended)

Remember high school physics: Every action has an equal but opposite reaction. This means that the bullet that you fired hits your attacker no harder than the gun hit your hand and usually not as hard!

The average person is a little larger than the average deer and far more dangerous. why would you choose a cartridge to defend yourself from this most dangerous of beasts that is not even powerful enough to hunt deer?

In my opinion the minimum caliber you should strive for proficiency, by which I mean hit your target where you want every time, in is .357 magnum. .44 Mag is even better. Both are most commonly chambered in revolvers. Both inflict large exit wounds which , by the way, are the biggest wounds you can inflict with a handgun. The bigger the hole the more chance of hitting something important.

Shoot only the biggest caliber you can hit with and are willing to tote around. You can't miss fast enough to win. A .22 in your pocket beats a .44 in your safe every day of the week.

[Shortstack]

I gave up on trying to decide which was best and got one of each...Though would have to give the nod to the revolver for being the most reliable...I like the flatness of the semi auto...

[chorlton]

For me, a revolver has it all. I've never owned a semi auto, so I can't comment on reliability other than what I've read. A well made revolver is a work of art. Also, you have a wide range of ammo - for example, .38, .38 +p and .357, and any type (snake shot, anything!), with no worries about the rounds feeding. Simple and effective (but admittedly, more effort required to conceal). I'd bet my life on it going bang each time I need it to.

[dannistim]

I know I already posted on this topic but something else occurs to me that I thought I would mention:

When you push the cylinder latch on a revolver nothing happens until you open the cylinder and, even when you open it, it stays attached to the gun. Conversely, when you push the magazine release on a semi-auto an important piece of the gun falls off! This happens whether you meant to push it and have your hand there to catch it, or you didn't mean to push it and it falls to the ground and is promptly damaged / hidden by a giggling Mr. Murphy. He giggles even louder when you have a magazine safety.

[Uncle_Alvah]

I think it's generally good advice to "use what the pros use".
And, for all intents and purposes, the Pros all use semi-autos.

[jim]

Auto's are only needed in a target rich environment. One on one or two a revolver will do the trick, and I carry both.

Flame retardant drawers on! :D

jim

[RangerRick]

You can be such a tease. You know semi's are the only real pistols that thinking people carry. You little stinker you.

;D

Rick

[flatwater]

Rick I always thought semi's were carried by people who can't hit what there aiming for with the first shot.
Flatwater :o ;D

[tufhelp]

::) Oh Boy! Here we go again with the "Spray and Pray" vs. "One Shot, One Kill" mess again...

[Uncle_Alvah]

only needed in a target rich enviorment

As with money, "rich" is relative.
One bad guy is plenty "target rich" enough for me! ;)

[FotoTomas]

I carry daily and I own both and I choose based on my perceived threat and or need.

For police work years ago I carried a revolver and would be happy with one today on the job. *As a M.P. before my city cop job I carried a M1911A1 and have carried it as well in the city job. *My current cop job issues me a Beretta 9mm for duty and I carry semis AND revolvers off duty as the mood hits.

There is "NO" right choice in this debate. *Each style has its strong points as well as weak. *They both do well. *The final choice depends on your needs, desires and available money. *:)

Buy both! * ;D

[Stinger]

:) No doubt about it: A semiautomatic pistol will give you a decided advantage in a gunfight!

Should you use a, 'whiz-bang' big caliber cartridge? No, you should not. Big heavy handgun cartridges put out way too much muzzle blast, and recoil impulse. This type of handgun will slow you down and limit the number of effective hits you can make on a target in the shortest possible time interval.

I do a lot of self-defense pistol shooting. (On paper targets - OK!) My handgun caliber of choice is 45 acp. *Other than using a 45 acp as my primary handgun, I have only one hard fast rule: *

NEVER FIRE JUST ONE SHOT! *

I double and triple-tap everything. *Neither am I a big fan of JHP ammunition. *I prefer big heavy FMJ bullets.

The traditional, 'purist' in me would like to carry a nice revolver the same way my grandfather, the county sheriff, did; however, we no longer live in that kind of world. Today, everything is ammo count and rounds delivered on target (firepower). *

The, 'art' is to know how much pistol is big enough and able to deliver enough rounds on target to quell multiple assailants and defeat barricades. THAT, of course, would have to be a semiautomatic centerfire pistol.

[jim]

Yeah, but look at all that evidence you leave laying around. :D
jim

[Buck]

::) Oh Boy! Here we go again with the "Spray and Pray" vs. "One Shot, One Kill" mess again...

This is the reason I never argue or debate other gun owners or the
gun nuts. I KNOW what works so it makes no sense to debate the
newest toys offered the gun market.

The medics comments in this thread tell the true story that I've
also seen first hand. Most gun owners think that "spraying" is the
ideal way to stop an enemey so they buy an auto. The truth is
accuracy and bullet energy are the best way to kill.

[MooseToo]

This is the reason I never argue or debate other gun owners or the
gun nuts. I KNOW what works so it makes no sense to debate the
newest toys offered the gun market.

The medics comments in this thread tell the true story that I've
also seen first hand. Most gun owners think that "spraying" is the
ideal way to stop an enemey so they buy an auto. The truth is
accuracy and bullet energy are the best way to kill.

moot points, aren't they, buck ?
the candidates for president that you are pushing both have records of gun-grabbing -

[RangerRick]

But that's what socialists do. There are many however the main difference is buck is a subservant subject to any that would subjugate him while I am a freeman to the end of my days and damn proud of it.

Rick

[AARTY]

But that's what socialists do. There are many however the main difference is buck is a subservant subject to any that would subjugate him while I am a freeman to the end of my days and damn proud of it.

Rick

Ding DIng DING!

No sense in debating anything when you know all the answers, and the Proletariat ALWAYS knows what is best for the masses. Anyone who can follow history will see that any time a people have allowed their government to disarm them that country has either seen an exponential increase in crime or totally lost its freedom and usually both. Sorry to highjack the thread.

I don't think that it is a spray and pray mentality to own a semi-auto pistol for self-defense I like to ensure I will have the needed capability to defeat an assailant or assailants, protecting myself and my loved ones not to mention any bystanders. Something not always possible with a 5 or 6 shot revolver.

[FotoTomas]

I will add that I often pack my revolver in the field since I feel the need for lots'a'bullets will be less. When on duty a revolver would keep me happy BUT I prefer the semi-auto in 9mm with lots'a'bullets and spare magazines. :)

Todays LE work is directed more to fire and maneuver as opposed to shhot straight and hit the target.

My current duty gun is like a "Revolver with a magazine". My Beretta 92D Centurion gives me the smooth roll and surprise break of my Combat Magnum with a magazine of 15 rounds. Carrying a S&W revolver on duty would still work well for me BUT I like the extra bullets a little more. :)

[jim]

I grew up in Texas, where there were legions of experienced gunmen on bothe sides of the law. Texas had more experienced shootists than any place in the world, and sometimes, I wonder if we still do. I studied the subject quite a bit, and spoke to some of the modern day gunfighters. Back in those days, almost all the LEO's and outlaws carried revolvers with the latter being able to carry what they wished (a lot of them chose the M1911a1-bit surprise!). Here is what I learned.

Even a small calibre can stop an assailant if they're hit in the right place. The head, neck, and spine are as guaranteed incapacitation hits as one can get. Hits in the hip bone, and navel (belt buckle reagion) will make the shootee ill and unable to stand. I can personally attest to the last, becuse I was once hit there with a BB fired by a cheap wire and rubber band slingshot that doubled me over and almost put me on the ground. A bullet would have had much more impact.

These targets worked for duelists, and shootists alike, and will work today. Martin Fackler says thsat a 158 gr. LRN .38 Spl. in the heart is a more reliable stopped than a wonder magnum perifrial hit. Now, I know that the stress and time frames don't always lend to accurate shooting, but to rushed fusialdes at times. I'm the least perfect one here, but as the old Texas Ranger said "Take your time...fast!" He mean't mental deliberation as to shot placement. Worked then and will now.

So, we should all do our best with what we have, and not feel undergunned with something less than the current range in the gun mags. All of them will work if we do our part.

jim