Switching from semi-auto to revolvers

[Min]

I had been leaning toward semi-auto handguns as a personal preference, but I find loading the mags at the range to be a chore.

So, right now I am moving into revolvers (at least for awhile). Less ammo capacity, but much quicker and easier to load.

A trip to the gun show today yielded a Smith and Wesson 640 .38 Special J-frame, and a model 29-2 with 6" barrel that would make Dirty Harry proud.

I'm beginning to think a small revolver would be better for concealed carry if you ever have to reload several times (who knows - SHTF scenario here). Because once you run out of loaded mags in an extended gunfight, you're out of luck.

My new used J-frame looks like this, without the Rosewood grips, but it does have smooth wood round butt grips):

http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/2363459.jpg

[Phantom Warrior]

Because once you run out of loaded mags in an extended gunfight, you're out of luck.

The same is true of revolvers. In the situation you mentioned, where you are out of reloads, are you assuming that you will have a box of ammo in your back pocket? Or loose rounds in a cargo pocket? I'm not trying to criticize, but I'm confused. That seems like it would be clumsy and easy to spill. Especially because fine motor skills tend to go out the window in a stress situation.

Furthermore, magazine (or speedloader) for magazine autos are usually a better deal. Most magazines hold 10 rounds or more. Some less, most notably 1911 magazines, but even those at 7 rounds will beat most revolver speedloaders. Your average revolver speedloader will hold 5 or 6 rounds. For say 20 rounds you are talking a magazine in the gun and one reload vs. a full cylinder and 2 or 3 speedloaders. So you get the same amount of ammunition for less "clutter." Would you rather stick one mag in your back pocket or have 3 speedloaders rattling around?

For an extended situation in your house or vehicle where you have extra ammunition available a revolver might not be a bad idea. But there is a practical limit on the amount of ammo you can carry on your person(unless you are into backpacking). In my opinion it easier to carry a given amount in magazines than speedloaders.

[Min]

I have a coin purse with a zipper that can hold a lot of .38's. It also fits in my pocket (jacket). This is in addition to the spare speedloaders.

My argument is you can load individual rounds in a revolver much more easily than a magazine when you're crouching behind a car (for example). Also, what if your magazines become inaccessible?

[Handy]

What if your bullet purse becomes inaccessible? Same problem.

To add to what PW said, why not just choose a pistol based on the cost of mags? A decent 9mm or .45 that has many surplus mags available for $5 to $10 each would make for a ton of "bullet storage" units.

On the pricer side, five 20 round Beretta mags is 2 full boxes of ammo in a more compact form than in the box. Mags are almost as space efficient as loose rounds.


Revolvers make sense in a number of regards for survival, but mainly in the range of loads and quality that they'll tolerate.

If you plan to have a supply of factory ammo, though, 9mm is going to be the most efficient round in a number of regards. If not, .22.

(But we realize you just want a revolver excuse. Have at it. They are often more accurate than typical recoil operated autos.)

[Min]

I just get tired of making my fingers sore at the range loading those magazines!

I don't use magazine loaders because well, I wanted to become proficient using my hands to load those mags.

[Phantom Warrior]

First of all, I'm impressed by the promptness of your reply. :D Anyway, how many rounds is "a lot"? I agree with you that it's easier to load a revolver with individual rounds. However, going back to my earlier remarks about mags, your average auto w/ one reload is 20 rounds right there. Thirty if you carry two reloads. As I recall, .38s are pretty long rounds and it seems like stuffing that many into a coin purse would be difficult.

Secondly, what kind of situation are you refering to where mags would be inaccessible?

Before we get into a really long discussion over this I'd like to say I don't disagree with you theoretically. Revolvers are easier to load. It just seems to me that practically it seems like for the same round count it is less clumsy and more compact to go with an auto w/ preloaded mags over a revolver w/ loose rounds and/or speedloaders.

[Powderman]

Min,

It all comes down to what you prefer, and what you can shoot the best.

What are you better with? The revolver, or the auto?

Are you willing to spend the time to master either one? Or are you really good with one or the other--or both--right now?

On the plus side, you don't have magazines to lose or get dented with a revolver. Full moon clips are just as fast in the hands of a trained shooter as magazines.

Also on the plus side, you can get REAL creative with a revolver. Plus P's in a good .357 revolver can end a fight real quick. Also, if you feel the need, you can even get revolvers in .45 Colt (not ACP), downloaded to manageable levels that will put most defensive rounds in the dust. Even .44 Specials in a Magnum will pack a terrific punch.

On the downside, you are limited to (at the most) 8 rounds in .38 or .357. Revolvers are usually bulkier than automatics.

So, what do you want to do?

[Min]

Well, I don't know if I'm better with the semi-auto or revolver. But with my new guns, I'll find out. :)

I'm decent with my HK USP Compact 9mm at 10 yards. But all I got are 10 rounders (mags) with it, and frankly it's a pain to load them, as well as time consuming.

What I mean by having the mags inaccessible is: (Murphy's Law at work here) - say you only had one spare on you and the rest are in your car and you are separated from your car? Or, you leave your spent mags where they fall as you get a fresh one to load?

The scenario I'm thinking about here is more like if you're alone somewhere, say traveling cross country or camping, and you run into trouble (Mexican drug runners at the border come to mind).

All I'm saying is while revolvers use those round speedloaders, they're not dependent on them as semi's are on mags (to work, I mean).

[Handy]

But revolvers are dependant on bullets. If you can plan to have bullets WITH you, you can plan to have more than one mag with you. The mag body itself doesn't take up that much extra space.

For instance, 100 rounds of 9mm will fit in a 50 round box if the styrofoam is removed. But four 20 round mags takes up just a little more space than that, and a fifth is stored in the gun. Now look at how much space 100 rounds of larger .357 ammo takes up, even with 6 stored in the gun. You haven't gained anything, space wise, and given up reloading speed and pistol capacity.

[Phantom Warrior]

What Handy said...

Thanks Handy.

[Min]

Where are these 20 round mags you guys are referring to? What gun is this for?

I'm not talking about carying around 100 rounds of ammo on your person. I mean, my point is based on having the ammo on you the same time as you having the gun on you.

My little (tactical) coin purse can hold around 15 cartridges, and they slip real easily in my pants pockets. Loading 5 rounds into a J-frame will not take that much time, and I'll be more likely to have that coin pouch with me at all times than 3 or even 2 spare magazines (especially 20-rounders!)

[HadEmAll]

Would you be more comfortable running into "Mexican drug runners at the border" while equipped with a 10 (or more) shot semiauto and 1 spare magazine or a 5 shot double-action only 2" barreled revolver and a whole pocketful of loose rounds? I know which I'd prefer, except I'd have at least 2 spare magizines. Those 10 round mags are a lot easier to use and function better if you only put 9 in them by the way. I have a S&W Centennial and it's a delightful little revolver, but every semiauto I've got (11) will outshoot it both accuracy-wise and capacity-wise. They also reload faster, carry better and have more "oomph". Sometimes when I feel like living dangerously I do carry the Centennial or a SP101 with 3 speedloaders, but not very often, and never in the boonies where I might come across some dregs of society.;)

[Handy]

20 round Beretta mags are common. So are 19 round Glock mags. I was just citing a round number.

Now you're talking 15 rounds in a pouch and one 5 round revolver. How is that smaller than a Glock 26 with an extra 10 round mag?


All I'm saying is, for the space that any number of .38 ammo takes up, you could have had the same number of 9mm rounds AND the magazines to contain them. The only limiting factor is how many mags you want to buy.

But they take up the same carry space, and are harder to loose in the dirt.

[Min]

Anyway, thanks for all your comments. While I still love my semi-auto's, I'll give my revolvers a spin (pun intended) for a while.

[popbang]

Min, take a look at MTM Case Gaurd Wallets for additional carry of ammo they are flat and keep ammo organized. And I too am a revolver carrier. The semi-automaics have their strong points, but to me nothing beats a revolver.

[JohnK]

The scenario I'm thinking about here is more like if you're alone somewhere, say traveling cross country or camping, and you run into trouble (Mexican drug runners at the border come to mind).

All I'm saying is while revolvers use those round speedloaders, they're not dependent on them as semi's are on mags (to work, I mean).

Interesting scenario that makes good movie or message board material, but really very rarely happens in real life if you're not a police officer or border patrol agent. I'm sure you can point to an article where it did happen, but it's not something that happens with any frequency to Joe Public.

I'm a revolver fan, my most commonly carried gun is a 5 shot 38 Special, and when heading for the mountains I still carry a revolver just in a larger caliber. In the situation you describe I'd bring a 9mm with a couple spare magazines. And when I take a road trip to visit the in-laws I carry a 9mm, sometimes in addition to the revolver but the high capacity 9 always comes with.

You might want to keep a Rem 870 or Mini 14 behind the seat in the truck for those drug runners, any handgun is a very poor second to a rifle or shotgun.

[Min]

I live in Texas, and that scenario I described is actually not that unheard of if you're in Big Bend National Park, which lies at the US/Mexico border. There have been accounts of campers/hikers running into unsavory Mexicans there.

[JohnK]

"not unheard of" and "have been accounts" doesn't makesit sound like like a common occurance. Do you know how often things like that actually do happen? TV news reports can make the most rare occurance seem commonplace. Does the Border Patrol warn people against hiking or camping in that area?

But even so we'll assume it is likely to happen. In that case you're trying to decide which handgun to bring to a gun fight. You should be looking at what rifles/shotguns to bring with.

If you're thinking what gun you should have with while out hiking, and this scenario is likely I still think you're better off with a high capacity semi auto than with a revolver.

It would certainly be faster to reload a revolver from loose rounds than a semi auto, but as others have said it's very easy to have an extra 15 or 20 round magazine in your pocket. 35 or 40 rounds with one quick reload beats 35 or 40 rounds and 6 to 8 reloads.

Revolvers are great tools, they're just not the best one for the job if the job is some kind of extended gunfight with multiple opponents.

Practice well with whichever gun you choose.

[Onslaught]

I don't use magazine loaders because well, I wanted to become proficient using my hands to load those mags.
Pardon my ignorance, but... why? :confused:

Of all the things one should be proficient in the semi-auto world... loading the rounds into the mag is WAAY at the bottom of my list, right down there with changing the grips :) I use an HKS mag loader at least half the time, especially at the range. No point in wearing out the thumbs performing a task that I will NEVER have to duplicate if ever in a desperate situation. If you take the time to bring more ammo for the mag you have, why not just bring more ammo in another mag!

Unless you're a REAL pro, a semi-auto is FAR easier to reload than a revolver. And as for it being easier to reload a revolver under a "stressful situation", just ask the poor FBI agents in the infamous "Miami Shootout".

We watched the obligatory (and very interesting) reenactment in Criminal Justice back in college. After the reenactment, there were interviews with the surviving agents. One of them commented that after he'd expended his 6 rounds, he reached in his pocket for more ammo, and he dropped some of the ammo on the ground. He also recalled that, since it was so SLOW to reload, he was thinking as he was reloading "should I just reload 2 or 3 rounds? Should I take the time to put all 6 rounds in the chamber?

Give me a reliable semi-auto and 2 spares ANY DAY, especially against those "drug ruggers" ;)

[Peter M. Eick]

JohnK,

As another Texan who has worked in the Big Bend country and along the Rio Grande border I can add this.

"Not Unheard of" means you can hear them talking in your campsite at night and taking your food and supplies right off your tent while you are in it.

"Not Unheard of" also means having them take the water and food off your pickup while you are 25 feet away fixing a fence.

"Have been accounts" means that you have personally filed reports with the Border Patrol, NPS, and Sheriff about illegals taking everything that was not nailed down on your crew for food, water and for general theft.

Having faced some of these "folks" one on 10 or so, I have never had a problem, but I also take resonable percautions and let others know where I will be and radio in often.


Frankly, it is a much bigger problem then most take it to be.

Finally comment. I do believe it is a felony to have a handgun in the national parks, but do not quote me on this.

[JohnK]

Thanks Peter. If it's a genuine threat then it's certainly something to prepare for, I haven't changed my suggestions for what I would do to prepare for it, though.

My questioning how likely it is stems from hearing a great many people in other parts of the country concerned about things like that, or the infamous "roving gangs of street punks" when they live in areas where the chances of being struck by lighting are greater than actually coming across such a situation.

To Min: If it is likely you'll be in this situation I suggest you practice shooting at multiple targets at different ranges with both your revolver and semi auto to see which works best for you. Try to do it under some pressure, a friend with a stopwatch if nothing else, to see how long those revolver reloads take under even that minimal stress.

[Peter M. Eick]

Johnk,

Working out of Laredo on the ranches and back country between McCallen and Eagle River the question is not if you will be confronted, but how many times per day. You could guarantee that any food or water, or "useful" tools you left on your crew at night will be gone in the morning. During the day you will probably see between 5 and 15 illegals during the course of the day. Usually in packs of 3 to 5. As evening approaches and it cools off that is when the encounters happen.

What you have to watch for is being confronted when you are open gates, closing them or repairing fences. Your best bet is not a confrontation, and to have some water and food to give them. Also keep a radio at hand, and report in very often during the "trouble time".

Hope that helps.

[jc2]

Min has a valid point, and I have proved it several times. Most recently, my brother and I spent an afternoon in the pasture plinking and "stump shooting." He had a G32 with four hi-caps, and I had a Model 28 with a couple of speed loaders, a speed strip or two and quite a bit loose ammunition. By the end of the day, I shot considerably more than he had largely due to my ability pop a couple of empties out and put a couple of fresh rounds in, and not having to stop to reload magazines. In other words, I easily maintained a much greater sustained rate of fire with a revolver than he was able to with an automatic (and I didn't have those embarassing lulls when all my magazines were empty. It really works that way. (He still like autos, though.) I might add my Model 28 was considerably more accurate than his G32--particularly at longer ranges--(and I don't shoot single action).

I generally mirror his experience at the range. Once I empty my magazines, I generally switch to my revolver and have lot more fun--while getting better sustained practice.

[Geech]

How often do these encounters turn into day-long gun battles, though? Assuming it's even legal to carry in that area, how often will you fire the pistol, let alone fire more than 20-30 rounds?

[Doc]

min:

A couple of observations.

the fight will last ONLY as long as YOUR ammo.
carry as little as you think you will need.

you need practice to learn and become comfortable with any (loading) technique.
The FIRST time I shot 1500 rounds my thumb was sore from loading Glock mags.

you live in TEXAS! THINK RIFLE, especially in any unsavory neighborhood.
(I am not a legal sholar, but I recall you can openly carry a loaded rifle anywhere)

:D

"the purpose of a handgun is to fight your way back to the rifle you never should have put down in the first place"

[yotehunter]

This topic should have been called WHAT IF, I can almost 100% guarantee that unless you practice so much that you load in your sleep I can drop a mag and insert a new one faster than you can dump rounds insert and dump a speedloader into a revolver.
All this under pressure to boot. Dont get me wrong I am a revolver person, just for different reasons.
When I do carry my Sig 220 I also carry 2 extra ten round mags in a belt pouch. Thats 30 rounds. You must remember that you wont be reloading the mags during a fire fight. You cant carry enough ammo to cover every senerio that can be dreamed up.
I have loaded my revolver under pressure and believe me I would much rather have only had to worry about installing the mag.
I know some are very fast at speedloading but are you one of them. If the bullets are flying over your head can you honestly tell yourself that you can fumble around with rounds in a pouch and load them quickly or would it be quicker to dump a mag and insert a loaded mag.
Im not bagging on anyone just do the math. Have someone time you I think you will be surprised at the time difference.

[Admiral Thrawn]

I agree with everything yotehunter said.

Revolvers are fun range/hunting guns, and can be used for self-defence, but I would much prefer to use semi-autos with additional mags rather than fumbling around with six shot revolvers and speedloaders during a firefight.

[popbang]

I notice many people are discusing fumbling and droppingrounds when loading a revolver under pressure. Let's look at the same problem with an auto, you can fumble and drop the magazine. this can cause a problem as now you have retrieve a needed part of the gun. If the magazine, for whatever reason, got damaged in the fall and will not work properly you arew no out of luck. Or if the magazine is out of your reach it is over for you.

Under pressure bad things are going to happen with anything you are depending on.

I won't say that revolvers are better or that autos are better as each has their strong points and weak points.

[Handy]

Popbang,

As you point out, one can drop either some of your loose rounds, or one of your spare mags, so isn't that a wash.

Realistically, mags will not become inoperable even if dropped six feet. Once on the ground, they are easier to retrieve, and help protect the bullets from dirt.


I'm still not seeing the advantage. Loose revolver rounds are no easier to load, do not take up less space than loaded magazines, and are much slower.

I just can't imagine a situation where a better fighting chance would be had by keeping your reloads loose, rather than in a magazine.

[Peter M. Eick]

Guys,

You can't carry a rifle and still work on a fence or close a gate. It is going to have to be a handgun. Also, if you are going to have it with you, you need it concealed because the brush will rip the crud out of it really quick.

Frankly, I was perfectly comfortable with my little Beretta 84 and 14 rounds. That worked great till one day after a particularly BAD day, I decided 380auto was not enough for some 4 legged critters and moved to a G20 in 10mm. Mags are expensive, but I only carry 3. One in the gun and two on a carrier.

Geech, You asked a question about battles. I think it would be prudent not to publicly (this is a very open forum) discuss the details and nature of encounters.

[popbang]

Handy, I guess I wasn't clear. It seems to me people are forgetting that bad things can happen with a magazine also. I did not mean to say that carrying loose rounds was in any way better just that bad things will happen when you don't want them to. And I agree an auto mag should not be damaged by being dropped, but things happen. You may disagree and that is fine. I just feel people need to be in perspective, anything that can happen to a revolver can happen to an auto and vice versa.

[Handy]

I'm right there with you. It's a tie in most respects.

Given that, what would you do, and why?

[RON in PA]

Back around 1870 or so the powers that be in the US military adopted a single-shot Remington rolling block pistol because their tests had shown that the single-shot was better than revolvers of that day for sustained fire from concealed positions. Based on this I suggest that you sell all your repeating handguns and get a single-shot.

Who on earth needs more than 5 shots for a person-to-person self-defense situation?

All the world's military and most police have gone to the semi-auto because amongst others one of its chief vurtues is ease in reloading. And that's reloading under stress because of the hand-to-hand nature of loading a pistol.

For God's sake get a mag loader, what a lame excuse.

[Correia]

If you want to carry a revolver, by all means do so. More power to you. They make fine weapons.

But don't think even for a fraction of a second that loading single loose rounds into a revolver is in any way shape or form superior to a magazine.

If you want to even come close to the speed in which you can reload an auto, you need to use moon clips or a speed loader. Either of which is much bulkier than an auto.

I would hazard a guess that 99.99% of shooters can reload an auto faster than a wheel gun. That remaining .01 percent is made up of guys like Jerry Mickulek (sp?). And NOBODY can single load loose shells into a revolver faster than you can load an auto.

I have a .45 that I can have 42+1 rounds on my person with only 3 magazines. That is my game gun. My serious .45 has an 8+1 capacity, and I usually carry one spare 10 round magazine. So that is a total of 19 rounds on my person. If I'm in that much of a prolonged battle that I run through 19 rounds, I'm A. Screwed. B. Running. C. Making my way to a rifle or shotgun.

As for loading magazines, with practice you get good at it. Or buy more magazines. I have something like 15 single stack 1911 magazines laying around.

If you want to really test your gear, enter it into a competition and put it to the test. :)

[popbang]

Myself, I carry 6 rounds in a belt slide, 12 in an ammo wallet, and 6 in my revolver. I am a firm believer in having ammo in two spots so if I do drop or become unable to retrieve it I have some. For my .38 I carry a speed strip in a pouch and again 12 in an ammo wallet.

[Handy]

I'm right there with you. I carry a mag in the gun, one in a belt pouch, another in a pocket and the last in the kangaroo fold of my tighty-whitees.

I tend to carry a 20 round mag in the underpants because chicks dig it.

[Gerald McDonald]

Min, the hi cap mags for a USP are pretty expensive, I never would spend the bucks it took.

As far as running in to roving drug runners in Big Bend, the chance of running into anybody from the Mexican side decreased after 9/11. Border Patrol now has a station in Castalon (in the park) and even the Mexicans who worked in Lajitas got busted in the rush to zip up the borders. Many have been sitting in jail for a few months after trying to cross the Rio Grande to go to their jobs.

You will need to carry concealed in the park as a loaded handgun is a no no in the fed park system. The round count you carry will not be as important as your willingness to use what ever firearm you have. Drug runners/mules will not want to run the chance of being interdicted by LEO while trying to steal whatever you may have in your backpack or doing an assault style invasion of a backpackers camp site and aliens will more than likely not be armed. If you ever watch the death reports in Big Bend you will see you have a better chance of dying from falls than violence.

Carry what your comfortable with and youll do fine. I have been all over the park carrying nothing but a NAA mini or Beretta Tomcat.

Gerald

[DonGlock26]

Even if you can match a semi-auto in reload speed, you still only loaded 6-speedloader, 2-beltloops, or 1-speedstrip compared to 13 everytime with my G-23. Reloading under stress is difficult and I won't even go into wounded officer drills. Anyone watch the movie "Glory" when they are learning the difference between range shooting and combat shooting?

[Penforhire]

People have commented on the issue of dropping ammo in the dirt. But nobody mentioned, do you really want to trust your life on ammo in that pouch that is banging around loosely for who-knows-how-long and how hard?

No way I'd carry it loose. Speed loaders, strips, moonclips, mags, etc. also help protect your rounds.

I own autos and a revolver (and a pump). I can't see how anyone would suggest reloading a typical revolver is faster than reloading a typical automatic. Just look at the motions involved. And I'm assuming that if I'm shooting that empty mag gets dropped to the ground without a second thought.

The other side of the coin is, even with my most reliable 9 mm auto and varied factory fodder I get a malfunction more than once per 1,000 rounds (average is closer to one in 500). So, despite all the malfunction clearing drills we do, for self defense there is a lot to be said for a revolver and just pulling the trigger again.

[Dave Markowitz]

One of the first things to go in a stressful situation is fine motor control. That's why reloading a handgun with a detachable magazine is the easiest way to do so in a gunfight -- because the degree of motor control required is less than any other method.

If you're going to carry a revolved (and I do), you DON'T want to carry loose rounds in a change purse (or any other container). If you don't want the bulk of a regular speedloader, then use Bianchi Speed Strips. They lie flat in your pocket and you can load up to two rounds at once.

I choose to carry a revolver for several reasons, but ease of reloading is not one of them.

[English John]

Two Options:
1) You are wrong, you GOTTA carry what I like
2) Carry what YOU like.

I have seen this on so many posts where someone asks a question, and all the answers degrade to everyone's personal choices for the gunfight they hope will never happen. The "Street Survival" seminar years ago showed us a video of a gentleman who challanged the local PD that had just switched to autos. He used one of their old S&W K frames to do a VERY nice job on a target at their range at a timed 12 shots in under 7 seconds, and 18 shots in under 12 seconds. Groups were less than 6 inches. He did it with speedloaders and a LOT OF PRACTICE, but then you did say you go to the range.
Remember; Jim Cirrilo won a lot of gunfights with a revolver (yes, he probably could have done better if he trained with an auto, and I hear he uses one now, but he won), and the first rule of a gunfight is HAVE A GUN.
Carry what YOU like, and practice a lot.
The rest of you can now turn on your flamethrowers. :fire:

[HadEmAll]

English John says:

"I have seen this on so many posts where someone asks a question, and all the answers degrade to everyone's personal choices for the gunfight they hope will never happen."

1. Min didn't ask a question at all. He just said he's switching to revolvers. Read it again if you need to.

2. What did you expect, 2 pages of "By god, your right!"?

[WonderNine]

I'd much rather have an auto 9mm.

When I carry a fullsize it's a Browning Hi-Power with 1 in the chamber and 15 round mag in. And one or two spare 15 round mags.

That's 31-46 rounds of ammo compared to more bulk with the revolver with 15-18 rounds (with two speedloaders). Not to mention the revolver makes more noise and generally is not as accurate (double action vs. single action automatic) and reloads slower.

The one thing the revolver has going for it is reliability and that is why I am still a revolver fan.

[VaughnT]

Min, I understand where you're coming from as relates to reloading high capacity magazines. I was just down at the range with a buddy and his G23, and, man, did I get tired of loading his magazines!!! Seriously folks, it was like a never ending pit and seemed to take forever.

I'm used to my nice Wilson 47D magazines which hold a gentlemanly eight rounds. While I might have to reload more often than someone shooting a high-capacity mag, it sure beats reloading just one of those beasts!

It's really weird to note that I actually got tired of shooting his G23 while I was actually shooting it. I'd be pulling the trigger and wondering, "when is this bugger gonna quit!"

Now, if I was in a gunfight, I would still rather have my Colt 1991 with its enemic 8+1 capacity and a reload or two on my belt. The barebones fact is that I'd be running for dear life long before I needed to load a magazine from a box of ammo. If I'm not dead in the first volley, that pistol in my hand is simply a tool to facilitate and expedite my disembarkation from the field.

[pinetree64]

I'm going the opposite way. I sold my 44mag last month and plan to buy another 1911. After I started shooting my Kimber compact I really grew to love the SA trigger. My 629 had trigger work done, but it couldn't compete with the 1911.

Revolvers have their place. I like to carry revolvers when hunting, fishing, hiking... I have an UL M-85 Taurus snubby. I carry it in the woods with snake shot and hydrashocks. This gun sleeps in my wife's nightstand. I just find the semi's more fun at the range and better for action pistol. I shoot them more acuratly and quickly than a DA revolver.

[Feanaro]

I've never been in a firefight but I think it would be easier to reload a semi-auto than a revolver, even with a speedloader. That's just me, I like reloading semi-autos more than revolvers.

The best reason, IMO, to carry a revolver is that if .by some nasty stroke of luck, you have a jam you can simply pull the trigger again and as long as the next one isn't a dud it will fire.

[Daniel Flory]

Carry whatever makes you feel confident. If C.R. Sam carries a revolver, good 'nuff for me. If you carry an NAA Mini as a primary, good for you! (just don't advocate that to others ;) ) If you feel fine with the revolver and a limited number of rounds, then by all means, carry away.

As for being tired of mag loading, why not stop buying guns and just buy more mags for your primary auto platform? :confused:

[Marko Kloos]

The main disadvantage of the revolver, slow reload speed, is negated by carrying a backup gun. In 95% of all SD scenarios, I won't need more than the six beans in the wheel. For those 5% where I do need more than six, I won't bother with a speedloader. I'll just do a New York Reload.

[SapperLeader]

The other side of the coin is, even with my most reliable 9 mm auto and varied factory fodder I get a malfunction more than once per 1,000 rounds (average is closer to one in 500).

Penforhire - Out of Curiosity what Semiauto are using that you get malfunctions that often? Particulary with your best ammo? Reason I ask is that I have had only three malfunctions out of 5000-8000 rounds with my xd-9, two with cheap brown bear ammo when I first got it, and one with a brand new magazine that I was still breaking in. I definitly agree with you about the refire capability of the revolver, but I would be concerned if my auto gave me that much trouble.

[Handy]

The main disadvantage of the revolver, slow reload speed, is negated by carrying a backup gun. In 95% of all SD scenarios, I won't need more than the six beans in the wheel. For those 5% where I do need more than six, I won't bother with a speedloader. I'll just do a New York Reload.

This also neatly avoids the dropped mag/firearm problem.

Instead of carrying a Sig 245 and 2 extra 6 round mags, one simply carries a 6 shot revolver....



...and 2 extra 6 shot revolvers.:D

[JohnK]

It only avoids the dropped mag/firearm problem if you plan on holding the empty gun and shooting with your weak hand, or taking the extra time to reholster your primary gun which would negate any speed advantage of using a second gun compared to a semi auto and reloading with spare magazines.

[dinosaur]

I carry a "New York reload". Must be cause I`m from NY.:D

Semi auto is usually primary, Colt DS on my weak side. I still carry a spare mag and a spare speedloader.

For my semis, I have enough mags for each one to load up two 50 round boxes. I load them up the night before. Still, if you plan on making a day of it, you`ll eventually end up reloading from a new box.

A lot of old timers, especially LEOs, prefer wheelguns. It`s what we trained with and carried every day.