[rusty bubbles]

Getting on in years-I would like to know that my wife would be able to protect herself as a widow- she is a deadly shot with a pistol , given time to aim, but what kind of pistol to reccommend for her small hands? I never had a cartridge revolver fail to fire"on all cylinders" -but I 've heard of semi autos jamming. My question is- are modern Semi-autos as reliable as a revolver?
Only last year, an elderly couple were held up in their backwoods store, and the owner was saved when the semi- auto of the robber jammed --The owner's wife killed the perp with a big old revolver.-Made me wonder.So what kind of failure rate-if any- have you shooters experienced?

I gots to know!

[shevrock]

I was firing my grandpas cheap hi-point 9mm, and it jammed second shot in. I have fired a single shot revolver, that jammed because of a dud ammunition wise. It was 22lr by the way[ no powder in the shell 0.0]

As far as i can tell most people go with handguns because their easier to reload and much easier to handle[ and usually smaller]. I prefer a double action revolver though, because theirs next to know chance of it jamming [depending on what kind of revolver you get]. So really it's up to you [but revolvers usualy come in bigger calibers :)

[Mike Sr.]

I was firing my grandpas cheap hi-point 9mm, and it jammed second shot in.


I have fired a single shot revolver, that jammed A MISS-FIRE NOT A JAM because of a dud ammunition wise. It was 22lr by the way[ no powder in the shell 0.0]...

you can still cock the revolver to the next cylinder and fire!

In most cases a jammed auto or semi-auto will not FUNCTION. The cause of the jam has to be cleared/removed!

With factory ammo in a revolver not much chance of a jam that renders the revovler in-operable; but factory ammo can 'jam' a semi-auto. Reloads are another matter though...and can present problems with a revolver and semi-auto..

[loneviking]

You say she's a crack shot with a pistol, so what type of weapon is she used to firing? You also say that she's getting on in years, so how are her hands holding up? Any arthritis? How strong are her wrists and forearms?

I don't like semi-autos as I've never seen one yet that wouldn't jam. Find an instructor for semi-autos and they all put you through that 'tap-rack-bang' drill to clear the gun. That's something you don't have to worry about with revolvers. The only time I've seen a problem with a revolver is if the extractor backs out from the star, which will jam the cylinder.

Best guess would be a revolver, 3 inch barrel, .38/357 caliber so you can load light or heavy depending on the hand condition.

[shevrock]

Or you could buy a gun chambered for .454 Cassul, and train with normal 45's in it. :D. Then when the SHTF, grab a moonclip with .454's on it. :what:

[Phil DeGraves]

Let her decide. For many ladies with minimal grip strength, the DA trigger pull of a revolver is to hard. On the other hand, many may not be able to cycle the slide of an auto pistol. Mine prefers SA revolvers (Rugers/Colts) and cocked and locked semis (1911 Govt. in 9mm. The 9mm doesn't have as heavy a recoil spring, so she can cycle it).

[Phil DeGraves]

I don't like semi-autos as I've never seen one yet that wouldn't jam. Find an instructor for semi-autos and they all put you through that 'tap-rack-bang' drill to clear the gun. That's something you don't have to worry about with revolvers.
Obviously, limited experience.

[Phil DeGraves]

A six shot revolver is guaranteed to malfunction on the seventh shot. That being said, I feel adequately armed with a revolver. I also feel adequately armed with an autopistol. By the way, I carry more than one.

[cslinger]

My take and this in NO way should constitute advice from a gunfighter, cop, swat team member, soldier etc.

I personally think that the revolver is just about perfect for what you are asking about. The manual of arms is just so much simpler and they are, IMO, just easier keep around ready to go as a defensive weapon. I won't go into all my specific reasons but suffice to say I think you could do a lot worse then a good ole' Ruger GP100 or Smith 686.

That being said if she is already familiar with pistols and capable of clearing jam etc. then she should handle and use what she is comfortable with.

As for reliability it is probably a wash in pure terms quality firearm to quality firearm.

One thing where I do think a revolver shines for those getting older is that it is so much easier on the hands and wrists to load and if your wrists are getting weaker, you always run the risk of a semi auto malfunction if it is extremely unsupported by your grip or wrist. These are not problems with a revolver.

Again, take it for what you paid for it. Take care, be safe.

Chris

[FieroCDSP]

Personal preference, IMO. Revolvers have reliability, but the DA pulls can be difficult. A light, crisp semi-auto trigger is great, but jams can and will happen, always at the worst moment. The slide can be difficult to rack, but by grabbing with the weak hand and pushing away with the strong hand can allow weaker hands to work one.

[Rmart30]

Revolver gets my vote...... probably a 4" k frame S&W .38

[lee n. field]

My question is- are modern Semi-autos as reliable as a revolver?

They can be. Either can fail, though from the nature of the mechanism, their fail for different reasons.

[MMCSRET]

My wife gave up on her semi-auto because her hands were becoming artheritic to the point that she couldn't grip the slide well enough to cycle it manually when changing magazines or cleaning it. She traded and now has 38 revolvers and a 32 mag revolver. Much easier for her to check and maintain the revolvers.

[BlindJustice]

If she is a crack shot, well what is she shooting - long gun or hand gun?

I've had a wheel gun freeze the cylinder & stop the range session
but with semi-autos It's a quick clear, and keep on going.

However, wheelguns certainly have a sijmpler manual of arms
whereas the Da/SA semi-autos are a bit more involved.

Have you asked her what she prefers?

In either case a monthly trip to a range for practice and
familiarity is recommended.

FWIW - I have a CZ 75B - 100% reliableity and very accurate
depends on hand size for a woman. Find a range that rents
various handguns.

WHeelgun - I have a S&W J-Frame Model 60 3" Bbl. .357 Mag
but limit it to .38 Spcl +P - manageable recoil & never a
problem with it. However, the J-frames have a coil main spring
and they are tough to get much lower than a 10 lb trigger pull.

A new S&W on the market is the 315 Night Guard, a 2 1/2" Bbl
K frame with recoil absorbing Pachmayr rubber grips. .38 Spcl 6 shooter

The Ruger SP-101 with the 3+" Bbl. is also an option. 5 shot
.38 Spcl/.357 Mag. or 6 shot .327 Fed Mag.

Lots of options with a rep. for reliability.

Randall

[167]

Even assuming the semiauto you choose is 100% reliable, you can still have FTF malfunctions that will require you to work the slide. With a DA revolver you just pull the trigger again. There are semiautos that are nearly 100% reliable (nothing can be 100% reliable), but it takes a little more to run the gun. And if you limp wrist any of your shots, your odds of a malfunction go up. If your wife can run a gun pretty good, might as well go with a semiauto. If she can't, or doesn't want to put the work into learning how to run the gun, get a revolver. The downside to a revolver is ammo capacity. There isn't much room for error, and in a gunfight situation, there will be some error.

[Elvishead]

This old lady has 8 shot's in her .357 in this fail free revolver, and her back-up is a 6 shot revolver, or virsa.

[Prince Yamato]

Elvishead, that picture is priceless.

[rusty bubbles]

"No smoking in here?" ---
"Maam, you just smoke all you want!"

[KI.W.]

Revolver ofcourse. Very much accurate and says "bang" every time with every cartridges you load or bue its caliper. ( I have example .357 Rem Max. It is happy with .38 spl, .357 Mag too. )

[jad0110]

First off, is this gun going to be carried or will it be used for home protection only? From the wording of your post, I am going to assume this is for home protection.

Neither platform is perfect, so either can fail. In my personal experiences, my revolvers have tended to be a bit more reliable (though not without problems of their own) than my semi autos. It is true though that revolvers are typically not as ammunition sensitive, so that can be a plus. You still have to test your chosen defensive load to make sure the bullets don't unseat under recoil, or that the spent cases don't stick in the cylinder. Another thing: as the gun size shrinks, the reliability difference tends to grow a bit, though that's not to say that tiny autos can't be reliable. You are just more likely to run into a malfunctioning Kel-Tec or the like than a malfunctioning J Frame.

So honestly it comes down to her preferences. Small hands pretty much rule out many double stack autos and large frame revolvers. My wife has small hands, and of all the guns she has tried so far, my single stack 5" 1911 45 ACP fits her hand best (though still not idealy). She could barely reach the trigger of my K Frame S&Ws. Though she has never fired one, a Bersa Thunder with its short trigger reach and thin frame might be about perfect for her. An all steel small frame revolver such as a S&W J Frame (ie, 3" S&W Model 60) or a 3 1/16" Ruger SP101 might be good options too. BTW, one advantage a revolver does have here is that you have a lot more grip shape/design/size options than you do with an auto, so a revolver is more customizable for fit in that regard.

Of course, for home protection a youth model 20 ga shotgun might be an option too.

[Carl Levitian]

We (my better half and myself) have owned a Glock, and I had a Colt .45 gov't model for about 5 years. They all had a malfuction once in a while. FTF, or FTE, its the nature of the beast that its going to happen eventually.

On the other hand I hae a Smith and Wesson modle 18 that was bought new in 1968 a S&W model 60 and 64 that was bought new in 1977, and the wife has a S&W K22 that her dad gave her as a high school graduation gift, and a S&W model 317 that is her woodswalking gun. None of the revolvers have ever malfuctioned. Once in a while with the .22 revolvers we'll get a dud round, then we just pull the trigger again. We're old enough to be social security pensioners, and we have been shooting together for almost 40 years, and go to the range twice a week to shoot. We use revolvers exclusivly. The auto pistols have went down the road.

[rusty bubbles]

Many thanks , guys, for your helpful advice
I'm the oldie here- the little woman is 12 years younger than me, and still feisty!

Being left handed,she prefers handguns to rifles -specially my bolt actions.

When we were courting, she used to beat me at pistols- that's when I decided to marry her-"If you can't beat em, join em!"

From your excellent posts, I'd say that the consensus is; Pros,--Revolvers, for reliability; Cons,-- heavy trigger pull,lower ammo capacity.

As a simple,, reliable home defense weapon though,I think I'd rest easy leaving her with one ( In about ten years time, I hope!)

Thanks again

Rusty

[jad0110]

If she is left handed, Charter Arms makes (or at least used to) a left handed 38 Special, called the Southpaw I believe, with the cylinder release on the right side of the frame. Charters can be hit or miss in the quality dept though, so if you were to get one, I'd fire at least 400 rds through it before calling it reliable.

But try to get her out and let her choose something that feels right in her hand. It would be best if she could actually shoot it before you buy it, but just handling some different guns is better than nothing.

[rusty bubbles]

jad0110- That's a valid point-a right side release would eliminate fumbling reloads-thoughtful of Charter Arms,too.

[Elvishead]

Rusty Bubbles

The heavy trigger can be lightened by a trigger job, or lighter springs.

The 78 YO elderly lady in the photo can pull the trigger all day long on the .357 I bought her by putting a lighter hammer spring in. And it's reliable, even with harder fire-caps.

If she's a good shot, the snubby has the great advantages of being harder to disarm a short barrel gun.

For my home 24/7 I have a S&W .38spl Airweight 638 & 37 Snub revolvers with a larger Pachmayr Presentation grip so it would be hard to disarm me. It's my "delay" gun to get to the .357 or 9mm high cap. I also take it with me, and return to the empty house with it.

Elvishead

[XDShooter07]

I'd go snag her a ruger sp101. Many different barrel lengths to choose from so she can pick what she feels comfortable with. Good grip so she doesn't lose control of it. Good choice of calibers (either .38/.357 or .327). If the trigger's too heavy for her you can swap out the springs and/or have a 'smith smooth out the action. Seems like a good fit to me. However, many autoloaders are very reliable too; glocks, xd's, cz's, etc... Whatever she's more comfortable and proficient with would probably be the best choice.

[Drgong]

More that I play with my new revolver, More I am thinking that I will be using a revolver for a self defense gun, as it is much more "intuitive" then a semi-auto. Of course, that means I have to get a new revolver, as the Nagant is generally not thought as the best one for self defense as the only cartriages made for it are for targets....

[rusty bubbles]

Elvishead-
Thanks for postig the pic of the snubby- sure is compact, and difficult to grab a hold of.-something to think of when dealing with baddies

Doesn't lightening the hammer spring bring with it the risk of cap failure?

[I like mine to have a hefty dent!)

[tblt]

I would never lighten the hammer (main) spring on a self defence gun,bad Idea

[XDShooter07]

If you don't like the idea of having the spring changed to a lighter one then just get the action smoothed and it should make it easier to pull; dry firing a bunch helps also; that won't change your primer strikes.

tblt; just out of curiosity; why is that a bad idea?

[Guillermo]

SP101 is great for a bedside weapon. As would be a Smith 19 or 27.

Of course if she decides to carry it then you get a whole new set of variables.

Guess you have the joyous task of finding her a good handgun or 4 that she loves.

Get to it youngster!

[Bob79]

Get a S&W K-frame 6-shot with a 3" or 4" barrel and load it with some hard hitting 38's or softer 357, like Cor Bon DPX or Remington GS.

[Elvishead]

rusty bubbles

Elvishead-
Thanks for postig the pic of the snubby- sure is compact, and difficult to grab a hold of.-something to think of when dealing with baddies

Doesn't lightening the hammer spring bring with it the risk of cap failure?

[I like mine to have a hefty dent!)

Rusty,

Your welcome.

As I stated in my last post "And it's reliable, even with harder fire-caps." it fires every time at the range, as does all my other revolvers with lighter hammer springs.

On my cheap Rossi 461 .357 snub (Back up, of the back up) the spring is now about 11lbs compared to about a 15-16lbs spring that came from the factory. So it's still very firm, but the trigger is quite a bit easier to pull, my guess is around 6-7lbs. Still not light, but not heavy. Gramma can pull it many times, and she is very weak with arthritis.

A hefty dent can also breach the fire-cap and weld the shell to the frame rendering it useless.

On my Airweights with the larger grips, they are comfortable for big, and small hands, and they take up the recoil really well. They also make the gun easier to aim, and aim quickly.
Although the grips are no longer made they can be found floating around on E-bay and such or Budsgunshop.com.

Hope this helps, and good luck

Elvishead

PS: My two Airweight