Autos over revolvers for ccw... is it because of capacity?

If you choose to ccw an auto over a revolver, is it because of the capacity?

  • Yes, my primary reason for going with the auto over the revolver is its added capacity

    Votes: 79 44.4%

  • No capacity does not figure into my reason for choosing to carry an auto over a revolver

    Votes: 99 55.6%
  • Total voters
    178
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I voted no for a reason that I didn't see mentioned. I used to carry my L frame 7 shot 357 a lot, but switched to a M&Pc 9mm. Ease of carry is about the same. Not too concerned about capacity. Reliability is for the most part the same. I figure that if I were to be unfortunate enough to have to use it in a life or death situation, it's probably going to get taken by the authorities when they arrive. Maybe I get it back, maybe I don't. I wouldn't lose any sleep over losing a polymer pistol, but I'd be pretty upset if I lost one of my Smiths or nicer 1911s.
 
I carry both.

Kahr PM9 when I need to be very discreet and a Colt Detective Special when width is not as important.

Capacity is not an issue, it is as the lady says, all about width.
 
Maybe I get it back, maybe I don't. I wouldn't lose any sleep over losing a polymer pistol, but I'd be pretty upset if I lost one of my Smiths or nicer 1911s.
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I got my KT taken, my CCW with it. I got 'em back about 6 months later when the charges were dismissed. I was really missing that thing, LOL. But, I would have been REALLY miffed if they'd gotten my P90. But, know what? You can buy a new gun. I figure hospital bills would have costs me more had I not fired.
 
The main limiting factor with revolvers is the time it takes to reload.
 
Autos carry more ammo. Is this important? It well may be, as anyone that cites the "3 rounds" stat is wrong. That stat includes such things as AD's, warning shots, suicides, and animal put-downs. Obviously, this skews the "shots fired" count downward from where actual gunfight round counts are.

At least 40% of the time, there are multiple assailants. If there are only two and each one takes 3 rounds to stop, you're one short with a 5-shot J-frame. :eek:

Autos are flatter and carry easier.

The reload for an auto is flatter and easier to carry.

Making the reload is faster.

Since when was having more ammo IN the gun a bad thing? If one has proper training and mindset, the oft mentioned "spray and pray" isn't an issue. And if it IS an issue with an auto, then why isn't it one with a revolver?
 
David E said:
Autos carry more ammo. Is this important? It well may be, as anyone that cites the "3 rounds" stat is wrong. That stat includes such things as AD's, warning shots, suicides, and animal put-downs. Obviously, this skews the "shots fired" count downward from where actual gunfight round counts are.

At least 40% of the time, there are multiple assailants. If there are only two and each one takes 3 rounds to stop, you're one short with a 5-shot J-frame. :eek:

Autos are flatter and carry easier.

The reload for an auto is flatter and easier to carry.

Making the reload is faster.

Since when was having more ammo IN the gun a bad thing? If one has proper training and mindset, the oft mentioned "spray and pray" isn't an issue. And if it IS an issue with an auto, then why isn't it one with a revolver?
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I agree...

While a revolver might be sufficient for a single attacker, 2 or more and you could be s*** out of luck... Unless you have a pocket full of speed loaders (a few of these in the pocket does not fit very well...) which it still takes a bit of time to reload with...So given all those factors, why reload a revolver 3 times when you get the same capacity out of one double stacked magazine...

The ADVANTAGE of the revolver however, is that there won't be any feeding issues.
 
No, I won't be "out of luck" with 2 attackers. I'll one, two 'em, finish as necessary. If you triple tap each one, you're dead before the first one drops. Best put one in each and see if anyone else wants a second. The more powerful the round, the better for not needing a second. The whole time, I'm going to be backin' up lookin' for cover. This ain't an "el presidente" drill, it's life and death. Standing in the open is what victims do. If I need a reload, it'll be done behind cover. I'll likely grab one of my backups for speed if I need speed.

I'm not a cop, just an armed citizen. I don't look for gunfights, but I'll finish it if one finds me. And, I can think of nothing better than a .357 magnum for doing that. All auto calibers short of 10mm are weaker. I'm talkin 600 ft lbs even out of a 3" barrel. That trumps my best 9x19 load and my fav .45ACP load by 200 ft lbs. I'm shooting a 140 grain JHP Speer and it's very accurate.
 
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No. I carry a 1911, with 9 rounds total capacity. In a real world fight, I plan on reloading before I hit 9 OR 6. But I will admit that there could be emergency circumstances where the extra couple of rounds might help.

If I had to say the biggest thing keeping me from switching, if say, someone gave me a great 4" Python as a gift, would be that I would need to do a lot more training to be able to shoot it double action defensively. I don't like a DA pull really at all, but I would shoot a defensive revolver in DA only. I've just learned to shoot autos better than revolvers.

I do sometimes find myself thinking hard about getting a S&W 610, to shoot 10mm or .40 with moon clips.
 
The main limiting factor with revolvers is the time it takes to reload.
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this isn't completely accurate.

there are many folks that can reload of revolver faster than a semi-auto. i'd even venture that of the people who carry a revolver defensively, most of them can reload faster than people who carry a semi-auto...folks carry a J-frame might throw this off...because most folks who carry a revolver, larger than a J-frame, usually practice using speedloaders.

what folks using speedloaders or moonclips give up to folks loading with magazines is the number of rounds of each reload
 
Besides being faster to reload, magazines are a much better method for carrying spare ammo too. They don't get twisted or pushed the wrong way popping all the rounds loose in your pocket. Not to mention I can carry one 17rd reload on my belt that would equal THREE speed loaders. Even if you limit both to 5-6 rounds magazine are in my opinion a way superior method of carrying backup ammo.
 
If you triple tap each one, you're dead before the first one drops.
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No one said anything about triple-tapping. I simply asked, "what if they each need 3?"

If you go one each, back and forth and find yourself one round short, you'll have that "Oh, Crap!" look for about a 1/2 second before it doesn't matter anymore.
 
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there are many folks that can reload of revolver faster than a semi-auto. i'd even venture that of the people who carry a revolver defensively, most of them can reload faster than people who carry a semi-auto...
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I'd like to meet these people. Don't throw Jerry Miculek at me, as he is an anomaly. Besides, he's running full race gear for all of his records.

Give him a speedloader and a concealment garment, he'll still do pretty well, but not as fast as many semi-auto guys.

For MOST folks, it's much faster, easier and much less fumble prone to reload a semi-auto, especially under stress.
 
I think that weight and capacity are why people carry semi-autos. Plus - it's what is fashionable at this point in time. They will both get the job done.
 
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I'd like to meet these people
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i didn't believe it the first time i saw it either, but they repeated it 3 times.

it was during an officer survival school i attended. we were shooting for the class "top gun"

the course of fire was 2 shots on each of 3 targets, reload and 2 shots on each again. the last two shooters standing was a revolver shooter shooting a S&W M19, using HKS speedloaders (!!!) against a shooter shooting a Beretta 92FS. this was out of duty holsters and snap secured mag pouches on a duty belt.

at first i thought the revolver shooter was just shooting faster and starting his reload sooner...but he wasn't. they were starting their reloads, bring their guns down from extension, at the same time and their next shots sounded almost like one. we weren't using a timer, so it's wasn't a matter of hundreths of a sec. they had to repeat their shoot off three times, before one pulled a shot out of the 9 ring. if you can keep up using a HKS speedloader...think of the advantage with a Safariland Comp I or II to say nothing of the III or moonclips

i've also seen ICORE shooters keep up, using speedloaders, in practice with 1911 shooters...but it wasn't a true head-to-head comparison.

it has been my experience that most auto pistol shooters don't practice mag changes enough to be smooth...while folks who carry as revolver, know how much more important it is for them (fewer rounds per reload) practice with their speedloaders constantly rather then thumb rounds into the cylinder
 
Certainly, good shooters exist that have the ability to rapidly reload a revolver with a speedloader. I'll even go so far as to say I'm one of them. (I easily made Master on my first try on the IDPA Classifier using a M-66 w/ Comp II loaders)

But these folks are the exception, not the rule.

I've not seen that revolver shooters practice more than semi-auto shooters.

Let's take two equally skilled shooters and have them reload on the move, in the dark, from concealment and see who wins most of the time.
 
I chose a semi-auto because of shootablitiy and capacity. My m&p9c is roughly the size of my j-frame (different shape but size is close) and holds 8 more bullets, that's not to say that there won't be time's when my j-frame is the only gun with me, but those time's will be when I'm in scubs or gym/runnin pants, neither of which can support a gun belt.
 
Hmm...dare I say it...five shots five.....

J Frame in the pocket.

The old axiom still holds true, 3 rounds, 3 yards, 3 seconds and it's over.

So ok tell me, why is it I need 18 rounds?
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Here are some things to consider that are pertinent, but not definitive:

1) You need more capacity because bad guys are attacking in groups. A second revolver would help in this area.

2) Pistols do not have great terminal ballistics. You may need to create several wounds in order to quickly stop your adversary. Capacity does count, as does bullet construction and shot placement. All three are necessary.

3) Manual of arms. While a revolver is considered to be "easier", I disagree. Reloading, on the move while under pressure, is difficult enough with a semi-automatic. It's even tougher with a revolver. Double action shooting can be difficult too. It definitely requires some practice to master.

4) Lack of shot placement...misses. There is not much margin for error in a five to eight shot cylinder. The same can be argued for smaller semi-automatics...even guns like the SIG P239 with 7 or 8 round capacity.

I know we like to say that we won't miss, but that's not realistic. People move around and do all sorts of goofy things in a fight...and they miss their target.
 
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I can't hit the broadside of a barn with a wheel gun. Why I don't know, but I carry a semi with me for accuracy.
 
I didn't vote because while capacity it a factor it isn't the only reason. Flatter profile, higher capacity & I shoot auto's better. I'm not down on revolvers or those who carry them. I think the versatility of a revolver is great in the woods but if I'm dealing with a two legged threat I'd feel better with one of my autos.
 
I have many reasons for prefering the autoloader I do... let's just say it's like God built the 1911A1 and my arm/hand/shoulder-structure for each other. that said, different sets of arn bone-structure/musculature and different irons will fit each other differently, so someone who a revolver fits better should carry a revolver. Tote a repro Buntline Special if it's what fits you and you can be accurate with!
 
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