Autoloader vs Revolvers...

mcb said:

But don't all those attributes you list result in a fun gun? They usually do for me. So yes it is probably not a requirement but is always seems to be the result for me.

Tools are not fun? I enjoys my tools too, gun, hammer, wrench etc etc etc... Some are funner than other but a good tool is always enjoyable.

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I know exactly what you mean. I enjoy working with, holding and admiring well made tools. Something about the fine work that went into creating it gives me pleasure when I use it.

I CC both because I like both,revolvers .38 SPL+P & P365 9mm.

Pat Riot said:

If all we had to drive were Volkswagens wouldn’t the world just suck?

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We'd be stranded home more than we are with the 'rona!

I carry both, they're there for different reasons but both can save your ass if called upon.

whm1974 said:

Since My stepfather taught me about guns when I was 9, I always perfer .38 Special Revolvers over anything else, even though I was comfortable with shoot semi-autos pistols.

well made SA/DA Revolvers of modern design are very safe for Home Defense for those limited gun experience due to the heavy DA trigger. I will safe with sticking one under my pillow...

Certain pistols such the Glock not so much...

Any thoughts?

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Revolvers are mostly obsolete when compared to semi-autos for nearly any function except large bore hunting guns.

Note that being obsolete doesn't mean they can't be effective or useful.

I just voted for both and it shows each of them at 84 votes and each at 64.6%. I think the poll results sum up the question well.

MCFLYFYTER said:

I just voted for both and it shows each of them at 84 votes and each at 64.6%. I think the poll results sum up the question well.

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If you break it down

Where both Revolver and Semi-Auto both have 84 votes making of 64.6% of the total votes you get.

Revolver = 46
Semi-Auto = 46
Both = 38

mcb said:

If you break it down

Where both Revolver and Semi-Auto both have 84 votes making of 64.6% of the total votes you get.

Revolver = 46
Semi-Auto = 46
Both = 38

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That's kinda what I was getting at.

As a law abiding responsible gun owner, in a lethal force encounter I am already behind, read reacting to the lethal force the agressive person is attacking me with. The pocket revolver allows it to remain concealed yet able to deploy if I am unable to flee or deesculate the encounter. I fire through a pocket.

I have found that engaging a revolver was easier for me when rolling, fighting in the mud, the blood and the beer. As Johnny Cash stated in A Boy Named Sue.

If I am going to war I will have a G17 on my hip. But, for edc to get out of trouble? Make mine a revolver.

This being said, awareness and mindset are more important than tactics.
Stay safe out there!

2ndamd said:

As a law abiding responsible gun owner, in a lethal force encounter I am already behind, read reacting to the lethal force the agressive person is attacking me with. The pocket revolver allows it to remain concealed yet able to deploy if I am unable to flee or deesculate the encounter. I fire through a pocket.

I have found that engaging a revolver was easier for me when rolling, fighting in the mud, the blood and the beer. As Johnny Cash stated in A Boy Named Sue.

If I am going to war I will have a G17 on my hip. But, for edc to get out of trouble? Make mine a revolver.

This being said, awareness and mindset are more important than tactics.
Stay safe out there!

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I agree with everything except I believe awareness and mindset are a tactic. Maybe not exactly true, but they allow you to make tactical decisions. Without awareness and mindset, you are just waiting to react, and it is impossible to have tactics without forethought.

WestTexShooter said:

Funny but this issue has somewhat crystallized for me while at the range today.

I enjoy both semi & wheelies, but while shooting today (my G23) it really dawned on me how much I hate picking up brass at the range. What is even worse is if I don't pick it up, the range forces the shooter to sweep it forward downrange.

What am I - their custodian but I am paying them? It is like getting a motel room and being forced to clean the room yourself !

Part of this is old age. But I think the 3", .357 wheelies are going to reappear in these parts.

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Yeah! What's with these people anyhow? After taking out the gunman at Walmart, they expect me to find and pick-up all my brass.

Downright annoying is what it is.

I think a lot of folks convince themselves that their choice is more "modern" (whatever that means) and that that makes it more deadly. Guns are tools. People are deadly. How you put your tool to work is more important than the tool itself. Travis Haley did a really good video on the 1911 and everything said about it can be said for revolvers. They are not obsolete, far from it. Looking at ATF production numbers, I don't see how anyone can consider them even obsolescent.

I like both with a healthy variety. As tools go, a "modern" semi-auto is better strictly as a self defense tool but a revolver can handle virtually any purpose you lay in front of it, outside military use. One can, in theory, have one revolver that is capable (not necessarily ideal) of hunting small game, carrying concealed, as well as killing any critter that walks or crawls. It doesn't care if it's loaded with a light cast bullet at 700fps or a heavyweight monster masher. No semi-auto can claim such versatility or fill so many roles. So I find there to be more utility in being good with a revolver than a semi-auto because I am guaranteed to use them afield. Whereas the defensive semi-auto will probably never be "used" at all. That said, for concealed carry, I usually carry a polymer framed semi-auto because they are light, flat and more easily concealed.

The "modern choice" vs. the "reliable, proper choice". Oh well, the framing of the question makes me tired..

Like someone else said, "I like guns".

Since the da revolver with a swing out cylinder only got perfected about the same time the semi auto made it's appearance and ran well I'm miffed at the "modern" part.

I like single action Colt's and Rugers. I like semis. Each has their role and I have a small proficiency in each.

If you call yourself a shooter then shoot.

A revolver is more flexible with ammunition than a autoloading pistol. I can carry the first 2 chambers of my .357 loaded with snake shot and the remainder with 125gr JHP Magnums for cats.

Or I can take it out and shoot soft loaded .38 Spcl with it. The possibilities are almost unlimited.

Autoloaders are flatter and can be made lighter than most revolvers. They also offer faster reloads if you have (as you should) a spare magazine. Selfloaders are also less susceptible to stoppages from pocket lint and dirt.

Either is better than no firearm.

BSW

A buddy just got a p365xl that was jamming with practice ammo. He followed the recommendation of others to try heavier weight bullets. He call sig and they told him to fire at least 500 rounds through the gun as a break-in is commonly needed for nib sigs.

I have not needed a 500 round break in for any of the dozens of revolvers I have bought nib.

When constrained to buying a new handgun I would go semi-auto. Because any of the new polymer pistols will be a better value with more capacity than a revolver.

2ndamd said:

A buddy just got a p365xl that was jamming with practice ammo. He followed the recommendation of others to try heavier weight bullets. He call sig and they told him to fire at least 500 rounds through the gun as a break-in is commonly needed for nib sigs.

I have not needed a 500 round break in for any of the dozens of revolvers I have bought nib.

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Might be Sig specific.

After two very bad experiences* with Sig USA I’ve consigned them to the ‘companies I won’t buy anything from anymore’ category. Winchester ammunition is the other.

I got a NIB HK VP9 a couple of years ago. First time at the range I wanted to get a feel for how it shot and get rid of some tail ends of my different lots of pistol match stash ammo as well as try out my normal carry ammo (Federal 9BPLE +P+ 115gr). 300 rounds later I had a dirty pistol with zero malfunctions.

BSW

*A P250 that Sig couldn’t make fire reliably and a truly botched SIG556R rifle.

For me I'm a Revolver man through and through, for both OC & CC. In fact it's on my profile picture,


My choice has been made after 7 years worth of exsperance at the range and having to fix a problem with our autoloaders, either FTF, or FTE or just getting the brass stuck in the slide. And don't even get me started on the fact that the last brass casing would always come flying back at us for some reason. Never once have I had an issue with any kind of revolver plus no brass to pick up.

It also helps that I'm much more accurate with a revolver due to the general ergonomics of the handle, muzzle, and perceived recoil just being null & void. As for concealed carry my .38 is much more comfortable that our glocks. They also fit a human body profile better due to their rounded profile. As far as capacity goes I feel it's a mute point. I've got 5 shots in my Single Action, with my holster carrying 6 more, and my concealed revolver holds 5 shots in total with a speed loader in my pocket.

Plus when my new belt gets here I'll be able to carry an additional 36 rounds of 45LC ammunition so...

As others may or may not have said try out both, see which ones you prefer and are good with and practice with those. If those are Auto-Loaders great, you'll have more capacity on your side. If you go with one or two Revolvers then you'll have more reliability (in my opinion) when things go sideways.

2ndamd said:

A buddy just got a p365xl that was jamming with practice ammo. He followed the recommendation of others to try heavier weight bullets. He call sig and they told him to fire at least 500 rounds through the gun as a break-in is commonly needed for nib sigs.

I have not needed a 500 round break in for any of the dozens of revolvers I have bought nib.

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What?? I don't believe it.....holy moly, alert the media.

I haven't needed that in my choice of new semi-autos brand either...

If you haven't had a semi-auto or a revolver fail you, you have not shot them enough. I have had both fail me on several occasions. But given the number of rounds through them I really can't say one is significantly more reliable than the other. With reputable brands, well maintained, the reliability is so high that its not even a secondary consideration when selecting a handgun for an application for me anymore.

Give me a sixgun.

Kleanbore said:

I'v e been mulling that over since it was posted.

I feel exactly the same way.

Show me a case hardened Colt single action revolver with attractive grips, just about any classic Colt semi-auto or Colt or S&W classic revolver with engraving along the lines of that of the late J. C. Prudhomme or someone of his ilk, or just about any revolver that our CraigC has shown here, and I will enjoy holding and looking at it.

BUT: my carry pistol has a dull polymer frame to which I cannot add stag or fancy wood grips, that cannot be polished or engraved...

It does what I need as a defensive tool. But that's about it.

It holds very well, but I don't think it's very pretty. I chose it for other reasons.

Of course, tastes do vary, and someone else may like looking at it.

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Maybe the finish is dull and listless... and it doesn't have the aesthetics of sleek, shiny, pearl handled icon. But..if it's well made I'll still marvel at the craftmanship that went into it to create such a intricate piece. I'll give an example.. I own many automotive tools as I once made my living as a industrial equipment repairman. A pair of pliers or an adjustable wrench. The well made ones will give you a lifetime of service and are a pleasure to look at and use whereas the visibly lesser quality ones will give you skinned knuckles and expand your profanity vocabulary and certainly are not fun to use. Both, may get the job done, but only one will give you a sense of satisfaction when you're using it