First Handgun - Revolver vs Semi

That's a dilima a all right.

I am a S&W revolver & pistol guy to the bone.
(IMO: The model 39 drop safety thing has been blown all out of proportion on the internet.)

But there is no getting around the fact auto pistols are flatter, can be lighter, of higher capacity, and magazine reloads are easier to conceal then 6- shot speed-loaders.

But revolvers are simpler to operate, and probably much safer.
They are either loaded, or not.
And they will go bang every time you pull the trigger until they are empty.
Which is six rounds later.

But getting back to your question.

If I were you, I would not look at obsolete S&W autos you won't be able to get parts for in another few years.

I would look to SIG autos of every size to fill my needs.

rc

Personally, based on my experience and if I was in your shoes, AND I had to choose just one all-around handgun, the following would be my top choices:

Revolver- Ruger SP101. Small enough to conceal, big enough that you'll have fun at the range and want to practice with it. Also a VERY durable revolver.

Semi-Auto: Glock 19. Same reasons; concealable but a great shooter. Once again, top notch durability.

I have owned both of these guns, and currently own neither of them because I have multiple handguns with specific roles instead of one "do it all" handgun. But if I had to own ONLY one handgun as a "do it all" it would be one of those.

If it was my first handgun and I didn't have a lot of experience shooting, I'd be more comfortable with a revolver. However with practice a semi would serve you well, IMO.

I know you didn't mention either of those, so I apologize if this didn't help you at all. But if I were in your shoes, those would be my choices. good luck!

A 4" .357 would be my pick. For a current production model, I would choose a 686.

My suggestion is to go to a gun range that has an assortment of rental guns and try as many as possible out. If you want something that will last and be reliable get a Glock 19 or 17 or 26. S&W M&P are also nice choices, but there has been some accuracy issues with them. 1911 is the perfect second gun, in that they are nice to look at and fun to shoot.
Series 80 style have a drop safety block on the firing pin.

I always recommend revolvers for new shooters. A medium framed 357 (or maybe 38 special) with a 4" barrel is a great all-around range and home defense handgun. It is kind of large for concealed carry, but is a terrific first centerfire handgun for new shooters. Unfortunately, the handguns that are small enough to conceal easily are often difficult to shoot well, especially for beginners.

Personally I like the S&W 625 or Ruger P series semi auto.

Second what highlander said. The Ruger P series was very reliable and had DA/SA, which the OP said he likes. My first handgun ever was a Ruger P95 and I wish I would have kept it. Great gun for the money, I'm sure there are still plenty of them "New In Box" out there… It wasn't small, but I was able to carry it well enough.

I just don't understand anyone recommending a S&W 625 N-Frame for CCW.
They are huge in your pants, by any standard.

Or a full size Ruger auto either.

rc

The four-inch barrel Ruger SP101 six-shot chambered in 327 MAG covers a lot of bases for now and in the future. Range, small game hunting, plinking, and self defense. You may never need or want another gun, other than another and another of the aforementioned gun.

IMO a 4" 357 is the best all around gun. That Model 13 would fill that bill. No adjustable sights but we can live with that. Learn to use a DA revolver well and everything else is easy

Flip a coin, your starting an addiction and you'll likely have more in less than a year.

Both are good choices and it's just personal preference, pick one and you'll be happy with it, so happy you'll want another, and another, and another, and...I think you get the idea.

I am actually something of a Ruger fan but I wouldn't suggest a P-series for the same reason RCModel said not to buy the older model S&W's. Ruger no longer supports them.

If you do decide to buy an older discontinued model of gun you could always just get two of the same model. That way you would have one to cannibalize for parts if need be.

Tcruse said:

My suggestion is to go to a gun range that has an assortment of rental guns and try as many as possible out. If you want something that will last and be reliable get a Glock 19 or 17 or 26. S&W M&P are also nice choices, but there has been some accuracy issues with them. 1911 is the perfect second gun, in that they are nice to look at and fun to shoot.
Series 80 style have a drop safety block on the firing pin.

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This.

Get out there and actually handle/shoot some pistols and revolvers. Several people here gave some good recommendations, so be sure to try them out as well.

The only thing I have to say about your hesitation with respect to 1911s is to learn the mechanics behind how they work so that you understand what it actually takes to make one shoot and how the various safeties operate.

And lastly...there is no reason why this pistol/revolver should remain your ONLY pistol/revolver. I take the "first" part seriously when you say "first handgun".

Get something you can enjoy shooting and carrying, whatever it may be...and remember that there are plenty of other choices out there to add to your collection over time.

If you are buying a range-only gun, get whatever... Nod goes to the model 13 for me. But if you're going to trust your life to whatever you buy, then I'm going to say to go with the third option, which is to find a training class that will let you rent one of their guns, and find out for yourself what you think you can protect yourself best with. It should also get rid of your hesitation to carry a gun with one in the pipe.

Revolvers are difficult guns to fight with. Been done, lots of good guys are still alive because of a revolver, but they're hardly optimal given the number of modern high quality semi-auto's out there.

A 3" .357 revolver could do double duty as a range gun or for concealed carry. Any number of quality DA/SA semi-autos out there (SIG, Beretta, HK), that should provide many years of reliable service or you could look for a lightly used S&W Model 439/469 variant.

"I like the Model 13 because it is a very simple, classic .357 revolver. I like the simplicity and look of fixed sights. It is significantly more compact that the N frames that I like, which is a good thing. Not really much more to say." [eocoolj]

Excellent choice, the 3" version is arguably the finest all round CCW/trail handgun ever. Despite my affection for 44s and 45s, this is the handgun that does it all.

Its been said many times: "everything you want, and nuthin you don't."

OP, look at a current production S&W Model 60 3" barrel revolver. You don't need a 357 Magnum. This J frame is the most concealable revolver you can have but the 3" barrel is a little longer than a typical snubbie, and the slightly longer barrel will let you hit a CQB target better at the range.

I can't get excited about that 2nd Generation 439, I think you'd be better off with the wheelgun.

I always find its so difficult to answer questions like this. But my $.02 on the matter is this. The decision is all about capacity, and your feelings toward what your needs are in that area. Notice I said your feelings. Not ours.

A little while back I went exclusively to carrying revolvers out of fear of malfunction. Revolvers don't really fail like semi's do. (They can, but the odds are so, so slim) For this reason if I had to choose just one handgun, it would be a revolver. This is because the brute reliability of the 6 shots in the revolver is worth more than having 16 rounds that have a higher probability of screwing up. Thankfully I'm a single guy with a good job, so I don't have to choose! I will say though, that you'd be missing out if you didn't have a go at having both kinds.

xxjumbojimboxx said:

Revolvers don't really fail like semi's do. (They can, but the odds are so, so slim)

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In my experience, a revolver is more likely to fail than a semi. Sure, you're more likely to get a stoppage in a semi, but that stoppage is almost always easy and quick to clear. But often when a revolver has a stoppage it's a mechanical failure of some type and the gun needs to be serviced to get it running properly again.

357 revolver is my vote

Revolver

ECO,

If you are new to shooting and gun handling, the revolver may be the better choice. I had both of the guns you mentioned and would go with the model 13 if it is the 3 inch barreled, round butt version.

I will second, third or whatever on going to the range and trying out some guns before you buy. If you can get a range officer to help you with it, then all the better.

I got rid of my 439 because the trigger just was not in the same class as my other double action handguns from BERETTA and SIG. Now that it has been out of production for so long, the only reason to choose it is for a really low price or for a collection.

On the S&W HEAVY DUTY, that is a HUGE gun. It was built on the same frame as the .44 magnum, yet you can only use .38 Special in it. It is a poor choice for concealabilty as well.

Good luck,

Jim

Theohazard said:

In my experience, a revolver is more likely to fail than a semi. Sure, you're more likely to get a stoppage in a semi, but that stoppage is almost always easy and quick to clear. But often when a revolver has a stoppage it's a mechanical failure of some type and the gun needs to be serviced to get it running properly again.

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I'm sorry but that is so far fetched... The stoppage failures, like failure to eject, or failure to load, or failure to fire, are FAR more common than an actual mechanical failure in a revolver. I've personally never even seen it happen. And usually with a revolver, you have a sort of "on the fritz" period when you can feel something isn't right. Not instantaneous mechanical failure.

I expect to purchase my first handgun soon so maybe I'm not qualified to answer, but I'll share my thought process so far -- and if that inspires anyone to give me advice also, I'm all ears.

1. I want a revolver because they are more straightforwardly mechanical and easy to understand, AND I will only have to do ONE thing to shoot it, i.e. no slide to worry about racking.

2. I tried holding different ones at a gun store and I found the S&W fit my hand better than the Ruger, and it felt somehow more "solid" to me than the Taurus. YMMV.

3. I am leaning to the 686P because I like the idea of having 7 shots rather than only 6.

4. All the gun owners I know have multiple guns but I am on a limited budget so I am trying to settle on one that will meet my needs now and hopefully also in the future.

5. The 686 shoots both .357 magnum and .38 spl. At the class I attended, which was the first time I ever shot *anything*, I was almost as accurate with a .38 revolver as with a .22 -- my shots just went a tiny bit further left than I was aiming, which I since found out is typically from not getting enough finger on the trigger... completely logical in that they didn't tell us that with a revolver you have to press with the first joint, not the pad at the tip. So I feel I can already be competent shooting .38. However, looking at a chart of stopping power of various calibers that I found, I can see that a .357 magnum pretty much beats everything else... so I'm hoping that with time, training and practice I would be able to shoot .357 magnum with it. We did not try that in the class, but I was ok although not great with .45.

6. Here in Los Angeles County, currently nobody is granted a concealed carry permit, so this is going to be a home defense weapon, with concealability less of a concern... however I plan to spend some range time and have a private lesson and try the 6" and 4" -- if I could be equally accurate with the 4" I would go with that because if we do get concealed carry here that would obviously be a lot easier.