Remo223
member
I have one of those too. You need to try a colt woodsman....WAAAY better than a ruger. It's not even close.
Always Carry a Revolver?
- Thread starter Midwest Doc
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With the exception of the odd lemon, autoloaders that are well made and maintained have, at least in my limited experience, proven to be rather reliable these days (except for those chambered in .22 LR, but that's a special case). My own defensive pistol has yet to jam after thousands of rounds, and I place a lot of trust in it. That said, I keep hearing, here and there, about autos malfunctioning during real shootings--often enough to make me wonder what might be going on. 
One such instance would be the Fort Hood shooting rampage, during which the murder weapon and a police officer's sidearm, both autos, jammed. OK, so the bad guy's pistol had fired hundreds of rounds without much of a pause and was burning hot, and the officer's weapon (which failed after 6 or 7 shots) might have been loaded with one of those infamous GI M9 magazines, but it still makes me stop and think about all of the other stories I've read about autos jamming during actual defensive (and in this case offensive) use.
One such instance would be the Fort Hood shooting rampage, during which the murder weapon and a police officer's sidearm, both autos, jammed. OK, so the bad guy's pistol had fired hundreds of rounds without much of a pause and was burning hot, and the officer's weapon (which failed after 6 or 7 shots) might have been loaded with one of those infamous GI M9 magazines, but it still makes me stop and think about all of the other stories I've read about autos jamming during actual defensive (and in this case offensive) use.
Remo223
member
to post #27
They have to be cleaned and lubed regularly. Most people don't do that.
I had a discussion with the owner of the gun shop/shooting range that I sometimes go to. I was looking at an older(pinned barrel and the really old fashioned style checkering on the stocks)S&W blued revolver that he had in the rental cabinet. I had never seen a gun so filthy. I mean the powder residue was so thick near the forcing cone you could scrape it with a putty knife. I made a crack about them never cleaning their guns. The owner laughed and said the revolver(the only wheelgun in the rental cabinet) is the only gun he's ever rented that NEVER breaks down. So it never gets cleaned. I pointed to some well worn glocks and I said "those don't break down do they?" He said "yep. They gotta be disassembled and cleaned up regularly or the customers complain about them jamming".
They have to be cleaned and lubed regularly. Most people don't do that.
I had a discussion with the owner of the gun shop/shooting range that I sometimes go to. I was looking at an older(pinned barrel and the really old fashioned style checkering on the stocks)S&W blued revolver that he had in the rental cabinet. I had never seen a gun so filthy. I mean the powder residue was so thick near the forcing cone you could scrape it with a putty knife. I made a crack about them never cleaning their guns. The owner laughed and said the revolver(the only wheelgun in the rental cabinet) is the only gun he's ever rented that NEVER breaks down. So it never gets cleaned. I pointed to some well worn glocks and I said "those don't break down do they?" He said "yep. They gotta be disassembled and cleaned up regularly or the customers complain about them jamming".
Jonah71
Member
I never leave the house without my little '74 Mod.36. It just wouldn't feel right.
357mag.
Member
N.M. has to carry the same or "lesser" caliber,Really????And what do they base lesser caliber on (size of bullet,Ft lbs of energy,ect..???)I know if my state had a reg. like this,i'd have taken the class with a 44mag,454 or hell,even a s&w500 as it would leave alot of "option's" lol!!!
easyg
Member
Consider this....
Yes, an autoloader can jam.
But a cocked autoloader, with a round in the chamber, is almost certain to fire...at least once before jamming.
And if it does jam, an autoloader can usually be un-jammed in less than ten seconds.
But a revolver, even with a fully loaded cylinder, could experience cylinder lock-up with the very first trigger-pull, and never fire even once.
And when a revolver does experience cylinder lock-up it is virtually impossible to get it working again within even minutes.
Yes, an autoloader can jam.
But a cocked autoloader, with a round in the chamber, is almost certain to fire...at least once before jamming.
And if it does jam, an autoloader can usually be un-jammed in less than ten seconds.
But a revolver, even with a fully loaded cylinder, could experience cylinder lock-up with the very first trigger-pull, and never fire even once.
And when a revolver does experience cylinder lock-up it is virtually impossible to get it working again within even minutes.
I'm usually carrying a revolver anyway. I've yet to feel undergunned with 5 shots of .357 mag. While carrying a semi-auto (usually my 1911), I've never felt the necessity to carry a backup piece.
Sometimes I will carry multiple guns (my best so far is 5
), but that's usually just for a demonstration to friends/students about how easy CCW is.
Sometimes I will carry multiple guns (my best so far is 5
), but that's usually just for a demonstration to friends/students about how easy CCW is.Remo223
member
In my whole life I've only seen two revolvers fail to fire(excluding faulty ammo). One was a manufacturing defect and this gun could never fire even from day one without gunsmithing...which I did myself and I still own this gun. The other was an old colt that literally sat in a basement loaded and ignored for 30 years. The lube was so stiff the hammer fell in slow motion.
well, I take that back. there's a third. one with a lazy cylinder bolt spring. You could theoretically still fire it if you manually lined the chamber up with the bore. But I wouldn't try it.
I couldn't even count how many semi autos have failed to fire.
well, I take that back. there's a third. one with a lazy cylinder bolt spring. You could theoretically still fire it if you manually lined the chamber up with the bore. But I wouldn't try it.
I couldn't even count how many semi autos have failed to fire.
ReadyontheRight
Member
Where does your rifle fit into this scenario?
I disagree with the absolute need for a revolver, although I do like revolvers.
If you are in a situation where you always want a gun, I would say "always practice with your BUG". If you wear out your P3AT or whatever, then you may re-discover the wonderfulness of the revolver.
I still like to have a rifle somewhere in my plans when possible.
I disagree with the absolute need for a revolver, although I do like revolvers.
If you are in a situation where you always want a gun, I would say "always practice with your BUG". If you wear out your P3AT or whatever, then you may re-discover the wonderfulness of the revolver.
I still like to have a rifle somewhere in my plans when possible.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I always carry a J frame as my primary carry and when I feel the need to carry a BUG it's another J frame. I sometimes even add a Kel-Tec P-32 to the mix...
Not quite Spambo (or is that Rambo?) but it will get the job done and more...
Not quite Spambo (or is that Rambo?) but it will get the job done and more...
I seldome carry a 2nd fire arm,I live in the country and its pretty tame.
I am however armed from the time my feet hit the floor in the mornning untill I go to bed at night,Bad things can happen every where.I carried a j-frame for a long time,but now my primary is a G27 or a 1911 neither of which has ever failed.I do allways have a 2nd with spare ammo in my truck council or a
carbine under the back seat which is usually a mini 14 or a 9mm carbine.I figure a truck should have a truck gun.
I am however armed from the time my feet hit the floor in the mornning untill I go to bed at night,Bad things can happen every where.I carried a j-frame for a long time,but now my primary is a G27 or a 1911 neither of which has ever failed.I do allways have a 2nd with spare ammo in my truck council or a
carbine under the back seat which is usually a mini 14 or a 9mm carbine.I figure a truck should have a truck gun.
Well, I live very rural, hardly ever get up to the City, and rarely to Town.
I always carry a Ruger Revolver. And, 93% of the time it's an SP101, .357 mag.
Maybe 5% of the time If I'm dressed up, I carry a Ruger LCR, .38 special.
The other 2 or 3% of the time I carry my Ruger GP100, .357 mag.
I feel fine, carrying one revolver.
I always carry a Ruger Revolver. And, 93% of the time it's an SP101, .357 mag.
Maybe 5% of the time If I'm dressed up, I carry a Ruger LCR, .38 special.
The other 2 or 3% of the time I carry my Ruger GP100, .357 mag.
I feel fine, carrying one revolver.
pockets
Member
You are welcome to your belief......but that doesn't mean I have to share it.
I carry a j-frame when I am unable to dress around a larger gun. When I can carry a larger gun I have found that I tend to carry pistols more than revolvers, though I can and do carry one of three medium framed revolvers.
I grew up shooting DA revolvers, my first handgun was a Smith Model 28, and I regularly compete in IDPA using one of my many revolvers. In short, I am a huge revolver fan. However, I have seen revolvers including my own fail, normally with the cylinder locking up, caused by faulty ammo, a lose ejector rod, or crud under the extractor star. My carry pistols have over a thousand rounds through them each (some have several thousand rounds through them) and they have never failed, period.
But the reliability issue is not why I carry pistols more. I have found pistols to be more size efficient than revolvers, so I generally carry them more. Also with the price of ammo and the scarcity of 38 special ammo now a days (one day someone will explain why that is true to me) I find that I shoot my pistols more often than my revolvers so I am very comfortable carrying a pistol for self defense because I get plenty of trigger time with them.
I grew up shooting DA revolvers, my first handgun was a Smith Model 28, and I regularly compete in IDPA using one of my many revolvers. In short, I am a huge revolver fan. However, I have seen revolvers including my own fail, normally with the cylinder locking up, caused by faulty ammo, a lose ejector rod, or crud under the extractor star. My carry pistols have over a thousand rounds through them each (some have several thousand rounds through them) and they have never failed, period.
But the reliability issue is not why I carry pistols more. I have found pistols to be more size efficient than revolvers, so I generally carry them more. Also with the price of ammo and the scarcity of 38 special ammo now a days (one day someone will explain why that is true to me) I find that I shoot my pistols more often than my revolvers so I am very comfortable carrying a pistol for self defense because I get plenty of trigger time with them.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Like Old John, I'm out in the sticks. Around the homestead here, or for a quick trip down to
Cousin Bubba's gas, grocery, and fish bait mart...I'm as like to be carryin' a single-action revolver as anything...either a New Vaquero. 45 or a Cimarron .44 Special...tucked into the front of my belt with a shirt pulled down over it. Real high-speed/low-drag stuff, eh?
Yeah, I know. Slow to reload...but like my grandpappy said:
"I figger that if I live long enough to empty the gun, I'll have all the time in the world to reload it."
Cousin Bubba's gas, grocery, and fish bait mart...I'm as like to be carryin' a single-action revolver as anything...either a New Vaquero. 45 or a Cimarron .44 Special...tucked into the front of my belt with a shirt pulled down over it. Real high-speed/low-drag stuff, eh?
Yeah, I know. Slow to reload...but like my grandpappy said:
"I figger that if I live long enough to empty the gun, I'll have all the time in the world to reload it."
mgmorden
Member
This pretty much sums it up. A brand-name autoloader that has been verified for functionality has a failure rate so low as to be statistically irrelevant. Put it this way: I typically shoot 100 rounds of centerfire per week at my local range, from a variety of different guns (sometimes it's revolvers too). Only problematic gun I've had was a kitchen-tabled 1911 which gave immediately problem signs. My other guns, not a single jam. I'm talking thousands of rounds split between 6 different auto-loading pistols - not one single hiccup.
There is no way you're going to convince me that autoloaders are somehow "unreliable" to the point of needing to carry a revolver as a backup. If you want to carry one, more power to you. I occasionally open carry my S&W K-frame while hunting myself. It's not reliability that drives that though, but merely personal preference. If you shoot better with a revolver, carry one. If you shoot better with an auto, carry that. You're not making an inherently bad decision either way.
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