Anybody Switch from Semi to Revolver for CCW?

[twoblink]

Looks like 2011 will be the year I go get my CCW.. Will probably carry my SP101. But was wondering if there was anybody out there that use to carry a semi-auto as their ccw and then switched to a revolver?

If so, what were the reasons, and after some digestion time, what do you feel about your decision?

 

[HelterSkelter]

revolver is 100% reliable unless there is some catastrophic failure. autos jam, fail to eject, if ammo misfires you have to cock the slide again, they take forever to reload the clip. a revolver will never jam, a misfire is solved with another pull of the trigger and there are no clips to bother with.

 

[Sig88]

Aren't you suppose to train for failures, jams and reloading? Nothing is 100% perfect so just assuming that something is not going to fail because something else may fail more often is just stupid. Nothing is flawless.

To the OP, I mainly carry semi-autos. I like slender pistols and and semi's usually fit that bill. I also think its easier to carry extra ammo in magazines than on speed-loaders but that is personal preference. That being said, I still carry a S&W 442 on occasion. It is extremely comfortable to carry and I am able to get a good handle on the grips.

 

[george d dennis]

years ago i carried a security six in a shoulder holster. for the past 35yrs i
carried a semi auto. im thinking of going back to a revolver. i dont need to
carry alot of rounds with me. im not getting into some big gun battle.
all the years i have carried, not once did i take it out of its holster.and i hope
it stays that way. maybe im getting a little older now. i have a choice what to
carry. and i dont need a m-60 machinegun.

 

[XTrooper]

I started my police career when the revolver was king and carried a revolver on and off duty for more than half of it. After my retirement in 1991, I carried one or another autoloader for the next twenty years and never thought I'd carry a revolver as my primary EDC again.

Recently things changed when I bought a Smith & Wesson Performance Center 627 8-shot .357 Magnum with 2 5/8" bbl. With its eight shot capacity and its ability to be quickly reloaded with either its supplied 8-shot moonclips or 8-shot speedloaders from 5 Star Firearms, it affords parity to those carrying revolvers and I don't feel the least bit undergunned with it on my hip.

 

[Daveboone]

I went back to a Chiefs Special after carrying 9mm for a # of years. Regardless of TRAINING for missfeeds, failure to ejects, etc. (none of which I ever had with my Beretta) proper and common sense planning dictates carrying what you know works. Nothing works better, or gave me better confidence than my old model 36. If I am not practiced enough to solve my problems in the first bang or two, I shouldnt be carrying.

 

[calaverasslim]

I am almost 68 years young and have been taught to carry what your used to. I carried a 45 auto for 21 years in the Army, but enjoyed shoot the revolver also. Now Iown both and carried the 9 for a long time. Then a friend, retired LEO, sold me a Charter Arms 44 special, Bulldog. One of the early ones. I shot it about 500 rounds and realized it never burped, stalled, jammed, Failed to feed, failed to fire, dropped the cylinder, anything.

Been carring it ever since

 

[Stainz]

XTrooper,

Are those Ahrends rounded with fg's in Zebrawood or Bocote on your UDR? I bought a second UDR late last year - even with properly fitting OEM Eagle boots, I don't care for them - your's look great! The PC627 UDR is fantastic!

Eight years ago, I still carried a pocket-holstered AMT DAO 'Backup' in .45 ACP - heavy little beast. I had bought it a 'backup' - another identical one - when they were on closeout. One day - at the range - I tried my pocketed protector - oops. I got it's sibling from the range bag - bang - jam - stovepipe! The first one had pocket lint - the second one would stovepipe 1 of 5 rounds - I had polished the little feedramp! Cleaned, with their boxes, They got me $400 of a $439 regular price new 696-1. I added a 296 for a new CCW - $349 on closeout! I carried it spottingly - until I found Mika's pocket holsters. He made one for the 296 and one for a 642, which I subsequently bought. It's a 24/7 EDC CCW; the 296 fits half or more of my pants. Keepers both! Never a problem with either.

Stainz

 

[DAdams]

I have a feeling this is about to turn into a 627 love fest.

To the question I carry one or the other depending on a number of variables.

Sometimes a S&W M&P 340 with CT Grips but more often than not a Seecamp .380. I would say 75% Seecamp and 25% 340 and 340 more in the winter with heavier garb.

I have a Kahr PM9 I would like to carry more but need to look into some holsters since right now all I have is a pocket type.

 

[Jon Coppenbarger]

have carried a auto most of my life with a revolver once in awhile but not much.
About a month ago I sold my glock 23 with the intensions on buying a new generation 4 one. but after thinking about it I thought I will wait awhile to make a choice. Have other autos to carry but have dug out a 1952 colt detective and have been carrying it for a couple of weeks.
Now I remember how light they are and comfy. in the summer I just most like;ly will carry another auto but will wait and see.

 

[XTrooper]

Hi, Stainz!

Ahrends Retro Combats. Wood is cordia.

 

[Walkalong]

I switch back and forth. I am liable to pick up either one.

 

[shepsan]

Just before the Korean War I became a Navy Air Crewman. They issued me a .38 police special revolver to carry in a shoulder holster and a 1911 to carry on my hip.

I found that even limited practice, I was much more accurate with the revolver. It took more lengthy and concentrated practice to achieve the same degree of accuracy with the 1911.

Of the two sidearms, I truly marveled at the mechanical precision of the 1911. After my service, I purchased a 1911 and over the years collected better and better 1911's. I chose to carry one over a revolver because of its capacity, its concealability and because of my increased accuracy with one.

In recent years, arthritis in both hands have made it more and more difficult for me to rack and perform the functions necessary to disassemble and then reassemble a 1911 for cleaning and lubing.

This past December I replaced my carry 1911 with a S&W 60-15 3" .357 magnum. It is quite concealable, loads powerful ammunition and is very accurate.

What I have had to relearn is the trigger mastery. It is different from the 1911 and has taken concentrated focus on squeezing off that first double action round and then resetting for a second firing.

I am pleased with this revolver. I still consider the 1911 to be my favorite sidearm but am confident that my new 60-15 revolver will meet my needs for CCW self protection.

 

[XTrooper]

Very nice, shepsan!

 

[Cosmoline]

I started with a semi, and carried a number of semis over the years. I didn't dislike them, but as a shooting platform I prefer wheelguns. The triggers are almost invariably better and they permit a much wider assortment of bullets and loads. A .357 Sig basically only shoots one load, and can only use a narrow range of bullets. A .357 Magnum can use everything from little high-velocity zippers to 200 grain slugs.

I've also had more jams with semis than with revolvers. Usually nothing too serious, but even stovepipes will stop the firearm from working for a few moments.

 

[10-96]

From time to time, I'll flip flop between an SA 1911 5" and my S&W 19-3 2". I'm carrying the 19 as of late.

 

[Camjr]

Went to a 642 with a couple of speed strips 95% of the time about a year ago, and never looked back. Way too easy to carry a potent defense tool.

Just practice practice practice shooting and reloading a snubbie.

cheers!

 

[MIL-DOT]

Yeah, after being an auto-guy for many years,I've become a big revolver fan in the last couple. I went from a Glock 26, to an SP101, and now to a S&W 642 . It's low volume and weight mean I actually have it on me much more often than I would the heavier pistols, the value of which speaks for itself.

 

[chicharrones]

I carry both depending on the clothing requirements of the day, but I chose my auto-loaders to be as close to a revolver in function as possible. DA with no manual safety.

 

[Steve 48]

Yep!! I had one FTF and got my M60 in 357 mag with 2 speed loaders and have never looked back. Sure a semi auto is easier to load, but how many rounds do you need?? Mine goes bang everytime.

 

[FruitCake]

After about 4 years of autoloaders and jams and other doohickies I've realized that none of my revolvers have ever given me any problems. So as of lately I've been carying my recently acuired SP101 in 357 Magnum and I've been very happy knowing that if I ever have to use it it will go bang everytime. I've finally realized that zombies don't exist.

 

[roguesam]

XTrooper,
Great minds are thinking alike. I was amused to see a 627PC 2.65", dressed up with cordia grips. I have recently started carrying the same model S&W, and am awaiting delivery of my Ahrend's Retro Combat grips in.......cordia! Fortunately, my retro's are round to square conversions. Will post photos when the grips are mounted.

 

[aryfrosty]

I like 'em both.

I go back and forth between a G-27 converted to .357Sig and an older, customized, (slightly), 3" M-64 Smith in a jackass high ride holster. The .38spl is my comfort gun because I have had it long enough to be able to make it sit up and beg biscuits off the table and because bilateral broken wrists 2 years ago still make me uncomfortable with racking the slides on semis at times.

 

[Sniderman]

Been Carrying a 2 1/4 .357 6 shot H. Weihrauch (German made) for more years than I care to admit to. Works first time, every time.

 

[thunder173]

I have noted the increase in my occasional carry of a Model 36, 3 inch barrel .38 Special instead of the Keltec P-11 more of late. No reason other than it just "feels right".....