Nine Times Out Of Ten

[kayak-man]

I've noticed a trend in the gun/SD/HD community: the idea that long guns and semi-automatics are "better" than revolvers. case in point, I was just reading the .22 for self defense thread, and one post mentioned that the OP would be "better off" with a rifle or semi-automatic,instead of his revolver. That makes sense. It's usually faster and easier to change a magazine than to reload a wheel gun, and if I knew I was going to a gunfight, 9 times out of 10 I would bring a rifle and/or shotgun and my side arm would look a lot more like a Glock or 1911 than a Colt Peacemaker.

But that tenth time...

I had shoulder surgery about a week ago. I still have a good 9 months before I can get my CCW permit, so my Dad has been letting me carry his J-Frame around the house to sort of get used to carrying, and to see if that is the kind of gun I would want to eventually choose for CC. He also has a DB380 (semi-auto, looks like a tiny Glock) that I could try out.

The elephant in the corner: I have almost no use of my right arm. I am right handed. The DB380 is made for right handed shooters. If I were to have to draw, I'd have 6+1 rounds of .380, and then I would have a very hard time of pressing the magazine release, shoving in the new mag, and racking the slide.

Hopefully, none of us will ever have to draw on a BG. The odds of that are in our favor, yet it is something go to great pains to prepare for, just in case, and we do talk a lot about what to do if your injured, your strong side hand is occupied with something else, etc.

I'm not suggesting that we sell all of our guns that have a slide, or that a .38 special snubby is a better HD gun than an AR or a pump shotgun. I am suggesting that maybe we shouldn't be so fast to say "I don't need a revolver, I have a Glock," or that a fully ambidextrous is "good enough."

Do you guys agree or disagree? Does anybody own and train with a gun other than their EDC just in case you're EDC becomes unusable?

 

[hardworker]

I don't think semi's are better. Many folks feel plenty armed with just a snub nose.

 

[Wolfeye]

Here's my angle. I'm a bit of an outdoorsman and sometimes carry a big revolver out there, with reason: a revolver can offer a lot more shot-per-shot power with less weight than an auto. They're also available with longer barrels. This means I can hunt deer with a revolver, or carry one as backup to a rifle for animal protection. I could carry a desert eagle in .44 magnum, but why would I when a .44 revolver weighs less and can also shoot .44 spl?

So, because of my preference for large revolvers in the field, I also choose to carry a revolver as a CCW. I figure the skills transfer over more readily than if I carried an auto as my daily gun.

People choose what works best for their preferences or needs; that's the way I see it. My practical needs make me prefer revolvers, but I still shoot autos once in a while... my self-defense instructor reminded me the importance of this when we covered weapon disarms, and pointed out that if we take a BG's gun from him, we better know how to use it. Chances are he'll have an automatic. Up until this point I was a revolver snob. Now I realize there has to be room for both in the world, at least for me.

 

[Dogbone]

I've carried guns all my life, I have had to present my weapon in self defense against another human being twice, and I do not own a single semi-automatic handgun and I wouldn't care if I never did.

I simply enjoy revolvers and they do everything I require of them.

Even my father is the perfect example. He's owned a few revolvers but he preferred semi-autos and that's what he has practically always used for SD.

Now in his golden years he is not as able to rack a slide or fuss with magazines and even much wanting to do much routine maintenance on his pistols. So my next purchase will be a revolver for him to have at his bedside.

Incidentally I would prefer to simply get him a .38/.357, but as he was a big fan of the 32-20 caliber in his youth, so I am considering models in .327 Federal.

(By the way, my first post on this fine forum)

 

[killchain]

I do.

The thing is about me though is that it is fully ambidextrous on the controls... the magazine release, the safety... everything.

So I could suggest you find something like that if you're not wanting to carry that revolver?

 

[RatDrall]

The elephant in the corner: I have almost no use of my right arm. I am right handed. The DB380 is made for right handed shooters. If I were to have to draw, I'd have 6+1 rounds of .380, and then I would have a very hard time of pressing the magazine release, shoving in the new mag, and racking the slide.

You don't have to carry a tiny gun and limit your capacity so. If you can't reload, start with a 17 round Glock 17, or a smaller model 19 or 26, or really any 9mm Glock can take a 33 round magazine

Hopefully, none of us will ever have to draw on a BG. The odds of that are in our favor, yet it is something go to great pains to prepare for, just in case, and we do talk a lot about what to do if your injured, your strong side hand is occupied with something else, etc.

It's extremely important to learn to fight, with a gun or empty hands, without the use of one or more limbs. In Kali we used to have to drag one leg behind us on the floor, learning to fight if one is disabled or destroyed. Shooters need to learn to use either hand proficiently for the same reasons.

I'm not suggesting that we sell all of our guns that have a slide, or that a .38 special snubby is a better HD gun than an AR or a pump shotgun. I am suggesting that maybe we shouldn't be so fast to say "I don't need a revolver, I have a Glock," or that a fully ambidextrous is "good enough."

Do you guys agree or disagree? Does anybody own and train with a gun other than their EDC just in case you're EDC becomes unusable?

I guess that if I ever lost an arm to an accident I would sell my Glock and replace it with a GP100, just to be able to load it easier the first time. It might make sense to pick one up eventually and keep it in the safe, just in case

Interesting thread...

 

[BudW]

LE goes with the semi auto for a reason?

 

[JohnBiltz]

I believe a bigger magazine means I have to reload it less often. To get the same amount of bullets through a revolver as a G17 you would have to have reloaded it twice and that is still going to be difficult with a revolver, maybe more so.

 

[hardworker]

Very true. However, how often is more than a few shots going to be necessary for defense?

 

[Old Shooter]

^ Probably only once in a lifetime.

 

[c919]

Well, I personally have the exact opposite line of thinking on this one than the OP.

I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS carry with one in the tube, and none of my guns have any external safeties. If I injured my arm, I'd be more inclined to carry a semi than anything else.

The way I see it, my semi's have greater capacity, easier trigger pulls, and are lighter. I train with my weak hand every time I'm at the range, and a lighter trigger pull and lighter gun make weak hand shooting much easier. Pulling a 12# DA trigger weak hand isn't too hard, but it wouldn't be easy to do well under stress. When it comes to reloads, I think it's a catch-22. Any gun is going to suck to reload at that point, and I'm just going to go with whichever one will give me the most rounds before needing to reload.

 

[dashootist]

A local gunsmith shot his own finger off with his customer's auto. He said he checked the gun but didn't see the round in the chamber. If the professionals are shooting themselves with autos, what are my chances? I haven't met too many people who I consider to be sufficiently trained to carry an auto, but I've met a whole bunch who shouldn't carry them but are. Those light single action triggers have no business in a SD gun. I stick to my revolver 10/10 times for regular SD.

 

[Hanzo581]

Autos are not some complicated thing, if the gunsmith can't see a round in the chamber perhaps he needs his eyes checked. I wouldn't base seeing a "professional" having an accident as proving something is more dangerous for me. Not saying accidents can't happen to anyone but that example wasn't a good one.

On topic, I am an auto guy, but I do enjoy shooting my revolver as well. But I am a big fan of capacity.

 

[JEB]

im with ya on the wheel gun idea. my edc is a G22 or a G27 (.40) and i am pretty well practiced with both of them. early in the year i had an incident with some broken glass that rendered my right hand (im right handed) basicly useless. a cut deep enough to require 13 stitches with some inside the wound will tend to do a number on your shooting ability; nevermind the fact that it was at the base of my trigger finger. the next day i realized that i had one hell of a problem on my hands; (no pun intended) with my usual semi auto of choice. not only could i not access my holster very well with my left hand, but if i had a malfunction, i would be totaly SOL due to my inability to rack the slide.

luckily i have a sp101 by my bedside that i am able to operate with only one hand. with only right handed holsters i had to be pretty creative in order to carry it effectivly; ever put a belt on your underware with a RH holster on your left hip and hide the whole rig under a pair of sweatpants and practice drawing from concealment cavalry style? i have. i have also cussed myself for not getting at least a cheap left hand holster, and absolutely will in the near future.

i definatly think that it is a very good idea to keep a small wheelgun on hand for a rainy day. if you never need it, thats great. but if you do, then you will be very happy that you had it.

 

[David E]

This topic comes up from time to time....."what gun would you choose for weak hand only?"

I've asked this here, once and was surprised by some of the answers.

First of all, it was obvious that many people don't read or understand the question. (this seems to hold true, no matter what the question is...) There is a difference between getting wounded in the fight and therefore must transition to the weak hand and knowing in advance (like the OP) that you won't have use of the strong hand for whatever reason. (surgery, etc)

Second of all, it was readily apparent that people haven't given the matter much serious thought.

Personally, I think that choosing a DA snub nose .38 is a poor choice, since it's hard to shoot well with two hands for most people. Even if you can shoot it well Weak-Hand-Only (WHO) you run out of ammo in 5 quick shots.

Choosing a gun that requires manipulation either prior to, or after the shooting stops may not be the best idea.

Choosing a gun with a DA first shot is harder to hit with using WHO.

Choosing a hard kicking gun for WHO is a bad idea, but caliber should be self-defense capable.

Therefore, I want a lot of shots that only requires me pulling the trigger and doesn't kick too much. For me, this points to a hicap 9mm, such as the Glock 17 or 19, an XD or M&P

I have my weak-hand-only rig already set up. Do you?

 

[psyopspec]

If the professionals are shooting themselves with autos, what are my chances?

That depends. How complacent are you? There are four firearms laws; if these are followed, regardless of the firearm type, no one gets injured. Heck, on a serviceable gun you can break any three of those laws at once and no one gets hurt. Cross the line and break all 4 at the same time, and no firearm design will save you from your stupidity.

Personally, I've found an auto much easier to reload with one hand; never tried it with a revolver because I have yet to find a viable method. An auto that's run dry will take me no more than 5 seconds to reload with one hand, provided that new ammunition is readily accessible by the functioning hand. Stick it in the crook of the elbow, or hold it butt up between the thighs for the reload. Rack it with the slide release, or on a boot heel, or on a belt, or on the holster, or on a table/counter/mantle/stump ledge... you get the idea.

 

[Sgt_R]

I have my weak-hand-only rig already set up. Do you?

G27, 9+1, crossdraw.

R

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

If I am carrying a weapon that can only contain 5 or 6 rounds, I do not feel that I have adequately prepared myself for possible confrontations. I will not deliberately handicap myself through poor equipment choice.

 

[Old Guy]

Weak hand holster

My EDC is a Glock 19, and carried in a Glock holster, Ambi holster, just put it on the left side of the belt, done lots of weak hand shooting.

Had a friend who shot his customer, with the customers own .38 Super! right through the love handle.

Then managed to chop half his left thumb off with a band saw? Working around the house? That's not the reason I do no home improvements, but sounds like a good excuse, yes?

 

[Hanzo581]

For the guys having trouble with the idean of operating a semi auto single handed Google some drills that show you just that. If I can find some links I'll post them. Basically they rack the slide by catching the rear sight on there belt or edge of their pocket as they pull down.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Go read the 'semi's vs. wheelgun' thread, the gist is, more capacity, able to stand up to abuse- auto, simplicity of operation, reliable- revolver. Most people say use what works for you. Long guns are more accurate and powerful. Autos carry more rounds, and revolvers work well after being left in a drawer for a decade.

I happen to agree, bigger is better, that mean more capacity, larger round, even a larger gun for HD (shotty)