revo or auto for woods carry in winter?

[Vern Humphrey]

A revolver simply has more things that can go wrong, more places for outdoor grit, mud, sand, snow, ice or whatever to enter the gun. Most of the moving parts are exposed where they can be damaged. Many more small complex parts with close tolerences to fowl up.

A quality semi has almost all vital parts enclosed. In the rare event you do have a problem with a semi, it is quicky corrected in the field, often in seconds, and with no tools. When a revolver goes down on you it is out until it can be disassembled and repaired with tools not typically carried in the field.

Every military on the planet has been testing this theory for well over 100 years and revolvers don't even come close when used in harsh, dirty outdoor conditions

You're absolutely right there. During the Viet Nam war, the Air Force (for reasons unfathomable to normal humans) adopted the .38 revolver as their standard issue handgun. Army helicopter pilots (for reasons even more unfathomable to normal humans) followed suit.

I have seen many a S&W turn into absolute junk in the jungle.

On the other hand, on my first tour I carried a Colt M357 -- but it was my gun, and I took good care of it. It's still in perfect shape, albeit with a lot of finish wear.

 

[jrod]

I spent six years in Fbks. Ak.;The only time I had a Revolver "freeze up" was when a Model 19 S&W I had just bought had too much oil in it. The previous owner had over oiled it and at -40 below the action was too sluggish to pop a primer. A thorough cleaning and some dry lube took care of that. Oh yes, definitely a Revolver for the woods.

 

[ACP]

I carry a 4" .357 Magnum L-frame revolver with hardcast bullets in the Eastern woods.

 

[Rexster]

jrod just mentioned something very valuable. Lube gets thicker in cold weather, which can gum up the works of anything. Conversely, oils and greases get runnier in hot weather, which means it all runs to the muzzle and may drip free of the weapon. I have to pay attention the latter, down here in Texas, as SIGs work best when kept notably "wetter" than some other weapons.

As for ice, any weapon can get iced-up. I knew this long before I owned or even fired a firearm, as I was interested in hitory from a young age, and read of M1 Garands failing to fire in Korea because ice had accumulated in the firing pin channels.

I am looking at a Glock right now, and see plenty of room for moisture to get into the rear of the slide, where the striker is located, and into frame, where the trigger mechanism is located. If this moisture were to freeze, well, there would be a problem. With a 1911, I see fewer gaps for the ingress of moisture, overall, but the firing pin, itself, is right there, quite exposed.

One of the many things I like about revolvers is that dry-film lubricants and protectants work well in them.

Regardless of auto or revolver, I would protect the weapon from moisture if freezing conditions existed. This would include taking steps to minimize
condensation from forming, as condensation occurs inside the weapon as well as outside.

 

[Brockak47]

Big bore revolver if you live somewhere where the animals are larger than yourself would be my vote or a hot loaded 10mm ported Glock perhaps, though idk how that would work against a large bear.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Alaska444]

Ruger double-action revolvers can be stripped down almost to the barrel and frame with only a cartridge case rim (substitute for a screwdriver) and parts found inside the gun.

It does take significantly longer than field stripping most all semi-autos, though.

I just thought I would point out the exception to your (generally true) observation.

Can you tell I am a Ruger fan?

Lost Sheep

+1, all my revolvers are Ruger. For Alaska grizzly, most folks start with a minimum of .44 magnum understanding it may not be adequate even at that. The .454 Casull is a bit more than I want to shoot, so .44 magnum is my pick and if it is properly oiled and cleaned, cold weather should be no concern. Condensation from taking a cold gun into a warm room may be a concern so the weapon should be cleaned after taking it back inside a warm house.

 

[Quaamik]

In any case where water on the outside, or water intrusion inot the internals of a firearm would freeze and stop functioning, either revolvers or autos can be affected.

So the slide freezes shut on an auto? If the hammer (or striker) will set off the round in the chamber the slide is going to move. Worst case is a stovepipe. If the water / freezing is that bad, the cylinder of a revolver is likely to get locked in position. And you won't have the strength or machanical advantage iin the linkage to overcome it and get the bloody thing to cock and fire. However, if the hammer / striker of the auto freezes in position, your in the same situation.

My suggestion would be to try to minimize the snow / ice that gets in the firearm and to use the least oil / grease needed to make it functional. Use a teflon spray where the carrier evaporates if you insist on having some lube on either. Just cold (without water or oil) will not affect either design at any temperature a human can suvive in. -40 is nothing. Without some oil or water to freeze up, either will function at -70 and below.

 

[Texan Scott]

Funny how guys who are VERY careful about this with anti-feeze, motor oil, and diesel mix don't think about it with guns. My only weather-related concern, of course, is that anything black and rubber/ plastic gripped gets DARNED hot in direct sunlight.

 

[Skribs]

Personally, I like the auto, and would go with a G20 for woods carry.

 

[baelkhntr]

We hunt 3rd rifle in November at about 9,000-10,000 feet and below zero is normal. I carry a S& W 329 with 44 mags geared for bear or mountain lion. Which we usually see at least once per hunt. The biggest poblem comes from over lubrication which in cold weather can slow the firing pin in pistols or rifles.

 

[rswartsell]

Vern Humphries,

I am of a somewhat different opinion.

As a Vietnam era vet of the Air Force, I see your point and was disappointed as an aircrew member drawing a Smith Model 15 as to & e instead of a Colt 1911. For the purpose intended and with experience (hindsight being 20/20), I think the AF did me proud. The K frame Smith, (and this wasn't any old cop's model 10, this was the model 15) is as fine a close combat limited engagement weapon as exists even today.

The sidearm for aircrew members IS NOT a primary combat (infantry) weapon. It is instead a tool to aid "escape & evade". It is contemplated that you "off" a very limited number of "hurdles" to your goal. Evacuation.

Bill Jordan shared my opinion that for it's limited purpose, for handling, short range acccuracy and reliability, the K frame Smith was a gunfighter par excellance. He lent his name to the launch of the .357 version the Model 19.

The revolver I was issued spawned a lifelong love of them and I don't need to overestimate their capabilities to know they are a valid "tool in the toolbox".

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I carry either a 4" S&W M686 or a Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt.

 

[WardenWolf]

Funny thing is, nobody here has bothered to ask exactly what he has in mind. Is he considering animal defense or purely human defense? Obviously, against larger animals, revolvers are king. But looking at a purely human-opponent standpoint, and an overall reliability standpoint, a semi-auto is going to be his best choice. As others have stated, there are fewer places for mud and other contaminants to enter the gun. They are also less-effected by thickened lubrication, as they lack the intricate lockwork that a revolver requires. They're much more a brute-force action. As a result, I'd have to recommend a semi-auto unless the OP is also worried about large animals.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Funny thing is, nobody here has bothered to ask exactly what he has in mind. Is he considering animal defense or purely human defense? Obviously, against larger animals, revolvers are king. But looking at a purely human-opponent standpoint, and an overall reliability standpoint, a semi-auto is going to be his best choice. As others have stated, there are fewer places for mud and other contaminants to enter the gun. They are also less-effected by thickened lubrication, as they lack the intricate lockwork that a revolver requires. They're much more a brute-force action. As a result, I'd have to recommend a semi-auto unless the OP is also worried about large animals.

Oh I think the OP made it fairly clear what he was asking about. Mostly he just wanted to know what we thought was the best choice for carry in the very cold weather, a revolver or a semi-auto. He also made a bunch of posts about what he was worried about. Here are a few but there are more.

mauser lover, who mentioned anything about grizzlies? we're talking about a revolver or an auto when carried in the snowy woods.

jeepnik, i've heard of several fellas in alaska that carry a 10mm glock. i'm not talking "alaskans" in general, but as i stated earlier, "some".

i've spent plenty of time woods walking below zero, and have awoken to -30F mornings. here in vt sub zero temps are a common occurance and it doesn't keep us from getting out and about. perhaps the folks you know don't enjoy winter camping, snowshoeing, or just plain being in the woods as much as we do. you say "those that have any sense", well perhaps they just aren't as hardy as some of the rest of us

i'd like to hear what people are carrying while spending time in the snowy woods in sub freezing temps. no right or wrong, just what they choose and why. plain and simple. feel free to move along.

 

[CraigC]

Revolver, hands down, any day of the week and twice on Sunday. The only exception would be a good 1911 with target sights. Sorry but most service autos lack the accuracy, proper sights and a good enough trigger for fine work.

Sorry but the statements about the fragility of revolvers are unfounded and typically just wishful thinking put forth by those who like autos and hardly ever even touched a revolver. Even if it were all true, it would be worth the extra effort to have a handgun with a 2-3lb single action trigger, vastly superior accuracy and sufficient power to get the job done.

I also see a lot of folks putting way too much faith in the Glock 20. Heavy trigger, coarse sights and the 10mm cartridge may look good on paper but unless you're using heavyweight cast bullets of at least 200gr, it's not even as effective as a good .357. Seems to me like we have a lot of folks who are primarily interested in self defense and their 7-15yd shooting at the indoor range has somehow given them the impression that their service auto is good for anything they encounter. A reality check is needed.

If you just want to have something on your hip to make you feel better than anything will do. When it comes to actually using a handgun outdoors, the revolver wins hands down.

sure you could keep your jacket over your holster but then it isn't nearly as accesible.

You should be doing this anyway.

 

[Gryffydd]

Seems to me like we have a lot of folks who are primarily interested in self defense and their 7-15yd shooting at the indoor range...

This.
I think most people who spend a lot of time on pistol ranges forget that when you're out in the woods things can potentially be a lot further away than your indoor range has prepared you for.
Put another way, how many Glock 20s do you see in silhouette shooting?

 

[Cocked & Locked]

wheel-of-fortune

I also see a lot of folks putting way too much faith in the Glock 20. Heavy trigger, coarse sights and the 10mm cartridge may look good on paper but unless you're using heavyweight cast bullets of at least 200gr, it's not even as effective as good .357.

I can do that Glock 20 heavy cast bullet thing if I wanted to...












But I go to the woods with a .357, .44, or .45

 

[Iggy]

I was hit while investigating an accident in a Wyoming blizzard. I was thrown over a guard rail and down an overpass embankment. I n the process I lost my S&W Model 58 revolver in about two feet of snow.

Fortunately I was only bruised up a bit and after I finished the investigation, I spent two hours sweeping that slope for the lost gun. When I found it, I opened the cylinder, dumped the shells, and the gun functioned just fine. I reloaded it, finished my shift, went home and took the grips and sideplate off. I used a hair drier to make sure all was dry, oiled it, reassembled it and carried it for another 8 years without a hiccup.

It still works just fine 38 years later.

 

[MCgunner]

I generally carry a 4" medium frame Taurus M66 nickeled .357 magnum when I hike. It's very accurate with both small game .38 loads and full blown hard cast magnum loads.





I have a .45 Colt as an option, stainless Ruger Blackhawk, and it'll do anything a .44 magnum will do with MY loads.





I don't care much for autos in the field. I carry 'em for a daily carry, but not for outdoor uses except for .22s. I prefer magnum power if I need it and revolver accuracy which is always necessary. A head shot rabbit makes a good camp meal when Denty Moore and Wolf Brand gets old.

 

[MCgunner]

Oh, I'll add, I don't worry a lot about my revolvers freezing up in Texas.

 

[asia331]

For me bush=revolver; town=self-loader; the season being irrelevant. Just my opinion.

 

[proven]

craigc- if someone shoots thier serivec auto better than a revolver, what does that say for your assertion that service autos lack the accuracy, proper sights, and good enough triggers? also, where is the empirical eveidence that revolvers are more reliable than autos? as far as i can tell, there isn't any which is why i started this thread asking what you would choose and why, not what you think is fact but can't back up.

 

[TestPilot]

For human opponents, self-loaders. For large animals, large caliber revolver, if limited to pistol.

I have never encountered alpine or arctic combat experts saying, "Oh, I am going into the cold. I'd better change my issue self-loading pistol to a revolver because of low temperature."

Alaskan State Troopers get Glock 22. Most military special forces train in operating in cold environments, and I have never heard of them switching their self-loading pistol to a revolver for that specific reason.

 

[CraigC]

if someone shoots their service auto better than a revolver....

Then they need to practice more. But how could someone possibly shoot a firearm better than one with superior sights, a superior trigger and superior accuracy???

where is the empirical eveidence that revolvers are more reliable than autos?

Revolvers will function with any load that gets the bullet past the muzzle. Not so for autos. If a revolver misfires, pull the trigger again. If an auto misfires, you have to rack the slide. Most autos simply are not well-suited for the purpose, except in the minds of their fans. Shooting has been my passion for 25yrs. I own three dozen revolvers and have sold or traded a dozen more. I shoot them almost daily. I can't remember the last time one of them malfunctioned. Every one of my autos has malfunctioned at some point. The last time was last week.

Not to mention the fact that there are plain few autos chambered in suitable cartridges.

You asked an objective question but it's clear that you are anything but objective. Clearly your mind was already made up. It's juvenile to ask a question and then argue with all the answers you don't agree with.

 

[proven]

juvenile? haha.

did you miss the part where i stated that i currently carry a gp100 for such purposes? how is that for my mind being made up? i'm not arguing with answers i don't agree with, i'm merely pointing out your failed logic and unsubstantiated claims. clearly you aren't a fan of being told your statements don't hold water, but oh well.

superior sights, trigger and accuracy are mostly subject for debate. show me the test that proves revolvers are inherently more accurate on a whole. not to mention, you are forgetting simple things like what a shooter is comfortable with, grip fit, balance, etc. this is why some people shoot thier snubbies better than longer barreled guns. there just aren't any absolutes as you would have people believe.

plain few auots in suitable cartidges for what, exactly? this is the part where you made up in your own head what i posed the question about. i simply asked about cold, snowy conditions. but feel free to tell anyone here why their choice of an auto in x caliber is all wrong when there hasn't been a specific situation or threat given.