Revolver or Auto and why

[B yond]

I've been thinking about getting a new handgun and I'm not sure what I want as it will need to serve several purposes. I'd like a good home defense weapon that won't overpenetrate (points me towards a small caliber auto or a revolver with snake shot for the first round or two). I'd also like something I can carry concealed when I get around to getting a CCW (small, thin, and safe to keep chambered). I'd like a good range gun (long-barrelled revolver or auto with .22 conversion to save $). And I'd like a good snake gun for hiking/camping (only get one shot with an auto). It also needs to be something I can load fast (since i don't have a CCW yet I have to keep it unloaded in the car).

Any Ideas? I've been leaning towards a Wesson .357 wheelgun with interchangeable barrels, but the frame seems kinda thick.

 

[Cosmose]

i say revolver (everybody needs a good revolver ) i sure like my model 19 smith and wesson 357.got it used for $275

 

[MMMike]

You mentioned snake shot, snake gun. Only answer is revolver. Don't run snake shot through a semi-auto, most will not cycle.

 

[Hazzard]

if you want to shoot snake shot, I'd have to agree with MMMike. Revolver is the way to go. I would't count on a semi to cycle it.

 

[Lonestar.45]

The snake shot requirement means you need a revolver. But wanting something "thin" to ccw means auto. You also want a good range gun, which kinda leaves out the 2" snubbies in my opinion.

You may need to decide which is more important, what you'll be doing most with it. If it's mostly CCW and range, then probably an auto. If it's mostly shooting snakes and hiking, then probably a revoler. I can tell you this, if you're thinking an auto and a .22 conversion, just go ahead and get a cheap Rossi .38, which will be the same price as a conversion kit ($200 or so). Use that for your snake/hiking gun. Then pick up a Glock/Beretta/Kahr, whatever, for your CCW/range gun. You'll be coming out the same as buying an auto and a .22 conversion on top of that. It'll be hard to satisfy all your requirements with only one gun. Good luck.

 

[usp9]

Auto, for small compact size and more rounds.

 

[JCF]

revolver...

because I don't like chasing brass.

 

[10-Ring]

Wheelgun baby!

 

[dracphelan]

I agree with the others. If you insist on snakeshot, get a revolver. Otherwise, I would recommend a 1911 or CZ75. Both have readily available 22 conversion kits.

 

[cnyankee]

ive asked similar questions and the anwser i liked best and did follow it was GET BOTH

 

[Jim PHL]

I voted revo, too. A nice, K-frame S+W .38 with a skinny 4" or bull 3" barrel works nicely for all your intended purposes. A good Taurus, Ruger or older Colt will also fit the same bill. No snake shot for self-defense, though. Even indoors, a standard power, lead hollowpoint (non-+P; non-magnum) round will normally not overpenetrate and snakeshot will not be very effective against a determined human attacker. Another good thing about the revolver; keep a speed loader stocked with the rounds you want for specific purposes and you can quickly and easily make the change you need. (Same with auto magazines but, as mentioned, some autos will not cycle reliably with the shot loads.)

 

[JLaw]

Revolver. A K-frame with anywhere from a 2 1/2" to 4" barrell is a good all around gun. For household protection I use a 4", for CCW I carry a 2 1/2". Revolvers do conceal very well with a descent holster. Notice I didn't say expensive, but descent. Shado's clamshell (under $40.00) does a great job for OWB carry.

JLaw

 

[Majic]

You are going to have trouble finding something small and thin for CCW while also having a long barrel for range shooting. You are going to have to compromise.

 

[mattw]

I voted automatic because that is what I have the most familiarity with. I also think it requires less skill to make speedy reloads with an auto.

Do no use snake shot or rat shot for self defense. Use JHP or FMJ. You're just asking for trouble if you expect reliable stopping power from snake shot or rat shot.

 

[makarovnik]

I vote autoloader. Revolvers might be more reliable with different kinds of ammo, but I just shoot better with an autoloader. A good 1911 type pistol in .45acp should work fine with hollowpoints and FMJ. I hear that CCI snakeshot won't hurt the barrel and "usually" cycles an autoloader. You may want to use a lighter recoil spring when shooting snakeshot. Just don't forget to switch back when you're done.

The single-stack 1911 is slim enough to conceal and is known for its accuracy. A good all-around gun.

 

[azredhawk44]

You just can't satisfy all your requirements with one gun.

Otherwise I would own it.

You can accomodate all your needs with minimal sacrifice by means of an automatic, however.

A small-ish 9mm/40/45acp auto will be rapidly loadable in the car. It will be slim and concealable. It will accept a snake capsule, but will not cycle the action after shooting without manual intervention.

A 3" .357 would be almost as good with a quality speedloader handy. GP100 3", sp101 3", or a smith offering comes to mind. Speedloaders depend on having grips that accomodate the needed space, though, so if you change grips you have to accept that your speedloader might not work properly.

First gun? Want all these duties covered? G30, G36, or paraordnance LDA commander sized 1911 pattern would be my recommendations.

Honestly, if my first gun were a G36, I would probably have 3 fewer guns today and $2000 more in the bank account. Not saying I wouldn't have bought another gun ever, but the sp101, the XD9 and the 1911 were all attempts to find a slimmer and more concealable gun than my Glock21.

 

[kevin387]

It sounds like you need an SP101 with a 3"barrell.

 

[atlctyslkr]

I would trust a revolver more than an auto for that in-a-jam situation. Just because I don't practice as much as I should but I know my revolver has never let me down. However I do think autos are more fun and if you are willing to practice and become proficient you can overcome and of the traditional disadvantages of an auto.

 

[up_onus]

to stake my life on?

i mean, for what??? dont we all know by now that every gun has its use? Im not going to shoot a squirrel with a 50 cal....(well i might! ) but for reliability?
revolver

for capacity and all round fun?
well, u know...

 

[Snake Eyes]

Revolver: The original point-n-click interface.

 

[Juna]

For your purposes I recommend a CZ 75D PCR or P-01 (it's a 9mm) for home defense & CCW. It's a compact, pretty slim, high capacity DA semi-auto with a lightweight alloy frame. Plus you can get a .22LR Kadet conversion kit for really cheap range practice with the same frame & trigger. The P-01 version has a picatinny rail if you want to mount a light for your home defense/night stand purposes.

Advantages of a revolver include simplicity. Plus, they're fun to shoot. But semi-autos allow for higher capacity, easier & faster reloading, and SA trigger w/o having to pull back the hammer. Much more range friendly, IMO. I do love a good S&W Model 10 or one of the .38spl/.357mag revolvers, but I like semi-auto for the above mentioned reasons. I'd use revolvers as backup guns, IMO.

 

[MCgunner]

For a do all, outdoor carry, concealed carry, small game maybe, gun, consider a 3" .357 mag, something like a Ruger SP101. I don't like the fact it has fixed sights, but could be worked around. Or, my second thought is a titanium Taurus Tracker 4" in .357 magnum, easy to carry and conceal IWB, better outdoor gun with adjustable sights, could even use it to hunt deer sized game at close range.

You definitely want a revolver, though, for its function with a wide range of loads.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

1911, the best handgun ever!

 

[ozwyn]

get one of each, you'll feel better. Mind you, that's also my standard response to most "should I get xxxx or xxxxx instead " type of question

 

[ugaarguy]

I've been thinking about getting a new handgun and I'm not sure what I want as it will need to serve several purposes. I'd like a good home defense weapon that won't overpenetrate (points me towards a small caliber auto or a revolver with snake shot for the first round or two).

Anything that's good for defense against humans - i.e. delivers a large enough round that penetrates deeply enough to stop them is going to penetrate sheet rock walls. That's a reality we've got to live with. Two rounds may be all you have time to get off as you wake in the wee hours of the morning as you hear someone breaking in. Forget the snake shot idea for serious defensive use. I tend to lean toward rounds like the 38 special and 45 ACP for home defense because they're low pressure and have much lower flash and blast than rounds like 357 Mag and 9mm. If you want more info on pentration test take a look at www.brassfetcher.com, and www.theboxoftruth.com.

I'd also like something I can carry concealed when I get around to getting a CCW (small, thin, and safe to keep chambered).

Any good auto will do the trick here. See what thin autos fit you.

I'd like a good range gun (long-barrelled revolver or auto with .22 conversion to save $).

I don't know of any 22 LR revolver conversions so this says conversion kit for the auto. However, most auto conversion kits don't have long bbls.

And I'd like a good snake gun for hiking/camping (only get one shot with an auto).

Using snake shot for snakes is a good idea, and this says revolver since autos won't reliably cycle snake shot.

It also needs to be something I can load fast (since i don't have a CCW yet I have to keep it unloaded in the car).

What state are you in? Many states allow you to transport a loaded weapon in the glove box; check your local laws. Fast loading is easier with an auto, but can be done with practice with revolver speedloaders. You've got to decide how much training time you want to put in.

From your current requirements you need more than one gun. Find a good auto for CCW and vehicle carry. Decide if a conversion kit with shorter bbl will work for your 22 LR range purposes. For a hiking gun a good revolver will fit your needs best. I'm an S&W fan, and I like stainless for durability in field use. The 357 Mag chambering will provide lots of versatility, so I'd look for a nice used S&W Model 66 or Pre-Lock (personal preference) 686. I also really like the Ruger GP-100 in the all purpose outdoor revolver role. If the conversion kit for the auto gets ruled out and you want a dedicated target gun in 22 LR there are plenty of options out there in both autos and revolvers. On that note though, I am rather partial to the S&W K-22 Target Masterpiece and it's later versions the M17 and 617. Keep asking questions and let us know how we can further help you.