Revolver or Auto and why

REvolver or Auto

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I'd forget all about the snakeshot requirement.
Hell, if you're close enough for the shot charge to actually hold together and do any damage ( about 6-10 feet, max. ), you're close enough to hit the snake with a regular old bullet.

As for the rest... it sounds like you need more than one gun. ( Don't we all? ;) )


J.C.
 
I voted Revolver for Snake Shot. I have carried an Auto for years and killed lots of poisoneous snakes with it. IMHO if you can't shoot a snakes head off with an Auto and bullets, you don't need to be carrying one. You need a gun that you will be carrying all the time where there's snakes, or you won't have it when you need it. :)
 
I'd forget all about the snakeshot requirement.
Hell, if you're close enough for the shot charge to actually hold together and do any damage ( about 6-10 feet, max. ), you're close enough to hit the snake with a regular old bullet.

As for the rest... it sounds like you need more than one gun. ( Don't we all? )


J.C.
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I agree. I've never used no stinkin' shot loads and I've taken LOTS of snakes with handguns.
 
Have you ever used snake shot to shoot a snake, or seen it used? It's not even very effective against snakes, like people have been saying. PLEASE do not load a defensive handgun with snakeshot. If someone is attacking you and has a gun, they'll most likely have a really good chance to shoot you before you get to something that has serious potential to stop them.
 
Ever heard of a Smith 696? Medium frame, super accurate, and plenty of power (.44 special). Expect to pay $700. But it truely is a competent firearm. Accuracy at distance is surprising! Kick is invigorating, but not harsh.

JMHO.
 
friggin' snake shot

After reading some of the posts here I decided to check out how much damage a decent size snake shot shell would do (only played around with snake shot in .22LR before). I went out to the beach and shot some driftwood and wet sand with some snakeshot out of a friend's .357. I was disappointed with the patterning beyond 10 feet. Also bounced off sand and wood at anything beyond about 10 feet. I would feel kinda silly shooting a snake and having the pellets just bounce off. :eek:

The reason I was considering it for the first round in a home defense revolver was for the "shock and awe," the same reason I keep a round of birdshot in my shotgun before the 00 buckshot. I figure a loud bang and peppering of pellets would discourage most would-be attackers, and it wouldn't take much time to get off a real shot if it didn't. That and I'm very concerned about a missed shot going through a wall and endangering my daughter or neighbors. :uhoh:

One more thing I didn't mention in my original post that's a determining factor in this decision: less-lethal ammunition. I like the idea of being able to shoot rubber or wooden bullets. Plus there'd be less to clean up.

I'm really leaning towards a small-frame revolver with interchangeable barrels in .357 magnum/.38 special to cover all my needs. I live in CA so the capacity benefit of an auto is only an extra 4 rounds.:mad:

Here's something to think about: in a close-quarters struggle with an autoloader, if the slide is pushed back 1/4" (like when pressed up against someone wearing baggy clothing) it will not fire. With a revolver, the hammer must be stopped to prevent firing, and with a hammerless revolver, they're pretty much going to go off when the trigger is pulled. Wouldn't this make a revolver a better home defense weapon?
 
Here's something to think about: in a close-quarters struggle with an autoloader, if the slide is pushed back 1/4" (like when pressed up against someone wearing baggy clothing) it will not fire. With a revolver, the hammer must be stopped to prevent firing, and with a hammerless revolver, they're pretty much going to go off when the trigger is pulled. Wouldn't this make a revolver a better home defense weapon?
Click to expand...

True, but you can tie up a revolver by just slipping a finger in front of the hammer or grabbin' the cylinder. I do like a short barrel revolver for this reason, though, because my house is small. The likelihood of wrestling over the gun is pretty high and a 2" gun ain't got much to grab hold of. But, I can say the same about my little Kel Tec 9mm, too.

On the "non-lethal" thing, why? If I have to resort to a gun, I wanna kill or at least stop the attacker ASAP. If I've drawn my weapon, things have really gone to s***. By that time, lethal is better, you are in jeopardy of your life. Better his life than mine. I have carried CS or pepper gas in the past along with my firearm. If the guy is just picking a fight and I don't feel the urge to strain myself physically, a shot in the face with pepper gas beats a shot in the face with a fist. I figure it'd be handy in a lot of incidents I can think of, unarmed drunks, irate hot heads behind the wheel AKA "road rage", etc. No need to draw your weapon if you can stop the argument another way and both can go home safe and alive from it.
 
Here's something to consider! Two home invaders, many criminals work alone but "What if?" I have a 9mm Helwan "beretta" copy (Flame me if you will but it is a very reliable gun that I've owned for 10+ years.) that I keep a fully loaded with regular FMJ target ammo. If there ever is an occasion to use it against one, or even two invaders, the target ammo will do just fine.
 
get both if you can. I've got my eye on an old S&W Model 19 that I'd like to acquire from my mother.

Failing that, go for an auto. Capacity is king and there are plenty of autochucker rounds that hold their own against a .357 mag.
I believe you can get moon clips for 9mm and run it through a .357 revolver though. Makes for cheap shooting and a revolver that can stomach .357 will have no complaints when shooting even the hotter 9mm rounds.
 
Both good for different reasons. I choose the pistol for firepower (number fo rounds) and reloading speed. My wife prefers a revolver for simple operation and reliability. We each carry our "non-preference" occ. when dictated my clothing or...
 
For CCW, I'd vote "Both" if there was an option in the poll.

It may be said that no gun is perfect for every situation. I'd surely agree!

I've got several guns that I use as CCW guns (listed from lightest/most concealable on up):

1. My little Kel-Tec .32 auto is super-thin and less than 10 oz. It beats "nuthin" any day of the week and I can literally toss it in a pocket and it won't be noticed. Great in shorts . . . and in the tiny bike bag on my road bike (bicycle) when on rides in the country.

2. When lightweight is a must, but I can get away with a little more size and weight, my 2nd gun is a REVOLVER . . . a first generation Colt Agent w/aluminum frame. This light little .38SPL. snubbie carries SIX rounds vs. the S&W J-frame capacity of five.

3. My favorite "most times" gun is also an automatic . . . a "Lightweight Officer's-sized" .45ACP by Kimber, the original version of the Ultra CDP. Three inch barrel with .45 attitude at a light weight (for a .45). It also has nightsights . . . and shucks everything I've tossed in it to shoot . . . INCLUDING snake shot!

4. A little bigger . . . is my wonderful S&W Model 65 w/3" barrell. It is wonderfully accurate in .357mag.

5. MY FAVORITE HANDGUN . . . Nope, not the easiest to conceal, but MAN WHAT A GUN! In the winter, when I can wear layers of clothes, I'll break out the S&W 25-2 .45ACP revolver w/a chopped barrell down to a scant 3 1/4." Lots of custom action work on this one and the slickest double action pull on the planet. If the S.H.T.F. one day, I'm hoping this revolver is in my hands! I've actually won a steel match against about 30 auto shooters with this gun in a match with EIGHTEEN steel targets and only ONE manditory reload! Yep, I had to reload twice IF I didn't miss!

These are my favorite five. Tonight, while taking our little dog on a walk, it was the Kimber Ultra CDP. Quite a little gun with a wonderful bark that is light and conceals really flat.

Over time you'll pick up extra handguns, if you love to shoot and hunt like a lot of us do! Of my handguns, here's a photo of my favorite five CCW guns, along with a couple I use in matches and hunting with Holosight red dot sights on them. Obviously, they aren't intended for CCW work!!!

1666962clockwise.jpg
 
I recently talked to an owner of a local gun store. A few years ago he shot and killed two men who tried to rob his store at gunpoint. He sells 1911s, Glocks, all sorts of autos, but he told me the weapons he relies on for absolute reliability are revolvers, which he used to kill one of the bad guys when the b.g. pulled the trigger on his auto at the shop owner and the auto jammed. The owner was able to retrieve a revolver and shot the b.g. dead.

Furthermore, he said most of the guns they have in the store for defense are S%W model 10 38 Specials.
 
Snake shot is for snakes, not self defense.

Dead snakes do not testify, bad guys wounded with snake shot do.

Self defense calibers should start with the number 4.

Autos are flat, better to carry, and can be reloaded quickly.
Unless you are Jerry Miculek, revolvers are very slow to reload.
They are also bulky to carry, as a general rule.

Good quality autos are a requirement for self defense.

Jamie
 
Revolver

no magazine to insert

no chambering to load

never jam

ususally no safety

no shells to eject

load - pull trigger - fire
 
I'd never waste space in ANY gun to load snake shot. A Kahr MK9 or K9, Sig 239, or a small Glock would work fine.

NS
 
Most dependable?

There's absolutely no debate! Revolvers!

Most power (bang) for your buck. There's absolutely no debate! Revolvers!

Most accurate at a REASONABLE price? Revolvers!

Most effective self-defense loads? Revolvers! (,357 & .45ACP)

Most powerful rounds? Revolvers!

Most foolproof under stress? Hands down . . . Revolvers!

Safest to carry without fear of an accidental discharge? Revolvers!

Easiest for a neophyte to load and unload? Revolvers!

Less likely to get jammed up with pocket debris? Revolvers!

Less likely to fail you if you don't keep 'em well oiled and clean? Revolvers!

Best gun to carry if you can't run away, can't shoot worth a crap, and need more than six rounds to get the job done? Well . . . that's another story.;)

IN DEFENSE OF THE AUTOS MOST USED FOR SELF-DEFENSE . . .

They are flatter!

They carry more ammo!

They have "OK" accuracy!

In .45ACP (and probably .40 S&W) they have potent-enough ammo.

If they jam under stress, they can be employed as a hammer.


Seriously, I just got in from walking our little dog, and my .45ACP Kimber CDP Ultra is on my belt, and it does a great job.

My favorite gun is also a .45ACP . . . my short-barrelled Model 25-2 revolver. No matter what . . . you get SIX FER SHORE . . . and the accuracy, and trigger on this gun is incredible! It is what I'd want in my hands if the SHTF!

19266441.JPG
 
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