Revolvers over Semis for Personal Defense?

[Sean Dempsey]

I am in a quandary.

I currently carry a S&W 638 snub nose .38 special revolver. Pretty much everywhere I go. I also use this gun for home defense at night by my bedside.

I bought my wife a 642 of the same make, which she intends to carry but never does.

I also have a .45 XD which I like, but never carry and never use for home defense. I like the gun, but I don't like carrying it cocked or leaving it at my bedside cocked, so it always sits there with a full magazine and an empty chamber at all times. Plus, I am not liking the XD trigger anymore after shooting the revolvers and my friends S&W sigma auto 9mm. AND the fact that budget constraints have restricted my range time to almost nothing, it's really just sitting there with no purpose.

I very much enjoy revolvers, and trust them a great deal. These S&W snubbies are great. And as much as I like the XD, I am considering selling/trading it for another revolver, a fullsize .357, probably a Model 686.


So, I suppose I am wondering what the THR folk think about having NO auto's in a defense lineup (not to mention that these 3 guns are all that I own... no rifles, carbines, shotguns...). Should I keep the XD45 for when I need 10/13 quick shots? Or trade it up for a gun I am more comfortable keep with me in a ready state?

Thoughts on this?

 

[browningguy]

Well if you won't keep a round chambered in a semi, then what are you going to do about a revolver? No rounds in the cylinder?

A DAO "type" of semi is at least as safe as a revolver. And yes, I know an XD is classified as a SA. If anything I would consider the XD safer with the addition of the grip safety, I even have one (9mm Tactical).

 

[420Stainless]

If you are more comfortable with revolvers and have more trust in them then I say swap the XD. Personally I only carry semi-auto's because I don't like the thickness of the revolver at the cylinder. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to grab one of my revolvers if attacked at home.

My general thought is that, unless you have an occupation that causes you to go looking for and pursue trouble (military or law enforcement primarily), 5 shots of .38 special is very likely enough to get you out of a situation.

 

[Jamie C.]

Don't keep something you don't like, when you could have something you do.

As for "10-13 shots in a hurry".... Realistically, under what circumstances can you foresee that happening?

Seems to me that in any practical, likely scenario where that many shots are going to be needed, that they'll likely do one person little good.

What I'm saying here is that any situation most people are likely to encounter where that many rounds are required to end a threat, it's probably also going to take several people doing the firing, in order to survive. ( I probably couldn't get all of 5 or 6 armed attackers if they were determined, and making a concerted effort, before one of 'em got me, no matter how many rounds the gun held. I doubt anybody could. )

Anyway... there's absolutely nothing wrong with a revolver as a SD gun. Nothing at all.

Especially if it's something you like and are comfortable with.


J.C.

 

[universal]

I say sell the XD and either make do with what you have or get a nice K or L frame Smith & Wesson for your house gun. At one point I owned only one firearm and it was my Smith & Wesson model 15-3.

 

[sb350hp]

To each his own. I own both and would not hesitate to carry either as my security device. DA/SA revolver is idiot proof and requires no thought other than point and squeeze. I have a 7 shot 357 w/ 4" barrel and an 8 shot 1911 (9 with one in the pipe). To decide which one to carry is your choice. What are you most comfortable with? Just practice with the one you intend on carrying, and for your sakes "prove" an auto with the loads you intend on packin first. Revolver wont jam, auto could jam. Reliable feeding is not as big of an issue as it used to be and auto's far outnumber the CCW ranks than do wheel guns these days.

 

[Silvanus]

You like and shoot revolvers better, so what's keeping you from getting rid of the XD? Especially since you don't have the time to train a lot and you are already familiar with S&W revolvers. I love both, but in your case I'd sell the semi-auto.

 

[clt46910]

I am another vote to get what you like. If you are more comfortable with revolvers then stay with them.

 

[cheygriz]

A good DA auto is just as safe as a revolver with a round chambered. Get a DA semi-auto with hammer drop only and no manual safety of any kind and carry it the same as a DA revolver.

 

[1BLINDREF]

I vote for stick with what you know and are comfortable with. I myself like,have, and CCW both. My always gun is a 642, and some of my other CCWs are a Sig 229 .40S&W and a Sig 239 .40S&W. You should get rid of the XD if you don't like it. Maybe try a Sig 226 or 229 in 9mm. The 9mm is cheap to shoot so you'l get more range time. It's very safe to keep with a round chambered, and you can get it in DA/SA (first pull DA of the trigger is 10 lbs.) or in DAO (Sig DAK trigger) every pull is 6 1/2 lbs. Recoil of the 9mm won't be bad, so maybe the wife will shoot it also.

 

[Sean Dempsey]

I should have added this to the first post. My doubt about having a semi with a round chambered is fear of a mechanical-failure discharge. Trigger control is my problem, not the guns.

What bothers me is having the tension-loaded striker facing the rounds primer. With the XD, when a round is chambered, it feels like carrying around a revolver with the hammer cocked back. I just don't like having that potential energy stored up in the striker spring, just waiting to release and fire the round. With the revolver, the hammer is down, so there's not the potential energy stored up.

I know it's probably irrational (and discussed before), but I fear a mechanical failure of whatever holds the striker back in the XD, and one night it goes off while in the safe because some little metal or plastic part finally gave way to the stress of the internal components holding that tension.

Maybe that'd never happen. I am no gunsmith. Maybe I am dead wrong, but is there the possibility of a catastrophic mechanical failure that would allow an unattended XD to fire without a trigger pull or a grip safety depress? I know that the gun safety is the human brain... I'm talking about something breaking inside the gun while it sits in a safe. Just one night, some bad metallurgy or plastic snaps and BANG.

 

[MJZZZ]

If you're not a gun collector, I would say get rid of the XD. You have no intention of using the XD the way it is meant to be used and carried, so it is just money sitting in the safe. You should always use the tool you are most comfortable with, and that sounds like a revolver for you. I have gone the other route, I've become a gun collector because I have never sold a gun once I own it. My Colt .357 hasn't seen the range since I bought my Kimber .45, when we travel next week it will still be the Kimber that goes. Only because my CZ 75 Compact doesn't have 500 rounds through it, I finally think I've found the gun that speaks to me.

 

[skeeter1]

5 shots of .38 special is very likely enough to get you out of a situation.

My feelings exactly. That's why it's my bedside firearm. I keep a Speedloader with another 5 in it close by just in case.

In 50 years of shooting I've never had a revolver fail to go "bang" when I pulled the trigger, but have had stove-pipe jams with the semi-autos. Revolvers when your life depends on it, semi-autos for fun.

 

[fattsgalore]

In my opinion as long as you have protection your good to go.
For me, a revolver dosen't have enough fire power. 6 rounds compared to 16. Factor in multiply assalients and you'd be in trouble.(as Masada Ayoob or some else said on PersonalDefenseTV says "Wolves travel in packs")

Do you need a semi? Can't belive I'm saying this but; no. A guns a gun in my opinion.

Now for home defense you need a shotgun. Their cheap; versitile; and powerful. Click Click and a burgler knows whats up.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. If interested, here are some observations on this subject that might be of some service:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/House vs Carry Guns.htm

Best and good luck on your decision.

 

[jad0110]

What I'm saying here is that any situation most people are likely to encounter where that many rounds are required to end a threat, it's probably also going to take several people doing the firing, in order to survive. ( I probably couldn't get all of 5 or 6 armed attackers if they were determined, and making a concerted effort, before one of 'em got me, no matter how many rounds the gun held. I doubt anybody could. )

My thoughts exactly. A life and death encounter is not a one way street with the good guy doing all the shootin' and the bad guys (5 or 6 in your example) not putting up a fight. If it were, well, you'd probably be facing criminal prosecution!

Sean, like all the others said, stick to what you are comfortable with and like. Your post gets me wanting to sell my XD9 for a 1911 in 45ACP or another wheelie. There is nothing wrong with my XD, and I do like it. But like you, I never got used to the trigger feel. It simply lacks predictability for me. BTW, my always carry is a 5 shot S&W 642. I do not feel underarmed. My night stand gun is a 7 shot S&W 686+ with the snubbie or my XD riding backup. Again, I don't feel underarmed. As far as reliability, either can fail. However, I personally do like the reduced ammo sensitivity of the revolver.

As I posted elsewhere the other day, 80-90% of civilian encounters end in no shots finder. Most of the rest stay under 4. If requiring more than 4 rounds were a realistic part of my local threat assessment, I'd be moving. That said, I live/work/play in a very safe area and I doubt I'll ever have to draw my weapon at home or out and about. Regardless, everyone should pick what they like best, snub nose thirty-eight or high cap wonder 9.

Generally, I am against selling guns to buy others, but this is an exception. Life's too short to keep guns you know you don't like when you could be buying ones that you do!

 

[Trebor]

I am a fan of revolvers for CCW. They are easy to use and they are reliable. I carry a S&W Model 65 with a 3" barrel myself. For the CCW role, I accept the downside of limited ammo capacity in exchange for the ease of concealment, power, and ease of use of the revolver. I shoot it as well as I do any of my autos.

I am *very* leery of relying *soley* on a revolver for home defense though. Especially a 5-shot "J" frame snub nose revolver. The smaller revolvers are harder to shoot accurately then there larger brethren. Those small revolvers make excellent carry guns due to their light weight and small size. That is the role they are best suited for.

For a home defense gun, light weight and small size are not nearly as important. Generally speaking, larger guns are easier to shoot well and hold more ammo. Why handicap yourself at home with a 5-shot revolver, when you can use a more effective gun without having to worry about weight and bulk?

Revolvers, especially 5 shot revolvers, are harder to load quickly under stress. So not only do you have less ammo instantly available, now you have a gun that is harder to reload under stress.

If you are going to use a revolver for home defense, a 6 shot "K" frame is a better choice then a 5 shot "J" frame. Not only do you get one extra round, but the gun itself is easier to shoot well. In my experience, the even number of charge holes in the six-shot cylinder is easier to load quickly with speedloaders then the odd number of holes in the five-shot cylinder. (YMMV)

For home defense though, the high capacity semi-auto really shines. Since you aren't worried about weight and bulk in a home defense gun, it's nice to take advantage of that extra ammo capacity. There have been home invasions with multiple intruders and I'd rather have 10 to 15 rounds "on tap" in the gun then just 5 or 6.

Remember, unlike when you are in public, when you are home you have no place to retreat to get away from the attacker. Once you've gotten as far as your "safe room," there is no where else to go. If they push the issue, you are going to have to stand and fight right there. A shotgun, carbine, or high capacity semi-auto would be my choice against attackers determined to chase me back to my most secure position in the house. If they are that determined, there are probably several of them, and they are probably all armed. Otherwise they wouldn't be so brazen.

My suggestion is to use *both* guns for home defense. Keep them both loaded and ready. Which one to grab depends on the circumstances. If there is an unexpected knock at the door late at night, grab the 5 shot snub and put it in your pocket. No one will know it's there unless you need it. If you know for sure someone has broken in, grab the high capacity automatic and stand ready to repel boarders. Use the five shot as a back up in case the auto runs dry or malfunctions. Or give it to your wife to back you up.

That's what I do. My primary home defense gun is a 15 shot CZ-75. My S&W carry gun becomes my back up gun. We also have a M-1 Carbine handy as well.

Oh, and as for this worry:

I know it's probably irrational (and discussed before), but I fear a mechanical failure of whatever holds the striker back in the XD, and one night it goes off while in the safe because some little metal or plastic part finally gave way to the stress of the internal components holding that tension.

The XD is just as likely to "go off" due to mechanical failure as your car is likely to "drive away" when left in "PARK" with the engine idling.

Maybe that'd never happen. I am no gunsmith. Maybe I am dead wrong, but is there the possibility of a catastrophic mechanical failure that would allow an unattended XD to fire without a trigger pull or a grip safety depress?

No. You are 10,000 times more likely to cause a "negligent discharge" through poor trigger discipline then to have the gun unexpectedly fire while sitting unattend. It just doesn't happen that way.

The closest type of mechanical failure to what you are concerned with was back when Ruger had some P-series pistols that would fire when the decocker was applied. Instead of safely dropping the hammer, the decocker would let the hammer fall with full force and the gun would fire. It was a design flaw that allowed this to happen and was quickly corrected. Even then, outside influence (the shooter using the decocker) was necessary to cause the malfunction to happen. Guns don't just "go off" by themselves.

 

[Trebor]

Oh, one other thought. There is nothing wrong with keeping a home-defense automatic loaded, but with an empty chamber, especially if there is a loaded revolver available as well. Unlike a confrontation on the street, you are more likely to have *some* warning that the bad guy is trying to break in and you *should* have time to chamber the round without adding risk to yourself. That's what doors and locks are for. (You always should carry a round chambered in a carry gun though. You aren't likely to have those extra seconds in a confrontation on the street).

For me, I used to keep my CZ-75 with an empty chamber. I sometimes have nightmares and would wake up and take several seconds to figure out what was real and what was a dream. I figured the time it took to get the gun and rack the slide would give me a few seconds to *really* know where I was and what was going on. I was just concerned with grabbing it right out of the dream and having it fully loaded. (Now instead I just store it a couple steps out of reach so I have to make the conscious decision to get the gun).

 

[Sean Dempsey]

For home defense though, the high capacity semi-auto really shines. Since you aren't worried about weight and bulk in a home defense gun, it's nice to take advantage of that extra ammo capacity. There have been home invasions with multiple intruders and I'd rather have 10 to 15 rounds "on tap" in the gun then just 5 or 6.

I have the XD45 there with 10 rounds of JHP ready, but again, the chamber is empty.

I usually have the J-frame in the same nightstand safe as the XD, it requires the entry code, but they're there.

I am leaning heavily towards the Sig P229 or 226 for a "out in public" carry semi though, after some of the advice I am getting.

 

[Trebor]

I am leaning heavily towards the Sig P229 or 226 for a "out in public" carry semi though, after some of the advice I am getting.

The Sig 226 and 229 are both great guns. The only thing is, they are full-size service pistols. While they can be used for concealed carry, they are a bit large for the purpose.

I'm an instructor and teach mainly CCW classes. The most common mistake my students make when they first start to carry is they buy a gun and then later decide it is "too big" or "too heavy" to carry. Then they either quit carrying, because it's "too much effort" or wind up having to buy a second, smaller gun.

It is possible to use a 229 or 226 for concealed carry. I'm sure someone here will chime in that they do so. But, it takes extra effort for concealment and those larger guns generally aren't as comfortable to carry all day as a smaller gun. You'll definately notice the difference between your J-frame revolver and one of those Sigs. I just don't want to see you buy one of those two, and then later decide it's not practical to carry all day for you.

If you like Sigs, look at the Sig 239. It's a single stack designed for CCW. It's smaller and a bit lighter then the other guns. It's available in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .357 Sig. I have the 9mm, which holds 8 rounds, and I have carried it from time to time. I may switch over entirely to the Sig from my revolver. I'm still thinking about it and trying it out. So far I haven't carried it enough to really decide.

For the larger guns, holster selection and, especially, belt selection are very important. You need a good holster to hold the gun and a good, dedicated, gun belt to support the weight and keep the gun tight against your body. If you go cheap in those areas, you'll notice. The larger/heavier the gun, the more you'll notice.

 

[The Canuck]

I say if you don't like the auto loader or don't see a need for it anymore, get rid of it and buy a gun that you will use.

You seem to really like revolvers, I say go get a revolver with the funds raised from the XD. Removing it from the defence line-up just might be a good thing. If you don't train with it, maybe you shouldn't use it for self defence!

I am a proponent of using what you use well. This ain't the Army or Marine Corps, you don't need to use what they give you!

 

[Pat Cannon]

I myself just traded my last autoloader for a Ruger GP100 .357. I traded my second-to-last one for a 2 1/4" SP101 which is my always carry gun. The snubby is for carry & home defense, the GP100 is for IDPA & home defense. When & if I buy a gun purely for home defense, I believe it'll be a 12-gauge.

 

[10-Ring]

Go w/ what you're more comfortable & efficient shooting, if that's the wheelgun...so be it

 

[DawgFvr]

I agree...if you are not comfortable with the auto...trade it for a revolver...you sound much more comfortable with the wheel gun. I carry a DAO auto on occassion...but the S&W 642 is my "always" pocket carry. As a pocket carry...it presents faster than any weapon I possess. I think far too many people are concerned with their speed loaders, additional clips, reloading time, etc. I copied down the following words from an article I read somewhere...it smacks of truth:

"Time: The time you take to position yourself on the range is probably longer than most gunfights last. Confrontations are sudden affairs, over in 2 to 3 seconds, in the majority of cases. Almost never is there time to cock your gun, stand in profile, and take careful aim at your target. You and the suspect together are not likely to fire more than 3 shots, whether the situation is an ambush, armed robbery, or family fight. In the majority of cases, the initial exchange of fire will determine the outcome. The speed in which you can react to danger, therefore, is likely to be a more critical commodity than the amount of ammunition you have at your disposal. You probably carry more ammunition than you will ever need, but time is almost always in short supply".

 

[pittspilot]

What bothers me is having the tension-loaded striker facing the rounds primer. With the XD, when a round is chambered, it feels like carrying around a revolver with the hammer cocked back. I just don't like having that potential energy stored up in the striker spring, just waiting to release and fire the round.

I have not heard of this happening once. And there must be thousands of XD's out in the world.