Revolvers vs. Semi-Autos

[Bob79]

This stemmed from the Revolver section, but I wanted to do another post here.

When voting lets assume you have a good quality wheelgun and a good quality semi-auto (w/ good ammo & good mags). Lets keep it to out-of-the-box firearms, because I think considering custom work will throw things off too much.

I know this is kinda tough because a lot of people own both, and sometimes one type of gun is preferred to be carried over another based on the circumstances.

But the question is Overall, which would you rather carry if you had to choose, considering reliablilty #1 because if it doesn't go bang its useless, second consider "carry-ability" slash comfort.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I own MANY good revolvers and semi autos.
Many would make a good carry gun and in fact my vehicles all have 24/7 revolvers or semi autos in them.

Of course I don't own ALL the good brand guns there are, but if I could experience a better one I would buy it .

The best carry gun I've found is the Kimber Tactical Ultra.

 

[Brian Williams]

My S&W 13 is what I vote with.

 

[Boats]

If I had to pick just one handgun I have owned to fire *guaranteed* when I needed it to, I'd reach for my Ruger KGP-141.

 

[Ala Dan]

I'm Partial To The Self-Loaders

I have three good, quality semi-auto's:

a) .45 ACP West German SIG-SAUER P220A

b) 9m/m West German SIG-SAUER P228

and

c) .45 ACP Springfield WW-II "G.I." version MIL-SPEC

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Ala Dan]

So sorry, post deleted as a double tap was corrected.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life

 

[45 Fu]

I like pistols mainly because that's what I learned on. I know many people who are proficent with a revolver and can shoot rings around most people with a pistol.

As long as you're hitting it really doesn't matter.

 

[Kurt]

I'll take a semiauto for any and all serious work, with one exception.

When a small gun is needed, I'll take one of the S&W snubbies. I believe they are far more reliable (overall) than the smaller semiautos, and also the very best in their class.

The larger revolvers are 99% working and pleasure guns for me.

 

[DDGator]

For me, it really depends on exactly the situation. If I am wearing the right clothes to conceal a 686+ -- its hard to beat. But -- revolvers are often not as easy to conceal as a similarly powered bottom feeder.

This isn't and either or proposition -- there is a clear place for both.

 

[Black Snowman]

For contact distance I'd rather have a revolver. Responding to a threat at a distanace or pro-active work I'd rather have the firepower of an auto.

 

[Black Majik]

1911 = semi auto = my choice

 

[joe sixpack]

Not being a good shot yet, I would have to go with the semi-auto
and preferably one that carries 17 rounds for good measure.

cheers, ab

 

[355sigfan]

Both will do the job if you do yours. However the Auto has more advantages over the revolver overall. They tend to be more concealable, lighter, easier to carry, less recoil for equal power, ( try firing a 2 inch 357 mag then a Glock 33 in 357 sig see what I mean).

Autos are easier to reload and hold more ammo. They are also easier to shoot generally at least when speed must be combined with accuracy. If you use your revolver in single action it will be as easy or easier to fire than most semi auto's.

Revolvers may hold a reliability edge overall but if top tier revolvers are compared to top tier autos both are about equal. Only when you throw in the junk guns does the revolver hold the reliability edge. I would also conceed that revolvers are more accurate in the pocket gun class. (snub 38's vs 380's autos's ext.)

In the end the decision is yours. Carry what you feel comfortable with so long as its at least a 38 special or a 9mm auto.
Pat

 

[stevelyn]

Can't choose. I think they're designed for different purposes. My personal preferences are semi-autos for fighting and revolvers for hunting, utility and trail use. That dosen't mean that I think revolvers are inferior for fighting. It just means I like the ammo capacity/reload time for autos over revolvers if things start going south.

 

[Gunsnrovers]

Can't decide. I lean towards the wheelguns, but if you catch me I may slip up and grab a 1911, CZ, or HP.

 

[Warner]

The post said that we HAVE to decide, so I'll take a semi-auto.

(every time)

 

[Bob79]

Close!

Looks like things are pretty close thus far. We have to carry Semi-Autos at work, but they let us pick what gun and caliber. And I picked up a Sig P220, and put some hogue replacement grips on it (w/ finger grooves), and its been 99% w/ good mags. BUT my back-up is once again a J-frame, and if they let us carry wheel guns as primary, I would.

Come on wheel gun fans, VOTE!

 

[Zach S]

Well, I own a Taurus Model 85, Kahr PM9, Colt 1991A1, Para C7.45 LDA, Series I Kimber Compact Stainless, and a Polymer Stainless/BUL M5.

Tough decision...

 

[denfoote]

I have carried every gun in my inventory at one time or another.
The one that I keep coming back to is the Glock 26!!!
Easy to carry and goes bang every time I squeeze the trigger!!!

 

[41 magnum fan]

My choice would be a N frame S&W revolver in 41 magnum.

 

[Dienekes]

Anything mechanical can (and will) fail. Good revolvers fail less than any other device that I know of, thougn. In my experience (40 yrs, 4 military and 22 LEO--some 14 of which was qualifying people with both wheelguns & semiautos) the wheelgun wins hands down.

Considering that I became a disciple of Jeff Cooper circa 1959, that was not a conclusion I particularly wanted to arrive at. Watching revolvers being monotonously reliable in the hands of a wide cross-section of people over a long period of time makes a believer out of you. "Six for sure" outweighs a lot of theoretical advantages.

I carried a wheelgun until the day I retired. Still carry the same one. Its backup is--another revolver.

 

[Marshall]

My question would be, carrying where and for what?

I voted for a wheelie but, under certain circumstances I may slap a semi-auto on. Example, in a gang area a semi-auto would make me feel more comfortable. Around a drunk bar, give me a revolver all the time. For everyday carry, definately a revolver.

 

[355sigfan]

Anything mechanical can (and will) fail. Good revolvers fail less than any other device that I know of, thougn. In my experience (40 yrs, 4 military and 22 LEO--some 14 of which was qualifying people with both wheelguns & semiautos) the wheelgun wins hands down.
END QUOTE

I am not sure where your at or who you work with but the facts have shown that qualification scores have gone up since the adoption of the semi auto in law enforcement. Wheel guns are harder to shoot due to the heavy da pull. They are not impossible to shoot but generally people especially novices shoot better with auto's. As for failing, I will admit that in general revolvers are more reliable. But if you limit your scope to the top quality auto's vs the top quality revolvers. They are about as equal as you can get.

There are also documented cases of people being able to survive because they had a 7th or 8th or 9th shot without reloading. There are also cases of revolver shooters dying because they could not reload their revolver fast enough or because they were injured and could not reload it. The tactical advantages of an auto make a clear choice. A choice that nearly the entire LEO community has made as well as the worlds military forces.
Pat

 

[jc2]

BUT, in the interest of fairness, that while qualification scores have generally gone up with autoloaders, hit ratios have generally remained constant. The advantage on the range has not not necessarily translated into an advantage on the street. Though it's rather dated, it probably would be appropriate to mention the Farnham (?) Study of LE shootings at this point which showed LEOs with .357 Magnum revolvers had a higher hit ratio than LEOs with autoloaders (mainly 1911s)--I told you the study was dated.

As to " documented cases of people being able to survive because they had a 7th or 8th or 9th shot without reloading," I am only aware of one where a LEO was actually killed while reloader--and if my memory is correct it was with a dump pouch NOT a speedloader. I do know numerous agencies have stated they have never had an officer killed or injured in the line duty due to reloading or running out of ammunition.

FWIW, I am also aware documented cases of LEOs being killed or injured with a jammed autoloader in their hand--one fairly recently in Texas.

This is not posted as a pro-revolver or anti-autoloader position, but in an attempt to provide "the rest of story" left off by the previous poster (Pat). I think the choice between a revolver or an autoloader is a personal choice and should be weighed by each individual based on their needs and the (often offsetting) strengths and weaknesses of each platform.

 

[355sigfan]

Though it's rather dated, it probably would be appropriate to mention the Farnham (?) Study of LE shootings at this point which showed LEOs with .357 Magnum revolvers had a higher hit ratio than LEOs with autoloaders (mainly 1911s)--I told you the study was dated.
END QUOTE

That same study showed those officers with 1911's and 357 mag's hit more often than officers armed with 9mm's and 38 specials. The theory was that cops who picked 357 mags and 45 autos were more gun savvy and as a result were better skilled. It also showed that officers with 1911's had a better-hit ratio than officers with 38 special revolvers. Overall the hit ratio has remained constant. There are examples however where this is not the case. The Illinois state police hit ratio went from the 20% range to the 60% range when they became one of the first departments to issue a 9mm auto a M39 smith. LAPD's SWAT team has always had an 80% range with its 1911's vs. its patrol officers in the 20% range. Here in Alaska the Alaska State Troopers and APD hit ratio went up dramatically after adopting autos. For a time Anchorage PD had a hit ratio in the 90% range. It’s dropped in the last few years down to around 65%. Not sure if the Alaska State Trooper hit ratio has dropped or not. But to be fair I don't believe the auto was responsible for this. I believe it was the training that was modeled after the modern technique by Gunsight instructors that brought the change.

Officers will miss or hit on the street based on their training and state of mind more than their equipment. Although some guns are easier to hit with than others. 1911's in particular are a very easy gun to shoot well under extreme stress.
Pat