Snapping Twig
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I hunt with a revolver because they are more powerful and I can shoot them better at distance. For the rare times that I carry for SD (very rare, but it's happened) I choose and auto in .45acp.
Why would anyone choose a revolver over semi auto?
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Piraticalbob
Member
The one time I was in a situation where it was necessary to draw my weapon (S&W 640 in .38, one of the pre-.357 models) was in a robbery situation where the robber attacked me behind the desk of the hotel where I worked. Drawing the revolver I ordered him back, instead he grabbed at the gun. I twisted it out of his hand, pressed it against his chest, and pulled the trigger once. The bullet, a 148-grain lead wadcutter round, entered his spleen and stopped the attack as he doubled over in pain.
Had I used an automatic it's very possible that the pistol being in contact with the perpetrator would have caused a malfunction after the first shot. As it was, the revolver was immediately ready for a follow-up shot, which fortunately I didn't have to fire.
And yah, I had to find a new job after that.
Had I used an automatic it's very possible that the pistol being in contact with the perpetrator would have caused a malfunction after the first shot. As it was, the revolver was immediately ready for a follow-up shot, which fortunately I didn't have to fire.
And yah, I had to find a new job after that.
Gator
Member
Because they have style.
I realize this thread is a few month old, but I have my own two cents to offer. You say semis are just as reliable as revolvers? hmmmmm?
Went shooting a few weeks ago, and brought my GF's glock. It jammed every other round. My two revolvers fired every round. Bad ammo? gun needed cleaning? Say what you want, it jammed, mine didn't!
Went shooting a few weeks ago, and brought my GF's glock. It jammed every other round. My two revolvers fired every round. Bad ammo? gun needed cleaning? Say what you want, it jammed, mine didn't!
Hawk
Member
...and my newly acquired 686 no-dash got off 2 rounds in 18 trigger pulls - that's 2 "bangs" interspersed randomly with 16 "clicks".
Filed strain screw you say? Whatever. It didn't work.
Filed strain screw you say? Whatever. It didn't work.
florida1098
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Went shooting a few weeks ago, and brought my GF's glock. It jammed every other round.
Can you please articulate on this? Maybe you should have Glock check the gun out?
Can you please articulate on this? Maybe you should have Glock check the gun out?
Drgong
Member
actually the one time I fired a Glock it jammed or stovepiped at least one time a magazine load. (Yes, I know that glock are known for flawless fuctioning) could rent one to prove that it was a fluke, but I don't want a glock, and if I was to go to the Plastic gun route, I would pick up a XD. There are a couple of bad glocks out in the wild.
Stevie-Ray
Member
I have no idea
Hmm, this being an old thread, I thought I would have already posted a reply, but it seems not so. I do choose to carry revolvers, and my 24/7 gun is a Ruger SP101. At work, I must carry a .40 autoloader, selected from a list of approved models, and purchased with my own money. I went with a Glock G22, when I had to switch from a .45 1911 in 2002, but that was temporary, as I purchased a DAK SIG P229 when they became locally available in 2004. I have since aquired a second DAK P229, and both of my DAK SIGs have been 100% reliable. The one 1911 I do still own has also been 100% reliable.
I have nothing against autos, assuming they are proven reliable. I also expect a revolver to be reliable, and some of mine have been a bit problematic, so even a sixgun must prove itself.
So, I prefer revolvers for their handling qualities, which encompasses everything from carry comfort, ease/speed of draw, balance, pointability, shootability, and long-range accuracy. Notably, I like the SIG P229 because it shares so many of the handling qualities of my sixguns.
On my own time, my SP101 snubby may be accompanied by one of my duty SIGs, a second SP101, a 4" Ruger Speed Six, a 3" or 4" GP100, or even a 1911. Life is good.
I have nothing against autos, assuming they are proven reliable. I also expect a revolver to be reliable, and some of mine have been a bit problematic, so even a sixgun must prove itself.
So, I prefer revolvers for their handling qualities, which encompasses everything from carry comfort, ease/speed of draw, balance, pointability, shootability, and long-range accuracy. Notably, I like the SIG P229 because it shares so many of the handling qualities of my sixguns.
On my own time, my SP101 snubby may be accompanied by one of my duty SIGs, a second SP101, a 4" Ruger Speed Six, a 3" or 4" GP100, or even a 1911. Life is good.
Its just a matter of preference, I'd say. If you're more comfortable with one over the other, that's just your preference. I can see the merits in either one, as well as the weaknesses, and knowing that I say I'd be comfortable carrying either type.
When I get my CCW, I'll probably be carrying an auto the vast majority of the time, but that's just because of my preference. Can't see why I should pick apart someone else because they like their Anaconda or Smith.
I'm just thankful that the majority of Americans are still able to choose, and I will enjoy this right for as long as I can, hopefully indefinately.
When I get my CCW, I'll probably be carrying an auto the vast majority of the time, but that's just because of my preference. Can't see why I should pick apart someone else because they like their Anaconda or Smith.
I'm just thankful that the majority of Americans are still able to choose, and I will enjoy this right for as long as I can, hopefully indefinately.
scythefwd
Member
newbie4help,
The reason my SD gun is a revolver is simple. I shoot better and more comfortably with my revolver than my 9mm (my other gun that is of sufficient power to stop someone fairly consistantly). I figure 6 .38 sp hydrashoks will pretty much drop anyone. Now the reverse question must be applied. Why do people feel that a semi auto makes a better SD gun? If you can't drop your BG in 6 shots, what makes you think you can do it in 15? I can reload my wheel with another 6 in just about the same amount of time it takes you to do your semi, I'm about a 1/2 sec. behind you.
The reason my SD gun is a revolver is simple. I shoot better and more comfortably with my revolver than my 9mm (my other gun that is of sufficient power to stop someone fairly consistantly). I figure 6 .38 sp hydrashoks will pretty much drop anyone. Now the reverse question must be applied. Why do people feel that a semi auto makes a better SD gun? If you can't drop your BG in 6 shots, what makes you think you can do it in 15? I can reload my wheel with another 6 in just about the same amount of time it takes you to do your semi, I'm about a 1/2 sec. behind you.
AZ SIG Shooter
Member
I like both but...
my preference is revolvers.
When I was a firearms instructor in the Air Force back in the 1970's, I saw many hundreds of individuals shooting our M15 revolvers many thousands of rounds. Most of these people had no experience shooting or very little. I bet if there were six cases of brass under the extractor the whole time it was a lot; you dump your brass with the back of the cylinder facing the ground.
We never had a mechanical malfunction and none of the revolvers were EVER detail stripped...they were cleaned normally and put away for the next day. Some of these revolvers were the older type with the screw in the front of the trigger guard and these had never been gone over by a gunsmith. No problem with bent cranes; even with guns occasionally dropped with the cylinder open, no spring problems, no broken "nitpickey" little parts. No timing issues.
An extractor backing out is simply fixed nowadays...Lock tite! And that's assuming it actually happens at all.
A tuned double action trigger on a revolver is infinitely better than the double action pull on any semiauto I ever fired; especially the absolutely horrendous "no compromise" HK's! I'll put my Nelson Ford trigger jobbed N frames against any semauto DA.
I was in an attempted armed robbery at a motel in Pomona Ca. back in the days of the Great Western gunshow. I opened the door and there was this fellow with a pistol pushed against my forehead! I grabbed his gun and we danced in the doorway, but he managed to get the gun out of my grip and he tried to shoot me..the gun malfunctioned. Then he tried to shoot my wife who had been knocked down on the ground..the gun malfunctioned. He ran off. about 30 seconds later we heard a shot off in the bushes a short distance away. We guessed he ran off and fiddled the gun to make it operational and test fired it. If he had had a revolver, both my wife and I might be dead now.
Shooting a revolver is different than shooting an auto. With autos I feel the slam! slam! of the slide reciprocating; it is a very piston-like, hard and "angular" machine feeling. With revolvers, the gun moves back and up and down in an organic circular movement when fired. The cylinder begins to turn it's own circle as you prep the next shot. Your trigger finger describes the same circle as the gun as it recoils...it's wheels within wheels; very organic and almost poetic; and very fast.
Back about 1990 or so I had the chance to shoot in the National Tactical Invitational (NTI) that was held at the Gunsite range near Prescott Arizona. My friend, affiliated with the AG's office here got us in. We were about the only civilians there. Most were SWAT officers and other policemen and sheriff's deputies etc. I carried the only revolver I saw there that day. Most of the officers carried high capacity 9 mm semiautos. We shot in small groups (each scenarios was one at a time) so I didn't see everyone shoot every scenarios. However, there were two individuals who ran out of ammo half way through some the scenarios! The rule was with hicaps, one mag in the gun, one more on the belt. For single stacks you could have two extra mags. For revolvers you could have two speed loaders. I carried two Smith 629's; a six and a four inch and six more rounds in a 2X2X2 holder. These two trained individuals each used up 32 or so rounds apiece going through scenarios I did with less than 12 rounds. Through the entire event, I never used up my second load (which came from the 2X2X2 holder on my belt). That means less than 12 rounds. The last scenario I was in, I faced four "assailants". These were specially designed targets of foam with hard plates inside to simulate vital areas; brain, heart/lung area. The whole thing was held upright with the tension of a large rope inside. When you hit that vital area, the target would collapse on itself in a surprisingly realistic manner. If you missed the vital area, the target remained standing. Pretty cool!
Anyway, these four bad guys were right in front of me, all armed. the one directly in front had his hand on a gun stuck in his belt. The others were at a distance of maybe six to eight feet; realistic attack range. At the timer, I grabbed the hand of the close guy to keep the gun in his pants, pulled my six inch Smith and with one hand, and shooting DA put four headshots on the four targets. After they all went down, the moderators who were overseeing me said, "Not too bad; 1.5 seconds!" (That was from first to last shot) With traversing etc. I do not believe I could have done any faster with a semiauto; even an SA auto.
Now all this does not mean I don't carry autos at times; I do. I think though that any percieved ammo issues, reloading times etc are more issues of tactics and training rather than capacity; ask the "hosemasters" as we called those two guys who were always running their Glock 17's dry half way through a scenario!
my preference is revolvers.
When I was a firearms instructor in the Air Force back in the 1970's, I saw many hundreds of individuals shooting our M15 revolvers many thousands of rounds. Most of these people had no experience shooting or very little. I bet if there were six cases of brass under the extractor the whole time it was a lot; you dump your brass with the back of the cylinder facing the ground.
We never had a mechanical malfunction and none of the revolvers were EVER detail stripped...they were cleaned normally and put away for the next day. Some of these revolvers were the older type with the screw in the front of the trigger guard and these had never been gone over by a gunsmith. No problem with bent cranes; even with guns occasionally dropped with the cylinder open, no spring problems, no broken "nitpickey" little parts. No timing issues.
An extractor backing out is simply fixed nowadays...Lock tite! And that's assuming it actually happens at all.
A tuned double action trigger on a revolver is infinitely better than the double action pull on any semiauto I ever fired; especially the absolutely horrendous "no compromise" HK's! I'll put my Nelson Ford trigger jobbed N frames against any semauto DA.
I was in an attempted armed robbery at a motel in Pomona Ca. back in the days of the Great Western gunshow. I opened the door and there was this fellow with a pistol pushed against my forehead! I grabbed his gun and we danced in the doorway, but he managed to get the gun out of my grip and he tried to shoot me..the gun malfunctioned. Then he tried to shoot my wife who had been knocked down on the ground..the gun malfunctioned. He ran off. about 30 seconds later we heard a shot off in the bushes a short distance away. We guessed he ran off and fiddled the gun to make it operational and test fired it. If he had had a revolver, both my wife and I might be dead now.
Shooting a revolver is different than shooting an auto. With autos I feel the slam! slam! of the slide reciprocating; it is a very piston-like, hard and "angular" machine feeling. With revolvers, the gun moves back and up and down in an organic circular movement when fired. The cylinder begins to turn it's own circle as you prep the next shot. Your trigger finger describes the same circle as the gun as it recoils...it's wheels within wheels; very organic and almost poetic; and very fast.
Back about 1990 or so I had the chance to shoot in the National Tactical Invitational (NTI) that was held at the Gunsite range near Prescott Arizona. My friend, affiliated with the AG's office here got us in. We were about the only civilians there. Most were SWAT officers and other policemen and sheriff's deputies etc. I carried the only revolver I saw there that day. Most of the officers carried high capacity 9 mm semiautos. We shot in small groups (each scenarios was one at a time) so I didn't see everyone shoot every scenarios. However, there were two individuals who ran out of ammo half way through some the scenarios! The rule was with hicaps, one mag in the gun, one more on the belt. For single stacks you could have two extra mags. For revolvers you could have two speed loaders. I carried two Smith 629's; a six and a four inch and six more rounds in a 2X2X2 holder. These two trained individuals each used up 32 or so rounds apiece going through scenarios I did with less than 12 rounds. Through the entire event, I never used up my second load (which came from the 2X2X2 holder on my belt). That means less than 12 rounds. The last scenario I was in, I faced four "assailants". These were specially designed targets of foam with hard plates inside to simulate vital areas; brain, heart/lung area. The whole thing was held upright with the tension of a large rope inside. When you hit that vital area, the target would collapse on itself in a surprisingly realistic manner. If you missed the vital area, the target remained standing. Pretty cool!
Anyway, these four bad guys were right in front of me, all armed. the one directly in front had his hand on a gun stuck in his belt. The others were at a distance of maybe six to eight feet; realistic attack range. At the timer, I grabbed the hand of the close guy to keep the gun in his pants, pulled my six inch Smith and with one hand, and shooting DA put four headshots on the four targets. After they all went down, the moderators who were overseeing me said, "Not too bad; 1.5 seconds!" (That was from first to last shot) With traversing etc. I do not believe I could have done any faster with a semiauto; even an SA auto.
Now all this does not mean I don't carry autos at times; I do. I think though that any percieved ammo issues, reloading times etc are more issues of tactics and training rather than capacity; ask the "hosemasters" as we called those two guys who were always running their Glock 17's dry half way through a scenario!
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Phil DeGraves
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Because the manual of arms is easier to learn for those who are not dedicated shooters.
Because a revolver is not dependent on a particular power level of the cartridge in order to function.
Because the functioning of a revolver is not affected by a loose grip.
Because the bullet shape and case size offer ballistical superiority than equivalent Auto pistol cartridges.
Because a revolver is not dependent on a particular power level of the cartridge in order to function.
Because the functioning of a revolver is not affected by a loose grip.
Because the bullet shape and case size offer ballistical superiority than equivalent Auto pistol cartridges.
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