revolver vs. pistol

[CLYA]

But...………..I'm almost 50 years of experience as a shooter. And I'm not yet, as good as Jerry Miculek, as far as revolvers go. I need to keep working on it, in order to master....


I'll just keep at it!

[bamaranger]

I can make some comments regards how much easier an auto pistol is to shoot v. a revolver. This is based on my observations running folks through LE training at the academy level for a couple of months, and working as in instructor back in the parks over the course of a career. The yardstick was 30 rd qualification courses of fire and basic instruction shooting common drills.

-One of the things in my instructor days we commonly saw was the lack of hand strength in some shooters to effectively run the DA revolver. The DA trigger pull, especially over a multiple round string or course of fire, was beyond the ability of some folks. These folks would resort to running the trigger with both fingers in many instances. Typically, this was with petite women, but I could also foresee it in elderly folks. It makes me wonder about injured shooters too.

-Our/my agency typically carried revolvers, initially .38+P+/110, in K frame or L frame S&W's. That load was involved in some shootings with less than ideal results, and the agency went to full magnum's, either 110 or 125 gr. The 125 was a handful for some shooters. When the switch to mag ammo occurred, qualification scores dropped for most shooters, some more than others. The majority of the Kframes disappeared, to be replaced by the heavier L-s , and Pach grips appeared overnight, all intended to mitigate recoil. Blast and flash were monumental, especially in reduced light shooting.

-When the agency went to SA pistols initially the 9mm SIG P228, everybody's scores went up. Good shooters shot rat holes, and marginal shooters qualified consistently w/o trouble. The trend continued when multiple calibers were introduced w/ sibling pistols, .40/P229, and .45/P220.
There was an option to retain the revolver if one was within so many years of retirement. To my knowledge, nobody did.

I believe there is a distinct jump in power with magnum ammo. I also believe that there are folks who can handle a DA revolver and shoot well enough that it is a satisfactory weapon for them. But across the board, my observations are that the rank and file will shoot an mid powered auto better. It will carry easier too.

[skoro]

I've been carrying a S&W 642 for the past decade and find it just about ideal for my purposes. But then, I live a very low threat lifestyle and what works for me won't work for everyone.

[Jimmy10mm]

Back in the 1970s, reading Bill Jordan's No Second Place Winner, I was convinced that the revolver was superior over the semi auto in a self defense situation. In the'90s a friend at the range got me to try his Glock 23 and I changed my mind.

Nowadays I carry a Kahr all stainless MK40, or a Glock 33 (357 Sig), or a S&W M&P340. The revolver gets packed more often lately what with the summer heat my usual wardrobe is a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. I feel any of these will deliver if I do my part.

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[Kirosha]

Originally Posted by RickB

Twenty years of weekly experience as a shooter and observer.
75,000+ rounds downrange, while alternating among autos and revolvers (including winning an IDPA state championship shooting a revolver).
Wow me with your qualifications for judging my laziness?

Explaining how "online qualifications" make for poor justifications requires a lot of work...I've answered why I thought it to be lazy in earlier posts. To summarize, in real world conditions, the revolver will function just as well as the semi automatic. If you can't shoot it as well as your semi, great, but that doesn't make it a less effective SD choice. It might make it one for you, but considering real world situations, I'd still argue you can defend yourself with one just as well outside of the absolute worst of luck scenario that can just as easily happen with a semi.


If you are capable of winning matches but incapable of using a revolver effectively in SD...

Yes, less effective for you isn't less effective in general or for OP.

[Don Dayacetah]

I like the K6, and also carry a 9mm, at times, but a lot of time it's an old 32 cal,
because it's the right size, trigger, etc. The smaller nines all dance on the unsafe/size
line.

[MINSH101]

I have a Kimber K6s, SP101, and a LC9 as carry conceal options. I always gravitate towards my .357s. I don't mind conceding capacity to power. I am considering another semi-auto option. I'm leaning towards M&P 9mm 2.0 compact, however this is just a preliminary thought.

Back to the original question: I prefer to have the ability to slow or stop an attacker with a well placed shot over needing to have multiple hits on target. I realize there's a potential of multiple bad guys, but feel the stopping power of the .357 can help compensate for the lack of rounds.

[Doc Holliday 1950]

I am quite impressed that our forum members pretty much stayed on point for my post.
I've added one more 357 in mag revolver. It's the EAA 2" 357 in mag revolver.
It's another heavy weight but I've not had any problem shooting 357 in mag ammo as well as 38 sp P+ ammo in it. Under 25 feet it's right on accurate.
I am quite confident that if I ever have to use a weapon it will be at 25 feet or less.
Personally I like carrying my 357's. Once in awhile I'll carry one of my glocks but for me, the revolvers are my go to guns.
The scenarios that I'll encounter multiple BG's is not a reality that I will ever be in, I hope. It's like if I would find myself in Watts in LA which is very low % wise, then I would carry my Glock 19 or try to melt into the background.
So, It just does not make sense to me that I'll be out gunned by multiple BG's & I would need mass quanities of ammo other than having a revolver that has 6 or 7 shots .

[peterg7]

Originally Posted by MINSH101

I have a Kimber K6s, SP101, and a LC9 as carry conceal options. I always gravitate towards my .357s. I don't mind conceding capacity to power. I am considering another semi-auto option. I'm leaning towards M&P 9mm 2.0 compact, however this is just a preliminary thought.



Back to the original question: I prefer to have the ability to slow or stop an attacker with a well placed shot over needing to have multiple hits on target. I realize there's a potential of multiple bad guys, but feel the stopping power of the .357 can help compensate for the lack of rounds.

Have you shot the .357 without hearing protection? I have and it was uncomfortable at best.

.380-.45Colt Not an issue without protection, I use muffs for practice but occasionally fire off a few rounds without as a sort of conditioning.

I know when I fire a gun at game I don’t remember the report, don’t know if a SD situation would be the same but I’ve gravitated to calibers with less shock and awe than a magnum.


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[tallball]

"Revolver stoppages are a nightmare and rarely cleared and undone quickly or easily."

I think that this is a "group-think" reason for carrying semi-autos that is WAY overblown. I have good quality revolvers that I've shot many rounds through and that I keep clean. I NEVER have stoppages. The only reasonable cause would be a spring failing or something like that, which could happen just as easily with a semi-auto. I also have good quality semi-autos that I've shot many rounds through and keep clean. Very rarely, but occasionally, one will have a stoppage. It just turns out to be the VERY rare defective round, or user error due to me or someone else (usually someone else) limp-wristing it. Yeah, it only takes a couple of seconds to clear. BUT, a typical shooting encounter only takes a couple of seconds.

That being said, I carry semi-automatic pistols sometimes and I don't worry about it. Much more than 99 times out of a 100 they work fine for me, and that's good enough, imho.

I mildly prefer revolvers primarily because I am more used to them and shoot them better. I am middle-aged. My first handgun was a 22 revolver that I got when I was 15 or so. Even now I shoot most revolvers better than most semi-autos, though I shoot them both frequently. So I feel a little more comfortable with an LCR in my pocket instead of one of my small 9mm's or 380's. I prefer what I am more comfortable with and confident in, but I am willing to be flexible due to various circumstances. I do what seems best for ME. What other people carry is really none of my business and I don't get worked up about it one way or the other.

[USSR]

Agree with you whole heartedly, tallball. Had plenty of stoppages with a bottom feeder; never with a revolver. My CCW is a revolver.

Don

[shurshot]

After seeing firsthand countless stovepipes and jams over the past 3 decades with semiautomatics, both during qualifications and off duty on personal time, with a number of high quality brands, I simply cannot trust semiautomatics 100%. Bad magazines, dirty guns, ammo issues, improper lubrication (wrong viscosity in cold weather and limp wristing were the culprits. Yes, "tap and rack" can be utilized to clear the weapon, but it's simply not as quick as pulling the trigger again on a revolver. During my lifetime I have had ONE revolver jam (loose extractor rod, fixed with a dab of locktite)... but with semiautomatics I have observed, experienced literally hundreds. Most could be cleared, some required gunsmithing. If a semi seriously malfunctions/ breaks (beyond clearing a jam, replacing a magazine), it, like a revolver with a serious malfunction, will be out of the game until it gets fixed. No advantage for the semiautomatic in that aspect. Another point to consider; FBI data indicates the majority of LEO shootouts are at VERY close range, under 3 yards. Non LEO and off duty / retired LEO's need to remember, even if you try to avoid it, many bad situations (muggings, assaults, car jackings), are at point blank range, often during a physical altercation, with multiple attackers. If you suddenly find yourself pinned up against a wall or vehicle, or on the ground during an attack, your assailant(s), may be younger, stronger, bigger, better trained (think UFC), and armed with a gun, blunt instrument or knife. Not a good place to be, especially since these attacks often happen quickly with little or no warning. Many semiautomatics will NOT fire if the muzzle is pressed against a hard object, as they will be out of battery. Those that will fire most likely will not fire a second time as the slides operation will be impeded by clothing / pressure, etc. With a REVOLVER, you can jam it in your attackers ribs and start pulling the trigger until he ceases to attack you, something to consider when you chose a sidearm! Even empty, the steel revolver is a FAR better club than a plastic frame pistol. Compare the sharp edges and heft of a steel 686 or GP-100 to that of a plastic framed Glock 19 or S&W M&P 9mm... which would you rather have as a club if it stopped working or ran dry?? Beretta M9 and Colt style 1911's aside, as they WOULD BE good clubs, but the plastic frame pistols appear to be the most popular, hence my comparisons. Kel Tec or mini Glock VS. S&W 36 or 640? I know what I would prefer to be swinging if my life depended upon it and it wouldn't be PLASTIC.
Remember, the best way to win a gunfight is to avoid any confrontation to begin with. Ego is your real enemy. Retreat if possible. Off duty (on duty I am forced by policy to carry a semiautomatic pistol), I prefer a high quality revolver with multiple speed strips / speedloaders. There are some damn GOOD semiautomatics out there, I own several myself. I just cannot trust them as much as a well maintained revolver. Just my opinion. Carry what you will, but train with it. If you prefer pistols, TRAIN to tap and rack... FAST. S&W 686 is a fine choice! Remember, the added weight... it doesn't matter if it's not comfortable, as long as it's COMFORTING. Be safe.

[amd6547]

I’ve witnessed two revolver jams.
Once, my friend was shooting his Ruger Security Six. He was using a just purchased factory 357 mag load, and a squib pushed the bullet half into the forcing cone...the revolver was locked up until a rod could be found to push the bullet back into the cylinder.
The other time, a shooter next to me had a Ruger LCR, and the fourth bullet pulled forward from recoil until it protruded enough to stop the cylinder from rotating.

So revolver jams happen. Doesn’t stop me from using revolvers.

[223 shooter]

What would you want to carry for SD, a 357 in magnum revolver(6 or 7 shot) or a Glock 19 you can sub any pistol & any 357 in magnum for this discussion.

My first handgun over 30 years ago was a Smith 686 357 and I have owned quite a few 357s over the years but when it comes to SD carry guns I'll take my Shield 9mm/45 over anything 357 MAG especially the lightweight 357s. I so sometimes still carry a 642 in 38 Special.

Years ago I did carry a Smith 66 2.5" for short time. The ridiculous muzzle blast from the 357s is something that is not present with the semi-autos or 38 revolvers. I can hit more accurately with the semi-autos in fast fire. As to reliability none of my semi-auto Sigs , Smiths , Walthers , Springfields or Ruger ever had any reliability issue.

[AK103K]

Originally Posted by amd6547

I’ve witnessed two revolver jams.
Once, my friend was shooting his Ruger Security Six. He was using a just purchased factory 357 mag load, and a squib pushed the bullet half into the forcing cone...the revolver was locked up until a rod could be found to push the bullet back into the cylinder.
The other time, a shooter next to me had a Ruger LCR, and the fourth bullet pulled forward from recoil until it protruded enough to stop the cylinder from rotating.

So revolver jams happen. Doesn’t stop me from using revolvers.

If you shoot autos or revolvers enough, youll get to experience many, if not most of their less than stellar moments.

Youll also see pretty quick, that the autos are usually right back in business, with a quick TRB. The revolvers, are generally DRT.

Regardless, if you maintain your stuff, and use ammo of a reasonable quality, the chance of a stoppage with either is pretty low.


I have a bunch of both. Shot the crap out of both. Ive carried both. These days, a Glock 17 and 26 as a pair, make the most sense to me.

Still like my revolvers though, even the old and feeble ones.

[B.L.E.]

Back to the original question: I prefer to have the ability to slow or stop an attacker with a well placed shot over needing to have multiple hits on target. I realize there's a potential of multiple bad guys, but feel the stopping power of the .357 can help compensate for the lack of rounds.

Legend has it that when Wild Bill Hickok was asked why he carried a pair of .36 caliber 1851 Navy Colts instead of the more powerful .44 Army Colt revolvers, his answer was "I don't need to kill them, I just need to make them sit down and stop shooting".
I would choose a pistol that I can shoot well over one that blows the bad guy away. People are not grizzly bears or feral hogs that apparently ignore pain when wounded.

[AK103K]

Originally Posted by B.L.E.

People are not grizzly bears or feral hogs that apparently ignore pain when wounded.

You hope.

[Kirosha]

Drugs, mental instability, other factors can see a person ignore getting shot till the body finally gives up entirely.

[RickB]

So revolver jams happen. Doesn’t stop me from using revolvers

Get a tiny piece of schmutz under the extractor star, and you are screwed.

Most auto pistol jams can be cleared without even knowing what the problem was that caused it, day or night, with a tap-rack, but any problem with a revo requires evaluation and proper ministrations.

[UncleEd]

Rick B,


To preclude having a "piece of schmutz" under
the extractor star, having a high primer to
irregular case rims, do a spin check after
loading.

In a reload with a clean gun to start with,
the chances of the "schmutz" showing up
are nil.

I've had too many jams with autos such
as double feeds, smokestacks to know that
rack, slam and bam or whatever its called
just doesn't work very well.

I must say my experience with the Beretta
92FS I've never had a stoppage of any kind.
But I still prefer revolvers.

[RickB]

All the shooting I do is on the clock, so the only time for anything like a pre-test, to determine if the gun is going to work, is during the initial loading of the gun.
Any other gun manipulations, from reloading, to malfunction clearance, is going to be done while the clock is ticking.

If it's a two-way range, any functional issues will have to be addressed with lead flying, and a large proportion of such events take place in low- or no-light, and just determining that there is a problem isn't the goal, it's rectifying the problem.

My example was to illustrate how a revolver can be put completely out of action by a single piece of dirt, and it would be very difficult to rectify it quickly or easily under ideal conditions.

Most auto pistol issues, other than some broken parts, can be rectified without even having to analyze the problem; reloading the gun will usually fix it.

[Kirosha]

Originally Posted by RickB

All the shooting I do is on the clock, so the only time for anything like a pre-test, to determine if the gun is going to work, is during the initial loading of the gun.
Any other gun manipulations, from reloading, to malfunction clearance, is going to be done while the clock is ticking.

If it's a two-way range, any functional issues will have to be addressed with lead flying, and a large proportion of such events take place in low- or no-light, and just determining that there is a problem isn't the goal, it's rectifying the problem.

My example was to illustrate how a revolver can be put completely out of action by a single piece of dirt, and it would be very difficult to rectify it quickly or easily under ideal conditions.

Most auto pistol issues, other than some broken parts, can be rectified without even having to analyze the problem; reloading the gun will usually fix it.

Agreed, a single issue can put any gun inoperable. Including but not limited to, revolvers and semi-auto pistols. Most issues can be resolved quickly, sometimes catastrophe happens. Let us not ignore either because what can happen lest we just give up on everything.

[UncleEd]

Rick B,

I think it's a mistake to talk about
on the clock and competitions.

Realistically, one reload is the most you'll ever need
to do and if you do need a third or fourth reload,
the fight is probably lost. And you're the loser.

And that goes for revolver or auto, especially
auto with today's preponderance of 15 and 18
shot models.

[JC57]

What would you want to carry for SD, a 357 in magnum revolver(6 or 7 shot) or a Glock 19

I prefer revolvers over automatics as a general preference for how they look, feel and shoot. Based on the specific question, for a self defense situation I would choose a Glock 19 over a revolver loaded with .357 Magnum ammo.

[Leejack]

The older I get the more I prefer revolvers over semi's.

A 5 shot .38 special Taurus, Ruger or Smith will do the trick.