Advantages of revolvers and semi-autos

[DanM]

Found this post on the EDC forum http://edcforums.com/index.php?topic=219.0

I hadn't heard all of these arguments for or against one type of handgun before, thought that these points might be worth considering.

Re: Old school handguns
« Reply #10 on: April 09, 2006, 12:50:36 AM »

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Ok,

I will explain the reasons now but I can be long winded so forgive me.

After I was involved in my shooting, the department of corrections told me that they guys in jail were saying their buddies were going to get me. Well nothing ever happened but I started becoming extra vigilant.

When I would come home I would have the autoloader in hand (rural area) but as I got close to the house, I would switch to revolver before I past the srubs and got onto the front porch wich has walls on three sides and if something happened it would be close quarters.

The gun I would change over to was a 3 inch .357 J-Frame. My reasoning is this.

Reason No1 for a revolver is use in contact distance activity, if anything contacts the slide of a automatic, a misfeed can occur. This will not happen with a revolver. If you are wrestling arouind with a gun, the gun may have to be shot inverted and limp wristed, this can cause a failure to feed at times.
If I am going to be wrestling with someone while trying to use a handgun, the revolver seems more positive for me. / Reason No2/ Also the bad primer does happen once in awhile, rare but it does happen. With a revolver, it goes to the next cartridge, its hard to clear a a gun if you are wresting around with someone..

Reason No3. This applies to small bobbed and concealed hammer revolvers. Put a small automatic in your front pocket. Ok, now get it out quickly. It's actually hard to do. Now try this with a small revolver, your hand gets around the grip many times easier.

Reason No4. Sometimes an auto is more concealable because it is flatter, but sometimes a revolver is more concealable because it is rounder. Try sticking a small auto in pocket holster in front pocket, often you can tell what it is. Try a Centenial revolver in front pockets of the pants with a proper pocket holster, it does not look like a gun.

Reason No5. Inside the pants works well if you have as little as a blousy shirt, under a T-shirt, thats a different matter. bob the hammer and put a hip grip on it. You can conceal a 3 inch L-frame like that if you wanted to. I would rather carry a J-frame like that but a revolver with hip-grip vanishes under even a fairly tight T-shirt.

Reason No6. Jacket pockets. This is where the Centenial shines. In pants pocket a steel Centenial is fine since the wieght is close to the body. In jacket pockets you want one of the lightweights. I am content with the 442 for this. If you sence trouble, slip your hand into your jacket pocket. If you end up in trouble, the shot from the gun already in hand is much faster than drawing the auto loader from your hip. With the Centenial, you can shoot right through the pocket if you have to. When I was involved in my shooting, a person just before had a gun pointed at him while he had his hands in his pockets. If he had a Centenial he could have been pointing right back without the criminal ever knowing.

Reasn No7. Weak hand backup. most Automatics are not set up for use in the left hand with only one hand available it can be very difficult. The revolver as long as you do not need to reload is more friendly to the left hand if only using one hand. If someone is going to grap you while you have a gun out, it is likely to be the gun arm. If you are having trouble keeping control of the gun arm, you might be able to draw your small lefty revolver and blow the guy off of your gun arm (again wrestling with a gun, this is revolver country). Also when firing from cover the shooting hand can easily get hit meaning you need a gun for the left hand. The left hand gun can also act as a backup for your right handed gun. It is faster to draw your left hand gun, transer to right hand than to reload your main gun.

Ok,,, those are most of my reasons to have both a revolver and an automatic if you do end up needing a gun on the street. The automatic does have some advantages, the revolver has others. Both can deliver accurate fire, both have enough energy against two legged targets but there are different. If you have both, you can play to the advantages they have over each other.

For sometime after my shooting, I carried a 9x23 auto on the right hip instead of behind the hip like I usually prefer, behind the hip carried a 3-inch .357 J-frame. In the jacket pockets I had airweight Centenials in each jacket pocket. I think .38 special is a little light but still in the ball park. If when paranoid while walking after the shooting, hands were in the pockets. It would have looked bad for me to be fondling the Auto on the Hip if I sensed trouble but none was there. I did consider the full sized 9x23 to be the main gun and would draw if first if I thought I had time to do that unless I was already at contact distance, then I would go for the revolver.

As time went by and nothing happend, I started reducing my load. I always have a Centenial revolver where my left hand can get to it. One is either in a left jacket pocket or left pants pocket. Behind the right him is a full sized auto unless its summer, and I am only wearing a T-shirt. Then I resort the a hip gripped revolver behind the hip.

I have been thinking about a really small gun for wallet style carry. Now for that an auto is the only choice.

« Last Edit: April 09, 2006, 01:08:06 AM by JonSidneyB »

Any thoughts?

Dan

[DeanC]

Good thoughts.

A small revolver in the pocket is also more likely to be able to fire a second shot should you need to shoot while the firearm is still in your pocket.

I fondled the new re-issued centennial lemon squeezer. I am in love. I should never have touched that thing.

[Srigs]

Good thoughts.

A small revolver in the pocket is also more likely to be able to fire a second shot should you need to shoot while the firearm is still in your pocket.

I fondled the new re-issued centennial lemon squeezer. I am in love. I should never have touched that thing.

Another revolver... at least you already have a holster for it

[ttousi]

Dean...........is that a CCW badge

[dclydeb]

Revolver is recommended by 9 out of 10 non-victims. Shoot le-pistol models in competition, when an occassional miss-fire or stove-pipe can be tolerated, but ALWAYS rely on the revolver to be there when/if needed.

Model 60 LadySmith in stainless (don't knock the LadySmith part if you haven't tried-em) which is tuned by the S&W performance center.....shoots straight.....feels friendly to the hand with NilGriffe custom grips.....and always always always goes bang when you need it to go bang!

[plblark]

IIRC, it also groups nicely out to pretty far pistol distance, especially for a snubby. The gun is capable if the shooter is