Although it's common to see the reliability and simplicity of the revolver touted as a reason for selecting it for self defense, I very rarely see mention of my #1 reason for choosing the revolver for this role.

Unlike a semi-auto pistol, a revolver cannot be knocked out of battery by pressing the muzzle into the target. I'm not suggesting pressing the muzzle as tactic, but in a fight, you don't always have total control. If you did, there wouldn't be a fight. If the assailant has you pinned to the ground, you may have no choice but to fire while the gun is in contact with him.

Why do you think this strength of the revolver isn't mentioned more often?

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low speed, high drag

It could be that the plastic guns are light & have gazillions of rounds capacity. I'm in a car all day & my revolver choice is a 340pd (no lock) & if I ever had to use it the ejected cases won't hit me in the face & neither will a slide be going back & forth.

My son and I picked up a no-dash CS a few weeks ago in near perfect condition at a small gun show. I have not shot one in 35 years and was stunned. I know there is no fool like an old fool, and I am so behind the times with all the baby Glocks, Shields, laser sights, bobbed/no hammers, titanium, aluminum, polymer, plastic, etc. etc. firearms.

But I have a hard time understanding how concealed carry got so complicated. As said before I know I am ignorant of so many advancements, but I have difficultly seeing how one would need more that a little Chief's Special. I drop mine in my pocket and go. Five shots double action from the waist on a paper plate from the hip at 7 yards. With the sights at 10/15 yards. Same at 25 yards single action. Amazing little shooter.

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Possum—The other white meat!

That is a big reason I carry a revolver as a BUG and sometimes a primary, plus for me they tend to carry and conceal easier than a similar sized pistol.

I'm assuming you're going off of what happened in Ferguson. If so Wilson fired more than 6 rounds. He had fired 2 rounds before there was even a struggle. One of the 2 shots hit Brown in the hand. So with a revolver you are already down to 4 and Brown had fired 6 more during the struggle.

While his gun might have gone out of battery for a sec he had, and needed more ammo.

I'd take the chance of having an out of battery slide vs having to reload in a struggle.

Another thing to add. That specific set of circumstances are very specific. Wilson had to have shoved that gun right into Brown. In a struggle the other guy could just as easily have pulled on the cylinder release. Even a little bit during a struggle can knock the cylinder out just enough. Remember it's a struggle, people are wrestling around

Probably because the simplicity and reliability that you already mentioned are more than enough reason for those already so inclined.

I got into trouble one night and had to fight for my gun. It was a Mod 19 revolver. The perp controlled the trigger and I controlled the cylinder No shots fired and I won and he went to jail/ If I had been carrying my Glock 19 and I was fighting for my gun one **** would have been fired. Even though I could have controlled the slide he had the trigger and He would have got off one shot. Who knows how that would have worked out.

The possibility of putting a slide out of battery in close contact with an adversary is at best a remote disadvantage. It also usually implies a failure in situational awareness and tactics. In all the thousands of incidents published or discussed in various forums and police training, I've not heard of a single incident of someone putting his gun out of battery in this manner although it can certainly happen.

The J frame revolvers are wonderful little guns. I own one. It is a close range, personal defense weapon. If you're facing multiple adversaries or you're a retired LEO who elects to intervene in a robbery-in-progress, you are then very seriously outgunned. The late Sgt. James O'Sullivan was armed with a J frame: please see: http://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/22/ny...x-officer.html

If the bores were bigger and the marksmanship standards were more stringent...the round count would be a non issue. Revolvers would be providing countless n'erdowells with a ballistic promotion to good and flawless pillar of communities across America. .44's and .45's are wonderfully unforgiving to things they impact and once the shooting starts we're done playing nice.

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This≠DodgeCity&You≠BillHickok

I can only think of a couple instances I've learned about (not personally present for the incident) where a pistol was suspected, or determined, to have failed to fire because the slide's muzzle had been pressed against an attacker (and disconnected). It's just not something that happens often enough for me to worry about it.

FWIW, I've learned of many other things that have created failures-to-fire, stoppages and malfunctions during actual shooting incidents. Having a slide & barrel pushed back into disconnect just isn't high on my own list of things to lose sleep over. Besides, my training & drills include holding and firing handguns so such unwanted situations are minimized.

On the other hand, a revolver may not be exactly 'immune' to an extremely unlikely situation that could stop the cylinder from turning, either (aside from being tightly grabbed by an attacker).

I'd have to ask Mas, but I thought I remembered reading a magazine article many years ago where a magazine writer was shooting cattle (humane slaughter house shooting) and a close contact shot resulted in some bone and/or heavy tissue being blown back into the front of the cylinder, effectively filling the end of a cylinder charge hole and 'jamming' the cylinder's rotation.

Never say never.

Again, not something that keeps me awake at night worrying about it happening when I carry one of my revolvers.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

I use to teach recruits to grab the cylinder of a revolver and twist and pull the gun away from the bad guy. If you were lucky you just might be able to take his trigger finger off in the process.

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Eccentric old coot

And what did you teach them to do with a semi-auto?

Yea because everyone stands still during shooting and adrenaline never plays a factor. Hard to train with an adrenaline dump when shooting at paper targets.

Yea 45s are unforgiving. Tell that to the cop that was shot 6 times with a 45, including once in the head, and still killed his attacker

Ain't that the truth!

The days of dropping a gun in your pocket and going about your business are like a distant memory. Now just to drive down to the barber shop requires a tactical seminar.

Because if you let an assailant get this close you have most likely already lost the battle. It's why all Defensive Training with a firearm emphasizes maintaining or gaining Separation. Allowing someone to get within arms length means you are vulnerable to a knife or being overpowered.

Simplicity. Reliability. No safety to fumble. Not susceptible to limp-wristing malfunction. Can be fired more than once from inside a pocket if necessary. And yes, no worries of it being knocked out of battery. Sounds like a pretty good catalog of reasons to carry a J-frame, which I do. Nothing against autoloaders--I've owned and liked them. But in old age I like things simple.

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Oh well, what the hell.

There you go. I don't think I remember ever having the words taken out of my mouth so completely. The "Keep It Simple" concept has gone out the window when it comes to concealed carry. Sometimes it just makes my head spin.

My number one reason I like revolvers is if there is a dead round just pull the trigger again and BANG! I now it's rather remote with good ammo but it's nice to know that capability is there.

You're right, my bad. What was I thinking? Revolver shooters are generally better marksmen. They realize that a limited number of bullets to get the job done means that they must make them count. I understand all about adrenaline and and how paper doesn't translate to "the real world" or "the street" or whatever Internet gunfights you've been in lately.

I'll take my Vaquero(s), my 625 or even gasps a j frame against ANY trench coat wearing keyboard commando or ne'er do well and BANK on the fact that my coffee will still be HOT when the "engagement/scenario/tacticool situation" is done. Too many rounds on board and not enough emphasis on hitting the center of the target makes Jack a dead body.

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This≠DodgeCity&You≠BillHickok

No no your right. Most people in a shoot out know they have a lot of ammo do they just kinda lob them Amy which way cause they figure that they'll use the first 8 - 10 rounds for fun and they'll start to get serious when they are down to 6 or 7. After all where's the fun in just ending it early when you have an excuse to see what your ammo does to different media.

You are right, this is a great advantage.

Great people, like Mr. Lauck have thought about that as well and found a solution



1911 Standoff Device

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Jorge

I'm no longer a police officer and cannot imagine a struggle w/someone I was arresting anymore. That said I carry a revolver b/c it is the platform I'm most familiar with, when I had to use deadly force my thirty-eight did the job, and it is all I need in retirement given my mundane daily routines.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

I just like the simplicity of the revolver. However I do carry a semi auto mainly for the extra rounds, and I think they carry easier without showing as much. Right now I carry either. The ole j frame does hide well though.

If that is your NUMBER 1 reason for packin a revolver
you might want to re-think a few things.

If you have allowed yourself to get "pinned on the ground".
your day has gone south. Revolver or semi-auto.

I like my Colt 1911. I also like my Glock 26. I have so many extra mags for both guns I can't carry them all. That being said, I carry a 442 in my pocket and a LCR357 in my waist daily. With Speed Loaders and Speed Strips for reloads, I feel comfortable.

A TAC seminar only? Don't forget the two full size, 18+1 autos, 4-5 spare mags, a BUG, and a full tang, fixed blade fighting knife. You never know what you might run into at Dunkin Donuts. Seriously, you can't equate being a legal carry private citizen with what a LEO might encounter on duty, the comparison most guys use to justify carrying half their body weight in ordinance. Sit in front of a computer screen all day, drowning in "what if" scenarios, you'll look like Arnold's team in Predator just to go to the mailbox.

Now and then I look at pistols but have never seriously thought of buying one. Nothing against them it's just for me the revolver is the real deal.

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Goose
I'm still standing.

Dagoosexyz--I agree 100% and was the same way. But I picked up a 1911. Every revolver shooter owes it to her/himself to try out a 1911 at least once in a lifetime. Probably the same is true for the 1911's beautiful first cousin, the Hi-Power.

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Possum—The other white meat!

Nothing is perfect. I have had revolvers fail on me. My M581 duty gun broke down in the middle of a major match. Cylinder just stopped turning. Same thing happened with a new M629 after firing 100 light target loads.

I only prefer the auto pistol because it carries more ammo and is a lot quicker to reload when necessary.

A revolver with a reload is just fine. But I like a little edge.

Don't oversell a revolver. Yes, if a perp gets a hand on your autoloader and it goes out of battery, the gun will not fire.

But have you ever tried to fire a revolver in DA while gripping the cylinder?

Ain't gonna happen.

And don't forget that you don't have to worry about limp-wristing a revolver either!

Well, never say never ...

One time when I called to discuss something with one of the revolver repair techs (as an armorer), somehow we got around to talking about the Ti/Sc J's chambered in .357 Magnum.

Seems they'd gotten a little snub back for warranty because the new owner of one of those pocket mules reported that he was experiencing bullet pull when shooting major brand 158gr JHP Magnum loads, causing the gun to seize up.

The repair guys couldn't find anything mechanically wrong with the gun, and couldn't reproduce the condition when shooting it with similar factory loads. Until ...

At some point, it seemed someone thought to try shooting Magnum loads using a relaxed grip (such as might be used by a new owner who might not be an experienced Magnum revolver shooter). Bingo. Bullet pull.

From what I was told, they'd never expected anyone would ever fire one of those little ultra-lite Magnum snubs with anything other than a virtual death grip. However, if a light enough grip/wrist lock were used, it seemed it might be possible to create a condition where the gun jumped back fast enough, hard enough, that momentum & inertia ... and maybe a variable crimp on some particular round ... might come together to result in a bullet jumping the crimp. Even a jacketed bullet.

I was told they were surprised, as that sort of thing had never happened during the extensive factory R&D in the development of the Ti/Sc Magnum snubs. But then, as mentioned, none of the factory shooters had apparently thought to hold the hard-kicking pocket mules with anything less than a death grip, either (when fixtures weren't being used for endurance testing).

At other times I've also been told that occasionally during ongoing factory test-firing, using samples of different major American-made ammo, might sometimes reveal what appeared to be crimping on the lighter end of things for some production lot or other. (Kind of like how some unexpected case rim thickness variations might be observed when checking reported feeding issues using some particular production lot of ammo fired in pistols.)

So ...maybe when you consider the the huge number of different combinations of shooters, guns and ammunition that may occur, it might still be possible to come across just the 'right' combination of influences to create the potential for something weird to happen.

Still seems prudent to check ammo being considered for use in the lightweight revolvers for signs of bullet pull. FWIW, when first testing my first M&P 340 (I own 2), which is slightly heavier than a Sc snub with a Ti (titanium) cylinder, I discovered that at least 3-4 brands of Magnum JHP's exhibited sings of bullet pull, in my snub, when I was shooting it. Probably why they have that warning in the ammunition section of the owner safety manual for revolvers.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

No offense, but that was spoken like a true "keyboard commando"!

Seriously, though...is it absolutely necessary that someone has to explain why their caliber choice is better than mine, or their firearm of choice is better than mine? Even so, that would be fine, if it were just, "Here's what I prefer to carry, and why". But no, that's not enough...someone then has to call someone else a wimp because their caliber doesn't begin with a "4", and anything less is for women and boys, or some such nonsense (no offense intended towards women...or boys!)

And, inevitably, regardless of the topic at hand...it could be the weather, or the price of tea in China, but SOMEONE will have to turn it into a caliber-debate. WHY? For those who haven't been paying attention...the caliber of your handgun is probably the LEAST important factor in deciding whether you will survive a violent encounter. As others have mentioned, situational awareness is paramount, shot placement, tactics, etc...all are more important, generally, than what caliber you're carrying.

Sorry for the rant.

By the way...I too have heard tell of close-range shootings involving a revolver where bone and other debris were thrown into the front of the cylinder, rendering the gun inoperative. Actually...didn't one of the FBI agents involved in the Miami Shootout have his revolver malfunction because some bone and/or other debris (from his own injuries) fell into his cylinder during a reload attempt? I may be mistaken, and/or I may be recalling a fictionalized version of those events...I'm not certain.In any case, revolvers are not the end-all be-all, never-malfunctioning machines that many seem to believe them to be. Anyone who has never experienced the ability of revolvers to malfunction...likely has not fired very many rounds through them!

FWIW...I love my revolvers, and I often carry a M.642 as a BUG. But...I have no delusions about the infallibility of revolvers.

Tim

I don't think it matters very much if one prefers a revolver or pistol. I carry both and can run both adequately. Both types have advantages and disadvantages. It's nearly impossible to predict how a serious social encounter will occur. I generally carry a lightweight J whether the primary is revolver or auto. The quality of the weapon, type of ammo and competence in using it as well as being alert and in good physical condition are factors that are as important as choice of gun type. Having a light is as important. Good footwear, not flip flops is important. It's a package and having a focus on nothing but the type of gun is too narrow in my opinion.

I think revolvers are a lot of fun to fire on the range. Though the idea of a defensive gun with only 5 rounds simply doesn't appeal to me.

Each has advantages & disadvantages and you have to decide which you want to bet on. I'll agree a revolver is better when you're literally touching the bad guy.

One is better for this, one is better for that. It's good to analyze the variables and possibilities to keep from being unpleasantly surprised. Other than that we make our choices and hope for the best.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Because in my sheltered middle class world the odds of needing a gun is close to zero. So having any working gun checks that box. So I like to carry something cool. Plastic isn't cool.

Now if I really was in harm's way and was limited to a handgun, (and couldn't stay home) it would definitely have more than 5-8 rounds.

I did see a demo, with an unloaded gun, of grabbing it over the top strap, preventing the cylinder from turning.

Hope I never have to try either one.

A double action revolver (unless the hammer is cocked) can be put out of action simply by grasping it so that the cylinder is immobilized. If the hammer is cocked, a lot more skill will be required to insert the web of the hand or a finger in front of the hammer.

Best defense is never let the perp close enough to do this. But it's good to know if you ever are in a last-ditch fight with someone armed with a revolver. And good luck. It's easier said than done.

Avoid confrontation and put distance between you and the perp. Not having to do this or be presented with this circumstance is the best course of action.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I think the idea that the inability of the revolver to not be knocked out of battery when you shove it into someone's mid-section or screw it into their ear right before you "splatter their brains" is not a big strength of a revolver or a real weakness of a semi-auto.

That "advantage" of a revolver over a semi-auto is more imagined than real, and it falls in the same category as the argument that revolvers are bad because a strong person can squeeze the cylinder and stop you from firing or can put the web of their hand in the space between the hammer and frame just in time to stop the revolver from firing, right before they disarm you and beat you senseless.

That same category of "imagined" disadvantages includes that one about some punk reaching out and removing the top half of your Beretta while you have it pointed in his mid-section.

Everyone has "heard" of all of these happening, yet no one seems to really be able to nail down to whom and when, with supporting statements in a real-life incident, as opposed to a training video where everyone is standing around watching the "instructor" show off. One hundred years ago, we were all amazed by a show-off who demonstrated the "road agent's spin." Anyone remember that one for you people concerned about being disarmed?

And, even if any of them have happened (out-of-battery rendering weapon inoperable when shoved in someone's mid-section, stopping a revolver action by grabbing the cylinder or putting the web of the hand in the frame space just before the hammer falls, or a punk disassembling your Beretta), it has happened so infrequently as to be a non-issue.

If these things bother any of you (not necessarily the OP, who was merely asking), then find a semi-auto with a FLGR (full length guide rod) that also requires a skate key for disassembly. If it helps any of you sleep better at night, then it is worth it!

WHAT YOU SAY IS VERY TRUE. A STRUGGLE MAY RESULT IN A SEMI-AUTO BEING KNOCKED OUT OF BATTERY AS YOU DESCRIBED---MOMENTARILY. THE DYNAMIC NATURE OF A STRUGGLE WOULD BE CHARACTERIZED BY CONSTANT MOVEMENT AND THRASHING ABOUT OF BOTH PARTIES. AS SOON AS THE PRESSURE IS OFF, THE GUN WILL FIRE. IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN THAT AMOUNT OF PRESSURE THROUGH LAYERS OF CLOTHING, WHILE GRAPPLING WITH AN OPPONENT…..
THE PISTOL INSTRUCTORS IN THE ARMY WOULD ASK TRAINEES HOW MANY SAFETIES WERE ON A 1911, PROMISING A WEEKEND PASS FOR THE CORRECT ANSWER. TO THE LAST MAN, EVERYONE IN THE CLASS WOULD GIVE THE SAME ANSWER--"TWO". THEN THE INSTRUCTOR WOULD POINT THIS FEATURE OUT, CALLING THIS "THE THIRD SAFETY" OF THE 1911, WHILE CAUTIONING TRAINEES NOT TO RELY ON IT, IF THEIR WEAPON WAS GRABBED…..
REGARDING WHY YOU DO NOT SEE THIS MENTIONED MORE OFTEN IN THE LITERATURE, THE ANSWER IS VERY SIMPLE. IT SELDOM OCCURS. AS FAR AS THIS BEING YOUR #1 REASON FOR CARRYING A REVOLVER--IMHO--YOU ARE GREATLY OVERESTIMATING THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS FACTOR IN YOUR DECISION MAKING. RATHER THAN CALL IT A REASON NOT TO CARRY A SEMI-AUTO, I WOULD CALL IT JUST AN ADDED, BUT RARELY CALLED UPON, BENEFIT OF CARRYING A REVOLVER. THE BENEFITS OF SIMPLICITY OF OPERATION, AND THE VERY HIGH DEGREE OF RELIABILITY WHEN SHOOTING FACTORY AMMO, IN A PROPERLY MAINTAINED REVOLVER (JUST A SIMPLE CLEANING AND AN OPERATIONS CHECK CONSISTING OF A FEW DRY FIRE PULLS) WOULD BE MINE AND MOST PEOPLE'S REASONS…..
THE US ARMY AND USMC, WHO ARE TRAINED TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY HAND TO HAND, HAVE USED THE SEMI-AUTO FOR OVER 100 YEARS, AS THEIR PRIMARY SIDE ARM, NEVER GIVING MUCH WEIGHT TO YOUR #1 REASON FOR CARRYING A REVOLVER---OTHER THAN TO GIVE IT LIP SERVICE IN BASIC TRAINING WITH THE 1911 (AT LEAST DURING MY TIME IN TNE ARMY--IT MAY NOT EVEN BE MENTIONED CURRENTLY, FOR ALL THAT I KNOW)……….

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I carry a Revolvers as do MANY Members here. That said, for the younger generation, Revolvers have sort of fallen out of vogue and the high capacity Auto's are all the rage now. Some like having 10 - 15 rounds and carrying around a bigger, heavier and harder to conceal gun for that advantage of greater fire power.

Lot's of people like to emulate Law Enforcement and Military and the Auto is what they use. For us Civilians who are not in the line of fire and not wearing uniforms, the Revolver is still a reliable and viable self defense tool.

While I do carry a revolver and have for many years, if I were to go to war or was a Street Cop and wore a Pistol on my belt (exposed) I too would want an Auto Loader with a bunch of extra loaded Hi Cap magazines.

Urp! Sonny, back in my day,we was more concerned with tommyhawks than we were about them auto pistols. Snort!
We advised trying to knock the slide out of battery, but that was risky at best.

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Eccentric old coot

I chose X (insert favorite handgun) because that's what I like, am most proficient with and it conceals relatively easy.

I carry a 1911 either full size or commander length because the I don't have a revolver that I can easily carry concealed. When I get one I will have to shoot it until I am as comfortable with it as I am my 1911's. I certainly wouldn't feel outgunned with a J frame loaded with decent ammo.

I don't own a revolver yet, but I really want a j frame. Call it a nostalgic old-guy thing. However, it will only serve as a backup to my G19 or Shield. I see no reason to limit myself to five rounds when I can easily carry two to three times that many. More is better, especially when it comes to saving my life or the lives of my family.

I like revolvers 'cause they're cool !