The Revolver vs. the Pistol for self defense. Which is better?

[1 old 0311]

True, but I'll have the satisfaction of knowing I took two or three of them with me. Actually, it's HIGHLY unlikely they will be going with me where I'm going but you know what I mean.

p.s. Don't forget, there are no rules that say you can't pick up one of their guns and shoot the others with it. And it might help if you blow the first one's brains all over the other nine.

Well and you have to remember that BGs chose that profession because they are lazy, and cowards.
I have seen a LOT of news, and YouTube videos of gunfights. In E-V-E-R-Y one that I can remember once the hammer is dropped they run for the hills. Unlike the Military, who are trained to handle a protracted firefight, and radical religious nuts waiting for their 'reward,' street punks will RUN when the rubber hits the road. They don't issue a Medal Of Honor in the ghetto.

 

[Frailer]

about the only issue I see with mag disconnect is a hasty and somewhat fumbled draw where its possible to drop the mag in the draw and lock up your gun when you need it the most ...

This actually happened to me with an LC9. Thankfully, I was on a square (not two-way) range at the time.

I'm not saying mag disconnect safeties don't have their purpose, nor would I try to talk anyone out of buying a gun that has one.

But *I* won't carry a gun with one.

 

[Cpo1944]

I have about an equal number of pistols v revolvers.
For CCW for me ; it has to be a revolver.
I am not planning on getting into a fire fight and reloads are not an issue, so 6 rounds of .357 or .44 mag. and a Crimson Trace Laser grip satisfy my needs.
If a .41 mag. comes my way that will become my next CCW.

My decision was made due to a couple of instances where a semi-auto malfunction scared me and convinced me to go revolver.
Just my $.02

 

[wnr700]

I shoot both really well, but I'm going thru my Glock phase. I don't live in fear. Just have a gun and shoot it well...

 

[Lost Lake]

BGs chose that profession because they are lazy, and cowards.
I have seen a LOT of news, and YouTube videos of gunfights. In E-V-E-R-Y one that I can remember once the hammer is dropped they run for the hills.

Oh puhlease.... How about the 911 calls where the woman fires a gun and the BG says 'What, you gonna shoot me? I'll kill you!!' and she has to shoot him several times. Or the guy busting into the old guy's house? And several members here have relayed tales of drugged up BGs that just keep coming without even feeling the bullets.

Yeah, you just keep believing when you pull that golden gun out bad guys will panic and wet their pants and run away, because that's what happens when Dirty Harry pulls out his gun right?

 

[C.S.63]

Wow, And I read all nine pages. I have carried for a very long time a model 640 .38spl I can hit what I need to with a revolver. Just recently
I have been working with a Kahr CM-9.
Carry what you are comfortable with and proficent with. Both a revolver and an auto have there place. As joe citizen I am not going in the direction of bad guys day in and day out. No john McClane antics here

For all that have dealt and deal with BG's, day in and out Thank you.
Ill stick to dealing with smoke and fire

 

[Armed Babysitter]

The Revolver vs. the Pistol for self defense. Which is better?

The thread kinda turned into a "This is what I carry" topic but I will just say that neither is better across the board. Both offer advantages and disadvantages, and it boils down to personal preference, personal needs, and personal experiences.

Lets just not get to a point where we think if someone carries more than I do they are paranoid or if someone carries less they are undergunned and doomed to become a bullet riddled corpse.

Good day and be safe out there.

 

[1 old 0311]

Oh puhlease.... How about the 911 calls where the woman fires a gun and the BG says 'What, you gonna shoot me? I'll kill you!!' and she has to shoot him several times. Or the guy busting into the old guy's house? And several members here have relayed tales of drugged up BGs that just keep coming without even feeling the bullets.

Yeah, you just keep believing when you pull that golden gun out bad guys will panic and wet their pants and run away, because that's what happens when Dirty Harry pulls out his gun right?

Well as I said "I EVERY ONE I CAN REMEMBER" you obviously can, so would you please enlighten us IF and WHEN your 'story' happened? And tell us how many of the video's you have to scroll through, that prove my point, before you find even one that supports yours?

 

[PALADIN85020]

For my tastes, on the street it will be a 442 or 642 revolver stoked with +P .38s. Concealable, quick into action, and 5 for sure. Nothing to think about - point and shoot. No cases on the ground to tidy up afterwards, either.

For home, any of a number of .45 autos - my fave is probably the H&K USP - never had a FTF with it. Firepower combined with reliability.

There is no correct answer; one has to ask "Best for what?"

John

 

[Lost Lake]

For my tastes, on the street it will be a 442 or 642 revolver stoked with +P .38s. No cases on the ground to tidy up afterwards, either.


John

Now that is a great point I have heard before.... No cases left to tell a story. Good point.

 

[Lost Lake]

Well as I said "I EVERY ONE I CAN REMEMBER"

My bad, you did say that you remember....

I should have bit my tongue, or keyboard...

Armed Babysitter said it much better than I could have.

 

[photoman]

Oh puhlease.... How about the 911 calls where the woman fires a gun and the BG says 'What, you gonna shoot me? I'll kill you!!' and she has to shoot him several times. Or the guy busting into the old guy's house? And several members here have relayed tales of drugged up BGs that just keep coming without even feeling the bullets.

Yeah, you just keep believing when you pull that golden gun out bad guys will panic and wet their pants and run away, because that's what happens when Dirty Harry pulls out his gun right?

Statistically speaking, two or three yards, two or three shots in two or three seconds and it's all over IF shots are even fired.

On the one hand, hoping the sight of my gun scares them off is wishful thinking and, on the other hand, the idea that I'm going to have to go up against ten heavily armed, pain-immune jihadi killers is pure fantasy.

 

[Duke426]

I carry a S&W model 13 with a four inch barrel. I carry one extra speed-loader. That's what I carry because that is what I shoot best.

I focus more on avoiding situations that will expose me to attack than I do worrying over whether 12 rounds of .357 Magnum are enough. I don't go inside banks or use walk up ATM's. I don't shop in convenience stores in the middle of the night, etc.

Choosing and carrying a particular firearm is only part of a personal security plan. JMHO

 

[kbm6893]

The average gunfight is three rounds....

So if you carry 5 or 6 you will be well prepared for the average gunfight.

Some of us prepare for perhaps a bad gunfight. I guess we are wrong.

Some may want more than 6 rounds. We are wrong.

Some of us may not hit anything with the first 6 rounds under pressure. We are wrong. AND we are wrong to think that way.

If anyone carries a semi, you are wrong according to anyone who carries a wheel gun. This simple thought permeates every wheel gun poster's comments.

And then boiled down to the basics, nearly every thread can be distilled to "if you don't do what I do, you are WRONG".

It gets really tiring. This thread needs to die.
You are right, I am wrong,
you are cool, I am not,
you know everything, I am an idiot.

You use an example of gangbangers shooting people and then attempting to take you hostage and you expect to be treated seriously. You're not wrong for prefering your semi auto over a revolver. I like my semi autos, too. You're wrong for assuming that the revolver is not worthy of defending your life based on completely unrealistic scenarios. The truth is that millions of people carry them and thousands of people have successfully defended themselves with them. And your argument is flawed because if you carry a 1911, you only have 7 rounds. if you carry a 10 round magazine, you're at a disadvantage over a 15 round one. If you carry a 15 round one, you should have a 20 round one, etc. Jst what number of rounds if your minimum? Honestly, you sound like you're very young. Life experience trumps youthful exuberance (and I'm only 40). Do you go to the range with your drop leg holster and Molle gear?

 

[Lost Lake]

And your argument is flawed because if you carry a 1911, you only have 7 rounds. if you carry a 10 round magazine, you're at a disadvantage over a 15 round one. If you carry a 15 round one, you should have a 20 round one, etc. Jst what number of rounds if your minimum? Honestly, you sound like you're very young. Life experience trumps youthful exuberance (and I'm only 40). Do you go to the range with your drop leg holster and Molle gear?

Yes, I am young... But I'm a lot older than you!!

Hey, I carry a BG380 sometimes... I wish it had more rounds, but I can reload in a second or two. I have a speed loader for my wheelgun, and I can't load that as fast.

Yes I know that 99% of those who carry a wheelgun never needed more rounds than they had, but that's just not me.

Let's just leave my view at that. It's just not my style. I want to carry more rounds than I will ever need. Period.

 

[smithman 10]

Revolver vs. Semi-Auto

Durn, thought I was going to turn in early tonight but got to reading this thread.

Revolver carrier here. It's what I learned on and shoot best. Most often a J-frame .38, occasionaly a six-shooter.

Course if I knew I was going to a gunfight when I left the house I'd carry a high-cap semi, like a Glock or M&P in 9mm. But then if I knew a gunfight was coming up, I'd never leave the house, right? Or carry a shotgun or a carbine!

Anyway, this whole thread tired me out! Common sense says carry what you are good with and some spare ammo in a way you can get at it.

That's about the best you can do.

 

[jimmyj]

There must be studys and statistics somewhere. I think far too much is made of how many rounds the gun has. We are talking civilian encounters here arent we? I would like to hear just how often if at all any gun fight between a civilian and a BG went past a couple rounds!
I know the possibility never cross`s my mind. This aint like a grade B western where we get behind a water trough and try to hold out for the cavary or hero shows up! I cant say when I ever read of a shootout like that! So takeing away THAT senerio, I see no advantage at all with a auto.
Now I know there is also romantics out there with a 12 year old mentality that think they need a backup besides, and a fighting knife to gut the remaining aggressers. Maybe I would be half that bad if I lived in bagdad or detroit myself.

Hi:
You forgot two hand grenades in addition to the main weapon, Backup, and knife.
A cell phone to call for reinforcements, or an air drop for more ammo, or a bombing run.
Moral: don't fight with an old guy.

 

[everReady Rob]

This thread is approaching 100 replies. Wow, this apparently is a serious subject to many, and it is serious to me to have the right to make a choice. I don't think for a second that someone is going to change the type of gun they shoot because of something I (or anyone else) says, that choice was most likely made a long time ago.

I am guilty of saying things with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek and the problem with the written word is that it is difficult to tell how serious someone is. I don't really care if you shoot a revolver or a semi-auto pistol, like someone said - just have a gun, and on this veterans day, THANK YOU VETS for whatever job you did that gave me the right to carry a gun and to live in this great country. It doesn't matter if you sat on a bucket and peeled potatoes, it takes the sum of all parts, big and small, to make this the greatest land of all - and I think we all would agree it doesn't really matter what you shoot, shoot what you want - thank God we have a choice.

I have read through the post on this subject and some really sound upset about what I said or someone else said because it didn't agree with what they thought it should be. But you know, maybe they had their tongue firmly planted in their cheek also. At least, I would like to think so.

If we didn't share our opinions we wouldn't have much of a forum would we? We would all agree. Be pretty boring.

I guess there is a time and place for everything, and this is not the place to joke around. I apologize.

 

[1 old 0311]

Well I just got to say if the video games use semi automatics, and the 'gangstas' use them then they just HAVE to be better.

 

[Lost Lake]

Well I just got to say if the video games use semi automatics, and the 'gangstas' use them then they just HAVE to be better.

And if the CIA, Navy Seals, FBI, Federal Marshals, State Police, Sheriff Department and local police use them,..... well,......

no I suppose that doesn't mean a thing.

If 1 old 0311 uses a wheel gun that is the best. I'm convinced.

How could I be so stupid to spend all this money on these garbage semi-autos?

Thank you for your wise advice 1 old 0311. You are super cool. I want to be just like you some day.