Feeling more secure with a revolver vs. a semi-auto?

[SGT ROCK 11B]

... I noted elswhere, I shoot both. I have experienced multiple semi fails. I have yet to encounter a revolver fail.

You haven't shot enough revolver yet.

I went to the Police Academy, and everyone was issued a four inch .38 Special revolver. Some people had a problem every time we went to the Range. So, the revolver is not fool proof as we did have some fools who eventually flunked out. Now gun enthusiasts will do great with whatever you put in their hands. But the casual shooter not so much.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

I carried a Model 19 2.5” for many years. Long after other agencies had pistols. I always felt at a disadvantage. I was then issued a P229 in 9mm followed by a P229 in 357 SIG. I NEVER had a failure with either one. I was required to shoot once a month, sometimes more.

If one does their research and finds the right pistol and ammunition and most importantly, shoots at least once a month, you can have confidence in that combo. As others have stated, it takes me about a second to clear a stove-pipe in a pistol. Plus, the enemy we face to day are all carrying pistols with high capacity magazines.

Confidence is the most important thing, and I glad you mentioned that.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Lots of different options here. First handgun I trained on was a 1911 .45 ACP
When I got into NRA Bullseye shooting only semi auto .45 caliber was a Colt Gold Cup and a S&W M41 .22
Revolvers are my choice, but never got into a possession where I needed to use it.
Except the Buck I shot with my M29-2 at close range... LOL

 

[Ray Ray]

I'm retired LE and a veteran. I've carried revolvers at the begining, exited the military and carried S&W model 39-2 for years. I now decided on 2 carry guns, Glock 21SF, Gen 3 and Glock 19 Gen 4. I love all of my S&W revolvers but when my life and others are at harm, I depend on what I have perfected, people become targets. I've heard people say that you can't practice for an extremely deadly encounter. You can get so good, you welcome it. Sorry, thinking positive has got me to this old age.

 

[Boxlock]

I hope this question is in the right Forum.

I like both and my collection reflects that but I still feel more secure about my revolvers than I do with any semi-auto I own. I carry either depending on my mood but when the SHTF it's the revolver that will go bang every time.

Does anyway agree? Disagree?

I totally agree and will carry both but I love my "Snubby"! I know it will go bang and continue to do so until I have gone through the cylinder.

 

[Boxlock]

I play with revolvers, I stake my life on a Semi Auto pistol.
I don't carry for fashion, I carry for the stakes.
Anyone who relies on a firearm professionally carries a Semi Auto pistol.

That's called a clue where I come from....

In a law enforcement situation I agree, but for personal protection on the street a revolver, even a five shot revolver is more than adequate. The odds of getting into a protracted gun fight for a civilian are minuscule. Go with whatever you are comfortable but the odds of a civilian getting into a gun fight situation are very very small. You have much more risk just getting into a car or airplane. Be happy, do what you are comfortable with, none of use get out of this world alive.

 

[b737lvr]

In a law enforcement situation I agree, but for personal protection on the street a revolver, even a five shot revolver is more than adequate. The odds of getting into a protracted gun fight for a civilian are minuscule. Go with whatever you are comfortable but the odds of a civilian getting into a gun fight situation are very very small. You have much more risk just getting into a car or airplane. Be happy, do what you are comfortable with, none of use get out of this world alive.

I’ve always said that if someone lives somewhere that a gun battle is an actual situation they need to be prepared for then they seriously need to get out of there and move. Carrying a firearm for self defense is for *self defense*. Anyone who finds themselves in a gun battle in their day to day life screwed up hard at some point leading up to it.

If they day ever comes where people are getting into such gun fights in this nation where I actually do need a Glock 19 for self defense then I’m not sticking around.

 

[Harv 24]

I wish I had the power to predict what my potential self defense fight is going to look like, Where it will happen, how many are involved, How long it will last...

Then I wouldn't even need a gun, I would just stay home that day...lol But apparently many of you who posted have..

It's not going to happen at all... but if it does, it's going to be one guy and it's going to be very close and will need less then 5 rounds. Oh, and you will come out the winner.

 

[b737lvr]

I wish I had the power to predict what my potential self defense fight is going to look like, Where it will happen, how many are involved, How long it will last...

Then I wouldn't even need a gun, I would just stay home that day...lol But apparently many of you who posted have..

It's not going to happen at all... but if it does, it's going to be one guy and it's going to be very close and will need less then 5 rounds. Oh, and you will come out the winner.

Believe it or not you actually do choose when where and how. I don’t pick fights or get into trouble. I don’t go to places where people pick fights and start trouble. I don’t go out late at night. My home defense plan is to stay in my room lock the door and shoot anyone who tries to come in my bedroom door. When someone road rages I get away from them and stay away.

Everything I just said almost completely eliminated virtually any scenario where I might need a firearm. Your first and best self defense option is your common sense. In the extreme rare circumstance where everything I just said fails- the likelihood of me getting into a gun battle is so unbelievably rare it’s comparable to being struck by lightning. I’m willing to bet you don’t go out every day wearing a rubber jacket and rubber hat.

 

[Pat the Gunsmith]

I hope this question is in the right Forum.

I like both and my collection reflects that but I still feel more secure about my revolvers than I do with any semi-auto I own. I carry either depending on my mood but when the SHTF it's the revolver that will go bang every time.

Does anyway agree? Disagree?

Disagree. I was a gunsmith in NYC when NYPD only carried revolvers, Smiths, Colts and Rugers. I also did warranty repairs for S&W and Colt. The overwhelming majority of repairs I did were revolvers, not pistols. Revolvers can fail, some in spectacular ways.
Of course, so does everything else. Revolvers are NOT infallible. Whatever you decide to carry, fire it, a lot! Become proficient. Get training. Know the law in your state. REALLY know the law in your state.

 

[decuerno]

I did have a revolver fail on me once. It was a Ruger Security-Six which I was dry-firing…when the hammer fell half-way…and the action was then completely locked-up.
You cannot disassemble a Security Six unless the hammer is fully-down …and it was locked…. at half-cock…..Completely. The hammer would not cock fully…nor capable of being lowered fully.
Thank goodness it was “dry firing” exercise …otherwise it couldn’t be shipped for repair had it been loaded.
I took it to my gunsmith and he couldn’t unlock it either …so he shipped it to Ruger (who was still in Conn at the time).
A week later it was back…. had new trigger, new hammer, and new springs. It never acted-up after that. (and in-fact saved my wife when a fool broke into her kitchen thru the back door while she was cooking late at night…and found himself facing her holding that gun. The police arrived shortly thereafter and took him to the hospital.)

Revolvers are mechanical. Mechanical things can fail.

 

[Harv 24]

Believe it or not you actually do choose when where and how. I don’t pick fights or get into trouble. I don’t go to places where people pick fights and start trouble. I don’t go out late at night. My home defense plan is to stay in my room lock the door and shoot anyone who tries to come in my bedroom door. When someone road rages I get away from them and stay away.

Everything I just said almost completely eliminated virtually any scenario where I might need a firearm. Your first and best self defense option is your common sense. In the extreme rare circumstance where everything I just said fails- the likelihood of me getting into a gun battle is so unbelievably rare it’s comparable to being struck by lightning. I’m willing to bet you don’t go out every day wearing a rubber jacket and rubber hat.

So basically, don't bother to carry. Odds are in your favor. I don't live where there is tornado's, floods or earthquakes. Don't need home owners insurance. Been driving 45 years, never been in an accident, avoid traffic, drive only on desolate side roads, cancel car insurance. I eat healthy, don't eat bad food, avoid drinking, don't smoke, exercise, cancel health insurance.


Pro tip, I keep a rain jacket in the car....

 

[b737lvr]

So basically, don't bother to carry. Odds are in your favor. I don't live where there is tornado's, floods or earthquakes. Don't need home owners insurance. Been driving 45 years, never been in an accident, avoid traffic, drive only on desolate side roads, cancel car insurance. I eat healthy, don't eat bad food, avoid drinking, don't smoke, exercise, cancel health insurance.


Pro tip, I keep a rain jacket in the car....

The entire point I’m making here is that a 5 shot J frame is incredibly likely to be more than sufficient and perhaps never needed in the first place. I could carry a 2 shot derringer and not feel the least bit under gunned

 

[decuerno]

The entire point I’m making here is that a 5 shot J frame is incredibly likely to be more than sufficient and perhaps never needed in the first place. I could carry a 2 shot derringer and not feel the least bit under gunned

That is a great deal of self-confidence you enjoy.

I would not own a 2-shot derringer…. or any derringer unless it was historical…and I would never rely on it for self-defense.

 

[b737lvr]

That is a great deal of self-confidence you enjoy.

I would not own a 2-shot derringer…. or any derringer unless it was historical…and I would never rely on it for self-defense.

The two times I’ve used a pistol to get someone away from me, when I was an OTR driver, it’s never even made it out of my pocket

 

[Harv 24]

The two times I’ve used a pistol to get someone away from me it’s never even made it out of my pocket

You just expressed how you control enough of the where and when, yet you say "I don’t pick fights or get into trouble. I don’t go to places where people pick fights and start trouble. I don’t go out late at night"

Yet you have had at least two time where you had to "get someone away from me" ,

You are full of contradictions.

I'm done here, I'll continue with my chosen path, and you can do the same.

 

[b737lvr]

You just expressed how you control enough of the where and when, yet you say "I don’t pick fights or get into trouble. I don’t go to places where people pick fights and start trouble. I don’t go out late at night"

Yet you have had at least two time where you had to "get someone away from me" ,

You are full of contradictions.

I'm done here, I'll continue with my chosen path, and you can do the same.

Yeah that’s because those two times were when I was an over the road truck driver and at the time I in fact did not have much choice in a lot of things. I don’t do that anymore, thankfully, specifically because of how absolutely dangerous the job was. But during that time I would use a Glock 19 or SW 442. The 442 was a lot better for sticking in the pocket

 

[Rust E. Badge]

I play with revolvers, I stake my life on a Semi Auto pistol.
I don't carry for fashion, I carry for the stakes.
Anyone who relies on a firearm professionally carries a Semi Auto pistol.

That's called a clue where I come from....

Wow, that's pretty definite. Here's a clue for you - you should be able to fight with eithrr firearm type. I carried a revolver "professionally " until I didn't have a choice, and then it was a semi for another 26-years. I can fight with either and am not married to ignorant decisions. I am however committed to winning. And the revolver has as much, if not more, standing in the fight arena as a semi does.

 

[Donn]

MHO? You should be equally proficient with an auto loader and a double action revolver. If you're not, you aren't as good as you think you are. I have both, am good with either/or, but I'm better with an automatic. If the excrement ever gets real, I want to be better.

 

[Dhawk46]

Carry what you are comfortable with, and shoot well. Only hits count.