I thought it would be interesting to find out the reasoning behind choosing a revolver for house, concealed carry, pocket carry, etc over a small semi auto being flatter, easier to reload and faster to reload under stress, more rounds available Blah-blah-blah? Also, how many of you carry a semi auto with the revolver as backup, or carry a semi auto most of the time? Who switched from a semi auto back to a revolver and why?

I carried a .38spl and .357 for 32 years, mainly since they were the pistols we were issued.Semi-autos were weapons issued until after I retired. In a Self-defense event semi-autos are faster firing, and easier to reload. We used to use speed loaders. Under stress it can be touchy reloading, plus you are limited to 6 rounds. There was a situation here several years ago where two highway patrol officer were in a gunfight at night in the rain. It was a lengthy affair. Both officers were killed. They were using revolvers and their extra ammunition was found on the highway mixed with empty casing. Also the semi-auto pistol in my present opinion, a SW MP .40 Shield is lighter and easier to conceal.

Because I can!

Some most interesting logical and illogical rational and irrational reasoning .....but a good read all around.....

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Hipcocked45

Started LE career with a revolver. Predicted that they would come back when the agency switched to Sigs. My phrophecy was thwarted by the development of the DAO semi automatic, which I consider inferior to the DA revolver in that there is no choice.

Retired, I carried a Colt 1908, .380, for a lot of years. One of my daughters took a shine to it, so I broke out my old Model 42 again. Holster or pocket, it works.

Best wishes,

Jack

REAL MEN CARRY REVOLVERS !

***(I carry a Glock)

Jimmy (wimp)

Another factor: The long, firm, trigger pull of a revolver makes unintended / negligent discharges much less likely.

...reliability.

simple and easy. Point and pull.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

Isn't it obvious.

I was carrying a Beretta 92 until one day the locking lug broke while shooting at the range. After talking to Beretta, they said the recoil spring should be changed every 6000 rnds or this might happen. News to me and the gun had about 6000 rnds thru it. It got me to thinking about going with something more reliable.

Now I carry a Model 60 3". I am more confident it is always going to go bang and not break on me.

Zombie thread from 2008 resurrected.

I couldn't take the time to read 10 pages of replies so this may have been posted already.

The main reason that I heard in support of a revolver over a semi auto was the ability to reload and fire with one hand. A semi auto takes two hands to rack the slide and if you have been hit and one arm is not usable then you can still work a revolver with one hand.

Obviously there is also the issue of jamming with a semi that doesn't usually happen with a revolver.

Personally however, I carry a shoulder holstered S&W model 59 with 15 rounds of JHP's. I will take my chances on a stovepipe or FTF and just like the idea of having 15 rounds compared to 5 or 6. I also carry a 9mm shield back up gun in my waistband with 8 more. If both of those can't protect me then the big guy upstairs really must want me to come home.

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James Redfield
LM #497

As many already said : RELIABILITY first.-
Of course I miss the high capacity of wondernines.-
For that reason I"m considering purchase the 8x snub.-
By now, I carry a model 60 in summer time, and a model 64 with heavy winter clothes.-
And 2 speed loaders in my fanny pack or pocket.-

It's possible to rack the slide on an semi-auto with one hand.

Reloading is extremely rare in civilian defense scenarios, but if I was in a situation where I had to do so, I would much rather reload an auto.

My constant carry is a 360PD AirLite usually AISW.



The super light weight and form factor make it effortless to carry. Shooting it can be a painful operation so I bought a 340 Pro Series all stainless to shoot.

When I bought it I immediately took it out to my backyard range and it locked up tight after the first round. New out of the box failure on a weapon I thought would never fail to fire. Turns out that a tiny metal chip had got into the works and locked it up.

Taking the side plate off and blowing it out fixed the problem but it somewhat unervered me as to revolver's as never fail weapons.

When practical I'll also carry one of my 3rd gen autos. My 4040PD as first choice, but a 3914DAO for it's small size and thinness.



digiroc

Great thread OP. Just got back into shooting after around a 20 year absence. First gun I bought was a 686 pro 4". Really miss my model 27 and Colt Python I sold (sigh). Since then bought 3 semi-autos just for the range and to try other calibers. Really like my Sig 9mm and Dan Wesson .45. Was considering them for carry. But, the Sig was just sent back after 100 rounds because the trigger stuck when I took it apart to clean it. With the Wesson I had a bad mag that FTL due to a faulty spring. Both great guns and I would buy another Sig or Wesson. But I'm reluctant to use them as carry weapons because of the issues. So considering a revolver. When I used to have to walk to the bank everyday with cash I had a chiefs special in my pocket. Thinking 586 L comp or 627PC.

I wonder if the penchant for revolvers is a generational thing. I was the only one in my CCL qualifying class with a revolver the rest were 30 somethings all with plastic semi autos. Really like my semis but I'm thinking wheel gun if my life depends on it.

Love my revolver always there for me never jams

Started out carrying a Model 19 4" in 1970. About 1976 switched to a GM 1911 .45... Carried it till discovering the .38 Super in 1980s and have been carrying a Colt Commander in that caliber ever since.

Reasons:
10 rounds of close to .357 Magnum forepower in a ten shot 31 oz. loaded gun that is far more controlable than a light weight .357.

Very slim, slides inside the wasitband with or without a holster and stays comfortably in one spot all day long.

Fits my hand perfectly and hits where I look.

If I can't hide the Commander then the backup is a Kahr P380. Hides much better than a snubbie and has two more rounds. It is headshot accurate at 25 yards. With a nice smooth 6# DA trigger pull it is safe to carry with or without a holster. Also has excellent night sights...

If woods walking I will generally bring a revolver, either a Taurus Titanium Tracker or a 657 Mountain Gun...both in .41 Magnum. I used to often carry a .22 revolver or semi in the woods but after asking myself the question "What will I need this gun for?", it wasn't for hunting, it wasn't for plinking, it was going to be used for rabid animals, bear, moose, coyote, wolves, cougar and two legged vermin... I would have looked really stupid if I ran into a situation that needed a bigger gun when I had a whole safe full of them at home and just had carried a .22....

Bob

Well, because of a birth defect I can't shoot auto's well at all. I was issued a 1911 when in the USMC, but thank goodness I never had to use it other than to qualify and had issues even with that..grenades were also an issue, but that's a different story!
Anyway, I started carrying revolvers, and honestly, I'd never go back. I don't need 15 shots for self defense, I carry an additional 12 rounds in speed loaders on my belt, so that kind of takes care of the "round count" issue! I carried a Ruger Alaskan in 44mag, for 3 years every day, and when folks comment on the weight (never the looks! ) I just tell them with the right belt and holster, you hardly know it's there!
Now I still have my Ruger Alaskan, but around town I started carrying my S&W Alaskan Backpacker IV! So, now the weight is out the window as an issue as well!
Oh, and of course looking down this "maw" would be NO fun!

I'm curious and a bit confused. You have a birth defect that makes shooting autoloaders difficult, but it didn't disqualify you from military service and you shoot scandium snubnose .44 mag revolvers without any issues?

15 rounds won't likely be needed in a civilian self-defense situation, but you never know. I'm currently fine with a 5-shot revolver for carry most of the time looking at available stats, but will admit to having some concerns with it's low round round. Either way, they will almost certainly be resolved with what's in the gun. Thinking you can make up for low capacity by carrying reloads isn't realistic IMO, especially so with a revolver.

Well, I was born with 6 fingers on my right hand (5 fingers and a thumb), things were not developing properly, so the thumb was removed when I was four and the index finger "adjusted" into the thumbs place. It functions like a thumb, but it changed the hand so that the normal gap between a thumb and the index finger is deeper, which doesn't allow the 1911 or any slide auto pistol to sit where it should. The beaver tale actually rests on what would be the knuckle at the base of my thumb/finger. Very painful to shoot, glocks will actually hit the knuckle when cycling (found that out the hardway). It really didn't become an issue in boot, (Parris Island)that was where the "grenade" possible issue was discovered, the gap in my hand deeper and the concern was that the grenade "spoon" would not be able to be kept squeezed tight enough once the pin was removed. not something to experiment with! Who knew?

I grew up shooting revolvers. When I got hired by the county I had to provide my own gun, so I bought a new 19-7 and a used 36ND. Over the years I have gone on to carry a variety of revolvers, currently relying on a SP-101 and a 340M&P. The only automatics I have carried were the Colt 1991A1 (full size and Commander) and the Keltec P32. I have never felt I was at a disadvantage with my revolver. Given the nature of my job if I ever have to fire my revolver it will most likely be in a really close range, one on one encounter. The revolver excels in that environment.

Beyond any practical considerations, I simply like revolvers. A Glock is a fine pistol, but it doesn't have the style of a revolver.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

I can't purchase or carry any gun with plastic on them. I realize they work great. For me, it lacks the feel of "my gun". I know this isn't logical when contemplating the necessities of a carry gun, but it matters to me. I carry a 2.5" 686+ and a 3.5" Colt Officers ACP 1911 (all steel frame). In a long shoot out (not likely) of course I'd get more rounds out with the 1911. But I love not thinking about the safety and I just love my 686. I do not feel out gunned with 7 rounds of .357 so I carry with absolute confidence.
I carry both guns outside the waist band, even in the summer. My answer is a slightly over-sized tee shirt.

If we KNEW what our gunfight was going to look like we would know exactly what to carry.

Multiple assailants? I have not known of many John Wick or John McClane situations in real life, outside of war. Most conflicts will likely be with only one or two bad guys.

At 25 yards or so, the auto is preferred in a gun fight. One is much more likely to have to fire multiple rounds and a reload becomes more likely as well. Two hands and a proper hold can usually be implemented throughout the fight. The fight will not transcend into a grappling match or struggle for the weapon.

How about a fight at, say, THREE yards or so? Here an assailant may easily CLOSE with you, even after being shot. A revolver is significantly more reliable in such a situation and the reliability factor outweighs the firepower or reload aspects based on odds. The revolver is harder to take away from someone, and less likely to fail due to limp-wrist, muzzle contact, slide interference, etc. In a close fight, I'll take a revolver. Pull trigger, gun goes bang, reapply as necessary, use as impact weapon as needed.

So, most police and civilian gunfights happen, statistically, at what ranges? How many assailants? Most are within SEVEN yards and against ONE assailant. A police officer has help with him or on the way. The CCW holder will likely not make a call for help until after the situation has unfolded.

Statistically in a CCW scenario the advantage is with the wheelgun. I am highly skilled with revolvers and semi-autos and often carry either. I know that, as a civilian, a tense situation will likely devolve into a lethal situation at very close range. If a crystal ball showed such a common scenario to be "my" gunfight, I would very intentionally choose the revolver for practical and not emotional reasons.

Confidence.
How can you be intimidated when you have 6 rounds of 357 Magnum,
125 gr JHP?

Used S&W revolvers the majority of LEO career (66 (had all bbls but the 3"), 686 (all bbls but the 6"), and later transitioned to S&W 1 and 2 Gen 9mms during the "Wonder Nine" years. In retirement I've been a die hard Glock-O-Phile and relied on G-19 exclusively. GREAT CCW imo. More than accurate enough.

But have recently received 66-1 2.5" and am working it into rotation. Just feels like an old friend. But...wish I still had 21 to 41 year old eyes. That R/R front just not as distinct as it once was. Won't alter that classic snubby, just can't do it. Looking now to add maybe a Ruger Speed Six as the front is pinned, or a 686-5 for same reason. Doing respectable targeting as is, but could be more distinct. Don't feel under gunned at all. It's about attitude and skill, not equipment.

Just my .02.

I have gotten lazy since I retired from active law enforcement. Back then, I carried my duty weapon (usually a 1911 clone) off duty as well. After I retired, I worked uniformed security in a Federal office for almost 7 1/2 years and am now completely retired.

Whenever I leave the house, I have a .38 Colt Agent in my pocket, along with a speedloader. A lot lighter load for sure.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!