Revolver better than auto for CCW?

Of course there are arguments on either side, but here's mine. I love my revolvers, but for every day carry, it's a M&P 40.

Capacity: 15 + 1

Concealment: I know a snubby is pretty easy to hide in pocket but see above.

Ease of reloading: After 5 or 6 rounds in a gun fight, I know I'll be really rattled. Against dropping a magazine and shoving in a new one, a speed loader or strip just doesn't compare.

I see a nice snubby in my future for a back up gun but my primary weapon will always be an auto.
 
alpinegeo said:
Of course there are arguments on either side, but here's mine. I love my revolvers, but for every day carry, it's a M&P 40.

Capacity: 15 + 1

Concealment: I know a snubby is pretty easy to hide in pocket but see above.

Ease of reloading: After 5 or 6 rounds in a gun fight, I know I'll be really rattled. Against dropping a magazine and shoving in a new one, a speed loader or strip just doesn't compare.

I see a nice snubby in my future for a back up gun but my primary weapon will always be an auto.
Click to expand...

+1 Amen to that!!!!
 
J-Frames are nifty little guns. I own three, out of a total of 18 S&W revolvers. Most of these Smith revolvers could be used in CCW with great efficiency, and I am very comfortable with DA shooting.

My primary, EDC is still a semi, usually a 1911.:D
 
I believe some guys must be under the influence of Action Movies (AMs). You know, the ones where a guy with a semi in each hand, apparently using really hi-cap mags (100? 500?) shatters a quarter mile of plate glass and mirrors while picking-off bad guys who can't even shoot themselves in the foot with an Uzi. I live in the real world, not AM. I don't pass by the OK corral every morning, and the Clampett gang isn't waiting for me there. I'm more likely to get in a shootout with a vicious pit bull than the Wild Bunch. If I have to defend myself against a mugger (or 2, maybe) the five rounds of 357 in my 340PD will serve. I practice 50rds a week with that gun or it's sister, and I hit what I shoot at. I don't even carry a reload. If I'm faced with a large gang of armed killers, I'm running real, real fast.
 
I'm really disturbed that the thought would cross your mind about leaving brass behind. :? However, I don't think you meant anything nefarious about it. ;) There's just some things that shouldn't ever be done, and leaving the scene is one of the biggies.

That said, if your safety is of paramount concern, you might just have to exit....just be prepared to be called on the carpet about it later. Just picture having had to stop an assailant of minority status in a minority neighborhood...and a crowd gathers, and they get hostile. Okay, you get the drift.

Now then, there are some distinct advantages to revolvers, and particularly for CCW. Things can often happen at contact distance. The wheel is not likely to jam.
 
High capacity autos are good peace-of-mind carry weapons for civilian SD. For some, that's an important part of their daily carry Psyche. I can appreciate that, for sure. But along with high capacity comes extra bulk and weight which will eventually become an issue.

Hi-cap autos are a definite benefit and paramount in the military and law enforcement theater of operation. Daily life and death scenarios are the norm and deployment into hot zones are expected and anticipated.

I go to the mall.

In the real world, the average distance involving domestic shootings occur within 20 feet and only lasts a few seconds, at a rate of only a few rounds being discharged.

It's good to be prepared. It's important to always carry regardless of what you choose to carry.

I'm prepared. :)
 
pinkymingeo said:
I believe some guys must be under the influence of Action Movies (AMs). You know, the ones where a guy with a semi in each hand, apparently using really hi-cap mags (100? 500?) shatters a quarter mile of plate glass and mirrors while picking-off bad guys who can't even shoot themselves in the foot with an Uzi. I live in the real world, not AM. I don't pass by the OK corral every morning, and the Clampett gang isn't waiting for me there. I'm more likely to get in a shootout with a vicious pit bull than the Wild Bunch. If I have to defend myself against a mugger (or 2, maybe) the five rounds of 357 in my 340PD will serve. I practice 50rds a week with that gun or it's sister, and I hit what I shoot at. I don't even carry a reload. If I'm faced with a large gang of armed killers, I'm running real, real fast.
Click to expand...


I live near Detroit. That said two or more BGs is not that uncommon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_O_0E8e3h0&feature=channel
He had a rovoler. He run out of ammo.
 
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Don't be disturbed Victor,
I am not some psyco. I am more likely to use my CCW to put a deer or antelope hit by a car out of its misery than to meet a two legged threat.
That being said, In my state it is illegal to shoot a game animal that is mangled but still alive. after it has been hit by a car. The Game and Fish department also has more authority than the state police. They use EVERYTHING at their disposal to investigate any crime against the game animals of Wyoming.
I have and will if I see an animal that is going to die a painful death put that animal out of its misery. I respect the animal.
I don't want to leave shell casings behind.
Just one view.
 
I wonder what is the aveage # of rounds fired in a public self defense situation? Real life is not the movies where you empty a 17 round clip & reload. If you are unable to hit the attacker after 6 rounds you should really run instead of holding your ground.
 
shootmeselfinfoot said:
I wonder what is the aveage # of rounds fired in a public self defense situation? Real life is not the movies where you empty a 17 round clip & reload. If you are unable to hit the attacker after 6 rounds you should really run instead of holding your ground.
Click to expand...

Some of us had knee surgery and running is not an option.
 
I didn't notice it, it just sorta happened; one day I became a pistol man. A lot has to do with the available alternatives. When I was younger, you didn't have much choice in carry autos. Now, there are not just a few, but a number of good choices that combine small size, shootability, and reliability in very reasonably priced packages.

All my life I swore by the j-frame revolver, but I've switch to the automatics over time for a number of reasons.

First, the ammunition. The 9MM is better then a 38spl and the 45 ACP is just about impossible to beat for self defense. Yes the 357 beats a 9MM, but I'm not one to load them up in a j-frame for daily carry. Yes, you can get a 9MM or 45ACP revolver, but my personal experience is that the 9MM suffer from some reliability problems, and the 45ACPs are fairly big guns. Got to give the autos the + here.

Second, the cleanup. If I carry a gun, I shoot it. I like to know it is reliable, and make sure it gets cleaned and the ammo rotated on a regular basis. The autos are hands down easier to clean. Got to give them the + here also.

Next, the reliability issue. I do agree it is tough to beat revolver reliability, but, I have never had an automatic that I could not get back into action by myself. I have, however, sent both my 640 and my 940 back to S&W for a problem I could not resolve myself. Most auto problems stem from lack of maintenance or bad ammo. These are problems that are easy to avoid. My experience with revolver problems are that, although rare (very very rare), they tend to be mechanical problems that take the gun out of action for good when they happen. All in all, I'd say that reliability is at best a push, but my personal opinion again is to give it to the auto.

Finally, capacity and reload. Yes, there are folks that can speed load a revolver faster then you can change a magazine, but I am not one of them. I agree that you probably don't need the extra rounds, and in fact rarely carry a spare magazine, but what can it hurt? I guess that I have to give it to the auto here again.

Does this mean that I feel bad about carrying a j-frame for defense - of course not. It just means that given the choice I'll go for the auto in almost every situation.
 
007BondJamesBond007 said:
You can use you revolver for paper target if you like. I feel 6 shots against two with Glocks you will change your mind fast.
Click to expand...
I'd rather avoid such a situation altogether, but against those odds, a trained shooter with six rounds can be more effective than two unschooled yokels with 34.

Either option is viable. If you shoot a pistol better, and you have one that's reliable, then it's the best choice. If (like me) you shoot a revolver better, then that's the best choice.

(Disclaimer: I once traded a Python for a Beretta because it held fifteen rounds :rolleyes:)

If you have followed the correct CCW rules, then why would you have to worry about empty shell casings?
Click to expand...
Not sure what was originally meant, but it's much easier to police and collect brass at the range with a revolver.

Now, in a self-defense situation, I wouldn't be leaving shells on the ground unless I reloaded. Of course, I'd also be the first person contacting law-enforcement, so it's a moot point.
 
los said:
I'd say a Revolver is far more superior to a Semi-Auto as a SD CCW.

The revolver will never have any of the common failure propensities specific to semi-autos such as..:

FTF (failure to feed)
FTE (failure to eject)
Stove Piping
Limp Wrist Syndrome
Premature Slide Lock
Premature Mag Drop
Hot casings bouncing off your forehead (ouchy mama !)

Firing out of battery
Click to expand...
 
DustyJacket said:
I switched from a compact 9mm to a .38 snubbie.

I wanted something I could leave loaded forever and not worry about spring fatigue or anything like that. I know I have at least 5 shots. More with a reload.
Click to expand...

Yes, my feeling too.
 
Let's face it. The only ones who really need high capacity are cops. For the rest of us, the best offense is to flee a dangerous situation. Most likely you won't be cornered like they make up in movieland. It's not a matter of cowardice. The probability of saving your own life is better when you leave it to your legs than leaving it to your aim.

I'm sure you heard self defense lessons where an attacker with a knife is just as deadly within X yards as one with a firearm.
 
I have always been and will be a revolver guy.When I started out in the shooting sports I looked @ semi's basically being a "Tool".With a revolver I was drawn to both its simplicity and its function as a work of art.As a CCW it was the right chioce for me.The safety is between the shooter's ears and if TSHTF point and pull trigger.No BOOM? Pull trigger again and BOOM.With civilians capacity will rarely be a issue because statistically we will not have multiple assialiants.If you have to go to your tactical reload you are in the wrong neighborhood and having a very bad day.My instructor was both a NRA and LE Instructor who rammed in our heads 1 target 1 shot.If you have to take a second thier better be a damn good reason.With the advent of the super nines with 17+1 capacity many times marksmanship goes out the window and we hear all about spray and pray.With becoming a NRA CFI I jumped into the world of semi's ,but my 640 and Detective Special are my go to guns...God Bless...Mike
 
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