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

[therevjay]

Revolving pistol?

Actually on a technical basis no. It's like the difference between a "mag" and a "clip." To most people the difference doesn't really matter, but then there's guys like me who get caught up in technicalities.

All handguns are pistols. As my expert witness I'll quote Sam Colt who discribed his handguns as pistols in his patent apps.

I rest my case.

 

[Lost Lake]

Careful, now! Someone with far less experience than you will soon chime in that carrying a revolver is putting you at a tactical disadvantage, and when the armed terrorists storm your location, you'll be screwed with a 6 shot revolver. It's funny how real world experience gets ignored or written off as "lucky for you so far", while internet rumor and tactical TV shows pushing a product are treated as gospel! Stay safe, brother!

I'll be that guy!

If you are traveling 30 miles in a car that gets 15 mpg do you only take 2 gallons of fuel?
If you want to scuba dive for 20 minutes do you take 20 minutes of oxygen?
Do you have more than 50 feet of fishing line on your reel?

When I cary my .380 with only 6 rounds I feel vulnerable. Same with my .357 so it's not the number of rounds. I get a warm fuzzy feeling with an unlucky 13 rounds of 9mm or 17 rounds of .40.

So maybe it's just the number of rounds that scares me the most. I can promise you when a gang of 10 or more come at you in Milwaukee (happened at least twice this year so far) pointing a six shooter at them is just going to make them madder. We've had Mac 10's on the streets here for a long time... When they come after me I'll be running and shooting (and screaming and wetting myself) if only to make myself more visible in case some good guys want to help out....

 

[kbm6893]

I'll be that guy!

If you are traveling 30 miles in a car that gets 15 mpg do you only take 2 gallons of fuel?
If you want to scuba dive for 20 minutes do you take 20 minutes of oxygen?
Do you have more than 50 feet of fishing line on your reel?

When I cary my .380 with only 6 rounds I feel vulnerable. Same with my .357 so it's not the number of rounds. I get a warm fuzzy feeling with an unlucky 13 rounds of 9mm or 17 rounds of .40.

So maybe it's just the number of rounds that scares me the most. I can promise you when a gang of 10 or more come at you in Milwaukee (happened at least twice this year so far) pointing a six shooter at them is just going to make them madder. We've had Mac 10's on the streets here for a long time... When they come after me I'll be running and shooting (and screaming and wetting myself) if only to make myself more visible in case some good guys want to help out....

Well, speaking as someone who has actualy responded to shootings, and not someone who read about them in a newspaper, I can assure you that once you fire a shot (if you even have to since pulling a gun usually ends the fight), those ten guys are gonna scatter like roaches when the kitchen light comes on. None of them are gonna be the ones to gamble if they're gonna be the ones to take a bullet. If you live in a high crime area where gangs roam with impunity, then I guess I could see the benefit of a high cap auto. If you live in an area where Mac-10's are common (the weapon of choice for gang banging lowlifes with a second grade education and long rap msheets), you hve more problems than the gun you choose to carry, because your 17 shot 9MM isn't gonna save you if a gang of lowlifes with Mac-10's are intent on doing you in. Personally, I'd expend my energies on relocating over what i carry.

 

[AZretired]

Really can't add anthing except to say, barring a Zombie Apocalypse I'll stick with a revolver.

Sent from my Ally

 

[badge 851]

It all comes down to what you have trained with, and how much you have trained. At the young and tender age of 61 I CHOOSE to continue to carry, train, and shoot revolvers. They have never failed when I needed them. I can't say that about a semi-auto; others can, but I can't. Having seen the elephant, and having survived; I'll stick with my seven revolvers. As always YMMV (but mine won't). Regards...........

 

[kbm6893]

It all comes down to what you have trained with, and how much you have trained. At the young and tender age of 61 I CHOOSE to continue to carry, train, and shoot revolvers. They have never failed when I needed them. I can't say that about a semi-auto; others can, but I can't. Having seen the elephant, and having survived; I'll stick with my seven revolvers. As always YMMV (but mine won't). Regards...........

I agree. Carry what you're comfortable with, but don't disregard revolvers because of some perceived notion that you may be taken hostage by a bunch of gang bangers who aren't going back to prison for the rest of their lives so you may have to pull a John McClane to get out of there. On some other forum, I recall participating in a discussion much like this one. One of the posters (and he was dead serious) said 'Look at the movie"Die Hard". Imagine if John McClane only had a 5 shot revolver against the terrorists. He wouldn't have had a chance". The line between the real world and the fantasy world is very faint with some people, and in some cases, not there at all. You fire a shot at 4 guys trying to rob you, and the're gonna head for the hills. And they're not gonna care that you jusy fired 1 shot out of a revolver and you only have 5 more.

 

[photoman]

Revolver... Semi-auto... Whatever! Just HAVE a gun.

 

[johngalt]

I don't carry, but my chosen home defense gun is a M625 in .45 auto. I like 1911's better, and have been shooting them for a long time. The reason I finally went with the 625 is I often load/unload as it goes in and out of the safe. I am a bit uncomfortable with repeatedly chambering rounds in the 1911 because of possible bullet setback.

The 625 seems a little safer in that respect - just dump the moonclip and put it away when I leave, pull it out and drop the moonclip back in when I get home.

 

[Armed Babysitter]

I think the chances of "joe average" who doesn't hunt felons, serve warrants, kick in doors or storm beaches seeing any of these things are less than mine.

I agree. Ones life experiences often dictate the measures in which they take to try to ensure their safety. With the exception of storming beaches, my experiences doing all of the above are why I carry everyday, and why I carry my duty weapon that I am familiar and comfortable with.

Just yesterday, at the Stop-N-Rob a mile from my house, I ran into a lifelong criminal who I put behind bars last spring. He eyed me the entire time, never saying a word. The day may come when I encounter someone whom I've put in jail or had a run in with and they may choose to try to come at me, I hope not, but it is a possibility.

 

[jwk]

If you go up against 10 guys, all of whom are armed with firearms, my guess is that the best firearm you can have with you is the cheapest one you own. Leave the good ones at home so your wife can sell them to pay for your funeral because with those odds, I think you are toast.

 

[jwk]

The perfect personal defense handgun is the one that works best for you. It doesn't matter to you what works for me or what the latest gun guru of the month says.

1. With your lifestyle can you really carry your chosen firearm every day, all day? Try living in South Texas where it is too hot for covering garments most of the year, especially if you have to work in an environment that requires a tucked in shirt. Unless you can really wear a tuckable (I can't) that means a pocket gun or ankle holster. A J frame rides in my front pocket just fine.

2. Can you run the gun well? I shoot a revolver just a tab better than an auto. I see folks all over the board. Find the gun that you can run well even if it isn't the latest cool beans deal out there.

3. What fits your hand the best? That is a bigger deal that most folks realize. For instance I can't run a gun with fingergrooves. They just are always in the wrong place for me.

4. What is your budget? Some folks can only afford one handgun and it has to do full duty for them. Some folks full duty requires a big wheelgun. Others can afford a different gun for every occasion. I would rather see you carry a 4" K frame police trade in than not carry because you haven't saved enough nickles to buy your dream custom 1911.

5 Can your spouse or significant other use your handgun in an emergency? The biggest handgun my wife can handle is a J frame .38. Little bitty lady, little bitty short fingers. When she tried a J frame and replaced her Walter PP with it, I switched to a J frame as well. She works in my office. Most of the time, work time or off work we are together. Now if the poo hits the fan, I know she can run my carry gun. I can run hers. The spare ammo in my back pocket or in her purse will fit either gun. Is that important? I hope I never have to find out but it makes sense to me.

6. Will you carry your chosen gun every day, all day? I know the saw about comforting not comfortable but most folks won't carry something that is uncomfortable. I love N frames and 1911s but I can't make them fit into my everyday life with what I do for a living. If I was a rancher or farmer, darn right I would carry a N frame every day in a good holster on a good belt. If I had to go into town, untuck the shirt or put on a covering garment.

Just my thoughts. Your situation may be wholly different than my own. Do your own analysis and figure out what works best for you.

 

[GKC]

On some other forum, I recall participating in a discussion much like this one. One of the posters (and he was dead serious) said 'Look at the movie"Die Hard". Imagine if John McClane only had a 5 shot revolver against the terrorists. He wouldn't have had a chance".

Movie guns never run out of ammo...or, on the rare occasion they ever do, then you throw it at the bad guys. I get a laugh counting the shots fired in a given scene...for example, in "Open Range" Kevin Costner fired 14 shots from one 6 shot revolver without reloading. In a discussion about the film, Costner acknowledged it, but said stopping to reload would have ruined the scene.

What we need, gentlemen, are movie guns. Or, ask the bad guys to freeze the scene until we can reload.

 

[kbm6893]

Movie guns never run out of ammo...or, on the rare occasion they ever do, then you throw it at the bad guys. I get a laugh counting the shots fired in a given scene...for example, in "Open Range" Kevin Costner fired 14 shots from one 6 shot revolver without reloading. In a discussion about the film, Costner acknowledged it, but said stopping to reload would have ruined the scene.

What we need, gentlemen, are movie guns. Or, ask the bad guys to freeze the scene until we can reload.

And that 6 shot revolver would only have 5 rounds since single action revolvers were never carried with a hammer on the round. Sometmes movie producers do try to get it right, but they forget to only load 5.

 

[Springfeildkid585]

And that 6 shot revolver would only have 5 rounds since single action revolvers were never carried with a hammer on the round. Sometmes movie producers do try to get it right, but they forget to only load 5.

I wouldn't say never, I'd say rarely. There were wannabe rambos even back then(though they obviously wouldn't be called rambos) who carried their revolvers fully loaded resting on a live round.
This thread truly boils down to preference. There are advantages to both. I choose 1911 because I trust Browning's designs and like the weapon. I would gladly carry a revolver as a BUG.(Though not a DAO because I can't stand firing double action)

 

[wogentry]

The interesting thing about this thread is that I remember as a kid (late 70s early 80s) standing around the magazine rack at the Ft. Sam Houston PX reading gun magazines while my mother shopped. The primary topic/headlines in all these magazines was the revolver vs semi auto argument. I remember articles about the death of revolvers as semi autos were gaining in the LE arena. And 30 - 40 years later the same debate rages on.

I cut teeth on a Mod 14 with a six inch barrel my father bought for my mother. He preferred the 1911A1 (he's retired Army) and my mother preferred a revolver (she grew up in Mexico and her father carried a SAA in .45). While Dad didn't like revolvers and much less the.38 Special he let me shoot it (and I fired thousands of rounds) and insisted I practice loading with speedloaders and single rounds over and over without looking at the revolver. He insisted everytime I fired a round with any weapon I utilized good marksmanship and not just "waste ammo". Even though I fired and trained on his 1911s, fired 9mm and 45s in the Military/competition, own several 1911s and am very comfortable carrying and using semi autos, I always tend to gravitate back to revolvers ( in any caliber). They feel right in the hand, point naturally and reloading them is a matter of muscle memory these days. So I think its a matter of training, quality tools, tactics and timing that matter over the platform.

 

[everReady Rob]

Lotta truth in what you say wogentry and I also notice that you hardly ever see a revolver on tv. Like every gun fight is at least 20 rounds with the dramatic reloading. The _kids_ aka 20 yr olds think that is pretty neat. Don't mention to them that the average gun fight according to police reports is 3 rounds, last maybe 2 seconds, from around 10 yards. Don't tell them that - they won't believe it anyway - because on tv or the movies its not that way.

 

[Lost Lake]

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.

 

[photoman]

If you go up against 10 guys, all of whom are armed with firearms, my guess is that the best firearm you can have with you is the cheapest one you own. Leave the good ones at home so your wife can sell them to pay for your funeral because with those odds, I think you are toast.

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.

 

[flycaster]

Talking about the "average gunfight" reminds me of the old saw about a guy who drowned in a lake with an average depth of four feet.

Chuck

 

[Tracer_Bullet]

Both. Carry an auto as a primary gun and a J-frame revolver as a BUG. Or vice-versa, carry a service revolver as a primary and a small auto as a BUG.
Seriously though, each person should carry what works best for them and what they are most comfortable with.