Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Are revolvers less reliable than semi-autos?

Have you insomuch ever shot a deer with a handgun?

Seriously...

I've had more revolvers fail to function than semi's over the last 40 years. I'll take my G20 or G29 loaded with heavy hardcast bullets over any revolver ever made. The militaries of the world proved over 100 years ago that semi's were more reliable in field conditions than revolvers. Kept reasonably clean and stored in a nightstand a revolver will most likely work perfectly for 1 cylinder full every time. After that the odds tip fast toward semi's.

I would go with a wheel gun for bear defense IF I didn't want to carry a rifle or shotgun. 44 Mag and above if the bear you are wanting to defend yourself from is a Mountain Grizzly or Coastal Brown Bear. For black bear I'd still want a wheel gun .357 mag or above. In almost all scenarios you are better off using bear spray. Scenarios where you would be better off with a gun: the bear is trying to get in your tent. In that case he's in predator mode and you need to fight back with whatever you have handy. He's wounded. You blundered into his kill, he blundered into your kill. I've been in close proximity to bears many times and have never had a problem. I was bow hunting in New Mexico once, set up on a small meadow, and a huge Cinnamon appeared 30 feet to my left, I didn't even hear it until the last second. He turned my way, and not wanting him to get any closer, I stepped forward so he could see me better. He hauled ass. After an underwear check I was good to go.
From the national wildlife service:
The question is not one of marksmanship or clear thinking in the face of a growling bear, for even a skilled
marksman with steady nerves may have a slim chance of deterring a bear attack with a gun. Law
enforcement agents for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have experience that supports this reality --
based on their investigations of human-bear encounters since 1992, persons encountering grizzlies and
defending themselves with firearms suffer injury about 50% of the time. During the same period, persons
defending themselves with pepper spray escaped injury most of the time, and those that were injured
experienced shorter duration attacks and less severe injuries. Canadian bear biologist Dr. Stephen Herrero
reached similar conclusions based on his own research -- a person’s chance of incurring serious injury from
a charging grizzly doubles when bullets are fired versus when bear spray is used.
Here we go....

Herrero's work is tainted by bias and bad methodology. And since when does "investigation" equal "experience"?

Good deal.

Gun, bullet?

Any other particulars?

This from the guy that thinks the .45-70 is inferior to the .30-30.

well I will wait until we start a 51st bear thread before adding more fuel to the fire, and yet I wonder how many shoot and are proficient with a large bore revolver except Max, JWP and a few other? Me I would be better off with a smaller caliber, at least the animal would have a hole or two in it.

Are you on drugs? Maybe you can’t read.

Who would have guessed that a question about the reliability of mechanical devices would devolve into a dick measuring contest? Absolutely unheard of here on the Fire.

As somebody already pointed out, probably nobody who's posted to so far have ever shot a charging bear with a handgun (or maybe even a rifle).

Even a .500 S&W isn't a "stopping" cartridge on big bears.

The one guy I know who killed a close-range, charging 9-foot brown bear with a handgun used 7-shot 9mm S&W auto. He said he'd had preferred his S&W Mountain Gun .44 Magnum, but the 9mm was what he had on him during a fishing trip. (Google Phil Shoemaker., 9mm, brown bear....)

Phils killed a number of charging brown bear with rifles, and would much rather have one of his .30-06's than ANY handgun.

This I agree with completely. I’ve always been skeptical of Herrero’s work.

You know, you just might be, but that is YOU. Not me. Not anyone else. Your abilities are YOUR abilities, your limits are YOUR limits. They have zero relevance to the abilities or limits of anyone else on earth. Assuming others share your limits, or shouldn't try because you didn't succeed ... is both foolishness and arrogance. Likewise, assuming everyone else can just because you can ... is both foolishness and arrogance. You have to learn, and live, YOUR limits. Same as I have to learn, and live, MY limits.

For me, I shoot a .44 as well as any other revolver. I don't shoot semi-autos as well on average. There are a couple exceptions but most simply do not fit my hand correctly for accuracy.

That should not attack your .. competence. That's ME. What works for ME. You really ought to worry more about you, about being comfortable with your limits, and focus less about telling others what to do.

Tom

where do you read I am imposing my limitations or abilities on you? Is "I Wonder" some secret new slang that says "You are" or "You can't"? Where do you read I am assuming others share my limits? Is "I wonder" a new way of saying "you suck"? As far as your abilities with a 44 magnum, I am sure many can shoot one proficiently knocking thrown aspirins out of the air, on the internet anybody can do anything, however I WONDER how many can shoot a 500 SW, or a 454 Linebaugh, or a 475 Linebaugh "proficiently"?