Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns revolver as first centerfire handgun?

What would you recommend to newer shooter as their first centerfire handgun. It would be mostly range gun and bedroom/home defense gun. I use to advise female friends to polymer striker-fired 9mm (glock19 size) but I'm coming to conclusion that this maybe a mistake. Most have difficulty racking the slide despite all the "tricks and techniques" described, most also won't practice with it enough to become familiar with it. While my male friends who are not gun enthusiast can rack the slide of pistols without issues, they also tend not to practice as often as they should to become familiar with said firearm. They basically take the initial handgun safety course and maybe hit the range once or twice a year.

So given the above situation, I'm re-thinking that maybe a 4" barrel midsize 357mag revolver(GP100/SW686) would be best for them. Loaded with mild 38spec for practice and maybe 38+p for self defense.


What are your guys thoughts?

Everyone is different.

Take new shooter to the range and see if they can handle the Glock (or similar). Gauge the new shooter's interest/ability/enthusiasm and let that be your guide.

Revolvers are so intuitive it's hard not to understand how to use one. Also, no shell casing flying, no slide moving, and can anticipate shot from hammer drop.

Depends on the person, but the learning curve of safe use and handling is certainly shorter with revolvers. Autos may be easier to hit with for many.

If I could have only one CF, the one the OP describes seems about right for my use.

A long gun might be a better option, but if that is off the table then it seems to me that in a bedroom/home defense situation, it is unlikely that racking the slide is going to come into play. Grab a pistol with a round already in chamber and fire away. If 10/12/15/17 shots doesn't resolve the situation, I doubt another mag is going to help. It is possible that the shooter might need to clear a malfunction, but unless the malfunction occurs in the first 5 shots, she is still ahead of the game with a pistol, and it is a much easier trigger pull.

If at the range if she can't rack the slide on a pistol, take someone along who can. My $.02, consider the source!

Ideally, a pre-82 S&W Combat Masterpiece or Target Masterpiece.

If you can find a grip which accommodates a particular shooter's hands, revolvers are a good option. The Ruger GP/SP series are a little better in this regard. If you can find a old 4" K frame 38, those are good too. Service stocks with a grip adapter for small hands, goodyears for folks with bigger mitts.

Perfect

I do not agree with this statement

I just don't recommend revolvers for new defensive shooters. For sport shooters, they're fine, but for defense, they just come with too much baggage.

If you don't have the hand strength to cycle a slide, then a DA trigger action is going to be a big challenge also...Too hard to rack the slide, choose a different pistol (something like Shield EZ).
Recoil management in a semi-auto is much better. Grip shapes tend to be better (and more grip shapes to choose from).
For carry revolvers are typically a touch too heavy, or too light. Too heavy and they tend to get left home. Too light, and they can't handle the recoil.
Revolvers also have very a short sight radius, coupled with a long, heavy, trigger pull which tends to pull those sights off target.

I would only recommend a revolver after the auto pistol options have been exhausted.

Regardless of perceived attribution of efficiency, effectiveness, or other assigned value. A person should have a gun that they like. Well not the end all of pertinent consideration, it should not be discounted.

????

For defense, I assume we're talkin about small, short barreled revolvers.

The OP asked about a range/bedroom/home defense handgun. And specifically mentioned a 4" GP100/S&W586.

Well put.

We know that it is not the tool, but the operator that makes the difference. If you're dealing with someone who whines about not being able to rack the slide on a Glock, then they won't handle a revolver any better. Tell them to make up their mind as to whether they want to live or die - cause it is their choice.

It is tempting to chase down the perfect weapon for someone who doesn't take their defense seriously. But I've come to the conclusion that it is a waste of time. IMHO of course.

Auto loaders are a much better option

Oh man you said it.

How many people have we all seen who buy a handgun, take it out shooting one time, and think they're good. That's maddening, but it happens ALL the time.

I have seen a novice shooter who shoot a Smith M60 better than a full sized auto like a G17. I think it boils down to less opportunity to flinch with the long DA trigger.

Although autos are usually a better solution, for some who are not really gun people even something like a Glock or M&P without a safety has a more ‘confusing’ manual of arms than a DA revolver.

It really boils down to the individual and not the firearm. Some people just get along with revolvers better and vice versa. Both have been successful employed for over 100 years so I would go with what the individual feels most comfortable with.

But it COULD be good. For them.
A great majority simply think owning a pistol/revolver and sometimes even carrying it is enough.

Few are ready to hit anything intentionally. Especially another human being.

The S&W Model 10 is a fine start. Plenty of good ones out there and good .38 loads too.

Unfortunately, I find most pistols are much harder to rack the slide on than the trigger pull of a double action revolver such as on GP100 or SW 686. Also this is not a carry conceal handgun. So no 12oz 1 7/8" 357mag shooting full mag loads. It would be a home defense and range gun.

I don't think women or elderly people who have difficulty racking the slide of pistol as bunch of whiners and complainers. I think they have legitimate concerns. Yes, one could have fully loaded striker fired polymer gun ready to go, but what I have discovered with my wife is that lack of practice had her not only struggling with racking the slide but now she started limp wrist the handgun causing it to jam about the third round.

I also discover she sometime did not grip the handgun strongly enough to deactivated the grip safety. Also happened to another lady friend. So I'm a little leery of the Shield EZ but it is something I will definitely check out for her. I shot a Shield in 40SW and that thing had some pretty go flip on the recoil. Hoping the 9mm isn't as bad.

Now that I've read all these posts, I think the answer might be that perhaps they shouldn't own a handgun if they're not going to practice and become familiar with it?