Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 5-shot revolver vs. 15-shot auto for carry/defense

I'm no gunfighting expert, but I've carried revolvers and autos as duty weapons in hostile places, and have been through a few good shooting schools, and done some instructor time as well.

When we were getting ready to invade Iraq in 2003, I was with 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade in northern Kuwait. At a meeting I suggested all us M9 pistol bearers should swap for rifles with those remaining in the rear party. I got looks like I had a dick growing out of my forehead.

I noted a couple years later, that M4 carbines were being issued to everyone in country, not wearing stars....Maybe I wasn't so far off after all.

Long way of saying, if you know you are going into a hostile situation, carry more than a pistol if at all possible.

You are a boor, a loud mouth, scum of the earth GFY

Lighten up Francis,

Travis is good people. We've shared more than one campfire.

I wonder if that muslim in Minnesota was hopped up on opium? That's a lot of rounds to take.

I do dearly love my Glock 23 and my Springfield Champion 1911, carrying both at certain times, especially in winter cloths. I carry my 5 shot Ruger 38 special when I am dressed like the cheap whore that I am, but never feel really comfy with it.

Thanks for the link Mack.

Bugger appears to have more temper than experience. While I own more than a few revolvers, and would use any of them defensively if that's all I had in my hand, I'd MUCH prefer a Glock for it's ability to quickly and accurately place an undetermined number of shots into an unknown need.

My love for 1911's equal my love for revolvers, but a few years ago I reconsidered my values and priorities, and Glocks bumped my 1911s into retirement for daily carry.

I love revolvers.
I have a Smith Model 15 target and a Dan Wesson .357 Vent Heavy.
Great guns....shoot where you point them.

I also have a CZ 75 SP-01....cool piece....19+ friggin 1

It used to be that autos weren't to be trusted.
Might jam...go revolver for self defense.

Now it's a moot point....autos have proven themselves.

So for carry I'm going to try the new Walther single stacker.
PPS M2 .... about an inch wide.
The large mag is 8+1
I'll take my chances with that.

I can't believe somebody thinks I'm good people.

Thanks Shane!

BUMP



Travis

What just happened here today?

I sure would hate to lose a gun fight, because I was out of ammo.

Say what you want, Deflave is cool!!!

same here - for pocket carry. For belt carry, I like the S&W 3913 (for summer) and the S&W 4516 (for winter.

I've since re-assessed that opinion and now prefer a Glock 19. Sold the 442.

The teaching I've had, say differ.

How many shooting classes have you attended ?

Yeah, most police officers now carry wheel-guns. I think not.

It's all good fun. Keep your powder dry.

Nailed it.

my pocket gun......44 Special......200 gr XTP's

Thanks for posting that. But I'm still curious, does anyone know what the cop was using? Pistol? Cartridge? ammo?

I personally prefer a semi-auto like the Shield over the revolver just because it is more comfortable to carry for me and easier to hit with one the distant increases past belly range.

I have not read through all of the posts, but here is my take on the issue. I spent 27 years in law enforcement, carrying both semi and revolver. With lots of training, the semi-auto is fine, but will never be as reliable.

That being said, I have both and carry both. Here is the other side of the coin. My wife has a concealed carry permit. She carries her gun in her purse in its own compartment-cc purse. She carries a Ruger LCR .38, which is super-light and handy. There are many possible scenarios where she would reach in and pull the trigger INSIDE the purse compartment. With an auto, she would have one shot before jamming. The revolver would fire all five times.

Add this to the fact that it takes less training and practice to stay adequate with a revolver, and you have a clear winner. Very few situations are rectified by have a whole gob of ammo in your magazine anyway. A cc situation is quick and over for the most part.

Carry what you wish and argue about it all day long, but to me, the revolver is a clear winner.

My wife saw guys in her cc class that took the fancy, schmancy autos right out of the box and TRIED to go through the class with it. It was a mess and she out shot them all, due to their lack of familiarity with the guns.

That made me chuckle.

On page one of this thread I wrote the following, which was actually a "cut and paste" from something written earlier baout the subject. :


Carrying a revolver does not automatically make one a cooler head in a fight or a surer shot. That is pure hogwash.Stating that anyone who carries a high cap gun or an auto is in the "spray and pray" crowd shows both a lack of intelligence and a lack of real world experience. I suppose it makes them feel better to be the morally superior handgunner. Every time I say that publicly though it ruffles a lot of feathers.

In fact, other than a very few older(badass)PPC shooters that still work the job, the majority of "on the job" wheelgun users that I have had the opportunity to observe (generally jailers/reservists and such) are notoriously poor shooters.

Their reloading skills are a joke too. THERE IS ONLY ONE JERRY MICULEK. The vastly overwhelming majority of LEOs and non LE citizens can reload a semi auto much faster than a wheelgun. I have been a firearms instructor for 15 years and have seen some flat out scary people with both semi autos and revolvers.

THE POINT OF A HIGH CAPACITY SEMI AUTO IS NOT ABOUT SHOOTING MORE, IT IS ABOUT MANIPULATING LESS. Pause,re read and reflect upon that.