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Old 06-29-2014, 07:37 PM
 
Location: Ohio
13,933 posts, read 12,869,476 times
Reputation: 7399

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First, these are just my own personal opinions, so I'm not downing anyone who thinks about it differently. In other words, you don't have to agree, that's ok.......but I just don't understand why so many choose a semi-auto to carry over a compact revolver? I submit that a semi-auto does have some advantages over a revolver, but semi-auto's don't give you any advantage where it counts.....

Point #1 To Consider:
Yeah, semi-auto's are compact, thinner, lighter, and easier to carry, they often hold a few more rounds, they are stylish and just downright cool! But, in a real self defense application, I see NO advantage whatsoever to a semi-auto. First, you probably aren't going to need more rounds then what a revolver can carry in your average self defense scenerio. It's not as if you're going to be in a gun fight, and if you are cornered by more than one or two thugs with their own guns, you probably aren't going to make it out alive anyway, even if you had 100 rounds at your disposal.

Point #2 To Consider
Secondly, semi-auto's are less reliable. Yeah, the differences are minimal, but they are there. There is no such thing 100% reliable ammunition. Even though the fail rate is almost nill on centerfire rounds, it still exists and as long as it exists, it counts. You pull the trigger to a semi-auto and nothing happens, you better hope you have the ability to be able to rack the slide and chamber anoither round. In a high stress situation, this may prove more difficult than you think. You pull the trigger to a revolver and nothing happens? Simple.... you just pull the trigger again and it goes BOOM!

Point #3 To Consider
Third, with a semi-auto you have to worry about jams, FTC's, and FTE's.... Again, you better hope you have the ability to clear any malfunction that might occur. None of these problems exist with a revolver. It doesn't need to eject a shell casing in order to put another round in the chamber. Yes, a revolver might jam or fail to cycle the cylinder, but if that happens, it's going to be an internal problem rather than a user error caused by limp-wristing or defective ammo and I feel more comfortable with my odds with a revolver.

Point #4 To Consider
Fourth, if you find yourself in a situation where you have to use your firearm for self defense, there's a good chance that you've been knocked to the ground and have a thug on top of you. If you pull that semi-auto, and the thug is able to grab that slide and push it back { otherwise known as "knocked out of battery"} you're not going to be able to fire and you're gonna be in trouble..... Yes, it's true that revolvers aren't completely immune to this. A thug could grab hold of the cylinder and keep it from rotating, but that's a lot harder tio do and be successful at.

So, when I was considering what type of firearm to carry, I saw absolutely no advantages to carrying a semi-auto whatsoever over a revolver, at least none where it counted, and in fact, I saw more disadvantages with semi-auto's. So that leaves me with the question, why do so many people carry them? Do you carry? If so, please tell me why you carry the weapon you carry.

Making The Case For Compact Revolvers.....

Thanks for reading.
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Old 06-29-2014, 08:12 PM
 
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
11,157 posts, read 13,961,536 times
Reputation: 14935
Interesting idea. There is no right or wrong answer that is universally true to all who carry concealed. My wife has a S&W Model 60. She would like to pick up a 642 (hammerless J-frame) for her carry gun. I bought her the Model 60 because we agreed her first gun should be as simple to use as possible. She loves it, but wants the hammerless model for carry purposes. I don't have a carry gun, and truthfully it's far enough down my acquisitions list I don't anticipate having one any time soon.
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Old 06-29-2014, 09:01 PM
 
Location: San Diego
50,153 posts, read 46,811,218 times
Reputation: 33984
I like the old snub 30 with no hammer but my glocks are light and hold way more rounds.
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Old 06-29-2014, 10:22 PM
 
Location: Ohio
13,933 posts, read 12,869,476 times
Reputation: 7399
Quote:
Originally Posted by iknowftbll View Post
Interesting idea. There is no right or wrong answer that is universally true to all who carry concealed. My wife has a S&W Model 60. She would like to pick up a 642 (hammerless J-frame) for her carry gun. I bought her the Model 60 because we agreed her first gun should be as simple to use as possible. She loves it, but wants the hammerless model for carry purposes. I don't have a carry gun, and truthfully it's far enough down my acquisitions list I don't anticipate having one any time soon.
I thought about a hammerless but I want to be able to target shoot with it as well and I'd prefer to do that in single action mode.
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Old 06-29-2014, 10:28 PM
 
Location: Tyler, TX
23,662 posts, read 23,982,865 times
Reputation: 14993
I OWB & pocket carry a Ruger LCR sometimes, but usually I'm carrying a Springfield XDS OWB in the cooler months and a small .380 or .32 in my pocket during the summer. I like the LCR sometimes because it's so light, although not quite as light as something like the Kel-Tec P32.

I don't disagree with your points from a technical standpoint, but I think that the chance of any of them actually happening IRL is negligible, and if someone prefers to carry a SA, then more power to 'em.
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Old 06-29-2014, 10:50 PM
 
Location: Ohio
13,933 posts, read 12,869,476 times
Reputation: 7399
Quote:
Originally Posted by swagger View Post
I don't disagree with your points from a technical standpoint, but I think that the chance of any of them actually happening IRL is negligible, and if someone prefers to carry a SA, then more power to 'em.

Yep, I agree. But, for me, if I ever have to use a weapon for self defense, I want every possible advantage and I don't want to leave anything to chance, that's why I chose a revolver.

Sometimes it might be more practical to carry a semi auto in certain situations though, so I may end up getting a sem-auto for CC in additon to my snubby.
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Old 06-29-2014, 11:49 PM
 
Location: Seattle
555 posts, read 801,281 times
Reputation: 520
I use a .32 Beretta semi-auto.

Something to consider, especially in urban areas, is that if you have to use a pistol (of any kind) in self-defense, the smaller guns are better because of the lower probability of 'collateral damage' to bystanders. Most .22-.32 guns will stop most thugs who aren't completely impervious to pain through massive drug use---in that case an auto helps because you'll just have to fire more than once!

As for revolvers, the only problem I ever had with them was getting good holsters that wouldn't stick when they were drawn, but maybe that's just me.

But on Points 1 & 4: I think you really overestimate the courage and determination of most city thugs. Most of them are punks who are too stupid, lazy, and cowardly to hold down jobs---otherwise why would they be thugs and crooks? LOL In most encounters I've ever been in, the minute they even knew I had a gun they'd disappear so fast that their underwear had to catch the next bus to catch up with them! LOL
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Old 06-30-2014, 02:26 AM
 
Location: SWUS
5,419 posts, read 9,179,026 times
Reputation: 5850
Quote:
Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper 88 View Post
First, these are just my own personal opinions, so I'm not downing anyone who thinks about it differently. In other words, you don't have to agree, that's ok.......but I just don't understand why so many choose a semi-auto to carry over a compact revolver? I submit that a semi-auto does have some advantages over a revolver, but semi-auto's don't give you any advantage where it counts.....

Point #1 To Consider:
Yeah, semi-auto's are compact, thinner, lighter, and easier to carry, they often hold a few more rounds, they are stylish and just downright cool! But, in a real self defense application, I see NO advantage whatsoever to a semi-auto. First, you probably aren't going to need more rounds then what a revolver can carry in your average self defense scenerio. It's not as if you're going to be in a gun fight, and if you are cornered by more than one or two thugs with their own guns, you probably aren't going to make it out alive anyway, even if you had 100 rounds at your disposal.


If there have been cases where not even cops could stop the drug-addled or the disturbed with a semi-auto that has standard capacity magazines, what exactly makes you think your revolver is going to do much better? It's not JUST a "few" more rounds. Nowadays there are flush-fitting mags for CZs and Berettas that hold 18+1. Glocks hold 17+1 without extensions. FN .45ACP pistols contain 15rds of .45ACP.

Two women claim they were gang raped by 10-12 "juveniles" in park

This is just one that comes up when one does a Google search. There is an amazing thread on another forum I participate in, but am not allowed to link to because City-Data's rules for linking to other forums are ridiculous.... If you type in "Street Robberies And You" it is the first result on Google. The thread is well over 30 pages long (at 40 responses per page) and has multitudes of members posting about their experiences with home/self defense situations.

Quote:
Point #2 To Consider
Secondly, semi-auto's are less reliable. Yeah, the differences are minimal, but they are there. There is no such thing 100% reliable ammunition. Even though the fail rate is almost nill on centerfire rounds, it still exists and as long as it exists, it counts. You pull the trigger to a semi-auto and nothing happens, you better hope you have the ability to be able to rack the slide and chamber anoither round. In a high stress situation, this may prove more difficult than you think. You pull the trigger to a revolver and nothing happens? Simple.... you just pull the trigger again and it goes BOOM!
Yeah. No. I'd love to see a revolver stand up to the same abuse that a modern semi can take and still be able to fire. There aren't as many spaces for grit to get into. Sweat is a dirt magnet. Problems with a revolver may not be able to be fixed without a gunsmith, which most users are not, whereas parts on a semi can be swapped out with ease in a field setting. The worst case I have ever heard of was not a regular failure, it was a failure caused by the fact a criminal shot a .38SPL 125gr+P through the hand of a guy who was carrying a 1911. Blood jammed the HELL out of the gun because it got into the grip safety- he ended up having to shoot with his weak hand while depressing the grip with his now-crippled strong hand. I envision a similar failure would be likely with a revolver.

Quote:

Point #3 To Consider
Third, with a semi-auto you have to worry about jams, FTC's, and FTE's.... Again, you better hope you have the ability to clear any malfunction that might occur. None of these problems exist with a revolver. It doesn't need to eject a shell casing in order to put another round in the chamber. Yes, a revolver might jam or fail to cycle the cylinder, but if that happens, it's going to be an internal problem rather than a user error caused by limp-wristing or defective ammo and I feel more comfortable with my odds with a revolver.
Define "defective" ammo. Do you not check your defensive ammunition from time to time? You can get weak primer strikes with anything. Bullet setback can happen in a semi. Limp wristing can happen with a polymer framed pistol.

I'd take the failure I could fix with a tap-rack-trigger than the failure that requires more time than it takes to change a magazine.

Quote:

Point #4 To Consider
Fourth, if you find yourself in a situation where you have to use your firearm for self defense, there's a good chance that you've been knocked to the ground and have a thug on top of you. If you pull that semi-auto, and the thug is able to grab that slide and push it back { otherwise known as "knocked out of battery"} you're not going to be able to fire and you're gonna be in trouble..... Yes, it's true that revolvers aren't completely immune to this. A thug could grab hold of the cylinder and keep it from rotating, but that's a lot harder to do and be successful at.
George Zimmerman managed to create enough space to fire while having his head smashed on the ground. Other than that, I do not recall hearing or seeing much of anything suggesting this happens often enough to be reported. Some firearms do have protruding guide rods or barrels that lessen this worry somewhat. I am sure that I hang out on just as many gun forums as you do...


Quote:

So, when I was considering what type of firearm to carry, I saw absolutely no advantages to carrying a semi-auto whatsoever over a revolver, at least none where it counted, and in fact, I saw more disadvantages with semi-auto's. So that leaves me with the question, why do so many people carry them? Do you carry? If so, please tell me why you carry the weapon you carry.

Making The Case For Compact Revolvers.....

Thanks for reading.
While you raise a few interesting points, it is entirely up to you what you want to carry. Semis are usually flatter, there's more aftermarket support for them, and parts for them are just more... common. A magazine holds more than a corresponding moon clip/speed strip, and is quite possibly cheaper. Sights on semis are often better and can be augmented by night sights. There are not nearly as many spaces for grit and grime to get into (ideally, people should check any self defense gun from time to time and clean it if need be, or switch out old ammunition that's been loaded or chambered for fresher stuff.) A good semi is cheaper than a good revolver, since there are more companies making them, and there is more variety as well.

I think that the last reason is simply that people don't typically view things the same way you do. I have met very few people who carry a revolver any other time than in the summer when they can pocket carry with cargo shorts due to a fear of printing and causing a scene. Other than that, semi-auto firearms absolutely dominate the market in full size, compact, and subcompact levels (and I even carried a longslide Glock with a cutout on the top of the slide.... never had any issues).
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Old 06-30-2014, 02:57 AM
 
7,280 posts, read 10,917,839 times
Reputation: 11491
The purchase or ownership of a firearm for concealed carry purposes is a very personal decision, trying to qualify any pros or cons about that decision seeks to make that decision a matter of following some decision tree to come up with the right one.

It doesn't work that way.

That is like asking why women and men marry the person they did and then trying to qualify some decision making process that can be used by them to select someone else.

It makes about as much sense.
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Old 06-30-2014, 03:28 AM
 
2,004 posts, read 3,406,753 times
Reputation: 3774
I carried a Russian made Makarov 9x18 IJ-70 for years until last summer. I traded even with a neighbor for a Colt Offical .38 Special 6 shot made in 1929. I love it.
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