Revolvers vs. Semi-Autos

[thepond]

Hello NAA'ers. I compliment you & NAA for an exceptional forum. New to the Mini, I'm impressed with the quality, performance and with NAA's service & attitude.

That brings me to a question of the forum. I have carried for more than 4 decades – I'm older. I started with revolvers, carried a .375 Mag for many years. I added a Beretta 950 given size and trusted it, regardless of the jokes regarding the caliber.

Over the years, I've accumulated a number of semi-autos and enjoy them all, especially in competition. I wouldn't give any of them up.

Now, older, I predominantly rely on revolvers again for SD. Ironically, most friends are also transitioning to revolvers – including retired LEOs ... Experience or age? We are all quite proficient with autos. They run flawlessly when maintained ... All things mechanical are prone to failure, with the more complex the more likely to do so. On the range, in competition, it's simply a bad day.

Whatever the driver, the market is obviously responding – revolvers are plentiful, in all shapes ...
Self-defense is a very different objective. While I have NO qualms with my NAA as primary, I keep my Model 60 357 in range (with a couple of spreed loaders), when possible. True, I keep my Beretta / Trijicons handy at home; however, with 11 rounds loaded, it is heavy – too heavy to pretend I'll carry it with any regularity – if ever. The 1911s are even heavier, bulkier ... But then, a shotgun is infinitely more effective should the occasion arise while home.

A point of curiosity – are you seeing or feeling the same? I do not live in a "war zone", nor have I had occasion to need them for SD against the human element – fortunately. True, times are "a-changin". Simplicity seems good. Ultimately, they all depend upon proficiency anyway.

A Mini convert.

[TwoGunJayne]

The older I get, the less sh*t I can stand to carry. Bad backs and knees can affect carry choices, most certainly.

With minis, I get several. Trying to stow a full size or regular compact semi just isn't happening in the summer where I live. Clothing eliminates those options, mostly.

Minis give you a 24 hours a day, 365 a year option for deep concealment carry.

Like the old saying: A 1911? That's great, where is it?

[Classanr]

All my revolvers are BP, thus single-action.  Heavy suckers except for my recent Earl.  I'm not carrying those BP blasters, except the Earl 22MAG C&B.  Earl is destined for carry opposite my Guardian 32acp, which I have carried since 1998 everywhere and always except where they throw up metal detectors.  I put up with the "extra" weight of the Guardian compared to Carol's KelTec P32 with laser primarily because that Guardian cannot be destroyed, and many's the time the KelTec would not have come out unscathed from my rigors in life.

At 53 I started carrying full time.  This gets to the poster's question.  In my profession, that meant deep concealment and *never* accidentally exposing or even hinting I go armed.  Thin, small and non-destructable became essential.  At that time, there was no NAA 22Mag revolver, so I went .32acp Guardian.

I never regretted the decision.  I never had a hammer catch on anything.  Never had equipment failure, never had a "tell" bulging somewhere, never had holster questions.  But then I make a point at keeping the device in operative shape, and am careful with what I use for ammo.

I think the revolver revolution is coming from people like me (us?) who say "What the heck, let's make the next few guns be revolvers, just to keep the options open."

[Uncle_Lee]

I carry mainly (large guns) semi autos because I can no longer pull the trigger on a double action revolver. If I had to give up double action, might as well go thin and high capacity. 

[Fireside Mike]

I think for most who need ease and low weight a DA revolver is the only way to go.  I love my mini because I grew up watching single actions on tv and believe a SA may also prevent blowing through 5 of 6 rounds and then wishing you had one more when you're out. 

[engtee]

People also forget that about half of all self-defense encounters are up close and personal, ala Travon Martin. When pressed against an assailant, a revolver cannot be taken out of battery. A semi can.

[MR_22]

Welcome aboard!

I carry both autos and revolvers. I'm torn on which I like better. Frankly, I love that you have to do less reliability testing for a revolver. Yes, revolvers can jam, and yes, you need to make sure the ammo you carry shoots in them, but there's less to go wrong.

Currently, my primary winter carry gun is an auto--a Beretta 96 in .40S&W, and my summer primary carry is a Taurus 856 lightweight magnesium revolver in .38-Special. And, of, course, the NAA backups. I have carried a Pug Magnum, Black Widow Magnum, .22LR, and my Sidewinder Magnums. I've also carried a Guardian .32ACP and Guardian .380ACP. I'm planning to carry my new Guardian .25NAA soon.

Over the past year or so, I have really "come back" to revolvers, specifically Taurus. I have them in .38-Special, .357-Magnum, 9mm, and .40S&W--all great little snubbies.

[TwoGunJayne]

I think the best advantage of a revolver is that "second strike" on a bum primer lands on a fresh cartridge.

With a semi, you've got to "tap-rack-bang," hoping your piece doesn't have a funky mechanism design preventing this...

[MR_22]

I think the best advantage of a revolver is that "second strike" on a bum primer lands on a fresh cartridge.

With a semi, you've got to "tap-rack-bang," hoping your piece doesn't have a funky mechanism design preventing this...

Not so with my Beretta 96--at least the racking part. It's DA/SA, so if for some reason the round doesn't ignite, I can pull the trigger again and give it a second chance. Of course, it's the same round I'm attempting to fire and the gun doesn't advance to the next round, but I don't have to be fiddling with the slide. I also like that subsequent shots after the first double-action shot are all single-action shots.

Of course, this is only the case with "F" type Berettas, which also have a decocker. I also have some "F" type Beretta Cougars. The "D" type Berettas are DAO with no decocker, but the "no racking to restrike" also applies there, too.

Even with my carry autos, I'm generally a double-action type of carrier.

[TwoGunJayne]

When I was in the service, they said not to give a FTF a second chance.

To make a choice between DA restrike or a quick 1-2-3 failure drill that's the same every time could cost precious split seconds when things count.

Something to note about the B96 is that by pressing the barrel into a target, the barrel and slide assembly slide backwards out of battery. It's the only thing I really don't like about the design.

[223fan]

Until I got my mini mag I carried a glock 36. It fits my hands well and is accurate to boot. I find my myself carrying the mini all the time now. I still like my glock though. Truth be told I do prefer revolvers though.

[Javier C.]

Carry varies for me.  Usually, when I go out, I'll have either a Beretta  BU9 Nano w/extended magazines or a I.O., Inc. Hellcat micro.380.  However, for backup in case something fails with the semi-auto, whether it be poor ammo choice or a weak follower spring in a magazine, I have the NAA mini revolvers, which will shoot anything that the cylinder is designed to hold.

The semi-autos are heavier firepower with light weight, but the light NAA wheelguns can do enough damage to stop an attack if shot placement is right.  (I would aim for the throat, eyes, or the genitals if using the minis.)

[roger]

I didn’t get a concealed carry permit until after I had retired and started traveling in my trailer. I wanted something with some power but light enough so it would get carried and small enough so I could pocket carry if I wanted. I also wanted it simple enough so the wife could use it. I went with a S&W MP340 CT. After firing 357 through it once it has always had 38’s in it. I got the NAA Sidewinder for when circumstances made it impractical to carry it and as a bug. I carry a couple of reload quick strips and never feel unprotected.

There are times out camping and hiking in remote areas I felt I would like to have something with more rounds. I just got a Glock 19 with a couple of extra mags so that problem should be solved. It looks like for me there is a place for both revolver and auto. I just hope I never need them.

I just got a Crossbreed holster for the S&W and Glock and couldn’t be happier. If you are looking for a comfortable IWB holster I highly recommend them.

[sopsax]

Thought I'd revive this thread . . . I've carried a sidearm since I was 18 years old in the Army (now 74 and fully retired), then a large police department, then a small police department, and finally 12 years in private law enforcement where carrying a weapon was forbidden by the employer. Well, you can guess that I was VERY uncomfortable with THAT edict, so I took the risk and carried anyway, but always a small pistol that no one knew I had with me (first a Browning .25-clone, then a Seecamp .32). Outside the office on business, I also had a Glock 23.

So, revolver or semi-auto? I've carried both and continue to do so. I do have a Guardian .380 but never carry it. At this moment, I'm carrying a J-frame titanium .38SPL, but also have, as an approved HR218 carry-gun, a Ruger LC9. I started my LEO career with a revolver (the old K-38 six-inch, and I still have it - a beautiful tack-driver if there ever was one), but after retiring from the large department, I went with semi-autos and they worked fine for me. I DO think that revolvers are inherently more reliable. The choice of which pattern to use is really subjective, though.

Much depends on the circumstances for me - I know, I know, one can NEVER predict when a self-defense situation will arise. But the style of clothing, the location where I am going, etc., are factors that drive my choices. sopsax

[bujeezus]

i like the idea of carrying both. the 12+1 capacity and small footprint of my g2 is the perfect compliment for my naa mini.

[Kentucky Kevin]

I always have the two NAA w/floppiees, but add a Gklock 26 when appropriate

[TwoGunJayne]

My "compact autos" just plain don't see carry duty. It's "subcompact or smaller" when it comes to realistic civilian clothing.

Single stack .380 DA/SA with spare mag, plus NAA Black Widow. Minimum.

I'll tack on a NAA Short, no problem. The big stuff goes in a backpack. With this carry niche, it might as well be a takedown rifle or folding carbine once you go to the backpack.

I've got great holsters. The fact is that the clothing options simply say NO NO NO.

Maybe I should move to Alaska?

[ikoiko]

2GJ
What is your carry da/sa .380?

[TwoGunJayne]

I got hooked on a Bersa 380CC.

Pros:
Nice mag capacity, easy shooting, controllable. Trigger is fine. I prefer DA/SA conventional. Fixed barrel, but pretty accurate. Even with my shaky grip and poor trigger control, I keep it about playing card sized at 7 paces under typical range drills.

It's got a decocker safety that's pretty slim, design cannot go "cocked and locked," but there's ZERO ambi goodness there. Sights are minimal, expect nothing in the dark. Pointability is pretty good, though.

Cons:
Non-ambi safety other than condition 3 carry.

Evaluation and summary:
Historically, it's got the roots of the old prewar Walther PP. It has the size, the weight, and the barrel length to work the cartridge properly. Mine has been quite tolerant to neglect and abuse. I certainly, certainly do wish they made the pattern in 100% solid stainless. They do not, as the only options I'm aware of are "blued" or "plated." They are made in Argentina by much WW2 German expat influence, according to the campfire stories.

I'm not Mr. Fast Draw. I can't, in fact. Perception, combat, and "the drop" simply don't work that way. I'm not that old lawman that went by the moniker "Jelly." Pretty cool guy, if you ask me. I am probably the opposite of Delf Bryce.
http://www.policeone.com/columnists/dan-marcou/articles/5911289-delf-a-jelly-bryce-was-possibly-the-fastest-gunfighter-ever/

In a CCW class with an old Army guy to my left and a young active duty Marine to my right (yeah, we seek additional training,) I made a surprising score with the .380 acp Bersa 380CC. I was up against mostly full house subcompacts, .45... .40... 9mm... Beretta/Glock/1911/etc and all of that. It was very strange to me the common tendency towards an overpowered cartridge in an undersized platform. I was very disturbed about the number of failures I was seeing. Really. The make didn't seem to matter. Even the active duty marine had a limp wrist jam on his first shot of the course of fire, I think it was a Sig. It really bothered him a lot, by the way. I saw a man's hand quiver as to be unable to hit a man size target at 7 paces before even 200 rounds were fired.

My Bersa made the course of fire with zero failures. The instructor asked me with a grin about halfway through if I wanted a shot of CLP. He made a point of telling us how we were about to all jam up inside 400 rounds simply standing up, lying down, reloading, and shooting. He was very, very correct. I'm certain that many of them were fatigue-related concerning excessive recoil in too small a piece.

Balance, balance, balance. Make a .380 too small and it sucks to shoot, therefore you don't train, therefore you can't perform. Make a super-reliable .380 that just keeps ticking like some unstoppable machine that's pleasant to operate, then you might actually get good with it. With lower muzzle blast and much more comfortable recoil qualities, a heavy single stack DA/SA .380 acp makes perfect sense. It's, in fact, what I prefer.

My two cents on concealed carry, compact pistols, subcompact pistols, and the balance between the purpose made pocket pistol cartridge .380 acp versus stuffing too big of a cartridge into too small of a package that compromises too far on usability.

These days, with a choice between a snub .38, I'll take the 380CC with its flatter profile and higher capacity. Too bad they don't make a stainless.

[the iron horse]

I was watching a few gun videos a few days ago on YouTube.

One was a guy demonstrating his 380 auto on a firing range. I won't say the brand but I had
read good reviews of the 380  he was using and its reliability.

Well, lo and behold, on the second clip, the gun jammed. The shell was not thrown out.

This just confirmed the main reason I prefer revolvers over semi-automatics. Autos can jam.
Revolvers never jam. I know autos can go through thousands of rounds without a hitch and many
never jam, but with my luck...when I need it for a threatening situation, it would be my luck
the thing would jam.

Other reasons I have for preferring wheel guns:

-No slide, safety to mess with. I pick it up its ready to fire. In a dangerous
situation this simplicity of use is a plus.

-I've heard of many gun accidents with people thinking an auto was unloaded
or not in position to fire. Keeping track of that is easier for me with a revolver.

[cfsharry]

Why not say the brand?  This forum is about sharing information.
If you think the fail you witnessed helps you make a decision on what to carry or not carry,it might be helpful to all forum members.
With guns it is fair to 'kiss and tell'.

[sopsax]

I generally agree with The iron Horse, but must say I have seen revolvers fail. The failures were in range situations - one where full-strength .357 ammunition was being fired (50 rounds required) and my S&W Model 19 could not take it. It failed after several full-house .357 rounds - the cylinder release button fell off and the front sight went sideways. That's when I sold it and bought a Ruger GP100 - that thing took all the punishment I could give it and never failed.

My city-issued S&W K-38 went 25 years of monthly qualifications (.38SPL, mostly wad-cutters) and never failed.

Another time was a high-primer that stopped the cylinder's rotation on another officer's revolver.

Admittedly, these were isolated circumstances and probably not a situation where one fired only one or a few rounds in the field. I DO believe that revolvers are much more reliable than semi-auto pistols. sopsax

[Uncle_Lee]

Why not say the brand?  This forum is about sharing information.
If you think the fail you witnessed helps you make a decision on what to carry or not carry,it might be helpful to all forum members.
With guns it is fair to 'kiss and tell'.

Yes, what was it?
It might be one of what I carry.

[bud]

I have a few semi auto pistols, 25 cal browning, 380 diamondback, 380 sig, 9 m/m smith, 45 cal. auto  ordnance,have fired many other makes and calibers, and they all have  miss fired at one time or another. I have owned others and have traded or sold them for some dumb reason or another. I know there can be several reasons for a jam or miss fire such as bad ammo, dirty weapon, limp wrist, etc. but I can  remember only a couple of times having trouble with revolvers, and that was trouble with reloads. I feel better when I carry a revolver, but still catch myself carrying a pistol because I like them. I guess I'll have to get myself an ugly glock in .380, 9/mm or 40 caliber because I hear they never jam .

[the iron horse]

The auto I saw jam on a YouTube video was a Taurus 738 TCP .380 Semi-Automatic.

[TwoGunJayne]

Any firearm can fail from a bum primer. Bad primer = no fire, regardless of your particular make or model.

The primary question is "What is the manual of arms to clear the situation and attempt to fire once more?" With a double action revolver, you simply do again what you just did. No "shifting gears."

All skill is in vain if an angel pisses in the flashpan of your flintlock.

[OV-1D]

The auto I saw jam on a YouTube video was a Taurus 738 TCP .380 Semi-Automatic.

Buy American is my motto . 

[Texron]

The auto I saw jam on a YouTube video was a Taurus 738 TCP .380 Semi-Automatic.

I had one that was a jamomatic. After two trips back to Taurus with no improvement, I got rid of it and purchased a Kahr CW380 and never have regretted it.

[Kentucky Kevin]

When I feel a need to carry, I use the Glock 26 in the Fobus ankle holster. Used a Uncle Mikes fanny pack while rafting the Ocoee, but the Velcro opened while I was stuck in a washing machine, and becoming concerned about getting out of the river

[RogueTS1]

When I feel a need to carry, I use the Glock 26 in the Fobus ankle holster. Used a Uncle Mikes fanny pack while rafting the Ocoee, but the Velcro opened while I was stuck in a washing machine, and becoming concerned about getting out of the river

Rafting the Ocoee huh? You must be right in my back yard. The Ocoee is just down the road a few minutes from me.

[TwoGunJayne]

In case there was any worry, I understood the jargon.

Glad your tupper ware survived the tide.

[bleak_window]

I've had a real high satisfaction rate by sticking with S&W revolvers.  All of them have shot accurately and are a pleasure to shoot.  The only others are the NAAs which are in a different category.  I do wish S&W would endeavor to produce a DA revolver of a size & weight somewhat smaller than  a J-frame.  Bring back the I-frame .32 long / .22 magnum / .22 long rifle revolver!  Concealed carry is the sweet spot of the market. 

[G50AE]

I carry mainly (large guns) semi autos because I can no longer pull the trigger on a double action revolver. If I had to give up double action, might as well go thin and high capacity.

That's a very "tactical" way of looking at things.

[G50AE]

Welcome to the forum thepond.