Hey Guys,

I had another article published in Modern Service Weapons. Fans of the wheelgun should enjoy it.

Revolver Relevance

Certainly 100 ys ago, maybe 50 years ago, a revolver could have been the better selection for a must-work sidearm. Today, I doubt any modern semi-auto is a risk. Again, a malfunction with a wheel gun is a show stopper, while a FTF with a semi is just a tap/rack/bang away. I know, how often does a wheel gun have a case slip under the ejector star? How often does a semi FTF? Well, I have had one wheel gun lock up, many semi malfs, the wheel gun wound up in the range bag, the semi just went back into service...

Can't go wrong with any quality serviceable revolver or semi, mags/speedloaders and ammo, take your pick, master the one you chose...

I like my SP101 for in my truck or anywhere there might be bears or dogs. I doubt I would ever use it for EDCC.

I own many of both good ones of either type are reliable and worth while to carry.

Most days a I carry a gen 2 clock 23. Why because it is beat and worn and I can't reduce the value by much any more.

On top of that it works very well.

For 18 days of deer firearm season I carried my TI 41 mag and a whole 8 rounds of ammo 5 in the gun and 3 in my pocket. Didn't feel bad about it all.

Um, all semi-auto pistol failures are not just a 'tap/rack/bang' away. Specifically if the extractor breaks, a bullet is lodged in the barrel or the firing pin/firing pin spring breaks. Remember Mr. Murphy and his law?

quote:

Originally posted by Shootshellz:
Um, all semi-auto pistol failures are not just a 'tap/rack/bang' away. Specifically if the extractor breaks, a bullet is lodged in the barrel or the firing pin/firing pin spring breaks. Remember Mr. Murphy and his law?

Things can happen with a revolver also high primers, bullets jump out of the case, ejector rod become loose, firing pins break along with other parts. The list goes on and on.

Both are mechanical objects subject to failure.

Given good quality guns with good quality ammo both in the same condition I have found both to be very reliable

In my job as a firearms instructor having 10's of thousands of rounds fired in both revolver, semi auto pistol I can count on my right hand with fingers to spare how many times a revolver has misfired/failed to fire either as a mechanical malfunction or cartridge malfunction.
I have had so many malfunctions on semi's that I could not guess how many times they failed even after the tap-rack-hopefully bang
When we had sig sauer acting up the factory would blame that there wasn't enough oil used but that was the problem, oil attracts dirt and other debris which generally is the cause of the malfunction other than human error in the shooting of the gun
Again this is base on my experience with quality made revolvers and normaly maintained S$W and colt
The semi with the lease amount of malfunctions and they have failed much more than a revolver was the glock and that is due to design.

The design that I am referring to is how low the barrel is to the hand, similar to the design of the germain luger, no hammer just a pre-tensioned firing pin which allows the barrel to sit low in the frame which reduces the recoil rise as other hammered handguns. Recoil is essential in the function of an auto therefore the less rise means more energy to the mechanism

Nice, well written, article. Thanks for sharing. I have both types of guns that I carry. If I am just taking the dog for the evening walk, I put the Kel-Tec P11 in my pocket and go. If I am traveling farther and will need my pocket, I always carry my S&W 637 Airweight in the IWB holster and I don't even know I am carrying it.

If it MUST go bang, I prefer a wheel gun.

Thanks guys. This article was really fun to put together.

Excellent article. IMO 90% of CHL's would be better served with a revolver for many reasons, but they are not "Tacticool"

I carry a revolver because I have been shooting one for 50 years and can place my shots much more accurately at all distances. I also like the fact that my .44 magnum does a lot more damage than my .45acp. I figure better shot placement with the biggest boomer I can shoot well is the best chance to go on breathing in a bad situation.

I would agree the 44 Magnum does a lot more damage than the 45 ACP (to the shooter).

I know that a 44mag puts down deer as convincingly as anything within it's effective range. My guess is that it would do the same on a human. I have a higher degree of confidence in my 357 stopping an assailant immediately than any 9mm load out there. It's just too hard to pack for many situations.

I generally have favored an Officers Model Colt in .45 for carry, but I also like a M60 Smith. It's easier to conceal and it has never malfunctioned. Can't say the same about the Colt.

quote:

Originally posted by Shootshellz:
I would agree the 44 Magnum does a lot more damage than the 45 ACP (to the shooter).

Do you shoot a 44? Recoil is not bad at all if you shoot it regularly. Certainly not a big step up from a 45.

quote:

Originally posted by Shootshellz:
I would agree the 44 Magnum does a lot more damage than the 45 ACP (to the shooter).

Really? I've never been injured shooting either one. What I shot did get injured.

I think there may be some truth to the theory that if you know you have 17+1 rounds in your gun then you don't have to be as careful where they go, than if you only have 6!
Peter.

Yup; I own and shoot a 44 Magnum. Does not matter how 'regularly' you shoot same; it packs a wallop. And I did not claim shooting same causes injury. IMHO the 45 ACP trumps the 44 Magnum in self defense due to accuracy during rapid sustained fire. 'A hit with a 22 beats a miss with a 44 Magnum'.

quote:

Originally posted by Shootshellz:
Yup; I own and shoot a 44 Magnum. Does not matter how 'regularly' you shoot same; it packs a wallop. And I did not claim shooting same causes injury. IMHO the 45 ACP trumps the 44 Magnum in self defense due to accuracy during rapid sustained fire. 'A hit with a 22 beats a miss with a 44 Magnum'.

Yep, correct. I can place 44 rounds in a 3 inch circle at 50 yards, but I can't hit crap with a .45 ..... unless it is my 25-2 Smith and Wesson revolver, then I take a 44 over a 45!

The old what's better revolver or semi argument

I really like both doesn't brother me to carry one or the other.

One of the better things about the revolver is I can take a bullet like a 240gr load it at 800fps almost the same as 45acp 230 or add another 500fps or so and it well still work well.

Autos are designed to work with in a lot smaller velocity window.

That said when I go yote hunting today I'll be carrying my 22 buck mark.

The right pistol for the job that's the great thing of living in most of the US we can have many choices any given day.