Are we with the times?

Only the HITS count. In addition to the problems of the "spray and pray" mentality, IMHO there is the problem of using fairly powerful rounds in lightweight semiautomatics combined with lack of familiarity and practice that has resulted in a falling off of marksmanship standards. I note that many new semiautomatic designs emphasize their ability to use different grips to make them more comfortable for the shooter, something we revolver shooters have known for years. And I note the number of people I have let shoot my steel frame guns who immediate feel the recoil dampening qualities of steel.
 
In addition to the problems of the "spray and pray" mentality,
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Using a semi-auto having a large ammunition capacity has absolutely no bearing on the propensity to "spray and pray" and everything to do with proper training and plenty of practice. For instance, are people armed with a Smith Model 686 (seven-shot revolver) more predisposed to "pray and spray" than those folks armed with a five-shot J-frame revolver? I think not.
Training with whatever weapon you're carrying makes all the difference in how and why you expend rounds. Just because you have sixteen or more rounds at your disposal should not make you more inclined to use them just because you have them on board. Those that do (or might) are candidates for appropriate training regimens.
 
There has been some tech involved in revolver design lately too. Porting, accessory rails, lasers, new materials, new bullet design... We can tacticool them as much as semi :D.
 
You are out gunned if you're one of the spray-n-pray crowd like N.Y. Cops. I carry my 642 for self defense, don't carry a reload so if more than a couple bad guys , I'm a goner for sure. Even Matt Dillon caught a slug when he faced 3 bad guys, I saw it myself on TV. He who shoots and HITS first usually wins a gun fight, not necessarily he who shoots the most bullets.
 
Let's see... gun goes bang. Bullet works. Deer/hog/gator/bobcat/coyote/black bear is dead. Bad guys are deterred or have ceased their aggression.

Yup. I feel just fine.
 
You are out gunned if you're one of the spray-n-pray crowd like N.Y. Cops. I carry my 642 for self defense, don't carry a reload so if more than a couple bad guys , I'm a goner for sure. Even Matt Dillon caught a slug when he faced 3 bad guys, I saw it myself on TV. He who shoots and HITS first usually wins a gun fight, not necessarily he who shoots the most bullets.
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Funny, I was just about to mention NY cops.

First thing one should do when faced with an armed thread is seek cover. Get behind a tree or a car. Brace your weapon against something if you can and squeeze off a shot or two.

Trying to win a quick draw game or hose down the bad guy with rapid fire is best left to rambo movies.

I remember reading about how a guy armed with a North American Arms .22 was attacked by three armed men with semi-auto pistols. He killed one and injured the other two. This was because he first got behind a large tree and picked them off.
 
After years of shooting nothing but autos in Military and Police duty and I have gone over to carrying nothing but revolvers after shooting out my second P220.

I never feel under gunned. You can reload a revolver as quickly as an auto. Statistics show that in the very unlikely event that you need to use a firearm as a civilian the shots fired will be very low. Probability is in your favor. If you find yourself in a true firefight the last thing you want is a handgun anyway. Revolvers are superior in many ways with arguably the draw back of width and round count. I have no trouble concealing N frame revolvers in 45acp/super 44mag or 8 shots of 357 more often then not carrying 2 of them. 6+8 makes for a pretty good round count with no reloading and allows for carry of vastly superior rounds then most autos.
 
I use a S&W 642 no-lock as my EDC. I carry Speer Gold Dot .38 special +P 135 grain Short Barrel ammo in the gun, with 5 extra rounds in a speed strip in my left pocket. I like to use HKS speedloaders when it is practical. Barami Hip-Grips go a long way to make this handgun extremely concealable and convenient to carry, especially now since it's getting nice and warm outside.

GD_Barami.jpg
 
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You can reload a revolver as quickly as an auto.


dgludwig said:
Maybe if you happen to be Jerry Miculek with rounds loaded in moon clips. Otherwise, not bloody likely.
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Just to clarify: IMO/IME, a good & proficient wheelgunner (doesn't have to be Jerry) can likely reload their own semi-auto faster, but can still likely reload their revolver, even with speedloaders, faster than many semi-auto shooters.
 
Just to clarify: IMO/IME, a good & proficient wheelgunner (doesn't have to be Jerry) can likely reload their own semi-auto faster, but can still likely reload their revolver, even with speedloaders, faster than many semi-auto shooters.
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And just to further "clarify", a "good and efficient" semi-auto user (doesn't have to be Jerry or anybody else), can most definitely reload their pistol faster than an equally skilled person using a revolver. The revolver may have many advantages over a semi-auto (as reflected in my earlier posts in this thread), but reloading speed, everything else being equal, isn't one of them.
 
using moonclips in a revolver to reload really narrow the gap in speed of reload between a revolver and the semi auto's dropping a magazine , inserting another one and racking the slide.
 
Most revolvers don't accomodate moon clips. And, even with those that do, equally adept shooters will be able to reload a semi-auto faster than can be done with a revolver. It's simply the nature of the design. No need to get rid of spent brass; that's already been accomplished via the action inherent in the design of any semi-auto. And no need to "rack the slide" with an auto that has all of its rounds expended-a slight tug on the slide or using the slide release will get you back in the action.
As much as I love revolvers and all of the pluses they bring to the table; faster (than semi-autos) to reload isn't one of them.
 
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dgludwig said:
And just to further "clarify", a "good and efficient" semi-auto user (doesn't have to be Jerry or anybody else), can most definitely reload their pistol faster than an equally skilled person using a revolver.
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dgludwig said:
equally adept shooters will be able to reload a semi-auto faster than can be done with a revolver.
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And I think I pretty much said as much. I just pointed out that reloading takes practice, but that any particular revolver shooter isn't doomed to being slower than all semi-auto shooters.

As far as moons, they're no panacea. They take practice as well. Many seem to think their reloads will be smokin' once they are finally able to use moons. Just ain't so.
 
Most revolvers don't accomodate moon clips. And, even with those that do, equally adept shooters will be able to reload a semi-auto faster than can be done with a revolver.
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I agree, and looking at Jerry Miculek, arguably the greatest pistol shooter of our time, here is what he can do with a revolver vs a pistol in about the same time frame.

DA Revolver- 12 shots on target in 2.99 seconds

1911- 27 rounds on target in 3.7 seconds

Nothing against revolvers, but the auto clearly has an advantage.
 
All my revolvers are cut for moon clips so I guess that's what I'm used to. Can you put more shots down range with an auto, yes. Unless you're laying down cover fire though I don't see how that is relevant.

I don't see reload time as being an issue either way. If you are more comfortable with an auto then carry an auto. I would not take a bolt action rifle into combat. Many guys would. I would take a g3 or ak over any bolt action for the same reasons many would chose auto's over revolvers.

Carrying an appropriate caliber and bullet is more important then which platform you chose. imho. Revolvers offer bullet choices that you can't use in autos or at least the majority of autos.

I would take Bob Wright's single action 45lc over a 380 mouse gun any time.
 
I don't see reload time as being an issue either way.
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"Most" of the time, I would agree with this statement, jason-iowa, but some of the time reloading time can be an issue and, when it is, the speed (or lack of) might become a life or death issue. Which is why some of us carry speedloaders for our revolvers and an extra magazine for our autos, and practice reloading with either.
 
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