Auto or Wheel for carry?
- Thread starter FF/EMT
- Start date
I used to be a "revolver only" guy back in the 1980's. In the 1990's I sold off my revolvers and now I'm a "semi-auto" only guy.
I just don't like the minimal capacity, heavy trigger and kick of revolvers. I also had some experience with two different revolvers that didn't index correctly. This burst my naive bubble believing that revolvers never malfunctioned. Also, about that time the Glock became popular and affordable, and the reliability of semi-autos overall started to greatly improved.
I just don't like the minimal capacity, heavy trigger and kick of revolvers. I also had some experience with two different revolvers that didn't index correctly. This burst my naive bubble believing that revolvers never malfunctioned. Also, about that time the Glock became popular and affordable, and the reliability of semi-autos overall started to greatly improved.
Never had a FTF with my Glock. I've put way more rounds through it than through revolvers. Had my share of problems with two revolvers - both indexing problems. Not a big deal, really, but Revolvers have moving parts and are just as prone, in my experience, to malfunctions. In fact, since I've never experienced a malfunction with my Glock 17, which I've owned since 1990 and have fired countless thousands of rounds through, from my perspective revolvers are more prone to problems.
If you shoot a one of the known reliable semi-autos, they are not prone to problems and not prone to experience ammunition feed problems. That is one of those "revolver-guy" myths. I've been on both sides of this debate, and experience tells me that there are a number of semi-auto handguns out there that are more reliable than revolvers.
Anyway - just telling everyone why I am not a 100% semi-auto guy. If revolvers really worked better, I'd still be a revolver guy.
Does that mean it hasnt happened to others? There are plenty of shooters who have had FTF with Glocks...it is not an unknown occurrence for that brand of pistol. Try using the search function here on TFL.
How many FTF, FTE, faulty magazines, or "limp wristing"-induced stoppages have revolver shooters had?
Do you ever practice stoppage drills so that you know how to handle a failure-to-feed or a failure-to-eject?
If the answer is "NO", then I would say that you're not nearly as prepared to rely upon an autoloader for self defense as you might think.
If the answer is "YES", then I would say that you're very wise.
Those who shoot autoloaders practice failure drills for good reason.
It's not a myth, revolvers are generally more reliable than autoloaders.
Don't take my word for it, check out this link....
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=413508
KingEdward
New member
carry options for me are Smith 442 or colt DS
smith has 5 or the colt has 6
revolvers only for carry here.
if I'm about to be killed or hurt, I'm not messing with chambering a round, or flipping a safety switch up (or is that down?) or freezing up when the next round doesnt feed or well you get the point.
others carry semi auto and will stake their life on it. Kudos to them.
wheel gun for me.
smith has 5 or the colt has 6
revolvers only for carry here.
if I'm about to be killed or hurt, I'm not messing with chambering a round, or flipping a safety switch up (or is that down?) or freezing up when the next round doesnt feed or well you get the point.
others carry semi auto and will stake their life on it. Kudos to them.
wheel gun for me.
skydiver3346
New member
What do I carry?
I actually end of carrying both types, (revolvers and autos). I started switching them out from time to time so I would be used to all the different models I own. Sort of keeps me on my toes. I wanted to be proficient and able to draw, aim and shoot with many different pistols. It was sort of weird at first but after a while, I had ended up carrying all of them (at one time or another). I go to the range a lot as well so as to keep up my skills with any of the guns that I carry. My favorite carry is my W.C. 1911
However, In summer months, I usually carry either of these:
1. (autos) Kahr MK9, Rohrbaugh .380, Glock 19.
2. (revolvers) S&W Model 442, model 60.
I actually end of carrying both types, (revolvers and autos). I started switching them out from time to time so I would be used to all the different models I own. Sort of keeps me on my toes. I wanted to be proficient and able to draw, aim and shoot with many different pistols. It was sort of weird at first but after a while, I had ended up carrying all of them (at one time or another). I go to the range a lot as well so as to keep up my skills with any of the guns that I carry. My favorite carry is my W.C. 1911
However, In summer months, I usually carry either of these:
1. (autos) Kahr MK9, Rohrbaugh .380, Glock 19.
2. (revolvers) S&W Model 442, model 60.
I've shot plenty of semi-auto handguns that occasionally malfunction due to FTF or FTE. Can't say that I've experienced any malfunction in a semi-auto handgun magazine related. I've experienced limp wristing induced stoppages as well in larger semi-autos.
My stock Glock 17 simply hasn't had any of these problems. The one problem I had with it was a squib round. I have countless thousands of rounds through my Glock 17 since I purchased in 17 years ago. I've even tried to get it to fail on me by going long periods without cleaning it and by purposely limp-wristing it.
In my experience, I have had more malfunctions with revolvers than with my Glock 17. And, I've put far more rounds through my Glock 17 than all of the rounds I've put through revolvers over a lifetime.
Now, I'm not saying that Glock is perfect. In fact, if we are talking accuracy - IMHO, it's far from perfect. I am much more accurate with a 4"-5" barrel .38 than I am with my Glock - IF I shoot it single action. When I had revolvers, I mostly shot .38 Special and .38+P A .357 has too much snap for my liking without the large pachmyer-type grips.
Also, I'm quite well aware that people have had FTF's or FTE with their Glocks. I do believe that they are far fewer with the standard 9mm Glock 17 than in the other calibers, though.
I probably should drill more often on clearing jams - I admit, I've gotten pretty lazy with that. I have a Desert Eagle .44 that is a rather finicky gun and will experience a good number of FTF's and FTE's if it gets dirty, if you limp-wrist it, or if I happen to be using low-power ammo. I have been using the DE for bowling pins when I can't find enough 10mm ammo - seems like I can generally locate some 44 magnum last minute, if I'm willing to pay outrageous prices. Anyway, the DE gives me a chance to deal with these kinds of problems a little more frequently.
engineer88
New member
I think the advantage to reliability that a revolver has is based on not having a magazine, which ironically is it's downfall on capacity. I think a lot of folks go for cheaper mags (who wants to spend $40 a mag or better?) and it can cause issues. Quality magazines in a quality auto is just as reliable as a revolver to me, I just haven't seen enough pocket autos on the market with a decent history of reliable track record in my price range (besides my P3AT), so my J-Frame is my pocket gun.
Revolvers are pretty good about functioning ok with little maintenance as well as my Glock 19 was since I put 1,000+ rounds through it before cleaning on a few occasions. I have yet to have a failure with either of my Glocks or my revolvers in thousands and thousand of rounds so I guess I can't speak to the failure rate of either too authoritatively, LOL.
Revolvers are pretty good about functioning ok with little maintenance as well as my Glock 19 was since I put 1,000+ rounds through it before cleaning on a few occasions. I have yet to have a failure with either of my Glocks or my revolvers in thousands and thousand of rounds so I guess I can't speak to the failure rate of either too authoritatively, LOL.
The bottom line is that the failure rate on a Glock 17 (maybe others, maybe even many other semi's - I can't speak for them) and a good S&W or Colt revolver is negligible. I only use factory Glock magazines with decent factory ammo (FWIW, my Home Defense magazine is a non-drop free - I like the NDF mags with +2 for home defense, since one magazine should be 4x what I should need to get the job done).
The only "myth" that I even wanted to address is the myth that revolvers never fail. They have their malfunctions too. The revolver I experienced this with was a Colt .357 (don't recall exactl model). In fact, it happened again on the same gun after the problem was supposedly fixed. It wasn't my gun - just one I had borrowed from a friend, so I can't tell you exactly what was going on with it or what the outcome was. If you've ever shot a revolver that doesn't index correctly, you will realize that it's not as simple as pulling the trigger and trying again.
The only "myth" that I even wanted to address is the myth that revolvers never fail. They have their malfunctions too. The revolver I experienced this with was a Colt .357 (don't recall exactl model). In fact, it happened again on the same gun after the problem was supposedly fixed. It wasn't my gun - just one I had borrowed from a friend, so I can't tell you exactly what was going on with it or what the outcome was. If you've ever shot a revolver that doesn't index correctly, you will realize that it's not as simple as pulling the trigger and trying again.
I am pretty sure a revolver that doesnt index correctly will be pretty obvious fairly quickly ... as it will be very dangerous to shoot.
A revolver that doesnt index correctly is quite rare ... far more rare than an otherwise normaly functioning semi-auto with a bad mag or bad ammo. A semi-auto that is suffering from a bad mag or bad ammo takes a bit more to get it back into action as compared to a revolver, which (you guessed it) simply requires you to pull the trigger again ... all without having to breaking your sight-picture.