Can't Decide

T

Tim Croley

New member
I have been carrying revolvers concealed for 99% of the time since I got my first cc permit 19 years ago. I have owned several autos in the past, but always seem to go back to a .38 snub. I have owned S&W, Rossi, Charter Arms, and Taurus .38's. Also, one Rossi .357. The .357 just seems too much for me in a small revolver so I've stuck with the .38.

My problem is that I want to start carrying a 9mm auto so that I will have more firepower, but I just can't decide which one.

Today, I went shooting with my son and a friend. I had my Taurus 3" model 85, my son had his new Bersa Thunder .380, and our friend had his S&W Sigma .40. I fired all three handguns and of the three I did the best with the Bersa, then my revolver, and last the Sigma.

Even though the Bersa felt really good in my hands, I just seem to be more at ease with the revolver. I think that the .380's SA trigger contributed to me shooting better with it than my .38, but with more practice I think that I could shoot just as well with it.

The bottom line is this. I'm not sure if I would ever feel completely comfortable with an auto for CC.

I would like to hear from those of you who carry revolvers exclusively. Are you just more at ease with the revolver? Did you have a bad experience with an auto? Do you ever feel under-gunned?

Also, which revolver do you carry and how? How do you carry extra ammo?

Thanks in advance to all who reply.
 
Why would we feel "undergunned"?

If I knew I was going to be in a gunfight, I would take a carbine or a shotgun.

With a revolver, you pull the trigger.....it goes BANG. Simple as that. No levers or safeties to mess with.

Practice and you will not need 4 clips of ammo to defend your life in a critical situation.

Hit what you aim at. Use the right bullet for the job. A well placed HP bullet will stop most BG's in one or two shots.
 
Carry what you trust AND are good with.

I carried GI 1911 for years and almost always backed it up with a revolver. Now that I am not told what to carry, I carry wheels exclusively. K, L, or N frame with K, J or I backup. All point the same, all have the same manual of arms. Pull trigger; bang.

Different strokes etc.

Sam
 
I carry both.

Never feel inadequate with revolver.

My carry revolver is a Smith & Wesson M10. Cut off just in front of the extractor lug. No hammer spur and round butted.

Fits in my right front trouser pocket.
 
Tim,

Do you feel more at ease with a revolver due to the function of the handgun, or the DA trigger?
If the latter is the case, possibly look into an automatic with a "smooth" DAO trigger pull (Sigmas wouldn't be one of them in my opinion).

Like you, I started off carrying a Taurus 85 and still tote it along on occasion. However, in '97 I switched over to a K9 and carry it to this day.
If you have a friend with a K9 or access to a range that will rent one, give it a shot and see what you think of it.

Good luck with your search.

BTW, there's nothing wrong with "five for sure" of .38special, in case you choose to stick with it.
 
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Stick with what you feel comfortable with, find a mod 19 or sp101 or some other small or mid frame revolver. You are not under gun or out classed with a revolver. You can always shoot mid range 357's if you feel uncomortable with full power loads. I feel the same sense of security with a revolver, but I am carrying a glock now.
 
Snowdog,

I really wanted to go auto for the extra ammo, better performance of the 9mm, and I feel that the auto is easier for me to shoot well. BUT, I am just used to revolvers. I grew up shooting them and that's mostly all I've known.

The auto's that I've owned are the Star Ultrastar, it seemed too thick; a Ruger P-95, I can really shoot this gun, but it is too big for cc. I have also owned a S&W full size .45, way too big and never shot enough to master, and an older Bersa .380. I did carry it some, but I found something that I wanted so I sold it. (I did have a .38 at the time to fall back on.)

I thought that I would go with a DAO auto because it would be simpler to operate, but I think that its the smooth, light SA trigger of an auto that attracts me to them. Maybe if I bought one and really got used to it BEFORE I relied on it for carry, I would be okay.

Mostly, when I bought a new revolver I would put a few rounds through it to make sure it functioned okay and get the feel of it and then I never thought about carrying it. It just seemed natural.

I have been thinking about going with something in a 6 shot, medium frame with a 3-4 inch barrel. What are my options in this configuration? What's the best way to carry a revolver of this size concealed?

Thanks!
 
6 shot medium frame 4", (Model 19) snuggles in nicely with OWB high rise forward tilt just behind either hip point.
6 shot 2½" round butt 19 lives in pocket holster, either right or left front. Or in the behind the hip holsters.

Though they are .357mags, both are pleasant to shoot and if one wanted even softer loads could use good defensive .38special which gives up little or nil to 9X19 in the performance department.

Lots of other alternatives out there. The above are a matter of personal taste.

Sam
 
Tim, as a LEO I carried a 638 in a Milt Sparks Summer Special IWB behind my extra mags on my port side. I'm sure Tony will make one for a K frame for you whether you want it as a bug or main gun.

I now carry a Kahr P9 as a bug. No magic swords. Revolvers and self-loaders each have pros and cons. Remember, the mall ninja must not have a favorite weapon.:D
 
Wud U believe.....

My foremost full-time carry piece is my Kel-Tec P32. No safeties, decockers, and 100% reliable, concealable, and good capacity. Even enough room in the pocket for a 10-round spare mag.
 
Hard choice...lots of advice can be given but its a personal thing your asking about.
I carry revolvers and have a weird and unnatural attachment to them also (sick :D ) I will never be without a 357 snubbie to carry, but I love my Kahr K40 also. I carry 2 speed strips with 125gr Gold Dot 357 and 2 speed loaders same ammo. With the Kahr, the advantage is 2 extra rounds of 155 Fed JHP ammo...If you really want extra, extra ammo...you will have to go to a double stack magazine gun. When I carry my Kahr, I have 2 extra mags with me ...one in left front pocket and one on my belt.
A K9 will give you 8+1 and is advantages with your 9mm wants also. Shoot a Kahr...the DOA pull is very very sweet and may just hook you. Shoot well
 
I went shopping today and I have finally decided what I will do. I am going to continue carrying the Taurus 85 and get a CZ75 compact. I will practice with the auto until I feel comfortable with it and then I will carry it as the weather and dress allows. I handled several different autos today and I know that is the way that I want to go. I will just have to put the time and effort into it until it feels as natural as the revolver.

Thanks to all who contributed advice and input!
 
Wheelgunner

At one time I have carried just about everything. I still routinely carry the 1911 full size or a Beretta Vertec, but 90 percent of the time, I carry a revolver, generally a three inch model 60 or a three inch model 65.
I just prefer revolvers, period. They are more powerful, more accurate and more reliable in the real world. They are also comfortable to pack...
I dont give a crap about mud tests in 1917. I am talking about folks sticking a gun in the drawer and not cleaning it for months on end, then carrying it.
Remember all a wheelgun has to do is rotate, lockup and fire, rotate lockup and fire....That is three actions.
Compare this to the semi-auto. Fire, unlock, extract, eject, chamber, fire, unlock, extract, eject, chamber fire.... that is five separeate actions...
With an auto the extractor can miss, jamming the gun. The magazine lips can bend or ding or the mags get rust inside them that keeps the rounds from feeding. Stovepipes, double feeds, all sorts of problems, can be routine with some makes of auto pistol.
Is the extra 10 to 15 rounds that you most likely will not use really worth that headache? In the real world you will most likely be attacked by somebody 10 feet away. Speed, power and accuracy are more important than round counts. You cant miss fast enough to save your life...
The only things that can go wrong with a wheelgun in the REAL world are the barrell and cylinder getting out of alignment or the cylinder binding. Light firing pin strikes can put them both out, but if you use a single action or a glock, you have to manually retract the slide. Just pull the trigger again on your revolver.
If the extractor fails on your wheelgun, tha means, ...gee, you fired the whole cylinder so the fight should be over....
So you see, if you are a reasonable, intelligent person you must come to the conclusion that trends be damned, the wheelgun is the real gun.
Odd fact about firepower. The guy who stopped the FBI miami shootout did so with a revolver and a shotgun. The guys with nines did not get the job done.
 
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