Most dependable gun type

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oldman1946

New member
We are not going to discuss brand names here. Only revolver vs semi.

There are several things to consider.
1. Which is more trouble free?
2. Which is more durable?
3. Which is more accurate?

OK, I admit to being biased toward a revolver since it is what I grew up with. BUt I carry one less than 10% of the time, usually carrying a Glock Gen 3 Model 22 but also carrying a Kimber or a Colt in .45.

Those with a semi worry about mag failure, jambs or running out of ammo or such.

It appears those with revolvers do not worry about anything.

Do you feel one type is more accurate than another? According to some, the revolver is more accurate due to less mechanical movement. This has been borne out by hunters using bolt action rifles but I have not read any documentation about it in revolvers.

Why does the opinions vary so much between those carrying revolvers and those with the semi?
 
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Revolvers carry the reputation as being the more reliable, with semi's having a more complicated design. I consider this a mistake- many semi's have proved as reliable, if not more so than some revolvers. Maybe gun-writers don't put wheel guns through all the tacti-clown torture tests that they would do with the new semi's coming out. Who torture tests the new S&W every month?
Has anyone who owns both revolver's and semi's encountered more problems with either type?
I'll take my side: semi
 
Revolvers.

If a revolver jams or freezes up its a serious stoppage.

Auto's can jam on more simple issues. That said Autos are terribly dependable these days. and offer more bullets.
 
One reason that opinions vary is because everyone wants to defend their purchase. This is not the only reason but it is a factor. However, I notice that gun owners almost always have other, and valid, reasons for what they prefer and a valid reason means it’s not strictly opinion only.

Trouble free:
I prefer a revolver for SD because I know a failure to fire can be overcome by just pulling the trigger again, hoping the following rounds are not also duds.

Durable:
I believe this is a toss-up if both types are in good condition. I don’t fire enough rounds to wear out any of my guns so I cannot give a valid opinion on which type wears out first. I have had a few problems with guns and each time it has been a semi, I’ve never had a problem with a revolver.

Accurate:
In my experience, and I own both revolvers and semis, I have found the revolver to be more accurate when comparing similar calibers and barrel lengths. One consideration in barrel lengths is that a semi does not truly have an effective barrel length as given in the specs because part of the barrel is used to house the cartridge

The attachment of the sights are different for the two types but I don’t consider this very important because a handgun is not meant for long distance shooting. Competition target shooting is a nice sport but is not the real reason for which handguns are made.

A downside for revolvers is capacity and reloading. I don’t know of any fifteen shot revolvers and reloading is hardly an option when more rounds are needed right now.

An upside for revolvers is one can get a more powerful cartridge in the same physical sized gun than a semi.

My EDC is a revolver.

Decisions, decisions, decisions! Oh, the horror! (Sorry, Conrad.)
 
I own, carry, and shoot both Revolvers, and Semi-Autos. I have carried both for many years now. I was carrying an autoloader long before the big push in law enforcement. I have yet to have a serious malfunction with my carry pistols. Every now n then a misfeed adventure... but 98% reliability with my auto's. Up until very recently I could claim 100% reliability with my revolvers. I purchased a titanium j frame smith. I used some duty ammo for practice. 158 gr SWC nyclad. The little revolver became dysfunctional after two shots. As it turns out... a bullet had come loose from the crimp in the case. The recoil of the light weight gun shook the bullet loose.

I believe that with todays modern pistols, and revolvers it's the operator that makes the difference. In other words it's a tie... Todays pistols are much more reliable than those of yesteryear... and with the advent of so called fly-weight revolvers I fear that revolvers have become just a little bit less reliable.

IMHO
with the proper ammo, training, and care Semi's are 99 % reliable.
with the proper ammo, training, and care revolvers are 99% reliable.
 
I suppose like so many other things; it depends.

From what I have heard/read/seen a revolver in good condition can lay around with a fully loaded cylinder ready to go to action better than an automatic can. But place it in service in a dirty/dusty/sandy environment and they've been known to sieze up so solidly that complete disassembly may be necessary to get it functioning again.

Automatics have been known to misfeed at the most inopportune of times. But they've also been known to function in some of the nastiest conditions.

I know if I were to wake up in the dark to hear someone beating down my door I'd feel more secure grabbing a revolver that hasn't been handled for months than I would an auto. If it jams in the dark it may be difficult to clear without being able to see what's going on. On the other hand I can envision popping off six rounds and digging around for more cartridges when a double-stack .40 S&W would just be warming up.

Pick your poison :D,

TB
 
In terms of handguns, I would say a revolver by a slight margin. Most quality semis nowadays are extremely reliable. The only reason I pick the revolver is because of not needing to clear the chamber with a bad round. However that is an ammo issue not a gun issue.
 
I’ve owned and carried auto-loaders for years, Browning H.P., Colt .45 W.W. II issue, two commanders one lightweight one all steel, and a Walther P.P.K.S. All of these were quality pistols that were purchased new and none were modified in any fashion with the exception of grips on the Colts. At one time or another every one of them failed, either did not chamber a round or failed to eject the empty casing. Everyone I know who has owned an auto pistol has had fail to function at one time or another In one instance a coworker had his Browning H.P. jam during the one and only fire fight he was in. Luckily he had a spare magazine and had trained in clearing a jam and reloading his pistol.
As the older I get the more I love the KISS theory, and the more I appreciate my wheel guns for day-to-day protection.

Happy Holidays All
 
1. Which is more trouble free?
2. Which is more durable?
3. Which is more accurate?

I own both, and have for many many years.

For a Self Defense weapon, if I could have only one, I'd prefer a Semi and here's why:

If I may ..."It appears those with revolvers do not worry about anything."

That's true, most won't, unless they are shown ...

Police Officer freind who was a die-hard .357 revolver fan, and mistrusted Semi-Autos, after much resistance, switched to the "new plastic gun" when they first came out with .40S&W. (It was my Xmas gift to him)
He switched because, on the .357 revolver he had at the time, it wouldn't fire up at someone in a 4th story window. In order to fire, the cylinder must first turn, the bullets slid backwards in the cylinder due to gravity, and it wouldn't turn.
So, he'd have to point the gun down, cock it, point the gun up, shoot, point the gun down, cock it, point the gun up, shoot, point the gun down, cock it, point the gun up, shoot, point the gun down, cock it, point the gun up, shoot, point the gun down, cock it, point the gun up, shoot, point the gun down, cock it, point the gun up, shoot ... reload ..... he switched, and has used the .40 has saved his life against a bad guy with a shotgun at least once now.

I never know if I might need to be laying on the ground firing uphill, HOWEVER many or most revolvers will fire uphill nowadays, since the Austin U.T. Tower incident, so in other circumstances, or the right revolver, revolvers might be better ...... but, I carry a semi :) If a bad guy gets his hand on my Semi, I don't worry that he's holding it so that a cylinder won't turn ;)
 
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The revolver v. semi-auto debate is an old one. The problem is that at one time, you could easily say revolvers were more reliable than semi-autos. Up until the 1980's there were some horribly unreliable semi-autos out there. Except for an excelent quality 1911 and arguably the Browning Hi-Power, many out-of-the-box semi-autos were prone to "jamming" every now and then, and many were truly "jam-o-matics".

Revolvers had their problems too, the more common of which is failure to index correctly and damage to the the Crane which holds the cylinder (usually from flipping it open and shut often).

But, when the Glock 17 and Sig 226 came onto the market, things changed. Not only was the Glock and Sig extremely reliable and durable, but they set a standard by which other semi-autos would be measured. IMHO, the quality of all $500+ semiautos went up considerably around that time.

Today, many semi-autos in the $500 range are extremely reliable. Reliable enough to where a knowledgable person no longer makes the decision on whether to carry a revolver v. a good semi-auto based on reliability factors. Many folks still like the revolver because of simplicity, rapid deployment, ballistics (.44magnum and .357 magnum), looks and style. But the old "Jam-o-matic" contempt for semi-autos has become rather "old-school".
 
In thinking about failures over the last several years, all I have experienced have been caused by either ammo or operator. Seems to me that ole Skans whacked this nail a good one.
 
RPB said:
He switched because, on the .357 revolver he had at the time, it wouldn't fire up at someone in a 4th story window. In order to fire, the cylinder must first turn, the bullets slid backwards in the cylinder due to gravity, and it wouldn't turn.
Click to expand...

What kind of revolver did he carry? None of mine have that issue. I don't do a lot of shooting at 4th story windows, but mine will all cock with the muzzle pointed pretty much straight up.

oldman1946 said:
We are not going to discuss brand names here. Only revolver vs semi.

There are several things to consider.
1. Which is more trouble free?
2. Which is more durable?
3. Which is more accurate?
Click to expand...

You don't want to discuss brand names and that's fine. When you compare a top-of-the-line revolver to a top-of-the-line automatic it's a wash. They will both be more accurate than most shooters and very reliable.

Compare bargain basement revolvers to bargain basement automatics and the revolver will probably be better.
 
I don't even remember what brand/model he used to carry, that was such a long time ago.
His would cock when unloaded pointed up, but not when loaded because the bullets slid backwards. My Taurus 357 doesn't have that issue, nor any modern revolvers I've seen. I think after Charles Whitman incident, manufacturers fixed whatever ones used to do that.

Still, if a bad guy grabs the cylinder of an uncocked revolver so that it can't turn, it wont go bang.
(Or if a stick of gum/paperclip etc gets between the cylinder and frame in a woman's purse who doesn't keep it holstered)
 
fwiw i had a ruger blackhawk like that years ago. i used a file to relieve the lip on the edge of the recoil shield. bobn
 
Autos have more potential problems

This does not mean that they have more problems, but the potential is greater than it is for revolvers. As others have said, modern autos are pretty good. Personally, I would give autos 97 or 98% to the revolver's 99%. BUT...

But, auto pistols are more dependant on ammunition, spring tension, and grip for proper functioning than revolvers. Everyone can trot out stories (likely true) of "my auto went XX thousand rounds without a malfunction" and balance them with stories of revolvers failing to work. These are nice things to know, but really, how does this affect your gun? Or your decision to get one particular gun, over another?

Autoloaders need good condition ammunition to function. More than that, they need ammo that actually works in them. Some brands/bullet styles just do not work as well in autos as others. Can the auto be tuned to work with a particular bullet? Yes. Will they all do it right out of the box? No. Revolvers don't have feeding issues like autos. If it goes in the cylinder, odds are it will work.

Revolvers don't depend on magazine springs, or feed lips. They don't depend on having the magazine fully seated. They don't care about short stroking the slide, a weak recoil spring, or limp wristing.

Yes, the bullets in the cylinder can jump their crimp and move forward, tying up the revolver, under certain circumstances. But this isn't the fault of the revolver. Its the fault of the shooter, for not loading the gun with suitable ammo. It a fact of life that just because it has the right caliber marking on it, doesn't make all ammo suitable for everything you might want your handgun to do. And it is the responsibility of the shooter to determine, in advance, what is, and is not suitable for the intended use.

Revolvers can operate properly with a much wider range of variation in their ammunition than autos can. This is a plus for versatility, but a minus in that it means the possibility of having unsuitable ammo is greater. Means you have to be more dilligent about learning what is, and is not the best choices for what you need.

We tend to look at the worst case situations, to decide if something is good enough, and both revolvers and autos have their drawbacks. They can be overcome, or avoided with a little forethought, generally.

Revolvers will function under some conditions that will choke an autoloader. Autoloaders will function under some conditions that will choke a revolver.
There's no free lunch.
There are more things that can go wrong and stop an autoloader than there are a revolver. But the likelyhood of this happening is small, for both guns. of you, the owner, do your part properly.

I have a number of autos, and revolvers, and would not hesitate to choose either if I needed one. There is is no answer to your questions in generalitites. Only when comparing specific pistols can one honestly evauate reliability, durability and accuracy.

For instance, I have a 1936 P.08 Luger, 9mm. It is accurate, and has been durable enough to survive in very fine condition for over 70 years. But it has not proven itself fully relable with any ammo I have used so far. But it is an autoloader. I know thats not the kind of "duty pistol" you were thinking of, but one can include all kinds of things under such general questions.:D

Still, if a bad guy grabs the cylinder of an uncocked revolver so that it can't turn, it wont go bang.
Click to expand...

Quite true. But if a bad guy grabs the slide and pushes it out of battery, the auto won't go bang, either!
;)
 
If you are comparing top name brands, without abuse to either, both will be dependable.

But these days semi autos like glocks can probably take more abuse than any revolver. You can do things to some semi autos that I wouldn't dare do to my wheel guns unless I wanted to destroy them.

But who cares about those kinds of tests? What possible scenario is going to replicate something like that? The only thing I can think of is accidently dropping your gun out of a highway speed moving car and then being able to pick it back up and having to fire, which is ridiculous.

I still prefer my S&W "and ruger if I owned one" revolvers over super tough and reliable autos. I just like revolvers better and I know they won't fail me when I need them anyway.
 
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I have to defend the semi-auto.

that's not to say that it is more dependable than a revolver, but i do think that many modern semi-autos stack up nicely to revolvers in the reliability department.

as it has been previously mentioned in this thread, most malfunctions in a semi-auto can be corrected relatively quickly.
on the other hand, while malfunctions in a revolver may be more rare, it would likely be something that can't be corrected right there on the spot if it were to happen.

factor in the advantage of drastically increased ammo capacity and an extremely fast reload time and I think we have a winner.

(this is all under the assumption that you've done your homework and chosen a good quality gun, not just the cheapest hunk of pressed steel on the shelf)
 
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Take care of your equipment, and either platform can be quite reliable. Though as the size of the gun shrinks, the reliability gap does seem to open up some with the advantage going to revolvers.

In my personal experience, I have had a higher failure rate with semi autos. Although the most severe problem was experienced with a revolver (a crap Taurus 94 with a jamming cylinder).

Honestly, one should just rely on what they are most confident with. I love my wheelguns and the 1911 platform, so that's what I stick with.

No need to bash each others equipment, just keep it cool. :cool:

But you know, these threads unfortunately always devolve into "revolvers never fail" and "unless you have 16 rounds in your gun you're dead before the fight even begins". :(
 
I've seen them both fail but obviously the Revolve on all three.

I still like both, but I carry a revolver because I shoot it better, or at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.:D
 
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