Most dependable gun type

I own lots of both and have shot them for years and I carry both but to me the revolver is still the most reliable.
 
I'd trust a semi-auto more than a revolver. I had malfunctions with both systems. The pistol malfuntion was cleared in about 5 seconds. I had to use tools to make the revolver shoot again...

BTW, I'm in police academy right now and (unfortunately :barf:) we still carry revolvers in Luxembourg (S&W model 686 and lately 620). I've seen quite a few failures at the range and those guns were all brand new.
 
There are several things to consider.
1. Which is more trouble free?
2. Which is more durable?
3. Which is more accurate?
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1. Revolver has the potential to be a whisker more reliable.
2. Equal
3. Both are more accurate than 99% of the people holding them are capable of shooting.
It's all just an opinion.
 
rev verses auto( u do the math)

i have several of both (lets say at least 5 of each).
all of my autos have failed(at one time or another) ,except one, my glock 33:D( knock on wood).
all of my revolvers have never failed, except one, a taurus 94(common problem).
you do the math...:p
 
A typical armed citizen is probably safer and better protected with a revolver, unless that citizen is highly practiced with a semi-auto pistol. And that state is not the norm.

One can leave a revolver in the nightstand for five years and it will shoot reliably when needed. A semi-auto needs to be lubricated periodically in those five years; and perhaps cleaned a time or two.

Men or women who just want a firearm for personal protection in a potential crisis will be best off overall with a revolver. Shooting, and the immediate aftermath of shooting are both safer with a revolver for the person who is not highly drilled.
 
oldman1946 said:
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.
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Maybe if they're inexperienced. An experienced revolver shooter would be aware of things like unburnt powder under the extractor star, or the possibility of the star overriding the rim of one or more spent cases... Surely this has happened to you, given the amount of shooting you've done? :confused:
 
I have both, use both, and like both. For SD I like and use an auto. For Hunting I use a Revolver. For Reliability, they are a tie in my Book. You can have a stovepipe in a Semi and a cylinder hang in a revolver. They are both mechanical and subject to failure. Want a Perfect gun? Its the one you have. And BTW a Glock can and will fail occasionally too. :D
 
Well here's my experience,

I've had a greater quantity and frequency of jams with semis, 80% of which being stovepipes, quick easy fix.

I've only had one revolver jam, it was a Taurus .357, the trigger stuck and failed to return forward. Ended up having to be taken to a gunsmith and something had to be polished. From what I know it runs fine now (it's not my gun).

My verdict,

Semis seem to be more prone to jams but they are usually fixable, it still may cost you when seconds count but you at least have the possibility of fixing it on the fly. If something goes awry with a revolver you better have a BUG. That said if you buy a revolver from a more trusted company, like Smith or Ruger, then you'll probably be alright.
 
GSUeagle1089 said:
Semis seem to be more prone to jams but they are usually fixable, it still may cost you when seconds count but you at least have the possibility of fixing it on the fly. If something goes awry with a revolver you better have a BUG.
Click to expand...

This is Truth.

Revolvers definitely malf less often than semis; when they do, however, they generally require tools to fix. If the extractor star hops the rim on a J-frame, you are down for the count until you get some pliers.
 
I'm a revolver man and think there is less liklihood of problems in a properly maintained revolver, but I will say that given an example of each of equal quality, if something goes wrong w/the revolver there is a good chance that it is serious enough that you won't be able to fix it "right now" . Most auto problems can be fixed w/a different mag or a little banging around.
 
Revolvers came first and manufacturers worked out their problems before the development of the metallic cartridge. Automatics seem to have been a puzzle for a while and designers had a hard time making them reliable, especially with arbitrary bullet shapes. But after a century of experience the designers of automatic pistols seem to have more or less figured it out.

Also, I think making a revolver work requires you to get things just so whereas a simple, sloppy automatic works fine (i.e. getting the cartridge into the chamber requires less precision than lining the chamber up with the barrel).
 
This debate is as old as the Ford vs Chevy argument and the answer is just as complex. It all depends on who you're asking. There are guys that have had bad experiences with one that will tend to sway them one way or the other. And just like the Ford-Chevy issue, there is no definitive answer.

I own both revolvers and semi-autos, but my preference for a daily carry weapon is a revolver. IMHO, the simplicity of a revolver is one of the reasons they are my choice. Generally, whith proper maintenance, when you pull the trigger on a revolver, it will go bang, and you can leave a revolver loaded indefinitely without the concern of springs weakening. Also, as far as reloading is concerned, with practice and some good speed loaders, you can reload a revolver pretty quickly. Nothing mechanical is ever 100% reliable, so find what works best for you and practice on being as profecient with that choice as you can.:D
 
When I used to compete in IPSC, I saw lots and lots of semi auto malfunctions. That was a long time ago, maybe things have changed.

I like revolvers.

M66-2 357 Mag

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You can't go wrong with a G23. It's an effective .40 caliber and it's flawless out of the box. The only thing I would do to it, is replace the connector with a 3.5 lb connector. Other than that, it's the most reliable and affordable gun out there.
 
In my LE career (27 years)I was an armorer for a state conservation police department. When I first started we used S&W 66's (revolvers) later we went to S&W 4043 Semi Auto.
I saw malfunctions with both, Conservation Officers carry in some very rough conditions. In my opinion, with proper maintainence one is as dependable as the other. In tactical situations I still prefer the semi auto (more rounds available in a hurry)
Dave
 
A good semi-auto can just as reliable as a good revolver. I've owned several of both and among both of them there have been both supremely reliable and horrendously unreliable guns. These days, I only have one revolver and several semi-autos. Don't think there's much of a difference in reliability, so I lean towards semi-autos because of greater ammo capacity, conceal-ability, and the fact that I am by far more comfortable with them.
 
For me it is revolvers. I still feel for most people the revolver is the best HD/SD handgun.;) The reasons given by the other posters on revolvers is true. Now I am not going to say that a semi-auto is not a good HD/SD handgun. They are if a person can operate the gun and operate it under stress. I feel people that don't shoot and practice will have a harder time with a semi-auto than a revolver when its time to defend a persons life. You still have to practice with a revolver but there is not as much to remember so there is more of a chance the person will at least get the shot fired with a revolver. And finally it does not matter which type of gun a person uses. Bullet placement is the most important thing under stress. I feel if a person can't bring a attacker down in three rounds that person will not survive in most cases.:eek:

Another opinion,
roaddog28
 
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