My choice to carry a revolver CONFIRMED in a big way...

I occur simple malfunctions on a regular basis when shooting small semi-autos, usually ammo related(gun doesn't like flat/tc or whatever). I am su[rised though to hear that everyone had a malfunction. I have only experienced a jam with a Glock when using the slide stop as a slide release and have NEVER had a jam with a CZ or a CZ clone. I haven't yet found a pocket pistol that will eat ANY kind of ammo and tolerate any technique of reloading, but usually duty-sized semi's nary have a problem. I don't own a Gock so I can't speak in volumes of experience, just from the regular use of my friend's pistols.

I prefer to carry a revolver, I feel that I am more accurate with a revolver when it comes to small size. I can be accurate with semi's just as well, but not when using a tiny pocket pistol, but a snubbie does not lower my accuracy.
 
I no longer have a semi. Main reason was arthritis. Couldn't rack anymore and
was the other reason was uneasy about carrying a semi with one in the chamber. Last it did jam once in awhile.

Maybe I was shooting limp wrist or my
ammo caused it, I didn't care anymore. I went back to what never jammed and never misfired in my 40 some odd years of shooting which was a 6 shot 357.

Like OldMarksman quoted in another post, " There is a practical maximum beyond which one who is not a sworn officer will have no need, because it will be over, one way or the other. we do not have to pursue a suspect."
Okay I cherry picked this, but it says what I'm trying to say.

This is all a matter of choice and comfort. I'm glad that we have the choices and that we can and do use them.

Glad JS wrote his post and maybe his experience is not ordinary but yes, this does happen to semis.
Doc
 
Oh, and by the way, I'm 24.

You don't have to be an "old man" to a "revolver man"!!
Click to expand...

I'm the "opposite" of your age but will not be pigeon-holed as old just yet. Still a revolver man, mind you!!

The lead instructor commented that he had NEVER seen such a thing with that last Glock run, and the man running it was former city PD, who knew his way around the department issue Glock.
Click to expand...

I have heard that Glocks, with their lower weight and mass might be more prone to limpwristing and it may also be that after a couple of days of drills, exercises and concentration, that the body just starts to cease focussing that strongly. If it was the last exercise that may be even more true.
 
I've had several revolver malfunctions over the years, involving different guns.
Extractor rods unscrewing themselves, bent extractor rods, bits of unburned powder/dirt under the extractor star, a new Taurus .38 going so badly out of time it wouldn't function.

I've also had occasional issues with autos (more frequently than revolvers) but usually when an auto stops it can be corrected fairly easily and faster than a revolver problem.

If an auto has serious reliability issues, they are usually evident right out of the box.
 
O4L,

Those with kydex IWB were able to re-holster much faster than those with leather or fabric.

Drawing time was about the same, except for IWB in the small of the back, which was much slower, and near impossible to do one handed. Small of the back carry was all but worthless during the carjacking scenario, where we shot at a carjacker target from both the drivers seat and the passenger seat with a dummy in the drivers seat. When seated in a car with the seat belt on (or potentially locked), small-of-the-back carry isn't worth much.
 
Last edited:
I'm a revolver lover myself and have for more revolvers than auto's, but I'm getting really tired of the "revolver is more reliable than auto's" misconception. It just isn't so.

As an LEO I carry a Glock. It's never had any sort of malfunction during any of our range days which include hundreds of rounds fired. I've had the same experience shooting an HK with thousands of rounds fired. Of course the gun is cleaned each night at the end of the day.

Revolvers are great and certainly dependable but if it goes down it goes down hard. You won't be fixing it in a gunfight most likely. I've had transfer bars break on SA's, cylinder pins back out, and cylinder stops break.

Based on my experience a quality revolver and quality semiauto are equally reliable. That said I would rather have at least 2x more ammo and an easier to clear firearm if I run into serious trouble.
 
Shafter,

I concede to your LEO experience on the whole, but my weekend experience at this course was vastly different than yours.
 
I would guess to say that the majority of the malfunctions we witnessed were user error, including mag drops, limp-wristing and such
Click to expand...

People do funny things under stress, and autos (particularly polymer framed ones) are certainly more touchy about grip/wrist/forearm tension and firing angles. Not to say that revolvers don't break, but I've found it doesn't take much to induce semi auto failures when simulating injury (mainly limp forearming as I call it), though steel frame autos seem to be much more resistant (ie, 1911s, CZ-75, etc).

All things being equal, more ammo capacity is certainly advantageous, but all things are rarely equal and there are many other factors that must be considered.

As I am more consistent with a revolver and I've experienced a LOT less issues with them, that's what I go with most of the time, though I do carry 1911s and a CZ-75 from time-to-time. But some just aren't going to be comfortable carrying anything less than 16 rounds in the gun, so for them an auto definitely makes sense. Gotta be confident with your equipment.
 
The trainer then said to the class in our final moments, "Some of you want to consider which is best - having 15+ rounds that MIGHT work, OR.... having six shots that always will
Click to expand...

If that is the case, you would wonder why all armies and police forces use semi/ autos. These are used in real life wars and police operations ( not training days) where reliability is essential including SWAT and special forces. I will stick with my semi/auto.
 
Last edited:
I was 21 when I first started carrying a gun, in 1983.

My preferred carry gun was a Charter Arms Undercover .38. I carried that gun for years without a single problem.

As I got older, I added a lot of guns to my personal collection, revolvers and semi-autos. I've carried autos on and off over the years, but my preferred carry gun is still a .38, only now it's a S&W 042 Centennial .38.
 
I skimmed over the thread again, I did not see mention of they types of the malfunctions you were seeing. I understand you can't possibly know what caused everyone's issues, but could you at least cite a couple reasons for the semi-auto malfunction epidemic in your class? like I said, I have always come across some malfunction with "carry-size" semi-auto's, but generally just in the first few months of mating with the weapon and figuring out mainly what kind of ammo is: a- reliable with b- accurate with c- not working with particular pistol d: a combination of a&b with the weight going to A. If these were all new shooters and haven't spent time with their owned/borrowed carry piece, I can see why the number could be so high, of if they had policy to use a certain type of bullets that they don't usually use or could only use what the range stocked. if I went blindly into a class with my pt111 with a new ammo, I very well may have had an issue, but I think most people who take shooting at all seriously, will weed out ammo problems very quickly and definitely before giving the role of EDC to a particular pistol. I learned in the first few weeks of owning a S&W Shield and now my PT111 G2 that both have similarly steep feed ramps to make up for the small grip, this has caused problems with a select few hollow-points that have wide-mouths, anything else is fine. Hornady flex-tip being the preferred choice for both and having issues with GD's in ne and Golden Sabre in both.

Just curious if you were able to see a few of the issues in your class, were these ammo related, like seeing the bullet get stuck between the mag and bolt face with the slide closing in top? were they using the slide stop lever as a release, which some guns are fine with(CZ) and some are not with a few kinds of ammo(glock)?

Just curious, I have found that every new semi-auto pistol I have bought in the last four years could be managed to be 100% reliable except for a couple really cheap guns, which were always problematic out of the box. It's obvious that more problems can and will occur with semi's, but EVERY person in weekend class maybe shooting a few hundreds rounds, that is very suspect....there must be an underlying reason, I am hoping ammo or lot of very inexperienced shooters.
 
As a LEO, I carried a revolver, partly because I had to at the time, but partly because it never gave me any trouble. (Note - I never was in a gun fight and never fired at anyone or anything but a target.) And I have a fair number of auto pistols.

But, oddly enough, revolvers had the most totally disabling breaks I ever experienced. The first Chiefs Special (pre-Model 36) I owned had its hammer stud break off. And a Colt Police Positive had the hammer break right off at the thin part below the spur. Now those are not the kind of thing that can be solved with a "tap and rack".

Still, I prefer the revolver (or a GI model 1911A1) when I feel there might be a need.

Jim
 
As far as centerfire goes - I own two semi-autos - a Ruger SR9 and a 9mm Smith Shield . . . two as opposed to the fifteen or sow revolvers I own. i was brought up with revolvers and have shot them for 50 plus years. And yea . . . I'm "old".

When I took my classes in AZ and MI - I opted to use my SR9 just so I would get more experience and instruction on a semi-auto as far as problems. The class I had in MI we dealt heavily on "trouble shooting" (no pun intended). Jams, magazine changes, etc. - my instructors were experienced LE and former Spl. Ops. and I learned MUCH that weekend and was very grateful for the excellent instructors we had.

BUT . . . . I still feel more confident carrying a revolver. I have two Model 36 Smiths - a snub and a 3" that just carry well and I feel "adequate" with 5 rounds and a reload drop pouch on my belt. I also carry a Combat Masterpiece at times as I can easily cover it with a shirt tail, etc. OWB.

I'm not saying revolvers can't have issues . . . but I think the OP makes a good point on the malfunctions they experienced in the class as that was about what I saw in my classes. I picked up my 9mm Shield to carry once in a while . . . it shoots well and I have had no issues with it - I like it a lot. BUT . . my revolvers? I LOVE all o them. :)
 
"I no longer have a semi. Main reason was arthritis. Couldn't rack anymore and
the other reason was uneasy about carrying a semi with one in the chamber. Last it did jam once in awhile." -- Doc Holliday 1950.

That's more or less where I am (I still have two autos, but their days are numbered). I not only enjoy shooting revolvers more -- and not having to pickup the brass, since I hand-load -- but I think their simpler manual of arms makes them more readily placed into action if required quickly.

Reliability of the piece is a plus, as is the ability to move pass a bad primer and not have to tap/rack. All in all, I like revolvers. Nothing gets off the first five or six (or seven) shots faster. But I admit a good case can be made for autos and their increased fire power - so the middle ground with either type is probably this: practice with what you intend to carry and use, and think through the various scenarios and how you would use your handgun to advantage.
 
I carry a revolver because I like revolvers. I've owned a fair number of semi's over the years and the only one I really remember malfunctioning at all was a Series 70 Colt Government Model I was using for IPSC club shooting in the early 80's. And those I'm sure were the fault of my "Lee-Loader" reloads and not the gun. Knowing what I know now about reloading, I'm surprised those things worked at all. And mind you there weren't many of those that malfunctioned.

I've got two semi's now, but they're both full sized guns. A Glock 17, and a Ruger P95DC. Much too heavy for me to even think about carrying. I don't even load the Glocks magazine all the way at the range, much less to lug around.

I'll stick with a lightweight aluminum frame 38. If the Tugar hords come after me, I'm just in trouble.
 
the good & the bad...

The bad 1st...

my last CCW range course, I shot the course with a 100 year old top break single action S&W revolver ( range instuctor said I was his 1st to shoot an antique gun on a CCW range ) that said, I outshot most of the students ( it wasn't my 1st rodeo ) but many of the semi autos ( I wasn't keeping track, but a very high percentage ) had mis fires... however, most were compact sized autos, & most were new shooters, & some borrowed guns...

The Good...

I took a class with the local PD, where you get to learn what the police department does ( 8 Weeks, one night a week ) on one night, we all got to shoot one of their M&P 40's... I was likely the only "gun guy" in the group, some were ladies that had never fired a gun, one was an 80 year old lady, who had never fired a gun... the officer loaded the gun & each student fired 6-8 rounds at the target... the gun never misfired once, even with the variety of newbies firing the gun...

not trying to draw any conclusions from my expirience, just noting that the semi isn't necessarily a bad weapon... & don't under estimate those antiques ;)
 
Wow! Good thread!!
After reading skizzums post, it makes me glad my revolver isn't ammo dependent for reliability. I reload for targets but factory ammo for defense. With the ammo availability "problems" we have seen recently, if it is what my revolver is chambered for . . . . it'll shoot it!!

Mike
www.goonsgunworks.com
 
Revolvers are great and certainly dependable but if it goes down it goes down hard. You won't be fixing it in a gunfight most likely. I've had transfer bars break on SA's, cylinder pins back out, and cylinder stops break.
Click to expand...
+1 to this--if for whatever reason that cylinder doesn't lock up right--it's fight over without a detailed strip.

A CCW class probably has very little relavance to "in the wild" gun reliability. I suspect many participants are new to handguns and might not have any experience at all with the weapon they bring--likely a small caliber low recoil gun they may have in fact borrowed/rented. My class was loaded with novice shooters with bitty 22, 9mm and 380's.

PS--I had a great class taught by local police, not just the mechanics but also legal issues were discussed. I took the test using a new-to-me 45 XD and outshot almost everyone (though by regular range standards my results were pretty pitiful) : )
 
Last edited:
This subject gets debated to death - and nothing is ever really settled. I think there is nothing to be settled. At the end of the day, we each choose to carry what we wish. I don't think any of us can fairly say that the other guy is "wrong" in his/her choice. Revolvers, semis......5 rounds, 6 rounds......15 round mags, 20 round mags................

The REAL bottom line is - if/ when that SD situation arises - when the @#$% REALLY "hits the fan" - the outcome probably won't be directly related to exactly what brand/model/type of firearm we are carrying. It probably will have more to do with our individual resolve, judgement, skill.....and whether we can keep cool under pressure.

As such, the exact choice in a carry handgun is probably far less important than skill and comfort level with THAT particular handgun. Our choice in a carry handgun is really an educated guess - but that is a choice that we each have to make for ourselves.

So, I choose to go with that which I seem to handle best.....which happens to be a revolver. In part, that may well be because I really like revolvers. Regardless, that is my choice and I am comfortable with it.

What others choose is up to them. Whatever we each choose, though, we'd better be absolutely comfortable and competent with that weapon - else failure is the most likely result.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top