revolver vs. pistol

carry

Key word here is CARRY. The 686, is a big gun, any medium frame .357 will be.........and though I'm a fair sized guy, I would not want to try to conceal a 686 everyday year round. It could be done with a cover garment, but tucking a L-frame inside my waistband for concealment, with a hammer, target sights, and the bulk of the cylinder and butt, would just be plain uncomfortable for me. A K-frame .357, especially the round butt versions, might conceal a bit better.

I have no experience with the small frame .357's ( Smith's J and what ever Ruger calls theirs) but I would think with real .357 ammo they would be harder to shoot well). The 5-shot J frame has its place, but I do not believe as a primary weapon with magnum ammo in most cases.

The modern auto pistol is compact, durable and reliable. Modern ammo makes the 9mm a better stopper (so they say anyhow) than in times past. Something like a G19 is flat, compact and easy to carry, has high capacity, and can be shot well by nearly everyone. The autopistol's adoption by LE in both patrol and detective/plainclothes use is no accident.

I own and shoot .357 revolvers of course. Carried one for a duty gun for about a decade. Still carry one to the woods now and again, and even occasionally strap one on for a trip to the store for gas. Their as good a weapon as they ever were. But the modern auto offers advantages.
 
I absolutely love revolvers and I own and regularly shoot a slew of them. I would absolutely want a revolver if I couldn't have a semiautomatic pistol, but I would not choose a revolver over a medium or full size 9/.40/.45, not ever.

If you have never experienced a real stoppage with a revolver, you might also see where I am coming from AFTER you do. While it is true that a semiautomatic can have failures and they are (arguably) (somewhat/occasionally) common failures, they are almost always fast and simple to rectify if you are practiced.

Revolver stoppages are a nightmare and rarely cleared and undone quickly or easily.

One of the biggest myths and oldest FALSE legends are that revolvers are infallible, "six for sure!" and the like. Truth is that the mindset of revolvers being rock-solid came about from days gone by when most pistols were questionable in comparison. Revolvers are far more complicated and prone to failures that cannot be rectified without a work bench, bright light, tools, experience, and a steady hand to fix them. And that becomes MORE SO in a harsh, fighting environment.

I love revolvers but I choose to carry soulless, ugly Tupperware.
 
One of the biggest myths and oldest FALSE legends are that revolvers are infallible,
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True, in the real world, in 2018, a semi is going to be at least as reliable, probably more. I know semis are less susceptible to dirt and abuse that will lock up a revolver. Kept spotless and in a night stand a revolver MIGHT still be more reliable, but not out in the real world.

I like revolvers with long barrels for longer range precision. The longer sight radius means better accuracy and the longer barrels mean better ballistics. But from 4" or shorter barrels 357 mag will just barely shoot the same bullet weights faster than the better 9mm loads from much lighter and more compact guns. With less muzzle blast and recoil. For SD I'll take a compact 9mm 10 times out of 10
 
I'd choose just about any auto pistol over just about any revolver.
Of course, I'd choose a J-frame over a Desert Eagle, but choosing between a .357 revo and a 9mm auto, guns of similar size, I'd take the auto every time.

Shooting a DA revolver quickly and accurately requires a lot of work, a lot more than an auto, and I don't see the need to put in the extra work to master a less-effective weapon.
 
For your question, it depends. For woods, the 357 Mag. For EDC, the G19. 16 rounds of 9mm > 8 rounds of 357 Mag for SD against 2 legged creatures.

Personally, I carry 357 Sig.
 
The automatic pistol is a passing fad.

The people who prefer, lean toward, like
or choose an automatic pistol are the
same ones who put sauerkraut on their
chocolate pudding and wear white socks
to a formal black tie occasion.
 
So what's your point Uncle? :p For the record, I've reached the age and temperament where I don't really care what anyone thinks of my choices in food, clothing, or firearms. I am also perfectly willing to accept your right to be wrong.;)
 
So what's your point Uncle? For the record, I've reached the age and temperament where I don't really care what anyone thinks of my choices in food, clothing, or firearms.
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I think it's a little thing called "humor".:D

Don
 
Don, my use of smileys indicates my understanding of Uncle's humor and my attempt at the same. I'm glad you cleared it up for any not paying attention though.:p
 
Shooting a DA revolver quickly and accurately requires a lot of work, a lot more than an auto, and I don't see the need to put in the extra work to master a less-effective weapon.
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I guess you never saw anyone shot with a 357 magnum.
 
Nanuk, I will accept that full house .357 packs more of a punch than my preferred 9 mm. My ability to shoot quickly and accurately is greater with my semiautomatic 9s though, making them much more effective for me.

No, I've never seen anyone shot with a. 357. I have studied the available data and have concluded I am more likely to survive a lethal encounter with a 9 mm that I shoot well than a .357 that I don't that holds half the rounds and takes twice (or more) the time to reload. .357 misses are much less effective that hits with a 9 mm. Yes, I know that some think the .357 magnum is the hammer of God when it comes to stopping bad guys. I have heard the anecdotal evidence of one shot stops of people, animals, and the occasional vehicle. I've never seen any real evidence that it's superior to 9 mm, .40 or .45 for surviving a gun fight using modern ammunition.

And yes, I know that some of you are so good that 5 or 6 rounds of .357 is more than enough to stop multiple attackers in any encounter. It is interesting to me that the more I know and the better I get, the less confident I am of that.
 
Well, the FBI statistics indicate most gunfights are
over in 2.5 rounds average.

That's why I carry 3 to give myself an edge.

And now back to the average shooters to debate
wheel guns vs. bottom feeders.
 
Shooting a DA revolver quickly and accurately requires a lot of work, a lot more than an auto, and I don't see the need to put in the extra work to master a less-effective weapon.

I guess you never saw anyone shot with a 357 magnum.
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Six howling 125s that miss, or arrive too late, aren't of much use.
 
Wife and I, just switched from semi-auto's, to the Ruger LCR .38 Special revolvers. I picked up the x model with the exposed hammer, and hers is the shrouded model. I can't help it, if I've had a bunch of revolvers over the last 45 years, and still like them!
 
RickB said:
Shooting a DA revolver quickly and accurately requires a lot of work, a lot more than an auto, and I don't see the need to put in the extra work to master a less-effective weapon.
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Incredibly lazy way of thinking.

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I carry both, am proficient with both and I'm nothing special in ability or intelligence.

There are so few situations that actually require a higher capacity or a few seconds faster reload that you can, with any truth, say that a revolver is a poor SD platform. 90% of the time, if you pull a weapon and defend yourself, the attacker will retreat. The 10% left over,

You shoot first. Be proficient enough with your gun to shoot accurately. Revolver or Semi, both work.

They shoot first, first proper response is to get to cover while drawing your weapon. If need be, shoot back forcing them to get to cover or be less accurate in their own shooting. Revolver or Semi, both work fine.

Statistics showing a revolver holds enough rounds to get the job done, why do you need so many rounds without a reload?

7+1 semi has 1 more round then a seven shot .357. If you can't finish it in 7, is 1 more gonna manage it?

All of this said, I am a proponent of "I'd rather I have it and not need it..." but a revolver is still a fine SD choice.
 
Kirosha your "incredibly lazy way of thinking" comment was not directed at me, but since I am in complete agreement with RickB I will respond. I seriously doubt that you can shoot a .357 of suitable size for carry with magnum rounds as fast and accurately as you or many of us here can shoot 9 mm. Why? Because a DA .357 is not an easy handgun to shoot fast and accurately. Can it be done? Sure. There are some who can achieve amazing results with a .357 revolver. I don't know any though. I know quite a few guys who have great skills and abilities with handguns for self defense. Great bullseye shots with revolvers, and quite passable at rapid fire on multiple targets. None of them carry revolvers.

Now let's address the notion that with ninja-like skills one can probably survive a gunfight with a revolver. I agree. Truth is most of us will never need a handgun, much less fire one in self defense. In a very high percentage of cases a revolver will be perfectly adequate. The problem is sometimes shooting is required and when that happens it is not unusual for multiple shots to be needed, and there certainly are shootings where more than 6 or 7 rounds are needed to end hostilities. Yes, statistically an insignificant number...unless you are the guy.

It is not lazy for me to use what works best. The time and money I spend on shooting my self defense handguns is spent there. Could I learn to shoot my .357 faster and more accurately? Yes. Could I learn to reload faster? Absolutely. Could I ever learn to shoot it as fast or accurately as my daily carry semiautomatic? Not a chance. Reloads? Forgetaboutit!

In summary: "Shooting a DA revolver quickly and accurately requires a lot of work, a lot more than an auto, and I don't see the need to put in the extra work to master a less-effective weapon." Thanks RickB.
 
Let's ignore, for a moment, the specious argument that the 357mag is "hard to master"..
After all, 357 isn't the only choice in revolvers. There are moon clipped 9mm revolvers, for example.
Also, many here seem to think a light weight snub is the only carry revolver.
Tonight, I stepped out with a Model 10 tapered 4" 38spl carried iwb, loaded with Gold Dot 135gn +P. I felt pretty well armed.
 
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