Semi-auto Caliber Revolvers

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BigMikey76

New member
I have no doubt that this topic will, as many gun topics do, generate some distinctly opinionated answers, but here we go.

I have recently begun to be interested in semi-auto caliber revolvers, specifically 9mm. I have yet to purchase my first revolver, but I have decided that my next purchase will be in the wheel gun category. At first, for all of the standard reasons, I was looking at .357s. The more I look around, however, the more the idea of a 9mm revolver just appeals to me. Here are some of my reasons:

1. Pretty much the least expensive practice ammo (I don't reload)

2. Same ammo as my current carry guns (some prefer infinite variety, I tend towards K.I.S.S.)

3. Shorter round makes it easier to carry more backup ammo. This one takes some explanation. I was watching a video where a guy carries two moon-clipped sets of 9mm ammo stacked one on top of the other in a single speed loader carry pouch. Thus, where he would only be able to carry 6 rounds of backup with .357 in speed loaders, he can carry 12 9mm. With a double carrier, that turns into 24, plus the 6 in the gun.

4. Not as loud. Now I'm not claiming that 9mm is quiet, by any means, but if I am forced into a self defense situation, especially in an indoor setting, I like the idea of less damage to my hearing.

I have given my reasons for my thought process, and I am now ready to take my lumps. What am I not considering? Where are the holes in my logic? Or, if you agree with me, why?
 
Hey, if it fits your needs nothing wrong with that at all. As for me, part of the beauty of a revolver are the rimmed cartridges that the revolver was designed for or vise versa I guess. I like a .357, .44mag., .454 etc. for there versatility of firing lighter rounds as well, such as .38 special which compares closely enough, for me anyway, to a 9mm but with the advantage of .357's if you so choose. Get a 9mm revolver, well, you got a 9mm revolver...:D....takes the spice out of it a bit. With that said, for your intended use I think the .9mm makes sense.
 
I have also been looking at a convertible .357/9mm, which would lend itself to a bit of that "variety spice" should I decide to mix it up in the future.
 
Your thoughts are sound. If you can find one, do it and be confident that your choice will do well.

Don't get too wrapped up in getting the "right" thing according to some set of standards.
 
4. Not as loud. Now I'm not claiming that 9mm is quiet, by any means, but if I am forced into a self defense situation, especially in an indoor setting, I like the idea of less damage to my hearing.
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Not correct - cylinder gap will increase the sound you hear and damage hearing.
 
I see numerous post on this Forum and other forums by folks either desiring to fire rimmed ammunition in semi-auto pistols or like in this thread rimless ammunition in revolvers.

I appreciate the affordability of ammunition and many of the other desired reasons. I am just not sure I understand the reasoning. This could just be my own bias.

In this case, use of rimless in revolvers, I simply see the added aggravation of moon clips. There just seems to be plenty of available ammunition overlap to stick with the type of ammunition each type of handgun was designed.

I see folks wanting .357 Magnum in semi-autos when there is .357 Sig and other similar powerful semi ammunition Then there is those who want 9mm in revolvers when there is .38 Special and other revolver ammunition of equal or plus ballistics.

All I can say is go for it and enjoy. I just personally don't see the advantage sufficient enough to be aggravated by it.
 
In this case, use of rimless in revolvers, I simply see the added aggravation of moon clips.
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Moon clips are a bother and a time waster. You have to load the moon clips, then you put them into the cylinder and shoot. After extracting the moon clip, you have to remove the fired cases from the moon clips.

If you used rimmed rounds, you load the cylinder and shoot. Then you extract the rounds and load new rimmed rounds.
 
As for the moon clips, yeah, they do take longer to get them preloaded than just dropping in rimmed rounds, but if I preload 10 of them before I go to the range, I can spend more time shooting and less time reloading. Since the time spent at the range is far more expensive than time spent at home, it doesn't really seem like a bad deal. I don't see it as being much different than getting all of my mags loaded for my semis before a range trip.
 
As to your points:
1. I have purchased several 22 caliber guns in similar configurations to my carry or competition guns to get that cheap practice ammo. I also shoot my carry/compete some too but shooting 22 saves me a lot of money with a lot of quality practice. Btw if you shop around you can get good 38 special ammo for $12 a box and good 9mm ammo for $9.50 a box. So not a huge difference. Overall your point is correct but in my opinion not a really bid deal.

2. Personally I don't think moon clips or half moon clips are very simple for carry. They can bend if you lean on them hard or bump them. And loading two half moon clips is not faster than loading one speedloader. So for carry, I don't think it is K.I.S.S. You mention the need to save time a the range so you must go to a place that is pretty strict about that. So pre-loading moon clips might be important. But you can accomplish this with speedloaders as well. I don't see that as an advantage specific to semi auto calibers in a revolver.

3. No argument here. Ability to carry more ammo is an advantage.

4. I've never heard anyone assert that semi-auto cartridges from a revolver are quieter before this thread. I don't know where you heard that but I would be interested to know. In my experience revolvers are somewhat louder than semi-autos but that is by no means a hard and fast rule. I would expect that the higher pressure of the 9mm round will make it pretty loud. I would guess it would be louder than a 38 sp. +p but less than a 357 (which is really loud btw). That's just a guess though and I would interested in any actual source for decibel levels of semi auto calibers in a revolver. .

So I'm not sure all your reasons are accurate but at the end of the day I don't see any reason not to get a revolver chambered for a semi-auto caliber. I think they are pretty cool and of you do too, you should get one and enjoy it.
 
I completely agree with the cheaper ammo argument. .38spl is expensive itself, much less .357mag! 9mm is SO much cheaper.

This is my only revolver that shoots semi-auto ammunition in moon clips.



Colt Model 1917 - made in 1919.
 
To be fair, the decibel chart I used to get my info for 9mm vs .357 most likely assumes that the 9mm is being fired from a semi. That being said, it listed a 4 decibel difference. A difference of 3 decibels is roughly double the sound energy, so that is a substantial difference. I'd be curious to see if anyone has specific info on the decibel level of 9mm from a revolver.
 
I just can't quite understand why one would purchase an expensive revolver(yes, good revolvers are more expensive than polymer pistols) just because they want to shoot cheap ammo. If that is the goal, then just buy buy a Ruger, H&R, et. .22LR revolver and bang away. That ammo is still relatively cheap by comparison.

Shooting rimless cartridges in a revolver requires moon-clips to load/unload as there is no rim to hold or headspace off of. Since 9mm bullets are typically NOT roll crimped and only taper crimped, they can exhibit bullet creep that can tie up the cylinder during firing.
 
Jwise, very nice condition 45ACP Colt you have there. I had a S&W equiv. years ago but mostly shot the 45Auto-rim out of it. Should'o never sold it.:(
 
I've never had any interest in a revolver chambered for a semi-auto cartridge.

At one time I bought a Smith & Wesson chambered for the 45 ACP cartridge. A 25-5? I think that was it. I took it to the range and fired less than a box of cartridges through it. I had to either punch the brass out with a pencil, or use moon clips. Both were a pain in the butt. (I don't think I have ever seen 45 AR for sale)

I put the gun up for sale the next day.
 
The Rhino is on my fairly short list of revolvers I would like. Its different and it is available as a convertible 9MM / 357. Reason being the convertible cylinder.
 
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Springer - It's been said many times that the investment in the gun is nowhere near the investment in ammo over a long term. That is what it comes down to here, as well. Spending more for a good gun and then shooting the crap out of it with less expensive ammo just makes sense to me from an economics point of view. If I go through 100 boxes of ammo, and .38 costs about $1.50 - $2 a box more than 9mm (average local prices), then I have saved about $150 - $200 in ammo, which makes the investment in the gun sting a lot less. Over time, I will have saved enough in ammo that the price of the gun may as well have been free, by comparison.

As far as getting a .22 revolver instead, yes, that would cost even less in ammo, but it wouldn't make much of a carry gun. I plan to have one at some point in the future, largely as a kit gun to pair with my 10-22 TD, but that is less of a priority for me.
 
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