Revolver or semi auto?

[tauruspt140-milpro]

Good morning all,

I am looking to get some feed back on your preference for carrying a revolver or a semi auto. I currently carry a semi auto, but I'm shopping for a second carry gun. I have never had trouble with my semi, but also know that a revolver is a reliable gun as well. Can anyone provide any pros or cons for either? I am trying to do some homework on the topic as I have a model of each picked out.

Also is there any one that switch carry between a semi and revolver, that can tell me of maybe difficulties in switching like this? I know if the time come to stop a threat muscle memory plays a huge role in your ability. I haven't really seen anyone on here or other forums I am a member of talk of switching like this.

Any help you can provide would be great, and thank you.

[fenster]

I have gone back and forth on this very topic. For the first couple of my carry years, I was strictly auto. I started doing IDPA with an auto. After some technical issues at a match with my reloads, and a buddies offer of a loaner revolver to run the match with, I got hooked, and it was revolver from then on out for competition. Same buddy came across the snub version of my competition revolver and declined to buy it, but let me know it was there, if I wanted to buy it. I did, and due to my familiarity with it in competition, I decided to make it my daily carry. That was about a year ago.
Now, I find myself leaning towards returning to the auto as my daily carry. Given some time and experience I guess I’d make out the pro/con list to look like this:

Revolver -----
Pros:
-carry comfort . I carry at the appendix position, which imposes some extra requirements. The curved profile and more organic shape of my snub makes my 6-shot stainless piece disappear. No printing, no discomfort (and I have a bit extra around my middle)
-mechanical reliability. Competition is a game, and is only vaguely similar to a self-defense situation on the street. But, from my observation on my own equipment, and observing my competitors during 2+ years of competition the revolvers have fewer mechanically-induced problems. ..many fewer. Now that I think on it none that I’ve seen first-hand. I’ll say upfront that this is in no way a scientific/statistically valid study. ..but it is what I’ve seen with my own eyes.
Cons:
-capacity. No surprise there. If I’m unlucky enough to need to get rounds into multiple assailants, I’m in deep trouble.
-reload speed. After a lot of practice, my hands can pretty much reload on autopilot. ..and a guy with less practice and an auto, can more quickly get more rounds ready to roll
-holsters are hard to find, if it’s not a J-frame.

I may go back to an auto if I can find the right combination of equipment to make appendix carry work.

[Dan20703]

I was in the same quandary. Carried an auto IWB but always thought about a revolver. Ended up getting a S&W 642. Depending on my attire, I can have a choice of either (both?) and pocket carry of the 642 is great with a Mika holster is this Texas summer heat. Everyone should own at least one revolver.

[tauruspt140-milpro]

Thank you for the input I currently carry a Taurus PT140 .40 at 3 o'clock in an IWB holster. I'm a bigger guy and have no trouble concealing even in shorts and a t-shirt. However, I can't always wear shorts and a t-shirt and do occasionally have to wear clothes along the lines of a suit, in which case my current carry would poke out and be as plan as day. Its this need for a smaller profile gun that has me in the market. As I trust my .40 now and am looking for a back up or alternate carry weapon which I can trust just as much. I have fired revolvers just as much as autos, and I have wanted to purchase a revolver my only draw back is as was posted above carry capacity and reload.

In my PT140 I have 10+1 capacity and in a matter of seconds I can load another 10 if needed. Although I don't intend on sticking around to fire 21 shots if I'm ever in that situation. Have you ever switch from revolver to semi auto on a daily basis, as opposed to carrying an auto for so long then switching to a revolver. Has anyone come across functionality issues between the switch from one day to the next? As I said my daily carry will be my .40, the second gun will be on occasion when the heavier semi compact would be more noticeable.

Also does anyone have advice on calibers and ammo for both a carry revolver and semi auto? I am more familiar with the auto calibers and ammo then I am with revolvers.

[Texas Dan Mosby]

I am looking to get some feed back on your preference for carrying a revolver or a semi auto.

I prefer auto's simply because I can fire faster, and more accurately with a single action design than the double action design, reloads are not as cumbersome, and I can toss a mag or two in my back pocket without the bulk of speed loaders.

I'm no Jerry Miculek...

I wouldn't feel under gunned carrying a REVO, however, I feel more confident with the legacy of Mr. J. Moses Browning at my side.

[A-R]

only revolver in my carry arsenal is a j-frame snub-nose .38. This is my go-to "toss it in a front pocket and head out the door" gun.

My other carry guns are striker-fired semi-autos Glocks and Walther PPS. Plus occassionally a Ruger LCP.

I personally feel a snub-nose .38 is the perfect "second gun" for anyone who normally carries a full-size gun (revolver or semi). You just need to practice with the snub nose to be sure you can fire it accurately enough. Muscle memory comes with practice.

cons of any revolver, especially a j-frame size, are obviously round capacity (only 5) and reload speed. The trade-off is for the smaller, more easily concealed package and great reliability - I'll trust a snub-nose revolver to go bang more than a pocket semi-auto (though I have been impressed with my LCP).

Being able to switch back-n-forth between a semi and a revolver just requires consistent regular practice with both guns. Then the subtle clues from the difference in grip will key your muscle memory to grip and point the revolver as it needs to be pointed and grip and point the semi as it needs to be pointed, etc.

I recently picked up a larger revolver, but don't have enough trigger time with it so my muscle memory is not developed enough for me to carry it.

[The Annoyed Man]

I carry both, not at the same time. Kinda depends on the weather and what I'm wearing that day.

SAs are either 1911s in .45, or an M&P 45.

Revolver is most often a M&P340 .357 snubbie. Rarely, it is a 640 .357 snubbie. Both are J-frames.

[aaangel]

you'll find out from the good guys here that, it's always nice to have options. depends on how you feel that day and what you're wearing. so your question should be which revolver should i buy? as Dan says, everyone should own a snubbie. be careful, they tend to multiply.

[tauruspt140-milpro]

you'll find out from the good guys here that, it's always nice to have options. depends on how you feel that day and what you're wearing. so your question should be which revolver should i buy? as Dan says, everyone should own a snubbie. be careful, they tend to multiply.

Well it just so happens I'm looking at either a 38 spl or .357 mag snubbie for carry. And as for options, that is one of the things I am looking at in my second carry weapon. As it will be just the second carry and not the last carry weapon I purchase. I have not been shooting long only about 4 years and already my gun safe has filled up nicely and I will be needing a second one or a bigger one soon.

Any ideas on a good revolver for carry?

[aaangel]

I'm looking at either a 38 spl or .357 mag snubbie for carry

you might want to talk to TAM about his 340.

[A-R]

Any ideas on a good revolver for carry?

Take your pick of the vast choices of S&W J-frame revolvers - steel, airweight aluminum, super light scandium, and even the new polymer "bodyguard" ... regular hammer, hammerless, or shrouded hammer.

Also Ruger LCR, Ruger SP101, Taurus 85, Charter Arms, old Colts ....

lot of choices out there. For pocket carry, the 4-ounce savings of an airweight vs. a steel gun doesn't sound like much but can help a lot if carrying in pants with thinner/weaker pockets (like khakis or dress slacks).

Some of the old pre-1999 S&W's have great triggers - these are distinguished by the firing pin on the hammer, instead of internal pin in the frame. Newer models aren't bad, just not as smooth as the older models.

LCR has a nice smooth trigger, but different feel than a S&W.

I highly recommend Mika's pocket holsters if you plan to carry that way - best I've found for a snubbie .... http://www.frontiernet.net/~akim/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For belt carry, whatever works for your semi will probably also work for a small revolver.

only other thing to consider is speedloaders or speed strips (I have and use both). speeloaders are faster to load; speed strips are easier to carry.

[USA1]

Any ideas on a good revolver for carry?

I'm going to throw this recommendation out because I have one and carry it 24/7.
..even when just wearing a bathrobe.

Smith and Wesson 642. It's lightweight, shoots +P rounds, and carries nicely in a pocket.

[Cobra Medic]

I like my Ruger LCR for pocket carry but I can't fault someone for carrying a Smith 442/642/340 or other concealed hammer J frame. I regret not buying the lonely 642 trade-in at my local cop shop 3 years ago.

[PUCKER]

Any ideas on a good revolver for carry?

Take your pick of the vast choices of S&W J-frame revolvers - steel, airweight aluminum, super light scandium, and even the new polymer "bodyguard" ... regular hammer, hammerless, or shrouded hammer.

I'm piggybacking on austinrealtor's post with a big for the S&W Bodyguard .38 Special +P, here's my thread on it from a month or so ago:
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=36601" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I HATE the infernal "Internal Safety Locks" that S&W and Taurus (and maybe some others?) have been incorporating into their revolvers. If that's a big deal for you, then either look at the new S&W Bodyguard or else older revolvers that don't have them.

I carry my Bodyguard in my right front pocket, it's EASY to have hands on it when you want to be REALLY ready, and it looks natural that way too. My Kimber 1911 is right-side IWB, I've carried both at the same time before, but lately I've been carrying just the snubby, with speedloader too. I hardly know it's there, seriously!

[cbunt1]

..even when just wearing a bathrobe.

I do the same with my Mod. 60, even when the wife makes fun of me!!!

I love J-frames for carry. Here's my take on the 38/357 question.

J Frames make great 38 specials and LOUSY .357 magnums. When I bought a J-Frame I was insistent upon a .357 Mag version--mostly because I have several .357's in the collection, sometimes load some "hot" .38 spl rounds and wanted to make sure nobody could accidentally grab the wrong box of boom-smoke.

That said...a steel-frame mod. 60 will handle standard .357 loads...it's not much fun to shoot. Put a full-house defense load (say a Fed. Hydrashock load advertised at 1450 fps) and it's just plain brutal.

BUT...same gun shooting "hot" 38 +P's is plenty of gun, and I've never felt under-gunned carrying it.

And yes, I do swap between a 1911 and a J-frame depending upon my mood on a particular day. Only real issues I have with that is where to store your extra ammo--Conventional wisdom says revolver ammo should go on the strong side while semi-auto ammo should go on the weak side...personally, I prefer all extra rounds on the weak side...that's just me though.