Advantages Of Using A Revoler Over A Semi Automatic.

I suppose that if I was going into combat, dressed like some mall ninja I would prefer the semi auto over a revolver for the additional defensive capability that it would offer me.

For personal protection in snake, grizzly, black bear, etc country I feel that a good revolver would be more than adequate. The majority of handgun owners in this country DO NOT train extensively with the firearms that they own. Most are like the average hunter and drag their firearm out of the closet once or twice a year. Revolvers are simplier to use for those that are not willing to spend the time and effort into practice.

Just because a police officer or a soldier for that matter has been trained in the use of a firearm, does not mean that they have maintained their proficiency with their issued firearm past annual qualification. In todays hi tech enviornment, money to expand annual ammunition expenditure is not as "###y" as buying the latest hi tech toy! Plus its not "politically correct", for many municipal, provincial or federal politicians.

Personally I own single action and double action revolvers and semi auto pistols. I am a high volume handgun shooter who feels that I could meet any challenge successfully with either firearm. The point that must be stressed is, that it matters not what you carry/own but can you proficiently employ what you carry/own?
 
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Garand,

You are correct on all accounts. The fact that most shooters as well as a great majority of LEO's do not train with their firearms on a regular basis is a sad reality that often costs lives. For the average citizen who shoots, not so much. The LEO must realize that the only piece of equipment that provides any assurance that they will go home is their pistol. Failing to understand this and failing to master their pistol can and does cost LEO's their lives. The fact that "society" and the political retards running the organizations see it fit to not train and equip their officers with the best of both does nothing but add to the problem. A friend of mine was employed by a small LE dept. prior to getting on with Calgary Police service. He shot so much company ammo that the dept. cut him off. He continued to train with his own money and his own ammo.

TDC
 
TDC said:
870P,

Firing from a stationary position at the range would indicate that you are enjoying some basic plinking or are working on marksmanship. Neither of these two activities requires the shooter to have any advanced skills such as those mentioned in previous posts. If the merits of revolvers vs. autos is being debated with the intended use being that of stationary fire, there is no point in this conversation. Any such merits for either system being employed in such a fashion is almost strictly a personal preference.

As for mags and speedloaders. If you compete, you need to have an ample supply of either or both. Depending on what you run. Magazines are quite cheap for most makes and models. I'm not up to speed on the price of speedloaders but I would imagine they aren't overly expensive.

TDC
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Some of us like to review the basics once in a while, and not having to mash cartridges into magazines nor chase flown brass means that you get a lot more effective trigger time. Also I find working a long, heavy DA revolver trigger is more beneficial to my overall shooting than would the same amount of time spent on one of my SA or DA/SA autoloaders.
 
ANY firearm with proper training will be proficient. Statistics show (read somewhere on the net) that most altercations happen within 15' or less. And an average of 3 shots have been fired.

There were some issues about stopping power. The 38 Special was on the lacking side. Didn't pentrate well through a windshield.

Another way of thinking was that the criminal element had a greater firepower advantage by using larger calibers and autoloaders. The move to the autoloader by law enforcement was to "level" the playing field.

I have read this stuff on the net and in gun magazines, so it MUST be true...........
 
.... Having carried, and trained, with both revolvers and semi-autos, as a personal opinion, the revolver is more forgiving if practice is neglected. The manual of arms is certainly simpler with the revolver. The revolvers in general, are perhaps more "forgiving" of their ammunition, and from a defensive (LEO) perspective, considering that statistically , shots are fired at close to contact distances, and the average number runs around the 2.5 shots, if considering the numbers only, there is no advantage one way or the other. Again, from a defensive point of view, realistically, there is very little difference between a high performance modern +P 9mm and a proven +P .38 Spl.( IE the so called FBI load, 148grn.SWHP ) .... both can be had in compact versions, and if properly maintained, both are very reliable. With the semi auto, the magazines tend to be the weak link, in as much as they can be bent, damaged or lost. The debate of "double action/single action" revolver vs Double action semi-auto vs double action/single action is whole new can of worms ! Really, a matter of personal preferences!... David K. ....
 
DavidK, the FBI violent crime statistics, state that most shootouts in the USA: are within arms reach to 7 yards, 1-5 shots fired, and are over in less than 15 seconds.
According to this information, a DA revolver in an adequate calibre, would be sufficient. I would personally choose this, if I was ever in a position to do so. I am sure others would feel better off with a Glock/Taurus.
 
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Actually I wasn't impuning the reputation of anyone carrying a semi auto, see the following
Metro-Dade Police Department
[FONT=Arial,Arial]Statistical Abstract of Shooting Incidents, 1988-1994 [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]NUMBER OF SHOTS FIRED BY TYPE OF FIREARM [/FONT]
TYPE OF FIREARM
NUMBER OF INCIDENTS
MEAN # OF SHOTS FIRED
REVOLVER 44 incidents mean rounds 2.5 SEMI-AUTOMATIC 79 incidents mean rounds 3.2​



The rest of this data would seem to indicate that not only is there almost one full extra round per incident fired, but that hit probability is higher than with a semi auto. I should note that I personally prefer autoloaders, I just don't think they are for everyone.


Note that .7 of a round per incident doesn't seem like much, but extrapolated over the number of incidents in North America each year it becomes significant. It becomes very significant if it hits an unintended target. Using only the data here if all of the above situations had occurred with officers using semi-autos, and the mean numbers are applied there would have been 393.6 rounds fired. If all of the above had occurred with revolvers 307.5 rounds fired. That is from a risk management perspective a very large liability potential. I would of course be happy to provide the source for the included data: www.theppsc.org/Staff_Views/Aveni/OIS.pdf
The rest of this study suggests that current training isn't working all that well, with regard to your friend being cut off from training ammunition, I think that is a symptom of the psychology of the late 20th and early 21st Century. The current logic seems to be that if you have the latest tools you don't need skill to operate them, we both agree this isn't the case.
 
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One advantage that certain revolvers has is the ability to use more than one calibre of ammunition. .357 Mag revolvers can use .38 Spl as a reduced load. Some Rugers are convertable between .357/.38 and 9x19mm. .44 Mags can shoot .44 Spl.

This is useful for target practice or when introducing newbies to the sport.
 
... "in in vic" .... Good posting ! I wish I'd had the data a few years ago when the RCMP was first looking to replace the aging, Mdl.10s ! At that time, I felt the better option would have been to go with a S&W 686, fixed, "Glo in the dark" sights and a round butt.4" barrel. ( Considering the size of the order, S&W would have painted them pink if that was requested ! ) .... the choice of 38 Spl./357 Mag. would have allowed some measure of flexibility, and lower cost of training which could have translated into more "Range Time" . Availability of ammunition in suitable quantities at a competitive price was one objection raised. ( The sources for 38 Spl. ammunition were diminishing due to less demand, and the prices were steadily rising for what was available! ) .... anyway, their current choice of pistol, sure "points well" up close and dirty ! And so far, has proven reliable, as has the selection(s) of ammunition ! ...David K. ....
 
What about DA/SA semi auto pistols? Using my old Walther P38 as an example - of course many more modern pistols copy it closely like the Beretta 92. The Germans were an early adopter of this type of firearm in 1929 with the Walther PP.

1. Can carry with safety off, round in the chamber, hammer down, firing pin blocked automatically just like a revolver.

2. Has a loaded chamber indicator pin just above the hammer.

3. Can pull DA trigger a second time if a primer doesn't go off. Would still have to rack the slide if the primer was a complete dud.

4. 8 shots, magazine loading (again, more modern pistols have 10 or more)

I'd feel much safer carrying a semi-auto like this or a DA revolver than a SA semi-auto. I picture myself tumbling down the stairs in the dark with a SA semi-auto, hammer cocked with a light trigger - NOT GOOD.
 
TheRick said:
Revolver are less complex, therefore; they most always work.
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Read the whole thread. Revolvers are far more complex and do not lend themselves to interchangability of parts.. Without a gunsmith. Revolvers consist of around 50 parts. Many of these parts are small and precision fit. Almost every part requires a gunsmith to install and set up properly. Autos(of quality make) are completely interchangable. Sig pistols have a 55 pieces, 1911's run about 51, Glocks have 35.

TDC
 
As a user of a revolver, the ONLY draw back I really see is the ammo capacity, for the most part I can do almost everything I can with the revolver that I can do with a Semi Auto.

The MAIN thing is You can shoot through your FTFs without any extra action of the user on the revolver other than just pulling the trigger again.

magazine disconnects have no purpose on firearms
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Yes and no.... as there are a few cases where the magazine disconnects have also Saved officers lives as well. Personal opinion i'd rather NOT have them as well.

Personally I feel more confident handling a semi auto, and I feel the argonomics of grip to berrel are a little easier to use instinctively on the semi autos as well. BUT like anything without practice/handling the fire-arm is pretty useless.

I also believe that its easier to learn to do a fast reload with the semi auto as well, and is in fact faster than a revolver.

Luke
 
Accuracy is personal

Revolvers are not more accurate than semi-autos. You could also say the reverse and be correct. If you want to go down the accuracy road, then you must examine PPC style shooting. PPC is an accuracy game. I have personally seen HighMasters use revolvers and semi-autos with equal accuracy.
It mostly comes down to having top equipment to start with and the uncanny ability to hold your revolver or auto incredibly steady while squeezing the trigger [albeit lightened] and looking at your sight.
The current trend in PPC to autos started in the USA and has been seen here. Top shooters are using SigSauer P226X6's, STI TargetMasters, and S&W Performance Center PPC guns, almost always in 9mm. Even the S&W 952's in 9mm fire well.
Shooting very accuractely is a function of very good or top line equipment and ability of the the shooters. There are only a handful of HighMasters in PPC for a reason.
 
Striker said:
Less moving parts, less parts to break.
Recoil is straight back into your hand, it doesn't twist in your hand like a pistol. Easier recoil management.
Revolvers with 5,6 or 8" barrels are more accurate then a 4" barreled pistol due to the lenght of the barrel and the longer sight radius.
Easier to train novice shooters on.
Aren't as affected by dirt and crude as a pistol.
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a revovler has fewer moving parts? Are you sure? When I detail strip a smith revovler I have quite a slew of little bit and springs......
 
To the revolvers bashers, do you remember the incidence in near Montreal where the home owner killed a cop with his .357 magnum? If I remember right, he fired 3 shots vs the police officers multiple shots and they only managed to wound his wife and shoot true is son's bedroom door...

I do not wish to ridicule the cops actions here and I am sorry for their loss, but there are lessons to be learned here...

In all the "armed citizens" stories that I've read from the USA, the victims only fired a limited number of shots.

So I think that a well aimed gun with better stopping power would yield better results than "spraying" your target.

As for the reloading factor of revolver vs pistol I ask you: when is the last time that you have heard of a regular police officer or armed citizen who had to do a tactical reload?

Here is a video of Jerry Miculik that will blow your mind (I know that he's a pro, but it's still amazing)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsLx5ISBXw4&feature=related
 
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roadwarrior said:
As for the reloading factor of revolver vs pistol I ask you: when is the last time that you have heard of a regular police officer or armed citizen who had to do a tactical reload?
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Lets start with the 1986 Miami FBI shootout with Michael Platt and William Matix where 6 LEO's nearly lost the fight against two suspects. Reloads were the order of the day.

Perhaps we need to review the North Hollywood shootout of 1997. Here's a nice quote from the Wikipedia site regarding round count.

"Most of the incident, including the death of Phillips and the capture of Matasareanu, was captured on tape by news helicopters that hovered over the scene and televised the action as events unfolded.[12] Over 300 various law enforcement officers had responded to the city-wide TAC alert.[21] By the time the shooting had stopped, Phillips and Matasareanu had fired about 1,300 rounds.[10] Phillips was hit 11 times, including the self-inflicted shot to the head; Matasareanu was hit 29 times, and died from shock caused by blood loss."

Again, I'd say reloads were the order of the day.

Every choice in equipment and tactics is a gamble. If you wish to gamble with only 6 rounds, or perhaps 18 rounds total with a DA revolver, be my guest. Personally I prefer to stack the odds in my favor. Heavily in my favor if I can. More ammo, more training, more guns, and more friends with guns would be my choice.

TDC
 
Revolvers forces me to make sure every round counts becuase I simple don't have a lightning fast reload coming up. In general they are more accurate with longer barrel options.

Just put it this way
You don't see semi-auto's shooting IHMSA where every shot counts.
 
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people that think auto's jam more then revolvers need to give thier heads a shake, a semi auto pistol is a closed unit with very little space for dirt or lint to get into....

modern semi auto's are also less likely to have a FTF and have less moving parts then a revolver and less parts that need to be tuned.... you show me a revolver that is as easy to replace parts as a glock and I will go out and buy it.

revolvers have to be worked on by competent gunsmiths which this country is seriously lacking, semi autos and especially combat style semi autos like the HK, Glock are built to withstand 10k rounds minimum before requried parts change and for the most part it is just a new recoil spring.

I like revolvers, but frankly they are to much work to become proficient in and frankly for speed shooting they suck.
 
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