Revolvers And Auto-Loading Pistols
BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 11 months ago
Here is an interesting video I stumbled across. Yea, he’s not Jerry Miculek, but that makes it more useful. He shoots more like I would (I’m pretty good with a pistol and a revolver, but I’m not Jerry either).
So here’s one takeaway. Yea, there are fewer possible shots with a wheel gun unless you’re Jerry and can reload as quickly as he does. But there are disadvantages with the auto-loading pistol as well.
FTF, FTE, stovepipe failures, light primer strike or dud ammunition requiring you to cycle the slide and hope that there are no terminal failures of the machine. I’m sure this is just a partial list.
Furthermore, he demonstrates auto-loading pistols going out of battery, and the shirt getting caught up in between the slide and frame was something I didn’t see coming. And duress, there’s something very nice about the simplicity of a double action revolver.
I sometimes carry an auto-loading pistol. When I do, it’s most usually a Commander size 1911, although not necessarily so. I sometimes carry a small revolver. When I choose to do that, it’s most likely in a truly non-permissive carry situation, i.e., I absolutely cannot print, so I’ll carry a small revolver in an ankle holster.
I shoot 1911s well because of the narrow single stack design, but I shoot subcompacts very poorly, probably because of the severe RA in my right hand and the gnarled up joints in my fingers. I do much better with small revolvers than I do any subcompact. The only time I can shoot a double stack well is for medium frame pistols, so I might choose to carry one of those.
What I do depends upon a lot of considerations, and the notion that more rounds is always better misses the real complexity of this issue for a carrier.
On December 23, 2020 at 11:49 pm, Wilson said:
Very interesting, good info. Thanks
On December 24, 2020 at 12:50 am, George 1 said:
All else being equal, more rounds are better IMHO. However the small revolvers are certainly easy to conceal. If concealment is the top priority then the man or woman who is armed with the small revolver is still better prepared than the vast majority of people. Also a Plus P round of 38 Special is quite respectable at reasonable ranges.
I have been to classes where the instructors dismissed the revolver as antiquated and with not enough capacity to be considered for self defense applications. I always point out that the small revolver is nearly unequaled for CCW. If you have to be in a questionable area, as Herschel points out, then they are certainly better than carrying no gun at all.
As for revolvers in general you also have the case of the elderly not being able to rack the slide of semi autos. I had an elderly neighbor who lived alone when we resided in Washington. She had a very difficult time charging the semi auto Glock that her son had tried to teach her to use. I showed her one of my revolvers and she wound up taking to it just fine. She went and got a little training and I believe she would do well enough with it to defend herself at home.
On December 24, 2020 at 9:21 am, joe said:
not sure if this works with other hammerless semi’s but you can place your thumb on the backplate of the glock and it will fire…that way it won’t go out of battery if you have to shove it in a ribcage or gut…you will have to rack it manually because it won’t cycle…done it at the range…
On December 24, 2020 at 9:55 am, WhoMe said:
I bought a S&W M&P EZ in 9 mm and one in .380 for my students to try. Those weapons were designed to be operated by a shooter with compromised upper body strength. So far, several students have discovered they are the only semi-auto pistols they can successfully rack the slide and run the manual of arms. A few went on to buy one for their EDC guns. The EZ models hold 8 + 1 and are easy to conceal.
They make a better option for concealed carry than a lever action .410, which is the only weapon that one student (70 years old, 85 pounds, arthritis in both hands) years ago could run. Even so, she had to have somebody load it for her. Thank goodness for tube magazines. She lived in Southern California where a concealed weapon permit is impossible to get, but still wanted something for home defense.
On December 24, 2020 at 11:17 am, 41mag said:
@Herschel
Have you given Kahr pistols a try?
Easier on the trigger finger, more like a double action revolver but a striker fired auto.
On December 24, 2020 at 11:19 am, revjen45 said:
Not mentioned: multiple assailants.
5 rds. is enough to deal with 1 perp the vast majority of the time. Make it 3 attackers and more shots on tap becomes a necessity. Obviously, 5 shots is better than none against 3 Orcs, but it’s really not enough.
L.E. vs. peons situation
Death wish aside, somebody who attacks a cop is pumped – desperate to avoid capture, expecting a worthy opponent who will put up effective armed resistance, and with no regard for any considerations other than to escape.
Somebody who attacks a woman is likely expecting an easy victim who will be paralyzed with terror and easily overpowered. The Orc will be surprised by the impact of shots hitting his chest, and likely not to want any more.
Not suggesting that anybody ever rely on the psychological effect for an effective stop, but the element of surprise from armed resistance is a factor.
On December 24, 2020 at 2:11 pm, Brad said:
I read an article on line sometime back titled “Planning Your Own Personal Gunfight”. The title alone says it all. I can’t find it anymore or I’d book mark it. But it obviously has to do with your own personal Threat Assessment. And this day and age and political climate that is no longer static. This day and age I carry as much capacity in gun and spare mags as I can. I would suggest everyone else do the same based on physical and legal restraints.
On another note. The gun training industry is pretty damn trendy. The new big No No. Carrying a pistol with an external safety because it takes so much time to kick that safety off and it’s a distraction. I dunno. If you’re that stupid, maybe you shouldn’t be carrying a gun at all.
On December 24, 2020 at 4:03 pm, Paul B said:
I am happy with my stubby revolvers.
Every class I have attended for ccw or anything gun related has been taught by active or former cops.
If you are carrying enough ammo to hold out at the Alamo I think you might cross over into the gray area. We are not LEOs so our needs should be minor.
Now if you are doing security your needs might be greater but I think a revolver with 5 or 6 rounds should handle most of the needs anyone will have
I would like to see one where the guy clears leather on a moving target coming at you from 20 to 25 yards out. How quick you can get a gun in the fight has more bearing on what you should be carrying
On December 25, 2020 at 4:29 pm, PJ said:
3 bad guys? One shot might still be enough, because nobody wants to be shot, even if they haven’t been shot yet.
Mobs of communists? Probably want a double stack pistol and several magazines. Or a battle rifle.