.

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

5 Times when a Revolver is Better than an Auto Pistol


Auto pistols are without a doubt king of the hill when it comes to defensive shooting. Weight, capacity, reliability and accuracy. In the hands of a well-trained shooter there’s no doubt the auto pistol is the way to go.
But that’s not always the case and here are a few examples as of when you may want to go for a trusty wheelgun.

1)Lack of training
This is maybe the #1 reason to get a revolver over an auto pistol. How simple the manual of arms is with them. As long as the gun is loaded all you have to do is pull the trigger for it to fire a round, something that comes pretty instinctively to a person when attacked. During such a stressful event fine motor skills are compromised and its easy for someone without a good amount of firearms training to mess up. Either forget to put a round in the chamber, remove or mistakenly engage the manual safety, even press the magazine release or jamming the gun by nervously checking to see if its loaded.
All of this is far less likely to happen when manipulating a revolver if you don’t have a lot of training. Therefore I recommend revolvers for people that will just buy a gun “for defense”, take it to the range and fire a couple dozen shots to try it out,  then leave the gun next to a half empty box hidden somewhere in case they need it.

2)Physical impairments
Sometimes people struggle badly or just don’t have the strength, due to age or some medical condition, to effectively chamber a round. In that case not only is it impossible for them to chamber a round, but also to clear any malfunctions.
Revolvers don’t have this problem. In the case of 357 magnum revolver they can be loaded with lighter 38 special loads if recoil is too much as well.

3)Long-term storage
If a gun is stashed somewhere for emergencies, maybe somewhere around the house or in a safe, then it’s a good idea to go with a revolver if you don’t want to check that it is in proper working order with certain frequency. Some law enforcement recommend rotating magazines every 3 months. And there’s also the chance of it rusting or the rounds tarnishing and getting stuck and not feeding properly.
While modern magazines are incredibly reliable, and I have kept Glock and 1911 magazines loaded for years without a problem, they are still the component most prone to failure in an auto pistol. Time flies and before you know it several years can go by without that gun being touched. While high quality magazine springs aren’t supposed to set or cause problems, if the gun will be stored for long periods of time then a revolver is a good idea.

4)Hunting and other Outdoors activities.
Revolvers tend to come in bigger, more powerful calibers. Even a 357 magnum can be loaded with much heavier, hotter loads than what you would usually use against two legged predators. Of course you have 44 magnum, 454 Casull, 500 S&W and so on. These bigger calibers are usually preferred when you have to pack for large dangerous game.  This same reason makes them better suited for hunting.
Revolvers are also practical for when you need different kind of reloads. A 357 magnum revolver can fire hot magnums for defense or very light 38 special reloads for hunting smaller game depending on what you need, giving you a versatility you don’t have in auto pistols. Revolvers can be loaded with special birdshot shells for snakes or birds. Revolvers don’t eject the empty case, which is also something reloaders appreciate.

5)22LR and SHTF ammo
When it comes to 22LR, the problem is that it’s not always as reliable as we wish it was. Especially the cheaper ammo bought in bulk, you sometimes get a dud, underpowered loads or a round that takes a few strikes to fire. In an auto pistol this means clearing a failure. The light recoil means frequent failure to eject or stovepipes, which also have to be cleared.  Because of this revolvers are good choices when looking for 22LR handguns you need to depend on when you pull the trigger.
This same logic applies to ammo of questionable quality and less than ideal reloads with mystery powders and homemade cast bullets. Auto pistols require perfectly good ammo to run reliably, while a revolver is more forgiving and you can feed it any 38 special or 357 magnum load you come across.
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”

12 comments:

MJX said...

Boy, Fernando, you know your stuff! I'm the type not to use it only when I have to for defense. That kinda cleared it up somewhat. Definitely will do more research and reading.
I've just turned 60 and pretty concerned about things and how they can unravel.
Hate to use a gun on another person, but sometimes you got to do what you got to to.
Doubt I can manhandle an intruder like I could in my younger days.
I've read your shotgun article too. Thank you so much for all your knowledge and experience

Mike Yukon said...

All your comments are correct. There is one more I could add although unlikely with today's ammo if you did pull the trigger and it was a dud round, just pull the trigger again. No thinking needed and you don't need two hands like on a semi-auto.

Anonymous said...

#6: a hammerless revolver can be fired and fired again
from a concealed position inside a pocket.

Anonymous said...

A downside to revolvers is the aging process, and hand weakness.

I have used firearms for more than 50 years and can no longer reliably manipulate a double action revolver.

Anonymous said...

Disagree on #1
A revolver requires more practice and training to employ properly. This doubles if it's a J-Frame sized weapon or to be used defensively.

Paul Bonneau said...

"Disagree on #1"

This depends on the task being done. There may well be some issues (e.g. extended shooting, with reloading being necessary) where revolvers are more difficult. But for basic defensive needs, for example just handing a gun to a woman being stalked who has no chance of going to a range for a while, a revolver can't be beat.

Anonymous said...

Revolvers also do not leave spent casings everywhere.

Marshall said...

One other advantage of a revolver is you can use it with the muzzle in contact with the target, while a semi auto could be forced out of battery and not be able to be fired.

Marshall

Bill said...

Be handy for scavenging brass wouldn't it?

Dan Patterson said...

Agreed with the post and all comments.
But:
Please please please do not depend on .22LR for self defense.

deb harvey said...

i am a 69 year old female. nra instructor recommended a revolver with a red dot.
i couldn't use the other type of pistol. not enough strength to chamber the bullet.

Jacob Anthony said...

Thank you for this comment. Develop your writing skills, it is a powerful tool you can use to help further the lives of others who may need the help or information you like to write about.
357 Magnum Brass