sevenshooter

I need some input on how, besides personal preference, you came to the choice of a revolver and or semi for CCW.

What was the advice of your instructor? What dictated, form statistics, to persuaded you to choose a wheel gun or a semi? Do you live in a area where you need a semi? Or is it in more rual areas that a revolver is good enough?

Did the instructor give you scenerios to persuade you to choose a semi even though you live in a suburb or rual area?

Guess the more security the better.

One last question.... does having a loaded magazine weaken the follower spring over extened periods of time?

rlsmith

Personal perference should be a big consideration to you. I live in rual area and I personally carry a single action 45 I am a firm believer that one should pratice with your revolver and also believe that if after six shots the problem has not stop you are in big trouble anyway. Also I believe that Law Enforcement needs semi auto to be on equal footing with the idiots out there. I chose a revlover because that is what I'm very good with. And at all cost I will avoid any type of situation where I might have use it but if I have to I am comforabale with what I carry. Also in my opinion I believe that alot of people carry a semi autos because that have so many rounds and believe that that gives them the edge they are the people I feel sorry for. In war alot of rounds work on the streets it is not a good thing in my opinion.

Maximumbob54

I keep trying to find a balance between finding the biggest gun I can comfortably carry and will actually carry on a regular basis. That Ruger LCP is mighty tiny and easy to just drop in a pocket but it a pain to shoot for practice and I’m still on the fence about the .380 in general. And then I post repeatedly about having a run in with a pack of pit bulls. That makes me want at least a double stack pocket 9mm like the Glock 26 for a minimum. So the risk is “go too big and you may find you don’t carry it” against “go small and you may find one day it isn’t so effective” and that is where I’m stuck. Until they invent the pocket napalm thrower…

AND:


What was the advice of your instructor? What dictated, form statistics, to persuaded you to choose a wheel gun or a semi?
My CCW instructor said to carry what you are happy with. Not so full of wisdom, I know but that is what he said. I guess after many classes he just says that to avoid the arguments.
Do you live in a area where you need a semi?
That is super subjective. I don’t know if there is a real answer to that.
Or is it in more rual areas that a revolver is good enough?
You would have to define “good enough”. For many a cop fifteen minutes away is “good enough”. For me optimally a Mini 30 across my back would cover my “good enough” but I suffice it with being half way to my permit and plan on carrying several different guns until I find what I can lug and not leave behind.
Did the instructor give you scenerios to persuade you to choose a semi even though you live in a suburb or rual area?
No, again I think this is too much up to the individual on what they prefer.
Guess the more security the better.
Until I can carry a cop in my back pocket and he has back up in his back pocket…
One last question.... does having a loaded magazine weaken the follower spring over extened periods of time?
This is a non issue with modern magazines. As with any CCW weapon you should clean and inspect it at a minimum of weekly, rotate your ammo through so nothing gets damaged from rain, sweat, dirt, oil, or pocket/holster crud. Maybe your grandchildren should buy some extra springs at some point.

Mr Sasquatch

Mr. Smith,

I like your very well ballanced response. I feel the same way.

terry_p

I chose a revolver because under periods of high stress I don't need to worry about safeties, decockers, 3# triggers, or anything else other than the low tech point and shoot. I like revolvers, I practice with them and I am confident in my ability to shoot them. I purchased a 2 1/4" SP101 several years ago and until recently it was my only carry piece however with the addition of an LCR for pocket carry the time is split between the two. I carry the revolver where ever I go and have no need to go into high crime area's so I avoid them.

In NH a CCL class is not requirement for a permit so my "instructor" was my father many years ago.

Stirfry

i have left magazines loaded for years at a time with no issue. this seems to be one of those gun myths. wear (metal fatigue) weakens springs, not static preasure. unless the spring in compressed beyond it's limit, which should be impossible (you can't get more rounds in a magazine that it was designed for).

the auto vs. revolver debate can go on forever. there are pros and cons (or this or that feature or idiosyncrasy) but it really comes down to YOU.

1. which you you LIKE?
2. which do you shoot better?
3. is it for home, for CC, for range? ... or is it a "all in one" gun?
4. how do you plan (or want to) carry it?
5. what are your needs? (human or animal defense?)

i personally carry an LRC, mostly on my belt, but also in a pocket holster. and while i personally love shooting it, i'm in the minority it seems. most would NOT consider it a "range gun" (other than to practice).
on the other hand, my previous EDC gun was a Glock 19 (great "all-in-one" gun. small enough to hide, but big enough to shoot well at the range, full grip, etc...)

i also sometimes carry a 2.25" SP101. but, to be quite honest, i basically like it because it's cooler looking that the other two. and there is nothing wrong with that.
however, it weighs the same as a Glock 19... which brings up another consideration; if you happen on a pack of wild dogs, you may want more rounds... (like 15 9mm ). on the other hand if you come across one bear, you may only need a couple rounds, but it will have to be .357... at least.
so i hesitate to say the Glock or SP has a better power to weight ration, because it all depends on the KIND of power you require for your needs.

again, what are YOUR needs/wants/environment/threats/etc...

i know you didn't care about personal preference, but you can substitute the names of guns for other ones (LCR can easily be a Airweight S&W... a Glock 19 could be an SR9c, and so on)... but the general idea was light or heavy carry revolver vs. high cap carry auto.


then again, you can also go from the opposite side... get the gun you want, for whatever reason, and make it work for your application.

when i switched from carrying primarily autos to revolvers (only a year or so ago), it was simply me getting the revolver bug. i just wanted one. once i got one i loved it and set about becoming as proficient with them as i had become with autos (which is what i shot almost exclusively since i first started shooting). i didn't switch to revolvers for any tactical or practical reason. i switched because... well... because i felt like it.

n8tureboy

K.I.S.S.!!! Why complicate things? A revolver is simple to use and reliable. I've never had a revolver jam (not saying it can't happen, just not my experience), they are not picky on which ammo they will "feed" reliably. Most of the small j-frame type revolvers are also very easy to conceal. Small, reliable, simple and easy to use = Perfect CCW! For the first 5 shots I prefer a revolver!

WheelyGuy

Mr. Terry makes an excellent point. Your typical self defense shooting incident involves somewhere around 3-5 shots total, bad guy and good guy. The ranges are also pretty close, typically 15 feet or less. A decent revolver in good shape with dependable ammo will work when you pull the trigger. You can't make that claim about bottom feeders. Glocks and Berettas and Sigs and CZ's are very good and reliable, but none of them are 100%. Especially if you happen to accidentally hit the mag release button while under extreme stress and excitement, or forget to disengage the safety, or whatever.

Revolver; same trigger pull every time, no safety to bother with, reliable, nothing wrong there.

Personally I find the autos harder to conceal. Even the Kahr I used to have, while pretty thin, had that relatively long boxy grip where the magazine resides. Plus your Glocks and other plastic guns are just so thick and BOXY with no rounded edges. The grip will print because it is straight and as thick at the base at as the top, the business end of the slide will print because it has no tapering at all. Revolvers tend to have both ends smaller and tapered, cutting down on that aspect.

long shot

Im a big fan of 1911s.However,in warm weather, I find a j frame snub works in my right front pocket,or inside waist band holster.I use 125 gr jhps in the snub.I think its important to practice a lot with whatever you decide to carry.This means plenty of range time,and lots of practice drawing an empty gun.Just be really familiar with what you decide to carry. be safe.

spartan1039x

I don't wanna say too much as I don't have my CCW (because I am not old enough yet, I still have a month to go) but I have shot both and feel more comfortable with a semi-auto for these reasons:
1. Firepower- You can simply carry more rounds in a pistol and on your person at the ready than you can with a revolver and speed loaders or moon clips.
2. Speed of Reloading- The average Joe is gonna reload faster with a magazine than a speed loader. Practice can make a speed loader effective, but with the same practice you can be even more effective with a magazine.
3. Customizability- In general, their is a lot you can do to a semi-auto to make it work for you. Yes this may vary model to model based on popularity, but in the end the semi-auto takes the cake.

However, in the end if you aren't comfortable with a semi-auto you can chuck this whole argument in the crapper. All the positives don't matter if it doesn't work for you. You can sit their and tell me PB&J is the best sandwich in the world but I can't ever agree with you because I am allergic to peanut butter, it just doesn't work for me. Now if you have no preference and are equally skilled with bother. I'd go with a semi-auto for the reasons I stated and I am sure their are more that I couldn't bring to mind as I am not a mater in the field, I just a novice that spends a lot of time thinking about this stuff while I wait until my 21st B-Day (May 18th btw). Then I can put my money where my mouth is on the matter and all of rugerforum.net will know of it, trust me on that one lol. Hope this helped somewhat lol.

Stirfry

i totally agree. when i carried a G19, and more so when i carried a P95, there were times i would leave it at home (gun weight, gun size, hot weather clothing making CC difficult, etc...), but this is not a factor for me with the LCR. i NEVER have to leave it behind.

i also agree with WheelyGuy; the grip of a revolver (compared to a similar size auto) is far easier to CC or keep from printing.
however, if you are into IWB carry (which i am not), a straight, flat auto is more comfortable IWB than a revolver, generally speaking.

sevenshooter

Alot of good things brought to the table. Thanks any awful lot guys...

Con 43

I have three snubby's all 357 and the reasons are,I am better with a revolver then an auto and and power to weight and small size make them hard to beat. While there are small 9mm auto's I just like the 357 for a defence round.

LAR

I started shooting handguns in 72 and have never warmed to revolvers. I started with a 1911 and it still is my preferred carry choice.

Currently I usually carry an Ultra Carry II but I recently purchased a LCP and yesterday traded for an LC9, just for something a little lighter to carry during the summer.

westphilthy

I like them both, but tend to carry a short revolver (SP101 3") most often. Even in a city, I'm comfortable with 5 rounds. Most confrontations are going to be at bad breath distances - likely even closer. Apart from jams, you also have to worry about a semi getting pushed out of battery at point blank ranges. .357 is a solid defense load. I also like that it's really LOUD - Gives me a better chance of the police being called if I can't do it myself.