Weighing options
- Thread starter Mr.Erskine
- Start date
It isn't the caliber, it's revolver v. semiautomatic pistol. There is virtually nothing that can go wrong when you pull the trigger of a double action revolver, only an extremely rare failure to fire (as long as you are using good ammo). With a pistol, you can get failure to feed, failure to fire, failure to extract, failure to eject, etc. Try cleaning both types of weapons, and you will quickly see how much more complex a pistol is than a revolver.
Also, if you do get a failure, with a revolver, you just pull the trigger again. With a pistol, you have to take a look to see what the problem is and then rack and tap (a euphemism for giving the base of the magazine a good hard shot with the heal of your hand) before hoping it goes bang with the next trigger pull. If you are in a real life situation, the time difference can mean life v. death, and the possibility of forgetting what to do with a pistol that has failed is a consideration when you are in extreme stress.
Finally, some people, and IME it is more often women (with my apologies to any of our female members who might be offended --- no offense or sexism intended), find the ejection of the spent cartridge from a pistol to be disconcerting, especially on the range where they can ricochet off the sides of the booth.
BTW, having said all of that, I usually pocket carry a pistol rather than a revolver because of the extra slimness and concealability of the pistol. But in a purse or belt holster, the size difference becomes much less of a factor.
JMO, YMMV,
Vic
What data do you have to support this?
The whole "revolvers are exponentially more reliable than semi-autos" concept is a total myth. Revolvers lock up a lot more than people think. I see it happen all the time.
Not to mention, when the military adapted a new sidearm (where they ended up with the 1911)... the revolvers tested failed the reliability portion of the testing. That was more than a century ago. (All the data is available in the publication of the trials)
Start looking at designs like the Rhino, and they become even LESS reliable.
Choosing a revolver because it is right for you is GREAT. They fit many roles very well. But, to say that they are more reliable than semi-autos with no data to support it is just silly.
^^^ I have seen the cylinders bind a few times. It all boils down to how well you handle and take care of it, just like any other tool.
I don't have data, I didn't refer to statistics in my post, and I never used the word reliable anywhere in the post. I talked about simplicity v. complexity, ease of cleaning, things that can go wrong, and the fact that ejected cartridges disturb some people. Re-read the post. What I didn't mention, and probably should have, is that a gun that is easier to clean is more likely to be kept clean than a gun that is more difficult and that requires partial disassembly and reassembly.
Whether based on myth or reality, what I can say with certainty is that all of the women whom I know who carry concealed firearms choose to carry revolvers. That is a statistically insignificant and meaningless fact, but it is my experience. And as I said at the end of my post, JMO, YMMV.
You said "there is virtually nothing that can go wrong when you pull the trigger of a double action revolver" which references reliability. I'm not attacking you, and I'm certainly not going to nitpick words and argue statistics. I'm just saying there is no evidence to support such a claim. Things can go wrong with revolvers at any time. That's just a fact.
This is the part I find most interesting, simply because I'm always curious as to how women carry their weapons. Do you have any idea which method they choose? If I ever get my S.O. to carry, I imagine starting her at AIWB carry and working from there.
No offense taken, Alex. The women I know all carry in a purse specifically designed to hold a concealed handgun. There are lots of different brands and styles, along with widely varying prices and quality. The ones that I have seen have a separate compartment to hold the gun that is accessible through an opening that is closed either with a zipper or Velcro. There is a lot of difference in opinion as to which kind of closure is better (sort of like whether revolvers or pistols are more reliable :eyebrow
. Personally, I think zipper is better because it is quieter, but hey, that's just me.Some of the women I know will also use a paddle or OWB holster when wearing jeans and a jacket or longer sweater, but that seems to be a supplemental, rather than a primary, choice.
Yeah, the few I know try OWB every now and then... but either don't like it or can't conceal it well per their hips.No offense taken, Alex. The women I know all carry in a purse specifically designed to hold a concealed handgun. There are lots of different brands and styles, along with widely varying prices and quality. The ones that I have seen have a separate compartment to hold the gun that is accessible through an opening that is closed either with a zipper or Velcro. There is a lot of difference in opinion as to which kind of closure is better (sort of like whether revolvers or pistols are more reliable :eyebrow
Some of the women I know will also use a paddle or OWB holster when wearing jeans and a jacket or longer sweater, but that seems to be a supplemental, rather than a primary, choice.
I strongly urge women to not carry in the special purses/bags/etc simply because most thiefs that rob women go after purses. If they steal your purse, they've stolen your gun too.
Hence why I think I'd try to promote AIWB. There's a really well written article I'll try to find later by a woman who carries that way (with a J-frame revolver). I already liked AIWB, but it really sold me on it for women especially.
Very true, but that was just one facet that people point to with semi vs revolver. Another was what I listed in an earlier post in this thread, close contact. Once again, comes down to what his wife wants, and we're just shootin' the shit at this point, lol.
smokemifugotem
BoM July '10
I know I say this in every firearm thread...but love my SW99 .40 3.5". Small...compact and lighter weight. A lot of same features as but more user friendly for smaller hands. Yup...I have carny hands...