That is false.autos are just as reliable as revolvers.just as easy to use and easier to reload.so there is only one thing that matters,that is which you like best.

Common myths have been debugged many times.revolvers can fail.the timing can be off from parts failing or defect,ect.autos fail for the same reasons.hell most modern autos claim you don't even need to lube them.dirt can jamm up a revolver same as an auto.there are pros and cons but I grow tired of reliability being the main issue when it really is not.

 

I can't make my revolvers stovepipe.

Can't make them fail to feed.

Can't make them fail to extract.

Can't limp-wrist any of them.

I've tried and tried and tried.

Can you show me? I obviously need more training.

 

G23 for daytime, G22 with light on the NS! But I grew up around guns,
Limp wrist is a problem for a lot of people at first in a semi auto..

 

DA (or DAO) revolvers still get recommended for neophyte shooters because a revolver has a simpler manual of arms. Especially for those who intend to stow the loaded gun away for years without further live fire practice. People who aren't gunnies, aren't regular shooters, aren't planning to CCW, aren't deeply concerned with tactical training, and will only rarely read the latest wisdom offered on internet gun forums or shooting magazines.

DA or DAO revolvers are simple to learn. No manual safety to remember to deal with. Minimal controls. No slide/recoil spring to forcefully manipulate while loading or clearing. Rarely is it necessary to clear a malfunction. No limp-wristing induced failures. No dependence upon specific ammo that is proven to feed & cycle reliably in a particular gun. No nuanced learning required concerning striker fired trigger safeties or cocked and locked carry. No training required concerning magazine issues. No regimen of lubrication to learn. No real disassembly required for maintenance. And a generally forgiving hard and deliberate trigger pull that precludes NDs in nervous hands.

A DA revolver is a point and click, manually operated design. Relatively idiot proof. You can teach someone the essentials quicker than with a semi. Especially someone who isn't really planning on expanding their shooting skills. Load, unload, sight picture, grip, trigger pull. Some folks just want an in-extremis means of lethal defense. The classic home defense last resort.

A revolver works well for those folks.

For a first self defense handgun, I often recommend a 4" .357 medium frame duty revolver. Loaded with lighter recoiling +P .38 Special 158 grain LSWCHP. Because a beginner can learn to handle that style of weapon (and that proven load's recoil) with just basic practice.

 

When every semiautomatic had a safety I think your comments are spot on. Now that there are many semi's that don't have safeties and replicate DA revolvers I don't see a big difference. A loaded gun in the drawer is at the ready either way. Racking a slide takes more hand strength then opening a cylinder, but to initially load either type gun requires a understanding of the mechanism.

To me the main difference between gun types is do they have a safety or not. It takes training to automatically disengage a safety after drawing to shoot.

 

The idea that revolvers are more reliable than modern autos is an internet myth. And so is the 'manual of arms' thing... if you can use an ATM or a cell phone, a semi auto pistol will hold no mysteries for you. It's not rocket science, and reloads are far faster and easier.

My LGS would suggest a modern semi in a duty caliber, and some basic training for a new shooter.

 

When the adrenaline is pumping blood to every extremity EXCEPT your brain, a revolver can be easier to use. It is a good "panic gun." It is a little more intuitive for people who don't want to actually learn much about guns. And for that demographic, it's perfectly adequate.

 

Ginger vs Maryanne ... I like both.

If I have a DA pistol in the BOB, I'm probably carrying a DA revolver. If I have DA revolver in the BOB, I'm probably carrying a DA pistol. I've got too much love to only have one.

 

MYTH #1: If you go to a firearms dealer in your town and ask..."I want a pistol for home defense and I have never shot one before", they will more then likely recommend a revolver since they rarely fail. MYTH #2:They are generally more dependable to work than a semi-auto that sits for 2 years in a nightstand.

So the question is around your BOB gun. Which do you carry. The semi-auto that has more moving parts and can be more finicky or the revolver that is not?

Maybe in your town ...

Myth #1: Semis outnumber revolvers 10-1 in the average LGS around my area (NEPA), and you'll be handed a variety of .380s and 9mms upon asking for a "pistol for HD" ...

Myth #2: Total Bravo Sierra ... believe this jive if you're inexperienced with handguns, enjoy spreading urban legends, or are simply a trolling nincompoop.

I've owned and CCW'd virtually every flavor of S&W wheel gun over the past three decades, and I've had failures due to mechanical issues and ammo finickiness ... that's because revolvers can fail, and do fail, so don't peddle that less moving parts horse****. :thumb:

 

Over & over I find myself wondering if I'm the only person to read Mel Tappan's classic "Survival Guns" or his follow up "Tappan on Survival" which is actually much better.
Both analyze the role of revolvers vs semi's in detail & explains why one is best for defense & the other as a tool ....
If I'm not mistaken TOS should be available as a free PDF download & covers food storage, communications, library & reference materials, etc.
Always shocked his work isn't quoted or cited more . . .

 

Not hardly.

...but it's very dated.

Boston T party had a much better work IMHO (And far more recently)
I need to dig my copy out...

 

And so is the 'manual of arms' thing

Just my observation across about 40 years of instructing folks to shoot handguns. I can teach a neophyte to handle a revolver quicker and more efficiently than doing the same with a semi-auto. YMMV.

That's to get a non-shooter beginner up to speed and able to defend themselves at a basic level with a handgun. Because the manual of arms is simpler. There is simply less to learn because there is less mechanical manipulation. It's got nothing to do with optimizing weapon choices in terms of capacity, quicker reloads, etc.

 

I appreciate that, maybe you're doing something better than I am.
I've taught maybe two dozen people to shoot pistols, almost all women and kids. IME when I try to show people that are new to pistols how to shoot revolvers, they get the pulling the trigger. That's not hard. It's the aiming and follow up that is just a mess.
I've had a lot of trouble trying to get them to hit anything, the long trigger pull seems to put them low and left or right a lot. Anticipation seems to be greater, causing jerks and bad habits. I tried a 22LR revolver to try and mitigate this, but the freaking trigger pull must have been 12 pounds... complete failure.

Conversely, I can get someone on a Ruger MkII learning the mechanics of shooting a semi, almost no recoil, good trigger, etc... and they focus on aiming and hold. It's much more predictable.
Then I move them up to a 9mm, and, while the recoil is more, the mechanics are the same. I've had great success using this progressive method and now my wife has carried a Kahr (with it's stiff spring) for years.
Glocks are wonderful here because they have low spring tension and no extra bells and whistles to confuse people. Teach them basic firearms safety, and how to handle a pistol, and they're good to go. It's usually a twenty minute range trip...
Maybe I'm missing something, or maybe it's the student demos, I don't know.

I think expecting anyone to retain knowledge after a couple years of a pistol sitting in a drawer, is a pipe dream. No matter whether it's semi or revolver... Firearm handling is a perishable skill. It is what it is.

 

Revolver 1st... Da/Sa 2nd in choice
Wheelgun gives magnum power, percentage of reliability is a 10% more than a good semi.
DA/SA auto gives second strike capability to hit a hard primer.
Don't trust ammo that has been in a gun for over a year..... never.

I'll never retire my S&W mod. 58 in .41 mag. For one of my houseguns.

 

I'll never retire my S&W mod. 58 in .41 mag. For one of my houseguns.

I'm a semi auto (1911 series) person, but I looked into that weapon some years ago. Never did "pull the trigger" on it, though.

 

I'll never retire my S&W mod. 58 in .41 mag. For one of my houseguns.

Ahhh... another .41 fan. I carry my 58 for bear protection on my property. Still like it better than my .41 Model 57s or Blackhawks. Just like that no nonsense M&P bull barrel and fixed sights. And a very fast big bullet.

I'm all about semi-autos. My very first handgun purchase was a 9mm S&W Model 39-2 back in the early 70's. Still own it. But my soon after second handgun was a stainless S&W Model 65 .357 revolver. Several hundred handguns have passed through my hands since. Mostly semi-autos.

But well built revolvers are still something that work quite nicely.

 

I own both, carry both, and shoot both semi auto pistols and revolvers.

Revolvers have many advantages to folks that cast their own bullets and reload their own ammo. I own and carry revolvers because they are available in magnum calibers, allow my to load heavy hard cast bullets and I shoot them much better at medium to long range. Plus, they dont toss my brass into the weeds.

I also remember Mel Tappens recommendations about choosing pistols, but keep in mind that Mel wrote his book when very few semi auto pistols could cycle hollow point ammo reliably.

Speaking of reliability, after shooting both types for more than 35 yrs, I have had very few failures of either type. One squib load (my own handload) in a revolver. Several failures to feed in my Browning HP traced to off brand magazines. Using Browning brand magazines I have shot several thousand hand loaded hollow point rounds with zero failures.

In my opinion, if you buy well made guns from top manufacturers, use good magazines, and feed them good ammo, they all work.

 

I've had a lot of trouble trying to get them to hit anything, the long trigger pull seems to put them low and left or right a lot. Anticipation seems to be greater, causing jerks and bad habits. I tried a 22LR revolver to try and mitigate this, but the freaking trigger pull must have been 12 pounds... complete failure.

I can sympathize. What kind of .22 revolver? I generally like to use a butter smooth old Model 18 Smith for my .22 revolver intro. About 8lbs DA, but stacks & breaks nicely.

I also use a Ruger MKII for marksmanship fundamentals (and a S&W Model 41), because of rock solid accuracy, light triggers, excellent sights, and near zero recoil. But when I move a new shooter "up" in caliber and start focusing on self defense, it's ideally first with a steel framed duty revolver firing .38 wad cutters until they get used to the increase in recoil. K-frame or L-frame Smiths. Or a Ruger SP-101 or GP-100. Then on to "duty" loads.

I also start first time shooters off at about 3 yards from the target. Occasionally even less. It provides near instant feedback with every shot and allows them to put some kinesthetic correction into their next shots. By making use of the natural human ability to instinctively coordinate hand/eye pointing. BTW: That's exactly the distance that every US Army Special Forces Soldier (Green Beret) starts out at. In fact that's warm-up drill distance for long experienced shooters in SF. Shooting at 1" or 2" target pasters. The goal being to deliver coin tight groups completely covering those pasters for a few magazines, then back up to 5 or 7 yards and do it again. Use that as counter justification for the smart asses that complain about being "too close" to the paper target.

Having rank beginners trying to engage aiming points or silhouettes at 10, 15, or 25 yards is an exercise in frustration with little hope of correcting errors and tightening groups. They'll tend to be all over the paper. Maybe with a ragged shotgun pattern somewhere centered. They need to get close...to where they have absolute control of where the bullets go at point blank range... then take that winning combination of fundamentals and just back out to incrementally greater distances.

If I don't have the time (like only one range session), I try to steer newbies away from things that will bite them due to unusual operating considerations... like striker fired pistols, or cocked & locked SA 1911s, etc. Just because I realize that they really aren't going to get inculcated with truly safe handling skills in just a few minutes, hours, or a day. Not for those particular weapons. Not if they haven't shot firearms before (or not much at all).

I can teach a hoplophobe to safely handle a revolver (and hit with it) in an afternoon. As long as they have opposable thumbs and a willingness to learn. But if that's the last time I'm going to see them, I want their weapon choice to be as KISS as possible.

I'd be criminally liable in just handing someone a Glock, giving them physical manipulation drills and live fire range pointers, and then sending them on their way. Without truly appreciating that trigger system in terms of safety, holsters, carry considerations, malfunction drills, and keeping their finger off the trigger under stress. Not after only a few hours of instruction.

Many years ago, I had a family member ND a .40 Glock while investigating a prowler. I was away on business. My fault; I assumed they "got it" with very limited exposure to the weapon... and learned differently. Seen the same with a lot of subsequent LEO & military guys who really didn't get enough training. Relatively untrained folks will not rise above their relatively untrained level of performance when the time comes. Instead, they're liable to screw it up.

Just a few years ago in Iraq, I trained folks who'd never handled, much less fired, a pistol. Taught them to use G19s & Beretta M9s. But I demanded enough training time to ensure they got it right. Like teaching someone to drive a stick shift, it requires patience and attention to the little things. And more than one day at the range.

I've instructed thousands. Mostly military, US government, LEO, or foreign nationals. A lot fewer civilians, but still quite a few. Mostly semi-auto. But if I have an absolute beginner (and very limited classroom/range time), I prefer get them up to speed with a revolver first. Assuming that they aren't mandated to use or own a certain weapon.

But it needs to be a good revolver, with a decent trigger pull, some recoil soaking weight, and usable sight radius. Colt, S&W, Dan Wesson, Ruger. Taurus if you must. Preferably with adjustable sights. And something that isn't an Airweight snub. Another combo that is perfectly usable by an experienced shooter, but bad for a 1st time learner due to recoil and short sight radius.

I don't find it any more difficult to teach revolver vs. semi-auto (in service calibers) as far as the fundamentals of grip, stance, trigger pull, etc. The usual shooter errors apply to either and are correctable. I stress dry fire, ball and dummy drills, and close coaching to watch for things like breaking of wrist, heeling, side pressure on trigger, bad sight picture, flinching, recoil anticipation, loose grip, jerking the trigger, etc. And follow through (reacquiring good grip, sight picture, and SA of targets).

Naturally, someone is going to be more accurate on paper with that low recoiling and accurate .22 LR Ruger MKII, which is a good thing as far as internalizing marksmanship fundamentals. But they are going to learn to operate a Model 66 revolver for combat firing quicker than learning all the ins and outs of a CZ P-01, HK USP, Colt 1911, Glock 19, Smith M&P, Beretta 92FS, etc.

So I can focus more (with limited time) on getting hits downrange at short distances. On coaching & correcting proper grip, sight picture, and trigger pull with the revolver. Because the actual physical manipulation of the revolver is easier for a beginner. There's less happening mechanically to confuse them.

 

First statement....I find true. Most of my local dealers do this. For the inexperienced and elderly.

And yes a revolver is less likely to malfunction and is not ammo picky

Question about BOB gun....
With my current situation...when I am outside the US at home....no gun.
When in the US and traveling on job assignment.... flying coast to coast...my BOB is packed in one of my suitcases...used to check a semi auto 40 cal. Have since switched over to a Taurus Model 85 38 special
Truck gun is the same Taurus Model 85.

 

It really doesn't matter whether it's a revolver or semi-auto

Anything mechanical is destined to failure.

There are pro's and con's to both. Pick the one that you can shoot the best, the one that feels the best and you are most comfortable with.

I own both types and carry both types. If I'm in the field or on property chances are I'll have a revolver.

If I have to drive thru the hood, it'll most likely be a semi auto

Make your guns work for you, not the other way around

 

So the question is around your BOB gun. Which do you carry. The semi-auto that has more moving parts and can be more finicky or the revolver that is not?

Me? I carry a high cap auto, and the main reason is, "capacity", and secondary would be shootability.

That said, I have a number of both and I actually shoot my revolvers more accurately and quickly.

I personally think you should learn to shoot both, and I truly believe that learning to shoot a DA revolver DAO is a must for any shooter, as it will make you a better shooter on pretty much anything, not just a handgun.

As was mentioned, the "myths" are pretty much just that. Unless youre buying lower quality guns, and/or dont maintain them properly, function and accuracy are pretty much a wash with either.

The main difference between the autos and revolvers is, if there is a malfunction, the autos are usually quickly back in action with a TRB. The revolvers generally are DRT, and at that point, out of action.

And for those who say they never had a malfunction with their revolvers, all I can say is, you havent shot them enough to really know them. Shoot them long enough, and youll eventually experience a number of nasty stoppages that will require tools to get back in action.

A few simple things like a drop of LocTite on the threads of the extractor rod, proper reloading techniques, and proper ammo help eliminate a lot of the probable troubles at the offset.


Which one is best is up to the shooter and what they are willing to do to be proficient with them. Shoot both "realistically" on a regular basis, and youll be well prepared with pretty much anything you might have to pick up.

 

When I go to a firearms dealer I've noticed most of the guys behind the counter will show first time buyers/shooters semi autos . They mostly go right for the little 380's when women are looking for a first gun .
All first time gun owners should do their own research rather than depend on the advise of the guy behind the counter who is more often than not a "know it all" .

The debate is never ending on which is better , revolver or semi auto , for xyz reasons .
It's really all a matter of personal preference .

If I had a BOB (I have a GHB) and I was going to keep a firearm in it all the time it would be my Ruger 22/45 . Although , I don't believe in storing a gun in a BOB or in a vehicle . Also I don't see any good reason why someone would keep a semi auto stored in a nightstand for years like the op mentioned

 

I love revolvers, and will choose one over a semi 99% of the time. That said, here's a few problems I have experienced first hand over the years:

Broken frame mounted firing pin
Failed Internal Lock
Seized hammer/trigger
Jammed cylinder (caused by crimp jump)
Cylinder screw came loose, causing cylinder to fall free
Broken hammer mounted firing pin
Broken sights

These have been exclusive to the S&Ws I have owned/collected, both pre-lock and IL models, and are infrequent, but they have occurred. Truthfully, I have a pair of SIG 228s that survived Thunder Ranch twice, and have 10s of 1,000s of rounds through them. In over a decade of shooting them, I have experienced perhaps half a dozen FTFs due to dirt or crap ammo ... that's an average of once per year. I know Glock owners who have similar results. Revolvers have advantages, but the fallacy of invincibility is a pipe dream.

Now as far as moving parts, anyone who has one whit of ability can crack open a S&W side plate and work on the guts. Ruger wheel guns are different, but parts is parts, and there's plenty of them in a revolver.

 

All of those malfunctions are the result of heavy usage. Not something that the typical newbie is likely to do to their first handgun.

Let's consider another set of issues, as typified by a dear friend out in Idaho. She's over 70 (like me). She has never been mechanical, She just isn't wired to see spatial relationships like I am, which I why I was a successful engineer and she writes children's books. Hand her a semi-auto and you'll have to walk her through just loading and unloading the thing. Clearing a jam? She won't have clue #1. If I teach her, she'll have forgotten it all in 24 hours. No kidding. Read on.

Then there's the issue of hand strength. Her LGS sold her a Ruger MK.II. She cannot even load a magazine for it. She cannot rack the slide, either. On a flippin' twenty-two. Against my advice, they also sold her a Springfield XDS 9mm. She can pull the trigger. Again, can't load a magazine, can't rack the slide. (Don't tell me about loading aids and racking tricks....she's not mechanical, remember?) She took "training" with their in-house instructor before she bought the XDS, so they had to know this. The instructor is a beefy 45 year old, and a regular player in practical pistol shoots. Normalcy bias. Not considering at all the physical and psychological limitations of his customer. It works for him, so it'll work for everybody. NOT.

Because she can't manage the XDS, she's afraid of it. It's in its' original box in a closet, unfired except for a boxful that I ran through it myself last time I was out there.

I had my 681 along with me on that trip. She can manage that just fine. (I only gave her .38 Spl loads.) The weight soaks up recoil, so with .38 Spl. loads its almost like shooting the Mk.II Ruger. So far she's too embarrassed to go back to that LGS and trade in the semi-autos, so there she is with over a grand worth of paperweights and no SD weapon in the house.

Finally, I myself have trouble with racking virtually all the wondernines, despite being 6 foot 185 lbs. I have arthritis. I do OK with an old P-38 I've got, but that's hardly a concealable pistol. Some 380s I can do, but I'd never carry one. My hands don't work all that well when they're warm. Now imagine me, (or her) trying to clear a malf in a freezing parking lot somewhere. We have those where I live. Far, far worse in Idaho.

I'll stick to my Model 60, thank you. And the 681 by the bedside. And any of my newbie friends will get broken-in on a revolver.

 

first grab preferred is revolver to get me to semi.
For all introduction to newbies and gun safety start with revolver for simplicity of operation to not be so intimidating.
A one gun, home defense for very limited experience and likely to stay that way household to me is definitely revolver, hammer on empty chamber.

point and shoot, accuracy just isn't gonna happen, EVER for the inexperienced, but having and possibly firing can make all the difference.

Criminals are cowards by their very nature when facing significant resistance.

 

The Limp-Wrist issue - is a TRAINING issue. While if you're (very) new to shooting, it may be a problem, it's one that can be overcome through training, and if you're *really* slight of muscle, some basic exercises. I found a little conscious effort on my part to NOT limp wrist a pistol helped immensely to develop good habits.

The biggie for me - If you're a woman - and you prefer pistols for defense (as do I) - you need to get used to the fact that eventually hot brass WILL find its way down your top. And if you're not ready for it, you will lose any tactical advantage while you're dealing with (what I call) "Burning Boob Syndrome".

Sure, it sounds funny - but until you experience it and learn to control your reaction to it, you're a liability to yourself and others, and if you can't, then you may need to stick to wheelguns.

I had to go to an indoor range, snug up to the right soundwall barrier, and cant my pistol to the left a bit to get brass to do the "heartburn bounce" a few times - not pleasant AT ALL - but I learned to ignore it, power through the pain and keep on target. Because if I'm shooting from a similar cover, and that happens - I can't do the St. Vitus dance and whoop and scream while I'm in "defensive offense" mode.

 

My 76 year old mother wanted a pistol to keep in her night stand. I took her to the LGS...
I knew the owner so he helped me out....
A couple of our relatives convinced my mom she needed a 9mm.... lol. Why do people flock to that .....
She wanted to check out a 9mm.... I knew she couldn't handle it....but just to prove a point...we show her one....she couldn't rack the slide...
Then we checked out a Model 85 like mine... she had no problem operating it.
Bought it...

 

The post about revolver problems is all about mechanical breakages. Not about user-induced malfunctions. Like dropping a magazine and bending the feed lips. Limp-wristing, which can induce feeding problems. Etc., etc.

It isnt all about mechanical issues. Ammo issues, maintenance issues, not taking the steps to reduce the possibilty of simple and easily preventable failures, can and will certainly come back and bite you in the ass.

As a few examples.....

a bullet jumps a crimp and causes the cylinder to lock up.

a squib stops in the forcing cone, and again, the gun is locked up.

you didnt LocTite the ejector rod, and it backs out and locks the gun up.

you didnt LocTite the side plate screw that holds the cylinder in the gun, and it falls off during a reload.

you reload the gun improperly (ejecting empties muzzle down), allowing unburnt powder and junk to fall under the extractor star, which can casie the cylinder to bind and lock up.

Those are actually pretty easy fixes, and not really a mechanical failure, but most will require a tool to remedy, and the gun will not be operable until you do.

 

Do you actually shoot revolvers much? None of these things actually happens but once in donkey's years with commercial ammunition. The business about screws and ejector rods backing out is something you read about happening with pre-WW2 revolvers. Has this bug re-appeared with the new generations from Ruger or Taurus? (Never have owned either brand.)

Meanwhile Cam gets FTFeed, FTFire, FTEject events every few hundred rounds when she's testing semiautos, and she's an expert shooter if there ever was one. Many of the guns she tests turn out to be finicky about what commercial loads they'll shoot and which they choke on, as she proves every month or two it seems. Revolvers not. If the primer ignites and the bullet exits the bore they're perfectly happy. May not shoot to the sights, but they'll shoot.

Again, let's stop arguing around the assumption that the guns are in the hands of experienced shooters who are going to birn 1000 rounds a month. We're supposed to be talking about what's good for people who have probably never held a handgun before. They've got a lot to absorb, what with safety factors, range etiquette, grip, recoil management, stance, holstering, rules of engagement and whatnot. Let 'em get their feet wet with as little stress as possible. If they prove capable, moving up to your 19-round urban combat weapon or whatever is an incremental movement. Every F-16 pilot had to fly much simpler aircraft for many, many hours before he got into a single-seat fighter cockpit.

 

LOL! I feel yer pain! I'm decidedly male, but I've had that happen while running a very large lathe. Thing was peeling off chips the size of a nickel, hot enough to turn bright blue, and one ducked under my faceshield, hit me in the throat, and fell down my shirt. Couldn't button a shirt or wear a tie for a month. Scars lasted over a year.

That would sure put an improperly dressed lady newbie off shooting, mightn't it?

And of course, it won't happen with a revolver.........:

Yes, limp-wristing can be trained out, if the will is there. New shooters aren't always well supplied.

 

My 76 year old mother wanted a pistol to keep in her night stand. I took her to the LGS...
I knew the owner so he helped me out....
A couple of our relatives convinced my mom she needed a 9mm.... lol. Why do people flock to that .....
She wanted to check out a 9mm.... I knew she couldn't handle it....but just to prove a point...we show her one....she couldn't rack the slide...
Then we checked out a Model 85 like mine... she had no problem operating it.
Bought it...

I agree with taking whoever it is thats going to be shooting the gun, to a shop to look at as many as they can, just to see what they like. Even more so, you should take them to the range with as many as you can and actually let them shoot things that are as similar as possible.

Just went through this very thing a few months back with my buddys wife and a couple of her friends. From the onset, they all wanted a lightweight snubbie revolver, right up to the point of the first shot. Not one of them made it through a full cylinder before handing it back and asking to try something else.

The next thing they wanted to try was little .380's, and again, you could see in the faces on that first shot what they thought about that.

Theres no doubt that the slide thing is an issue, and it was here too for two of the three shooting. A lot of it was more unfamiliarity than strength in this case, and I think it could be worked out, but for those who dont have the strength, it is an issue.

In the end here, one chose a 4" K frame S&W. Another, a Glock 17. And the third, a Glock 26. None of those would have been the choice, if they had simply gone to a shop and picked one out.

Since your mom picked the 85, hows she like shooting it, and how does she do with it? Just having it, and actually putting it to use are two different things. I know its probably more of a "comforting" thing, but that to me is a scary thing in and of itself, and for all involved.

 

I believe a revolver only to be "simpler" in the minds of people because it doesn't involve a magazine, nor racking the slide/putting a round in the chamber.

One opens the revolver, adds ammo, closes, fires.

I started shooting with .38/.357 wheel guns....

I moved 'up' from revolvers to semi's - Capacity, ammo prices, reload speed, etc all became factors.

(Pseudo off topic, if we're talking home defense, I'd really prefer a short barreled shotgun with a mounted light...... but that's just me......)

 

I shoot a number of different revolvers a couple of times every month.

And when does the donkey year thing happen? At the worst possible moment, of course. The fact is, it does happen. And Ive had it happen to me with both factory and reloads, so it must be somewhat cyclic.

Ive personally had the ejector rod back out on a couple of brand new S&W's. Once I realised what the problem was, I started putting LocTite on every one I bought after. Hasnt been a problem since.

Same thing with the side plate screw right after the first time that cylinder went to the ground when I went to reload.

The extractor star thing I had happen to me until I understood why and addressed it. Ive actually seen it a number of times over the years with others guns too. Then again, if you dont shoot the gun, its not an issue.

All of the above were learning experiences for me, and all happened to me early on, not after a bazillion rounds.


I shoot about 20,000 rounds give or take, of 9mm out of mostly Glocks each year. The only time I have issues with stoppages is with worn out brass in my reloads, and lately, because of the 10000 or so Remington primers I got cheap and found out later why. Even then, the percentage of stoppages is very low considering the number of rounds fired.

Even then, there is a positive to that. I do find that they are great for training for unexpected stoppages.

I would say if Cam (not sure who Cam is?) is having al those problems, you had best get her either a better gun and/or better ammo.


I understand what youre saying about the differences between experienced and inexperienced shooters, and Im not disputing that. Im just not in agreement with you on the revolver being immune to issues, thats all.