Why do you carry a revolver?

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tcruse

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I also believe that modern revolvers are safer than most autos. Plus they don't require a manual safety.
Most semi-automatic handguns do not have an external manual safety, with 1911/2011 being the most notable exception. I think that an external safety is dangerous without a very large amount of regular training.
 

snubinmypocket

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Most semi-automatic handguns do not have an external manual safety, with 1911/2011 being the most notable exception. I think that an external safety is dangerous without a very large amount of regular training.
Why is that? If a shooter is trained to keep their finger off of the trigger why can’t they be trained to engage and disengage a manual safety? Do you also think rifle manual safeties are dangerous?
 

1911DA

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I've carried some version of a 1911 for 63 years and all of em were tricked out with 2-1/2 pound triggers and had the normal government style safety which never caused any issues because l trained with it.

All my S&W revolvers had 1 pound single action trigger pulls and 3-3/4 to 4 pound double action trigger pulls. Same thing l trained with the revolvers and was as accurate with them as l am with a 1911.
 

RickN

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Why do I sometimes carry a revolver, because I can. Seriously when walking in the woods I usually have a 357 on my hip. First two up are snake shot, next two 38 sp, last two are full house 357 mag. That covers me for anything I will run into from snakes to small animals or larger. If I want something other than next up I can just turn the cylinder a few clicks.
 

Veritas

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Wheelguns are no longer necessarily any more reliable than modern quality semi autos, they do after all fail also. So the arguement might be do you want a revolver that goes bang 99.99% of the time or a semiautomatic that goes bang 99.95% of the time?

For me I occasionally carry one as a BBQ gun or because a J Frame can go in the pocket of my jogging pants when I go out at 10:30 to put the trash cans at the curb I forgot about.

Not for carry but my 4” Smith 627 is like a laser gun with the right ammo so at 25 or 50 yards it beats even custom 1911’s. They are just so mechanically accurate and a model 625 would probably be even more so.
 

cboss

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Don't carry one yet, but my next purchase is likely going to be a Kimber K6Sxs. I daily carry a Kahr CW380 in my pocket, not because it's the gun I feel safest with, but because since I can't carry in my workplace, I can easily slip it in my pocket (holstered of course) and lock it in a lockbox when I get to work. However, I don't shoot it as much as I should because I hate breaking it down. Ease of routine maintenance is one of the reasons I am looking at getting a pocket revolver. The easier it is to maintain, the more I'm going to shoot it.
 
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I cut my teeth on the ol' wheelie. The mighty J frame has accompanied me on many of my travels. Back in the day, they were more reliable than those "**** Tracy" guns. But nowadays, with the host of mini 9s, as well as pistol and ammo technology being what it is, the tried and true revo is all but obsolete and antiquated.

However...

The size and shape of the 5 shot snubbie makes it a dream to carry on the ankle or in the pocket, but their biggest downfalls are ammo capacity, harsh recoil, accuracy past the red zone and complexity of reloading. It's definitely a weapon for the experienced pistolero.

Years ago, I was at a CLEET training seminar. During a break, I was talking guns n' gear with another old timer. I mentioned something about a J frame when a young officer walked up and said, "a J frame? What's a J frame?"

I explained to him what it was and he replied, "a five shot revolver that you have to basically disassemble to reload? Why"

I gave him my best argument in the wheelie's defense and he said, "times have changed, old man. Try to keep up."

All that being said, there is still a special place in my heart for the Smith & Wesson J frame and I still find a purpose for it quite often.
Revolvers have dependability issues related to their method of operation, potential for failure, intrinsic hazards inherent in their design. With regard to double action pistols, dependability as related to their ability to place bullets on target is determined by the ability of the shooter to coordinate aim while negotiating the long trigger pull necessary to operate their double action mechanisms; and with single revolvers, manual cocking consumes time and additional motion causing delay before aiming at a target Failures of both operating systems can occur due to failure of the cylinder locks to engage because of soiling, rust or spring breakage; breakage of a firing pins on S&W designs, and/or snagging on cloth when firing from inside a pocket. And finally, hazards related to gas and sprawls of metal ejected from between the cylinders and forcing cones are present in all revolvers; and squib fires are always a danger in revolvers as opposed to automatics because automatics with inevitably fail to cycle in such a low energy release manner as to be easily recognizable.

Now, I am not averse to carrying revolvers, or keeping one for self defense; but, their faults should be kept foremost in one’s mind. When asked what type of pistol a person with little experience, or who has never owned one should get, I recommend a striker fired gun, get safety training and coaching, and use it enough to handle it with competence and confidence. My personal preference for duty carry was a .45cal. ACP 1911 Commander; for concealed carry, a G19, G21 or Sig P365; and at the bedside and when in bear country, a 10mm 1911 Gov’t…..
 
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Revolvers have dependability issues related to their method of operation, potential for failure, intrinsic hazards inherent in their design. With regard to double action pistols, dependability as related to their ability to place bullets on target is determined by the ability of the shooter to coordinate aim while negotiating the long trigger pull necessary to operate their double action mechanisms; and with single revolvers, manual cocking consumes time and additional motion causing delay before aiming at a target Failures of both operating systems can occur due to failure of the cylinder locks to engage because of soiling, rust or spring breakage; breakage of a firing pins on S&W designs, and/or snagging on cloth when firing from inside a pocket. And finally, hazards related to gas and sprawls of metal ejected from between the cylinders and forcing cones are present in all revolvers; and squib fires are always a danger in revolvers as opposed to automatics because automatics with inevitably fail to cycle in such a low energy release manner as to be easily recognizable.

Now, I am not averse to carrying revolvers, or keeping one for self defense; but, their faults should be kept foremost in one’s mind. When asked what type of pistol a person with little experience, or who has never owned one should get, I recommend a striker fired gun, get safety training and coaching, and use it enough to handle it with competence and confidence. My personal preference for duty carry was a .45cal. ACP 1911 Commander; for concealed carry, a G19, G21 or Sig P365; and at the bedside and when in bear country, a 10mm 1911 Gov’t…..

All very valued points. I've carried both (still do) and yes, if I knew I was headed for trouble, and my shotgun was unavailable, yeah, I would take my Glock with me.

As for off duty carry, especially in Oklahoma summers, I carry a Ruger LCR in .38 special, for basically two reasons: First, because of my off duty attire, I pocket carry. Secondly, the LCR pocket carries more comfortably than my Glock 43X.

Also, I live in rural Oklahoma and because of my work schedule and lifestyle, I rarely leave my little community and I never frequent questionable or immoral establishments or neighborhoods. So yeah, I don't feel "outgunned" with my 5 shot revolver and a spare speed strip in me pocket.
 

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