Revolver/Semiautomatic?/Revolver/Semiautomatic?

[Dee]

Over the DECADES I have switched/struggled with both, for several reasons, over and over. And I always end up back in the 19th/20th century.
I started carrying a handgun EVERYDAY for a livin, in 1976. In 1977 I had a disagreement with a young man from Oklahoma that had a Misdemeanor warrant. He decided to take it to the next level. That night I was carrying a Smith Model 28. I won, he lived. The Model 28 performed admirablely.
Then the  following  year, 1978, another disagreement, this  time, with 2 gentlemen from Dallas, TX concerning a brand new Buick that didn't happen to belong to them, but were reluctant to give it up peacefully. My pistol in that discussion was a custom built Lightweight Commander in 45acp. Both left the scene leaking, but both thankfully lived. I never carried a 45acp on duty again. Lesson learned? Cars are in almost all aspects decent cover against the 45acp.

So its been for the last 49 years, where I would occasionally give into the latest, greatest, newest, can't be beat, semiautomatic pistol, with the latest bullet technology that never fails. Well, almost never. Except when it does, then you have to shoot'em some more.

Each time I've drifted, I've always felt a little insecure in my transition into that latest, greatest realm of personal armament, and each time I've always retreated back to what worked so well those almost 5 decades ago.

The good ole 125 grain SJHP in 357 magnum, and make mine in a Model 66 Smith with a 4" barrel, (but wouldn't turn down a 686). I'm old now, but I still don't miss much when "practicin" , and I'll take the ALMOST 100% RELIABILITY (I did say almost) and the stopping power that hasn't been matched yet, over all those half-a-box capacity electric pistols.

My younger son says I'm stuck in the 20th century. Well, its peaceful here, and finally, permanently settled.

[Lloyd Smale]

never saw an advantage to a revolver. there cool old school and back when all they competed with were 60s and 70s they may have held a reliability edge but thats since flew. there ok for some one that wants to put in LOTS of time practicing with speedloaders but a mag is just easier for most and easier to conceal spares. my carry gun these days is my glock 30. 10 rounds of 45acp gold dots and a spare mag. does the 357 hold a slight edge in stopping power, yup, probably. but with horrendous muzzle blast, especially with a 4 in or less barrel and full power 125s. sharper recoil and slower recover times too. all that aside its a personal decision. its what you like. bottom line is like the old saying imo "handguns main purpose is to fight to where you have a rifle. NONE of them are good stoppers. ive seen 100lb deer walk away from 475 and 500 full power loads and fall dead 25 yards later. plenty of time if they were bad guys to dump a clip in my ass. every vehicle i have has an ar in it and im not a cop and not responsible to stand toe to toe with some crack head to protect the public unless i absolutely have to. i dont have a badge and im fighting my way or running like hell to that rifle or just getting out of dodge. if i was to pack a revolver it would be my 2.75" 96 no bigger than a 357 no louder than a 357 and 180 grain hps put big holes in things. but i probably will stick to my 30. revolvers and 1911s are range guns and in the case of revolveres hunting guns but i havent killed any meat with a handgun in 5 years

[Dee]

Well, our experiences are very different, so I'll continue to carry my range gun.

[Graybeard]

I've carried for 59 years now and thankfully have never needed to draw in anger. Hopefully for whatever time I have left I'll never need to pull it to use.

I've carried .22LR in both revolver and semiauto, .25acp, .32acp, .380acp, 9mm, .40 S&W, .44 Mag, .45 acp and .45 Colt, .38 Special and of course .357 Mag. If ya don't have to pull them any and all work fine.

These days my primary carry gun has been a S&W Shield EZ in 9mm for the last few years. My main reason to go for this gun is it is a little easier to rack the slide on it. I no longer have the hand strength in my left hand to rack most semiauto slides. Being honest with myself that seems to include the EZ.

So soon, not sure just when, I'll go to my S&W Shield Plus 9mm. With it I'll carry it with 13+1 and carry either 13 or 15 round mags for spares. I also have a S&W M&P .45acp in the truck as well as a Ruger LCP Custom .380 which is a back up gun or BUG.

I love my old S&W 66 but no longer carry it. The why mostly has to do with the way society is seeing large groups of folks attacking law abiding folks. I've actually considered carrying my S&W 69 in .44 Magnum, with .44 Specials of course but it's a five shot gun and these days I'm not personally comfortable with a five or size shot gun on my hip.

I'm 80 and in poor health. My left shoulder needs replacement surgery and it makes my entire left arm next to useless. I can't run, can't even fast walk and for sure can no longer fight.

I'm sure not representative of most folks who carry. So what I've determined right for me isn't what I'd recommend for others. I think what one carries is a very personal thing and has to please only the person carrying it. The main thing is to ALWAYS carry. Any gun with you grossly tops any other you left at home or in the truck when you got out. If it ain't on the hip it can't help you if the SHTF.

[Dee]

In researching my actual experiences in armed conflict, compared to others nationwide, I wasn't surprised to find that gunfights, whether civilian, or law enforcement, haven't really changed in 50 or more years. REAL LIFE distances, and total number of rounds fired per incident, are pretty much the same as they have always been for more than 50 years, regardless of which type, or types of handguns were used by both opponents.

"EXCEPTIONS" ON THE NEWS, and TV movies, have altered reality "perceptions" of what really happens in todays real world gunfights much the same as western movies have distorted reality in the real world art of gunfighting in the old west.

In other words, modern up-to-date statistics confirm what I've always thought. What worked then, still works. Keeping your head, and marksmanship, is far more important than magazine capacity.

https://concealedcarryclassdenver.com/2025/06/05/average-gunfight-statistics/

[Casull]

If you can't hit them with 6, you're probably not going to hit them with 10 or 15.

[Dee]

If you can't hit them with 6, you're probably not going to hit them with 10 or 15.

Sound wisdom.

[DDZ]

Yeah, ain't many gun fights where someone has to fire 10-15 rounds, put another mag in and keep shooting. Though its pretty common in movies.  I mostly carry my 9 shield plus, shield .45 or a 9mm Walter. I have carried my Ruger SP 101 in .357. Its just a bit bulkier, and heavier, so don't carry it as often especially in the summer.  Weight and bulk aside. I'd carry the revolver probably most of the time.  I feel plenty comfortable with 5 rounds of .357. Also the reliability of a revolver is second to none.

[Lloyd Smale]

thats about it. carry what you want. fact is skill and training have a hell of alot more impact on the situation then caliber or stopping power.

I've carried for 59 years now and thankfully have never needed to draw in anger. Hopefully for whatever time I have left I'll never need to pull it to use.

I've carried .22LR in both revolver and semiauto, .25acp, .32acp, .380acp, 9mm, .40 S&W, .44 Mag, .45 acp and .45 Colt, .38 Special and of course .357 Mag. If ya don't have to pull them any and all work fine.

These days my primary carry gun has been a S&W Shield EZ in 9mm for the last few years. My main reason to go for this gun is it is a little easier to rack the slide on it. I no longer have the hand strength in my left hand to rack most semiauto slides. Being honest with myself that seems to include the EZ.

So soon, not sure just when, I'll go to my S&W Shield Plus 9mm. With it I'll carry it with 13+1 and carry either 13 or 15 round mags for spares. I also have a S&W M&P .45acp in the truck as well as a Ruger LCP Custom .380 which is a back up gun or BUG.

I love my old S&W 66 but no longer carry it. The why mostly has to do with the way society is seeing large groups of folks attacking law abiding folks. I've actually considered carrying my S&W 69 in .44 Magnum, with .44 Specials of course but it's a five shot gun and these days I'm not personally comfortable with a five or size shot gun on my hip.

I'm 80 and in poor health. My left shoulder needs replacement surgery and it makes my entire left arm next to useless. I can't run, can't even fast walk and for sure can no longer fight.

I'm sure not representative of most folks who carry. So what I've determined right for me isn't what I'd recommend for others. I think what one carries is a very personal thing and has to please only the person carrying it. The main thing is to ALWAYS carry. Any gun with you grossly tops any other you left at home or in the truck when you got out. If it ain't on the hip it can't help you if the SHTF.

[Dee]

While choosing pistols for personal defense is, and should be, personal choice,  one would be wise in educating oneself in what exactly is "stopping power" in a handgun.
The only guarantee of a one shot stop is truly a head shot, but there is a myriad of other factors to consider when choosing caliber that range from physical condition of the assailant, to PLACEMENT AND PERFORMANCE of  the caliber, and type of round chosen for defense.
Fact: One is truly not shooting to kill an assailant during the attack, but is shooting to stop the attack.

So while one SHOULD choose what best suits their particular needs for defense,  one SHOULD CONSIDER, caliber, type, and performance of that protection arm, as IT DOES MATTER.

Here's a link to consider,  and educate on stopping power and choice considerations.

https://www.sspfirearms.com/2023/08/14/understanding-handgun-stopping-power/

[ironglowz]

  While not sharing the handgun experiences of some of you guys, certain things come to mind. You may see things differently, and that is fine, since I claim no authority  in this discussion.

  No advantage for a revolver?  I would seem that although today's autos are very good, a tip of the dependability have would go to the revolver.

  Observationally, it would seem that if one expects(?) that a one-on-one is likely , the revolver would be fine..but if one ventures where a group encounter is more likely,
  a semi auto would be in order.

   I don't completely understand the seeking for the most powerful, most destructive round is completely reasonable.  I guess one could carry a 500 S&W magnum,
  but can he shoot as accurately or recover between as quickly as he can with a .357 or 9mm?

  Although most would not advise carrying a .22LR, there are some surprising stats concerning the lowly "22".. 

  ..From AI, take it or trash it;

   Indeed, the .22 rimfire, particularly the .22 Long Rifle (LR), is often underestimated in its lethal potential.
Here's why its deadliness might be greater than commonly perceived:
High Penetration & Ricochet Potential: While small, the .22 LR bullet can penetrate surprisingly deep, especially when encountering bone. It can then ricochet and bounce around inside the body, causing unpredictable and potentially widespread damage to vital organs and blood vessels. One user on Quora mentions that a .22 LR bullet can easily go through 2 inches of solid oak.
Vital Organ Damage: If the bullet hits vital areas like the brain, central nervous system, heart, or major blood vessels, it can be immediately incapacitating or fatal, regardless of caliber size.
Accuracy and Control: The low recoil of .22 firearms allows for better accuracy and quicker follow-up shots, increasing the chances of hitting vital targets, says Quora.
Affordability & Accessibility: The low cost of .22 firearms and ammunition makes them widely accessible, leading to more frequent use in general and potentially in violent situations. The prevalence of .22 caliber firearms increases the likelihood of their involvement in incidents, which can lead to a greater number of injuries and fatalities attributed to them.
Historical Data: Statistics on firearm-related deaths can be difficult to interpret fully. However, some studies, such as one in New Zealand between 1971 and 1997, found that .22 rimfire ammunition was used in a significant percentage of firearm-related suicides and homicides. While this could be influenced by the prevalence of the caliber in that region, it demonstrates its capacity for lethal outcomes.
It is important to remember that any firearm can be lethal, and responsible gun ownership, training, and safe handling are paramount.
What is the best round for a 22 for stopping power? - Quora
Jan 14, 2021 — Any 22 rim-fire cartridge is ill advised for self defense for two reasons. * All rim-fire ammo is, by design, less reliable for firing than is center-fire ammo.