Revolver reliability vs Semi Auto for SD

[off road]

I said "because it never jams."

As for automatics, I have a bunch of Glocks and an older S&W 3913. After firing thousands of rounds in them literally for decades, none of these autos has ever had a single failure of any kind. So for me, all this talk about 'reliability', sounds very foreign....

If you have an auto that isn't 100% reliable, get rid of that POS!

 

[WESHOOT2]

....none of these autos has ever had a single failure of any kind.

Yet.

 

[steve b]

While reliability is a very large factor in picking a ccw piece, it is not the only factor. With that said, I carry, on different days, a wide variety of pieces. Why ? Because I can. I know this is not the wisest path, but sometimes I just WANT to pack the Sheriff's 44spec, or the Bulldog. In my defense, I'll say its all about the threat assesment. I live in a rural county. The things I've shot in self defense, or that were possible threats, were a rabid racoon , and a couple rattlesnakes. A couple of Porkies were shot to protect the outhouses plywood exterior, at camp. So, most anything would have worked. So, the number 1 factor is, that I had a gun on, not at home, or in the glove box. If I frequented urban areas, I would reach for my G23 much more often. There is a reason why revolvers have there own classes in competition, and it doesn't pay, to ignore progress. I've taken quite a few courses that have taken me way beyond the basic CCW courses. NOBODY likes to have to do a reload when there are still bad guys standing. When shooting cardboard bad guys, your reload may be quite impressive, to you. When doing force-on-force with live opponents, a reload means you die. Reality intrudes most rudely. steve b

 

[steve b]

On a purely mechanical level, yes, a revolver may be more reliable. It is up to you, to keep your machinery running. I learned that striker fired pistols need to be run nearly dry, at least in the striker area. Had many issues with XD's due to generously lubing. My bad, not the platform. steve b

 

[Rclark]

On a purely mechanical level, yes, a revolver may be more reliable.

Yep. 'Is' not 'may' though. As I stated on page 2, a lot more 'going' on with a semi-auto to function correctly so more chance of failure. From this stand point, yes a revolver is more reliable. Period.

From a ease of reload, number of cartridges, maintenance, environment, and a myriad of other 'concepts' you can argue all day, all year on which is the best for the purpose at hand.

 

[steve b]

I would argue that first, you need the will to fight. Then you need the skill to fight. A blade course and some kinda empty hand is nice to round out the skill package. Don't be just a shooter. Take a first-aid course. There is just no downside to having some first-aid background. Now, thirdly, is the time to worry about weapon choices. You don't get to pick the time, or place, or weather. So yes, take time to make the choices that you can ! Stay safe. steve b

 

[writwing]

Take a first-aid course.

Hope you aren't planning to fix up the goblin after you have put him down.

 

[soonerboomer]

30 years ago it was clear that a revolver was more reliable. While I think this is still generally true, the lines have been blurred a bit, and reliability differences are nominal.
Across the board new revolver quality has declined, and new semi-autos have become more reliable. Even the beloved Smith & Wesson revolvers are not what they used to be. Then, throw in the marginal quality of Taurus, Rossi, Charter Arms, etc (which have a huge market share) you will see that the old idea of 100% revolver reliability is fading a bit.
On the other hand semi-auto quality and reliability has improved since the 80's. Of course Glock pioneered the way, but we also see highly reliable offerings now from Smith & Wesson, Springfield, CZ, Ruger, etc.
Personally, I equally trust both my SP101 and my Glock 26.

 

[steve b]

I have accepted the possibilty that I may need to apply first-aid to myself ! I already have, in force-on-force courses and after an ATV rollover. steve b

 

[Rexster]

Each individual handgun must prove itself. I have some revolvers that are so tight, the least little amount of powder fouling will start to gum it up, or the least little amount of unburned powder debris, landing under the extractor, during the reload, will make it difficult to close the cylinder. Ruger used to machine what could be called "grunge grooves" in the early GP100 sixguns to mitigate the latter problem.

The good thing is, these malfunctions do not occur during the first six rounds, so "six for sure" still holds true, even for my finicky sixguns.

On the other hand, I own several autos, SIG and Les Baer, that have never failed to feed and extract, from round one, making them fully as trustworthy as any mechanical device can be. The autos require more due diligence, regarding lubrication, but I have never let them dry out to test that.

 

[gramps]

According to FBI statistics most gunfights involve approx. 3 rounds of ammo at 3 feet. Was LEO part time for 11 years. Carried a S&W 439 to begin with then a S&W 4506. Only had to draw the 439 once, but didn't fire in line of duty. I now carry an sp 101 in .357 mag. I have carried Charter's .38's as backup during LEO days and as primary off duty. I just sold my Charter 2000 .44 spcl. The only hiccup I had was with the 4506. Failure to go into battery during the first mag. So I lubed it and voila-success. Pick your weapon based on your own situation/threat assesment, and run with it. Good luck.
gramps

 

[Rabon]

When I go into the Bush I carry a S/A Ruger, when I go to town I carry an HK. I like both.

 

[Sonnytoo]

I haven't seen a revolver stovepipe, fail to feed or eject, or jam ( eg bullet jump) with factory loads....JMHO :wink:

Well, Buck, I'm not surprised you haven't seen any bullet jump with factory stuff. They're almost hot enough to be Cowboy loads.

S2

 

[Meeteetse]

Sooooo. . . . like all these discussions, it comes down to what you are familiar with and feel comfortable using. No perfect solution. I like and use both DA revolvers and semi-autos, mostly Glocks. Why? Because that is what I have used for more than 30 years. Nothing wrong with either if you are familiar with the gun's manual of arms and can hit what you aim at. Beyond that, being able to use the gun properly lies between your ears. You will act/react just like you practice. Practice will not make you perfect, but it will make you better and more confident with whatever gun you have with you.