The great caliber debate...

[WinterBorn]

Revolvers; don't take two hands to cock, never jam.

If you keep a bullet in the chamber, you don't have to cock (load) it. If you use the right size ammunition, and keep it clean, gun won't jam. Semiautomatics reload faster.

Which is why I always carry in Condition 2.

I carry my 1911 in condition 1.

I carry my 1911 in condition 1 when I carry it.

 

[Vastator]

Revolvers; don't take two hands to cock, never jam.

The claims that revolvers are outdated or obsolete are simply nonsense. Revolvers are typically more accurate and they allow for the use of specialty ammo. Jamming is so rare as to be a non-factor. If the ammo fails in a semi-auto, there are actions to be taken. But they involve both hands and you must take the gun down so you are not sighting down the barrel. With a revolver, you simply pull the trigger again. At most you cock the hammer and pull the trigger again.

Also, with semi autos there is some debate on the safety of having a round in the chamber. A loaded revolver is ready to go. No manual safety involved. And modern revolvers, like Ruger, are safer to carry due to their transfer bar system. Drop it on the hammer and the gun still won't fire.

I love a revolver as much as the next guy, but... Exposed to harsh conditions such as those presented in the various torture tests they really fall behind in the durability category. They don’t handle mud and sand intrusion to the mechanism at all. And when your revolver goes down due to such an occasion it’s likely down for the duration of the fight.

 

[Tax Man]

I found this interesting...




What do you think?

.44 mag. All I need is one shot and your down. If the person is in a car one shot and the engine is broken and stops.

 

[miketx]

I found this interesting...




What do you think?

.44 mag. All I need is one shot and your down. If the person is in a car one shot and the engine is broken and stops.

First you have to hit them, and targets don't shoot back. But the 44 will go through your living target, so I don't think you have one at all.

 

[WinterBorn]

Revolvers; don't take two hands to cock, never jam.

The claims that revolvers are outdated or obsolete are simply nonsense. Revolvers are typically more accurate and they allow for the use of specialty ammo. Jamming is so rare as to be a non-factor. If the ammo fails in a semi-auto, there are actions to be taken. But they involve both hands and you must take the gun down so you are not sighting down the barrel. With a revolver, you simply pull the trigger again. At most you cock the hammer and pull the trigger again.

Also, with semi autos there is some debate on the safety of having a round in the chamber. A loaded revolver is ready to go. No manual safety involved. And modern revolvers, like Ruger, are safer to carry due to their transfer bar system. Drop it on the hammer and the gun still won't fire.

I love a revolver as much as the next guy, but... Exposed to harsh conditions such as those presented in the various torture tests they really fall behind in the durability category. They don’t handle mud and sand intrusion to the mechanism at all. And when your revolver goes down due to such an occasion it’s likely down for the duration of the fight.

I think that matters far less in a defensive handgun. Unless you are out in the boonies, the chances of your gun being immersed in mud or sand is pretty slim.

 

[WinterBorn]

I found this interesting...




What do you think?

.44 mag. All I need is one shot and your down. If the person is in a car one shot and the engine is broken and stops.

First you have to hit them, and targets don't shoot back. But the 44 will go through your living target, so I don't think you have one at all.

The only advantage a .44 has is accuracy at ranges. Well, and the ability to still kill them if they are behind a concrete block wall.

I can only imagine what the sound of a full power .44 magnum going off inside a room would do to your hearing. I know what the muzzle flash does to your night vision.

 

[Vastator]

Revolvers; don't take two hands to cock, never jam.

The claims that revolvers are outdated or obsolete are simply nonsense. Revolvers are typically more accurate and they allow for the use of specialty ammo. Jamming is so rare as to be a non-factor. If the ammo fails in a semi-auto, there are actions to be taken. But they involve both hands and you must take the gun down so you are not sighting down the barrel. With a revolver, you simply pull the trigger again. At most you cock the hammer and pull the trigger again.

Also, with semi autos there is some debate on the safety of having a round in the chamber. A loaded revolver is ready to go. No manual safety involved. And modern revolvers, like Ruger, are safer to carry due to their transfer bar system. Drop it on the hammer and the gun still won't fire.

I love a revolver as much as the next guy, but... Exposed to harsh conditions such as those presented in the various torture tests they really fall behind in the durability category. They don’t handle mud and sand intrusion to the mechanism at all. And when your revolver goes down due to such an occasion it’s likely down for the duration of the fight.

I think that matters far less in a defensive handgun. Unless you are out in the boonies, the chances of your gun being immersed in mud or sand is pretty slim.

As a nightstand gun... Sure. But strapped to your hip while out 4 wheeling, camping, or any myriad of outdoor social engagements they are at risk for failure.

 

[WinterBorn]

Revolvers; don't take two hands to cock, never jam.

The claims that revolvers are outdated or obsolete are simply nonsense. Revolvers are typically more accurate and they allow for the use of specialty ammo. Jamming is so rare as to be a non-factor. If the ammo fails in a semi-auto, there are actions to be taken. But they involve both hands and you must take the gun down so you are not sighting down the barrel. With a revolver, you simply pull the trigger again. At most you cock the hammer and pull the trigger again.

Also, with semi autos there is some debate on the safety of having a round in the chamber. A loaded revolver is ready to go. No manual safety involved. And modern revolvers, like Ruger, are safer to carry due to their transfer bar system. Drop it on the hammer and the gun still won't fire.

I love a revolver as much as the next guy, but... Exposed to harsh conditions such as those presented in the various torture tests they really fall behind in the durability category. They don’t handle mud and sand intrusion to the mechanism at all. And when your revolver goes down due to such an occasion it’s likely down for the duration of the fight.

I think that matters far less in a defensive handgun. Unless you are out in the boonies, the chances of your gun being immersed in mud or sand is pretty slim.

As a nightstand gun... Sure. But strapped to your hip while out 4 wheeling, camping, or any myriad of outdoor social engagements they are at risk for failure.

When I am out camping, hiking, canoeing or whatever, I carry a single action .44. In 4+ decades of having fun in the outdoors, my gun has never been immersed in mud or sand. The very fact that I carry it in a holster gives it enough protection to avoid catastrophic failure.

 

[Vastator]

Revolvers; don't take two hands to cock, never jam.

The claims that revolvers are outdated or obsolete are simply nonsense. Revolvers are typically more accurate and they allow for the use of specialty ammo. Jamming is so rare as to be a non-factor. If the ammo fails in a semi-auto, there are actions to be taken. But they involve both hands and you must take the gun down so you are not sighting down the barrel. With a revolver, you simply pull the trigger again. At most you cock the hammer and pull the trigger again.

Also, with semi autos there is some debate on the safety of having a round in the chamber. A loaded revolver is ready to go. No manual safety involved. And modern revolvers, like Ruger, are safer to carry due to their transfer bar system. Drop it on the hammer and the gun still won't fire.

I love a revolver as much as the next guy, but... Exposed to harsh conditions such as those presented in the various torture tests they really fall behind in the durability category. They don’t handle mud and sand intrusion to the mechanism at all. And when your revolver goes down due to such an occasion it’s likely down for the duration of the fight.

I think that matters far less in a defensive handgun. Unless you are out in the boonies, the chances of your gun being immersed in mud or sand is pretty slim.

As a nightstand gun... Sure. But strapped to your hip while out 4 wheeling, camping, or any myriad of outdoor social engagements they are at risk for failure.

When I am out camping, hiking, canoeing or whatever, I carry a single action .44. In 4+ decades of having fun in the outdoors, my gun has never been immersed in mud or sand. The very fact that I carry it in a holster gives it enough protection to avoid catastrophic failure.

That’s good news. I’ve had two failures myself. Both times involved water and sand. I love revolvers. But for hard duty use in dirty environments... Not an option. SHTF...? Forget about it.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

...Semiautomatics reload faster.

Tell that to Jerry Michelik

Not everyone is Jerry...in fact almost nobody is.

No they are not. But, with practice, anyone can get proficient enough with speedloaders to be within 1 or 2 seconds of semi auto reload speed.

Plus, reloading is a vastly over-rated part of gun fights. The number of times someone reloaded is miniscule. The last article I read (I'll try to find it) was a 5 year study of both police and civilian gun fights and had (I believe) only 2 reloads. Most of the time there were only 2 shots or less fired. When there were more than 2 the shooter typically emptied their gun.

I prefer not to take my chances.
I'll take sixteen .45 rounds over six .357 any day.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Revolvers; don't take two hands to cock, never jam.

If you keep a bullet in the chamber, you don't have to cock (load) it. If you use the right size ammunition, and keep it clean, gun won't jam. Semiautomatics reload faster.

Which is why I always carry in Condition 2.

I carry my 1911 in condition 1.

I prefer condition 2 with the safety off.
That way I have the option of just pulling the trigger through the double action or if I have time I can thumb the hammer back.
While pulling the trigger through the double action may reduce accuracy in the first shot it's no different than a revolver in that respect.

 

[miketx]

Revolvers; don't take two hands to cock, never jam.

If you keep a bullet in the chamber, you don't have to cock (load) it. If you use the right size ammunition, and keep it clean, gun won't jam. Semiautomatics reload faster.

Which is why I always carry in Condition 2.

I carry my 1911 in condition 1.

I prefer condition 2 with the safety off.
That way I have the option of just pulling the trigger through the double action or if I have time I can thumb the hammer back.
While pulling the trigger through the double action may reduce accuracy in the first shot it's no different than a revolver in that respect.

My 1911 is SA. But the Mak I have is double.

 

[WinterBorn]

Revolvers; don't take two hands to cock, never jam.

If you keep a bullet in the chamber, you don't have to cock (load) it. If you use the right size ammunition, and keep it clean, gun won't jam. Semiautomatics reload faster.

Which is why I always carry in Condition 2.

I carry my 1911 in condition 1.

I prefer condition 2 with the safety off.
That way I have the option of just pulling the trigger through the double action or if I have time I can thumb the hammer back.
While pulling the trigger through the double action may reduce accuracy in the first shot it's no different than a revolver in that respect.

My 1911 is SA. But the Mak I have is double.

Mine is an SA as well. It started out as a Mil-Spec Springfield.

 

[miketx]

If you keep a bullet in the chamber, you don't have to cock (load) it. If you use the right size ammunition, and keep it clean, gun won't jam. Semiautomatics reload faster.

Which is why I always carry in Condition 2.

I carry my 1911 in condition 1.

I prefer condition 2 with the safety off.
That way I have the option of just pulling the trigger through the double action or if I have time I can thumb the hammer back.
While pulling the trigger through the double action may reduce accuracy in the first shot it's no different than a revolver in that respect.

My 1911 is SA. But the Mak I have is double.

Mine is an SA as well. It started out as a Mil-Spec Springfield.

I got one too.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Revolvers; don't take two hands to cock, never jam.

If you keep a bullet in the chamber, you don't have to cock (load) it. If you use the right size ammunition, and keep it clean, gun won't jam. Semiautomatics reload faster.

Which is why I always carry in Condition 2.

I carry my 1911 in condition 1.

I prefer condition 2 with the safety off.
That way I have the option of just pulling the trigger through the double action or if I have time I can thumb the hammer back.
While pulling the trigger through the double action may reduce accuracy in the first shot it's no different than a revolver in that respect.

My 1911 is SA. But the Mak I have is double.

My FNX .45 Tactical is double action.

 

[miketx]

If you keep a bullet in the chamber, you don't have to cock (load) it. If you use the right size ammunition, and keep it clean, gun won't jam. Semiautomatics reload faster.

Which is why I always carry in Condition 2.

I carry my 1911 in condition 1.

I prefer condition 2 with the safety off.
That way I have the option of just pulling the trigger through the double action or if I have time I can thumb the hammer back.
While pulling the trigger through the double action may reduce accuracy in the first shot it's no different than a revolver in that respect.

My 1911 is SA. But the Mak I have is double.

My FNX .45 Tactical is double action.

Nice. I have a friend with one and he let me shoot it. Don't what happened to him or why he hasn't picked up his gun yet.

 

[miketx]

This is my fav, and most accurate pistol I have ever had even up to and including my model 29 Smith.

DE 1911.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

This is my fav, and most accurate pistol I have ever had even up to and including my model 29 Smith.

DE 1911.

NICE pistol!!!

 

[miketx]

This is my fav, and most accurate pistol I have ever had even up to and including my model 29 Smith.

DE 1911.

NICE pistol!!!

I couldn't believe it! I went to the range with it shooting from about 12 yards out, it made a damn near one hole ragged group right where I was aiming! Trigger pull is three pounds! I'm afraid to shoot it again as I won't be able to hit the target probably!

 

[Tax Man]

I found this interesting...




What do you think?

.44 mag. All I need is one shot and your down. If the person is in a car one shot and the engine is broken and stops.

First you have to hit them, and targets don't shoot back. But the 44 will go through your living target, so I don't think you have one at all.

To hit a moving person is easy for me. And yes the mag usually does go through a human. They still can't move! I love my .44 as I use it for hunting.