I have speedloaders for my Ruger Security Six. Like you, I am no where near Miculek speed. But I don't think I am losing anything againt semi auto pistols.
Other than capacity.
I'd have to have one of the 8 shot S&W .357's and i'd still have to reload once to reach the same capacity of the FNX .45...
But being proficient in loading the revolver does make me more comfortable.
The ancient and endless debate between revolvers and auto pistols boils down to what kind of self-defense situation a shooter is planning for versus what kind of self-defense situation he is
likely to find himself in—on any kind of regular or even slightly probable basis.
For one thing, and let's just get this out of the way, while serving in the capacity of a cop or soldier I
never would have chosen a revolver for either my duty or issue sidearm. Not a chance. If one finds one's self in a situation where confrontation with armed criminals or enemy soldiers is likely and/or common, then the revolver is outmoded and a losing choice.
Law enforcement sidearm doctrine involves putting shots into a threat until that threat (to self or co-worker, or public safety) is down or out of the fight. Crazy as it might sound to most civilian shooters, that can mean putting eight or ten or even fifteen rounds into a violent suspect/offender. Essentially, when no other less-lethal tactic is possible, you shoot and shoot until the threat is inert or immobilized, meaning, more often than not, dead. With a revolver as a sidearm six or even eight possible shots just isn't going to be enough to pull this tactic off, in many situations. Further, higher caliber means nothing in revolvers if shots don't destroy or miss vital organs/body functions.
Military sidearm doctrine is a different animal completely. For the most part, and in the SOP of most military units, sidearms are intended to serve as
backup personal defense weapons for a variety of job descriptions, including squad machine gunners, NCO's, Officers and designated marksmen. In those cases a semi or even fully automatic pistol is the only effective sidearm design to choose when facing modern enemy weapons and tactics. You don't want to find yourself armed with a six shot magnum revolver facing down an enemy's submachine gun or hi-capacity semi or full auto pistol.
The other side of military firearm doctrine is the concept of the
offensive handgun, which is practiced and implemented only by special operations forces operators who might find themselves actively engaging the enemy, most often silently and from some uncommonly great sidearm distance, and thus require a large-frame, long barreled pistol designed for specialized engagements. Such a firearm must also be a semi or full auto pistol, not a revolver. High capacity magazines are vital in such circumstances.
For home defense—for self-defense inside one's own home, when one is not really anticipating home invasion but nevertheless wants to prepare for such an event, the revolver
could be a sufficient defensive sidearm choice—in conjunction with a shotgun or carbine as primary defensive weapon, or a backup to a semi-auto pistol. Personally, a revolver would not be my primary choice of home defense sidearm for many reasons. Magazine capacity, recoil, reloading time are all reasons I would never choose a revolver as my primary home defense capability.
Neither would I choose a revolver for my everyday sidearm carry choice—for many of the same reasons above. However, I have carried for years and continue to do so a Charter Arms .44 Special snub nose revolver as back up to whatever semi-auto pistol is my EDC. If my primary EDC jams or malfunctions in some other way, those five .44 Special rounds hiding out around my ankle ankle holster could mean the difference between life and death.
In the role of concealed carry civilian one must realize he or she could encounter a situation where he or she is facing down a bad guy armed with a carbine or submachine gun or even a high capacity modern sporting rifle. For the safety of my family and any innocent bystanders I would always choose a high capacity semi-auto pistol for EDC to counter all possible threats. A revolver, in my opinion, just doesn't cut it—not when facing down bad guys armed with modern auto-loading weapons.
Lastly, I would absolutely go with various revolvers for hunting (and have). I've hunted small game with a Ruger .22 revolver, deer with a revolver chambered for .45 Colt, and I would like to get my .454 Casull to Alaska one day. I would perhaps even choose a revolver for dangerous game defense while hunting in Alaska or out West, but great arguments are being made these days for pistols like the Glock in .45 ACP and 10mm for such purposes.
