Revolver or semi-auto?

[kneedownnate]

First new post in the new child board  

I removed the vast majority of rabbit trailing that always happens in marlin threads.  I prefer threads simple and clean and easy to navigate for facts, etc.  There was ample chance given for somebody to fix their mistake, but since they weren't willing to even acknowledge it, it was removed, as were all related posts.  I'm not trying to act like a dictator, I just don't like arguing in my threads, especially since people overlook their mistakes and dig in their heels and get butthurt.  We don't need a full page of posts going in circles asking for the same thing.  It's over, grow up and get over it 

Kinda stole this from a thread on pirate, but I'm curious to get some feedback over here since it's a different crowd.  My question is mainly, which do you prefer to carry and why?  Or, if you don't have either and are looking to get one, like me, which would you rather get and why?  Then I guess the next question is which caliber and why?

I can definately see good reasons for both.  Revolvers typically pack more of a punch in similar calibers, but are obviously lacking in capacity.  They're also much less likely to malfunction and are inherently stronger.  Spent shells also stay in the gun, so looking for them isn't an issue.  Unless you're strictly a plinker or are planning on buying more than one, I'd say a single action is out of the question.  Double action can be shot in either double or single, so in the event of defending yourself it holds an advantage over a single also.  One big downfall is reloading quickly.  Sure, you can get a nice reloader and practice and get good, but they're bulkier than the magazine for a semi-auto and aren't nearly as easy to use in a high stress situation, not to mention it'd likely be much easier to blindly load a mag.

A semi-auto will almost always hold more rounds, about 4 in california and up to about 10 in other areas.  You can get amply powerful calibers for most situations, but one of the best all around defense loads comes in very few brands and models and lacks availability.  There are lots of good guns and good choices, but it's much easier to clog one up and have a failure, and I've seen some scary pics of the side blowing out of one before.  This didn't happen due to somebody hand loading, it was over the counter ammo.  Another plus is that many have an accessory rail to mount a light or laser.

I personally want both (and several of both ), but I think I'll be leaning much more toward a revolver for my hiking/pack gun.  I plan on finding a nice chest mounted holster that'll fit between the straps on my backpacks and wearing the crap out of it so it doesn't bother me too much while hiking.  I just don't think a hip or thigh mount holster will work for me when hiking.  

Since I've narrowed it down to a revolver, the next step is finding one which fits my tiny hands nicely.  I've handled a Ruger gp100 and, despite looking big, it actually fits my hand very well.  I looked a little more the other day just for fun, and to my surprise, a Smith and Wesson 686 felt almost identical and had a comparable trigger pull.  That doesn't really narrow it down any, it's hard to justify the extra money for the s&w, I just wanted to see how it felt.  I also took a look at a s&w 327, the scandium/titanium .357, and at about 3/5 the weight of the other options it'd make a much nicer hunting partner, but it costs around $1100  

So that's enough rambling from me, which would you rather have and why?  

[topar]

If you are new to handguns then I would suggest a revolver for reasons you stated.  easy to use not going to malfunction.  Sure you can do reloads faster with a semi auto but lets face it if you cant do the job with 6 rounds you probably should not be carring anyways.  I used to have a SW 357 stainless with a 6" barrel.  I like this weapon its not going to rust, its accurate you can fire 38 or 357 rounds and its allot cheaper to practice with 38 rounds then when you want to carry it with you you load up the 357.  This gun might be a little heavy for hiking though.  Just my 

[Cheesemaker]

I like both, but for packing you want a semi-auto.  Nice slim body where as a revolver its cylinder is the widest.  I own a Colt .45 acp and I love how slim it is, and how it will fit nicely in the waistband, hip or thigh holsters.  I haven't found a should rig I liked yet.  But for plinking, I love the old Ruger Bearcat .22! 

[NoPower]

My everyday carry weapon is an semi-auto S&W m&p compact 9mm with hollow points. I LOVE IT my wife carries a Ruger LCP semi-auto 380 with hollow points as it fits her hand and it's very light and compact plus just give some azzhole a double tap with those hollow points and l bet you can get them to leave ya alone

[kneedownnate]

I'm not worried about people when hiking, I'm worried about big kitty that thinks little old me looks like an easy meal, especially when I decide to throw down a little run.  I'm not really worried about bears, but you never know what will happen with a wild animal.  I'm also more worried about a wild pig since they're pretty ruthless!

All 3 of those will potentially require much more than is afforded by a 9mm or 380, and a .357 is even on the light side.  I'd much prefer to have a .41 magnum and would consider a .44 mag, but since I'll also be shooting it for fun too I'd be wise to stay away from the .44.  Finding ammo for the .41 kinda knocks it out of the running, not to mention the lack of model availability.  S&W does make a lightweight .41, but we can't get it here 

[Cheesemaker]

Sounds like you need to go Dirty Harry then!!    

[*ROKTOY*]

I have several hand guns which I use differently, I have a Glock 27 which is my primary carry weapon, It is a 40 and I have the magazine extension for the clips, Its small compact and has sufficient capacity and hitting power. I also have a Beretta 9 which I carry when I think I may need more capacity, I have the 15 round clips. But for my treks into the woods I carrier my Ruger Red Hawk 44, I like the big fire power cause one never knows what one will run into in the deep dark forest. As for ammo I always use hollow points, Gold Dots or Cor bonds in different grain weights. IMO one should always practice with the load one will be using as different loads will often times produce different results .

[kneedownnate]

Good stuff guys, keep it coming 

And cheesy, I don't need to pack 60 ounces of steel around with me 

[NoPower]

My wife and l went to look at more guns today and l think l'm sold on the smith model 340PD revolver. 357. and only weighs 12oz...thats hard to beat. Should be more than enough power to stop most things

[kneedownnate]

Nice, but you'll probably wanna have her shoot 38 special through a 12 ounce revolver 

[Rockcrawlintoy]

im goin to get the cia 650 in 357. also check out the glock 29 its a 10mm which is close to a .41 magnum

[NoPower]

Nice, but you'll probably wanna have her shoot 38 special through a 12 ounce revolver 

On practice she will be shooting more of the 38 rounds but when loaded for self defense it will be 357 rounds. She would be able to hold on with the adrenaline flow should anything stupid ever go down. Adrenaline flows pretty good when people are shooting at ya...

[kneedownnate]

Oh yea, no matter how hard a gun kicks, I've never noticed recoil while hunting, so I'm sure the same would ring true in a defense situation.  

I'm not 100% sold on taurus revolvers, seems like they've had lots of quality control issues.  I like the 10mm a lot, but I'm not a fan of glocks.  S&W makes a revolver that shoots 10mm or .40 with the clips.  If it weren't listed for over $1000 it may be a viable option since you could save the 10mm ammo for defense and save some money shooting .40 when plinking, etc.  

[Rockcrawlintoy]

my friend has several taurus guns and loves them no problems. im not a fan of glocks either but the 10mm is bitchin

[Jakesteads]

revolver is shoots straight and flat out works

[junya92toy]

I carry a glock 20. Full size 10mm auto. With more power then a 357 and close to a 41 rem mag it has the punch to take down anything in the NW. In states that it is not legal to hunt deer with a 45 acp it is legal to use a 10mm. Glock even sells a 6 inch hunting barrel for it. Its also a true one shot stop for humans too. Double tap ammo sells true full power loads. They even sell one that has a 135 grain hollow point with a 95 grain lead ball behind it. At 25 yards is a 2 inch spread.

I like the semi auto because its slimmer, a glock as very few moving parts. And its true some semi autos are less prone to malfuctions then a wheel gun. Reloads are faster, and you carry more ammo. Average shootings go, 4 shoots to one hit.

[Plekto]

THE firearm for hiking is what others have said - a simple as dirt stainless double action .357 revolver with rubber grips.  If you want to you can also shoot .38 in it, but for simplicity, nothing beats it.  I highly recommend getting one with those luminescent front sights as it makes aiming just that one fraction of a second quicker if you're fairly new to firearms(doubly so in lower light situations like dusk and dawn hen animals are about)

As for VS humans, .38 is more than adequate if you have a problem with recoil.  Otherwise you'll learn to flinch and get bad habits.  One of the best pieces of advice(besides HAVE a gun) that I learned was that you should shoot as large as you can while it not feeling like you're shooting anything that's too powerful.  As an example, everyone can shoot .22 without it feeling like they're doing anything other than pulling a trigger.  At some point it will stop feeling like that and start feeling like work, and then a strain.  Having it be easy and simple is huge for a beginning shooter.  Thankfully .38/357/9mm/etc is usually a good range for most people to find this point within.

One thing, though.  Avoid titanium and ultra-light models.  Within reason, the heavier it is, the less the recoil will be.  .357 in a 1lb gun is not fun at all.  Getting the normal stainless or simple blue steel and ignoring the small dots of surface rust later on(it's a tool and not a showpiece) is the way to go.  Plus, it saves money.  As much as I personally like stainless, I don't own a firearm in stainless due to me being cheap and always buying used

As for what brand, well, it's personal.  I can't handle the way Ruger feels, for instance - just wrong for my hand.  S&W seems to fit me better.  As for semi-autos, though, I love Sig(though my pocketbook still can't open wide enough to afford one... sigh)

EDIT:
Of course, another option if you're in bear country or similar is to get a lightweight shotgun and load it with slugs.  It's doing to get the job done far better for less cost.  *note* - even a .410 with slugs beats almost every handgun for power.(let alone a 12 or 10 gauge)

[kneedownnate]

9mm is totally out of the question as a defense round when dealing with animals.  .357 is the drug of choice if going revolver due to the fact that it can be loaded hot and have good penetration, ammo availability is great (should be able to find ammo at a backwoods store if I forgot mine) and there are lots of choices, some of which are pretty cheap.  Yea, you can shoot .38 cheap, but I'd honestly rather practice with what I'd be using.

Shotgun is totally out of the question.  Have you ever hiked with a long gun?    I've dont stoddard lake (trinity alps, area in question) with both a .243 and my little 20 gauge and it was a push!  Plus, I don't care how short your shotgun, you just plain can't swing it as fast as pistol, and a charging cat or bear isn't going to wait around for you to swing a gun over your shoulder!

As for your comments on light models, that's true but only to a point.  Have you ever pulled the trigger on something in a tense or adrenaline filled situation?  You don't "feel" recoil when you do.  I'm a little guy, and even shooting high base heavy lead loads in my 12 gauge, I've never been bothered by or fealt recoil.  That said, if I were to pop for a light model, I'd obviously shoot it the minimum for practice, so it couldn't be my only sidearm.

I'm not trying to totally dismiss your comments, just looking at things in a different light and helping to make some points a little more clear 

[Plekto]

True.   Buy someone did bring up with wife, IIRC, and a lot of women have issues with .357(for some reason, dunno why?).  Me, I don't notice .357 either - it feels exactly the same as all the rest("meh") until I get to .45, which is more of a solid push rather than a quick one.  Yes, hiking with a long gun is hard, which is why it would have to be something specifically made for that purpose.  I don't know of many, though.   

That said, there are a few lightweight .45s out there(Glock has one now, IIRC, that are very attractive indeed.)

[brainlessfool]

I'd vote ya gets a S&W 686 in 6". for all the resons sid above.  have used them meany times and there the I have a 629 in 6". for hunting. with an under arm holster.
stays out of my way with me bow.

[brainlessfool]

if ya want power

AMMUNITION BALLISTICS FOR: .44 Rem. Mag.

                          VELOCITy                       ENERGY                                                      
CARTRIDGE BULLET MFG. WT. TYPE MUZZ. 100 YDS. 200 YDS. 300 YDS. 400 YDS. 500 YDS. MUZZ. 100 YDS. 200 YDS. 300 YDS. 400 YDS. 500 YDS. 100 YDS. 300 YDS. 400 YDS. 500 YDS.
.44 Rem. Mag. (S) 240 SP 1760 1380 1114 970 878 806 1650 1015 661 501 411 346 (S) 240 HP 1760 1380 1090 950 860 790 1650 1015 640 485 395 330 N/A
(W) 250 Plat. 1830 1475 1201 1032 931 857 1859 1208 801 591 481 408 95.4 -199.4
(W) 250 SP 1810 1455 1188 1025 926 853 1818 1175 783 583 476 404 97.0 -202.5
(R) 275 JHP 1580 1293 1093 976 896 832 1524 1020 730 582 490 422 113.8



sorry that came out unuseable.  

the frist line right after 44 mag is the velocity @ 100 yards out, thats for the soft point.




http://www.shootingtimes.com/ballistics/44_rem_mag.html  < page

the next set of #s is the ft lbs of energy  @ 100 yards  1015

[brainlessfool]

and if you WANT REAL POWER,  get a smith and wesson 500. It can almost reach 3000 ft lbs of energy.

gots all the power I want, anyway   this is imput for nater. I votes for da 686
cuz it's a good gun and with 38's cheap to play with.
and with a good .357 mag it will stop a kitty.

[86rustbucket]

i'd say for what you want 1.easy to carry  2.deadly

id look for the smallest .45 acp that you are comfortable firing
 

if that wont drop a dangerous animal it's probably stuffed.

[brainlessfool]

I'd say for what you want 1.easy to carry  2.deadly

id look for the smallest .45 acp that you are comfortable firing
 

if that wont drop a dangerous animal it's probably stuffed.

I like this one!

you hit the target.


I like a revolver over autos and stainless over blue. why? cuz I've never heard of a revolver going  off if dropped and stainless wont rust or scratch.
and yes I have seen an auto go off when dropped.  not good for you if your out deep in the woods.  and I carry mine with an empty camber behind the hammer so there is no way it could ever go off with out the trigger being pulled. that's why I like the 686. now is it the "best" hand cannon out there? well it's up to you.

[yjay]

Kinda a personal preference thing in my mind. I like the .40 cal. Glock because in a crisis situation it is about the simplest auto pistol on earth, no traditional safety, just ready to go to work. Plus the ballistics as well as statistics for 1 shot knockdown are impressive. My issue is they are wide and uncomfortable to carry, and it would be harder to conceal if a person wants to.
My preference is the Ruger LCR .38 plus p. Fires plus p or special, weighs 13 ounces cause its aluminum and poly, no exposed hammer, and they are tiny for a revolver. Holds 5 rounds which is typically around 3 more than you'll get to fire in an emergency. Ballistics on modern .38 plus p have come a long way.
On a side note, I've heard that if you are carrying in bear country(especially grizzly like are in places i go)that fmj's are better due to the incredibly thick hides and skulls that bears have.
http://www.ruger.com/products/lcr/index.html

[badshark]

my 2 cents is i can hit a flea in the azz at 30 yards with my .45 auto but spendy on ammo and i have big hands prefer a large  frame gun

[kneedownnate]

In discussing it with the guys at gun shops we've kinda come to one conclusion on the .45;  if I were defending myself from a person it'd be great, but on a bear or cat it's not going to get the penetration to do anything other than piss off a big, mean animal.  It quickly dropped out of the running.  .38 special is right there with it, at least in the pissing off area.

What I said has everything to do with this thread. If you shoot a bear with a small caliber fmj bullet while its munching on your leg and it simply goes through it without hitting anything vital you are dead.

True, but where it becomes irrelevant is that only a fool would use fmj to defend against any of the animals we have in this area    There are some excellent hunting rounds out, so there's no sense in using a load that'll wound a bear in hopes his buddies will have to drag him off the field.

The military used to use 38's but there was a war and the enemy would tie off their limbs, take drugs this made the 38 not effective. So they stepped it up and had a 45 made, why? to make a bigger wound channel and increase blood loss

If memory serves, you're thinking of the morros.  If you want to use those facts though, you may want to include how disappointed they were when the 45 did nearly as poorly at stopping them too    And remember, this was well before the 357 was around.

[jimbo74]

doesnt the military use a 9mm?

[yjay]

Fool may be a tad harsh.
http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/xd-45acp-discussion-room/39546-self-defense-round-non-human.html

[kneedownnate]

Funny, but this kinda goes along with what I'm saying:  Use 230 gr FMJ if you do that. Take extra magazines and get really good at 15 yard rapid fire hits in center of mass. If you take on a Black Bear with 45ACP you will need the extra mags

I only skimmed the first page, but it kinda seems like they're echoing what I'm saying otherwise as well.  I'll have to go back and skim more pages later, but it does look to be a good read, you just have to remember that like any forum you'll have to wade through the bs and opinions to find some validity and fact.