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Carry Revolver

10K views 61 replies 42 participants last post by  sabre03 
#1 ·
First my question. Save up my money and get the expensive 7 shot S&W Night Guard or the very affordable 7 shot Taurus 617 both in 357 magnum.

I was looking for a revolver yet wanted to have more than the standard 5 shots I get with my Jframe and my SP101 but it'll be a IWH Carry so the size of the frame can be normal or large so long as it's either scandium or alluminum alloy "light" or small in frame.

I simply love how a revolver carries on my body for inside the pant carry. Unlike a semi so long as it's a short barrel the meat of the gun doesn't sit so far down in your pants and quickly drawing a revolver where the hooked grip is made for grabbing to me is easier and faster to get to than grabbing for a back strap on a semi-auto. I find myself digging out the G27 and all other Kahr type sub compacts, where is the J frame and the Sp 101 are up higher and right there, I just want more than the five rounds regardless of studies that show most gun fights end in two or three shots.

thanks:image035::image035:
 
#37 ·
As with other brands, most anti-Taurus postings are second hand. A friend, of my second cousin says...... ANY brand of machine, that is what a firearm is after all, can have problems. Although some customer service departments / employees are more customer friendly than others, I wouldn't make that my sole criteria in brand selection.

I own a Taurus 617, stainless and mine is a well made firearm. The only issue I've had with it is the tendency to "short stroke" the trigger, but that is more a shooter problem than a gun problem. I'm confident enough with the 617 to use it in my annual HR-218 [revolver phase] qualification although I have other revolvers, including S&W, to choose from. (Auto qualification is usually with my S&W 457.)

Any short barrel handgun is going to lose power because of the physics involved and because of that, I carry the Speer Gold Dot, 135 gr. Short Barrel ammo in my snubbys. Some other brands of ammo are now selling short barrel versions with bullets engineered to reliably expand at lower velocities, including Hornaday's Critical Defense brand.

I've not fired any of their auto pistols, but as far as Taurus revolvers are concerned, my wife and I are happy campers. :smile: Her carry gun is a Taurus model 85 ultralight with Crimson Trace grips. (M-85 photo with factory grips.)

 
#38 ·
If you are putting this much thought into it, go for the gusto, belly up, and lay the money down for something you know you would really like to have and be done with it. If you settle because of price, you will never truly be satisfied. It is more a matter of pride and confidence than price. Just.... do it!
 
#39 ·
I'd rather throw my shoe at a BG than buy and bet my life on a Taurus, That's just me though. I've owned two Taurus pistols and needless to say they are LONG gone. Spend the money you would put into the Taurus on a good heavy steel Toe boot to throw at someone it will be much more affective.
 
#41 ·
Mr. Burl, I really like your 2 1/2-inch Model 66. I'm warming up to a round butt, K-Frame 2 1/2-inch .357 to take over some of the duties of my old favorite Model 10. I have one on hand but just haven't played with it yet.
 
#43 ·
IMO it is better to get what you really want even if it means saving up for it. I think you can't go wrong with the SP101 It was my first carry gun and I loved it. I couldn't conceal it though because it was to large and I do dress feminine. I plan on saving up and getting a Ruger .380LCP for CC.
 
#46 ·
The questionable things I've heard on Taurus were all semi's, not a revolver. I have a 605 and a 617, no problems, love shooting both and very accurate. I also have some Smiths, but it's the Taurus 617 that I carry. The other carry is a Beretta PX4-SC. I've never had nor heard of a problem yet with either a 605 or a 617 Taurus revolver, nor the 618 (8 shot).

IF someone has direct knowledge, I would like them to post the specifics... and I'll bet you wont' see a post.
 
#48 ·
I've had a few Taurus revolvers and didn't see a thing wrong with the. Got a couple of Smith & Wesson's, and Colts, both.

Right now, I carry an old Charter Arms Undercover 38, but it's only a five shot, so I don't you'd be interested. It works, but I paid less for it than a Taurus even so I guess my life isn't worth too much.
 
#52 ·
A Revolver (or any gun) does not have to be expensive to work :) just has to work :) . Some just dont have the fit and finish of others but mechanically work just as well 100%..sounds like you Charter Arms falls in the mechanically reliable but maybe less fit and finish category...as does ny Taurus CH85 :)
 

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#49 · (Edited)
The pricey 8 shot S&W Model 327

Did you ever feast your eyes on this .357 beauty?
Sorry no pics/i don't own one/drool
Great specs to match the beauty
7"long,2"barrel,21.4oz, DAO a + or - ? got to love those 8rds
My favorite look c S&W,msrp$1438 :rolleyes:
I'd settle for a 5rd model M&P360 a 14.7oz 357 @ 7.75long,msrp$980 w/ns
Enjoy the hunt and let us know what you get
 
#50 ·
Save up and get a S&W 649. IMHO this is the finest pocket gun ever made. You still have the capability of single action, but with no snag of a DAO weapon. Mine rides in a Mika pocket holster and is always with me.
 
#55 ·
First let me qualify what I am about to say.........I love revolvers and carry them at least 30% of the time. I do however also carry semi-auto's as well. I discharge my firearms regularly, and more than likely numerically 10+ times more that most that carry firearms for protection. I have had no more failures of any kind, with my semi-autos than I have with my revolvers.

It was stated in another post that the poster carries a "revolver because automatics jam at the wrong time".

Let me just make some simple numeric observations here.....if you frequent these gun forums enough and study the numbers of posts, especially the "What do you carry" posts you are going to se that semi-autos are carried 3-1 over revolvers. There are still a few law enforcement agencies that carry revolvers, but they are far and few between. This skews the 'failure reports" in favor of the revolver. If semi-autos are so undependable when the chips are down, then why does 98% of the worlds police forces and militaries use the semi-auto. Choosing a particular style of weapon, because you trust only that style, does not make everything else inferior. Have you personally experienced such "jams" you speak of???
I choose to carry a semi-auto more because it works the best for me. I shoot both revolvers and semi-autos, and though I carry them both, I am significantly more accurate with the semi-auto than my revolvers, and I am not a novice shooter. But if the government outlawed semi-auto style handguns I would have no problems carrying my revolvers....can you say the same if they outlawed revolvers???

Forgive my venting but I really hate it when people tell me they drive a Ford because General Motors & Chrysler products just stop running at the wrong times.
 
#58 ·
It was stated in another post that the poster carries a "revolver because automatics jam at the wrong time".

Choosing a particular style of weapon, because you trust only that style, does not make everything else inferior. Have you personally experienced such "jams" you speak of???

I choose to carry a semi-auto more because it works the best for me. I shoot both revolvers and semi-autos, and though I carry them both, I am significantly more accurate with the semi-auto than my revolvers, and I am not a novice shooter. But if the government outlawed semi-auto style handguns I would have no problems carrying my revolvers....can you say the same if they outlawed revolvers???
Question # 1: yes..... twice ... quickly used a back-up (revolver)

Question # 2 : NO ... there is no doubt my preference when it comes to reliability, it would be a revolver.

There are few things that can malfunction on a revolver, vs a semi-auto...... mags, extractors, FTF, etc. that you will never have with a revolver... so there is much more that CAN go wrong with a semi vs a revolver, and will.

Personally, my accuracy, etc. is much better wiht a revolver than with a semi.... so I'm the opposite of what you are.
 
#57 ·
Hi tex45acp;

No argument here (you may live too close by and be bigger than I am) but I'm one of those who used to occasionally carry 1911s until September of 1995 when we took the Texas concealed carry qualification course, in anticipation of the new concealed carry law which was taking effect the next January, and my old favorite 1911 dropped its hammer on a dud factory round during one of the "two-shots-in-three-seconds" stages of the qualification shoot. No big deal. Lost 5 points but the target wasn't charging me with an axe and I still ended up 245/250. Wasn't my perfectly dependable 1911's fault and likely would never occur during a emergency need to shoot, but I've found myself carrying automatics even less since the experience.

Everyone else may carry and shoot what they like and the 1911 is my very first choice for semi-auto carry. I am most cozy with the revolver for personal self defense.
 
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