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Which do you preferr for CC? Wheel gun or Semi-Auto?

I know I'm young...

4K views 30 replies 29 participants last post by  Springfieldin 
#1 ·
OK, so I really don't have that much experience with wheel guns, but i always hear people talking about them. So for concealed carry do you prefer old school whel gun, or a semi-automatic pistol? What would be the pro's and con's to each?
 
#2 ·
Texas CHL's are specifically for a revolver OR an auto. A Texas "auto qualified" CHL CAN carry a revolver OR an auto. A "revolver qualified" CHL may only carry a revolver. Ergo, when I started handgunning specifically to get my CHL, I went auto, and thus have stayed auto.

I guess that just leaves more really cool revolvers out there for the revolver fans to buy! A couple of recent revolver posts have, however, started perking my interest, so to speak. Gun lust, anyone?
 
#3 ·
The one thing the auto has over revo is, simply - capacity!!

I grew up with revo's and carried SP-101 for quite some time but - 5 capacity just might be limiting, plus speedloading under extreme stress may not quite have the edge compared with a fresh mag'.

It could be said too that for a given power factor, the auto is a shade less ''punishing'' - as recoil is being used within the machine to do work and so that bit less back into the shooter.

The small revo like SP and say Smiths like 642, 637 etc - certainly have good concealability - even pocket for some folks if pants suitable so - they have their place. I choose large and heavy - which I prefer from a shooting and capacity POV, and also have no problem over concealment.

Chances are you'll not find much better than your 23 but a small revo can be a good BUG - whether pocket or ankle.
 
#4 ·
I like both but I voted auto.I usually carry a Sig P239 9mm Or a Glock 17 if my clothing makes it possible.I also have a little J-frame Smith and Wesson 38 spec.that I carry during warm weather when I cannot conceal anything larger.I am seriously considering retireing the snubby for a Glock 26 or a Kahr PM9 sometime soon though!
 
#5 ·
In my younger days I had more revolvers, these days semi-automatic pistols, and now practically all in .45 caliber. All well crafted guns, be they revolver or semi-autos are worth owning, and it comes down to preference and intendede use, I suppose.

The quick reload, accuracy, and magazine capacity are some of the reasons I prefer semi-automatic pistols. The last revolver I had was a S & W 642 (good gun, but it kicked like a mule). I recently traded it towards a Colt Defender .45 pistol.


:tumbleweed:
 
#6 ·
Either or...will do as long as you can hit consistently and accurately with it.

I've been carrying a semi~auto for a long time now but, sometimes I switch over to a wheel gun.
I would "best guess" that 95% of the time I carry either a Colt Combat Commander or a SIG P220 as they are just what I am used to and highly practiced with.
 
#9 ·
My favorite handgun format is still the revolver and it always will be. It does the best job of firing a cartridge. What I mean by that is we can use any bullet shape, any load the cartridge is supposed to handle, there are no feeding issues, the grips allow for extensive customization (almost any shape or material is possible), you can choose what kind of underlug you want, you can't limp wrist it, etc. From the perspective of doing what a handgun is supposed to do, I.E. sending bullets downrange, the revolver is a superior design in many important ways.

BUT...

For concealed carry, there's a lot of advantages to the self loader which in all honesty don't necessarily have a lot to do with the design of the gun.

The self loading pistol has a uniform flat profile which is much easier to carry for many and reloads, etc. are not as awkward to carry on one's person. Considering that job #2 is that it has to be carried constantly, that's a big consideration. For another thing, holster support for revolvers is lacking imho in comparison to a lot of bottom feeders, and holsters are as important to the concealed carry aspect as the gun is.

In addition, traditional service calibers are on the whole quite a bit cheaper to shoot in significant quantities than say .44 Special, .357 Magnum, or .45 Long Colt. Also, you have a lot more choices in premium JHP ammunition, which is the most bitter of ironies considering the diversity potential of almost any wheelgun puts any selfloader to shame.

Cylinder bulge and lack of aftermarket support have pushed me into the realm of the selfloader for primary CC consideration.

My take on it though, now that I've had a while to think about it, is that it only makes sense to have different guns for different purposes. After all that's why they make so many. CC isn't fun, it's not a competition, it's not a party, it's actually pretty mundane. It's okay to use a boring, ugly gun that doesn't particularly excite you. After all, do you get terribly excited about your socket wrench?

Plus, as I see it, it's a good time in history to be a revolver centric shooter even with the self loaders dominating the market, because the double action pistols we see that lack external safeties recreate two of the features I personally savor so much. While such a gun is certainly not a replacement for a revolver if a revolver is needed, it is a means of having the best of two worlds for CC purposes.

Finally, sometimes one format or the other will triumph for certain users in certain situations. For a true pocket gun, a true mouse gun, I much prefer the revolver hands down. Now for carrying tucked IWB, I want the semiauto. Going outside? Hand me the .44 Magnum...

Short answer: having a favorite is okay but use whatever is best for the job.
 
#10 ·
Definately Semi-auto for concealed carry. With me being a southpaw, it takes twice as long to change out ammunition since I've got to first take the pistol out of my left hand and into my right, then open, dump, and replace, then send it back over to the left, then think about shooting.
 
#11 ·
I shot mainly wheel guns as a young man. AS I got a little older switched to mostly autos and have stayed there. I still enjoy shooting a revolver but for CC it is autos all the way.
Mike
 
#12 ·
I use both. Pocket carry for me means my J-frame in a jacket pocket. Doing it that way means if need be I can have my gun in hand and directed at a possible threat without ever "brandishing" a weapon - repeated shots are posible without ever pulling it from the pocket, I wouldn't try that with an auto. Capacity and reloading speed are the only real negatives I have with carrying my .38spl.

My 1911 offers a more substantial round, almost double the capacity at 8+1 and much faster reloads. It does have a flatter profile and IWB is a bit more comfortable but that's almost secondary as I usually carry my 642 IWB anyway. During colder weather I also think the 230gr. or 185gr. +P .45 rounds should offer better penetration through multiple layers of clothing than the .38spl +P. That's probably all academic but I'll take every theoretical edge I can get if things turn bad.

Heck, if need be I'll carry my 1911 IWB AND the 642 as a BUG - best of both worlds! :yup:
Jack
 
#14 ·
Autos . Easier to conceal , due to flat sides, faster to relaod, easier to carry reloads, more shots before a reload is needed.
 
#17 ·
I appreciate the featherweight of the Taurus titanium snubbie 41 Mag 5 shot revolver OWB for hiking or woods carry. If I ever get to go to Grizzley or Brown bear country like Alaska, I'll hang a 5 1/2" Vaquero on a vertical shoulder rig. Ruger's SAA is the most simplicity and power for the $$$. That said, my Series 80 Combat Commander (night sights and laser grips) is seldom out of arm's reach. I voted auto all the way. Even my BUG is an auto (am waiting to see the Kel-Tec 9mm single stack.)
 
#18 ·
I carried both for years on and off duty. As backup and primary. Now 95% of the time it is an auto. But sometimes it is hard to beat the feel of the S&W Model 60 in the pocket with Hydro-shock +p+ in the gun.
 
#20 ·
Honestly, it depends on the situation- how I'm dressed, weather conditions,etc. Although I do prefer a semi-automatic for greater capacity and faster reloading, I don't hesitate to use a revolver as a BUG or as my primary when necessary.
 
#23 ·
I vote Semi-Auto because my interest leans more towards tactical/military weapons. But I really want to get a S&W 637 for a ccw when my GLOCK 26 won't work. I know some of you are saying how could something so compact not be concealable. Well for me thickness is the main factor and GLOCKs are quite thick, so for some situations an 11oz J-Frame revo will be perfect.
 
#25 ·
I carry both types, and to be honest, it depends on the type of weather, season, time of day, etc. (Due to being a former FFL, and in the business, I am lucky to have that luxury of many different weapons available to me) The wheelies are used for certain situations, as well as the Semi-auto guns..
 
#26 ·
I carry a snubbie 357 now because it is all the handgun I have. When my Kimber Pro Carry 1911 gets here, that will be my carry gun after the 10mm conversion. 9+1 vs 5. Reliablitiy isn't an issue anymore. They are the same as the other. I like more rounds at my disposal.
 
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