I went to the local gunshow this weekend looking at a few semis. A springfeild XMD, M&P and the Glock. After handling all of them I was hit with the thought that I like the revolver more than a semi. I know you have more fire power with a semi than a revolver but if it doesnt fit or feel right then whats the purpose. Anyone else feel the same way?

Well, you have more volume with a semi. But there are few semi's that can contain the power of a big bore revolver. I have many of each, but wheelguns are nearest to my heart, especially for hunting.

Thats what Im thinking , even when I had a semi I still carried my revolver.

Depends on what you want the gun for. Self defense? Then you don't necessarily need the extra power that the revolver can handle, and the extra capacity can come in handy. Concealed carry? Then you are usually better off with a semi as they "print" less." Hunting? Then you are usually better off with a bigger revolver, but not always.

I too love revolvers "best," but I choose semi's if the job is more suited for them, and I learn to handle and shoot them just as well.

However the old phrase: "Beware of the man that has only one HANDgun, (emphasis/word added by me) as he probably knows how to use it very well."

Or something like that.

For pure and simple self-confidence, if you absolutely only feel right with the revolver, then go with that.

i lean to revolvers but like most people i shoot an auto better. revolvers have less long term issues imo. i have to use an auto on duty and use one for cc. for hunting, woods bumming, or all out fun ill take a wheel gun thanks.

For hunting I prefer a revolver, but for personal defense a semi. I consider most semi calibers plenty for two legged critters but marginal for deer and larger game.

That said I will be deer hunting with a semi this year, a 1911 in .460 Rowland.

Like Gregg said, "For pure and simple self-confidence, if you absolutely only feel right with the revolver, then go with that"


I don't know how you can beat the "feel" of a 1911 in your mitt, as it provides me, anyway, with a comfortable feeling anywhere I want to tread.

For every day carry, open or concealed, a semi is the way to go (IMO). The technology and ergonomics of today's semi's make them far more suitable. The likelihood of an equipment failure in a quality brand is very low, and probably no worse than a revolver.

Trust me, once you carry all day every day for about 6 months, you'll be VERY happy for that compact, flat and light design. Your self-defense needs happen in 5-10 yards typically. Pinpoint accuracy is hardly a concern. Having a dozen rounds to put toward an attacker should more than suffice. There are always anomalies but a revolver won't make any of them any better.

It takes some experimentation to get something to fit your hand properly, but it's worth the range and rental fees. That's what I did and I chose an M&P Compact in 9mm. Never looked back on that decision. I tried compact Glock, medium Glock, Walther PPS, CZ 93 and Beretta 96 and 84. Still love my M&P 9c. The palm swells are adjustable and it doesn't feel like a huge brick in your hand like the Glock 17/19 does. Glock 26 felt too small. The rest just didn't agree with me, though for a pocket gun, I would consider the CZ in .380.

My wife on the other hand really took to the Beretta 84 which is .380 auto. It's a really nice gun...sort of a miniature of the Beretta 92 (9mm). She loves the thumb safety and de-cocker. Fits her hand and has 13 rounds of ammo in a double-stack magazine.

It's way different than a revolver, and my wife had to climb over this hurdle also, but she's thrilled that she did. She actually wants to go shoot now, compared to HAD to go shoot the Glock 19 that she used to fight with.

I havent totally gave up on a semi and a nice 1911 does feel good to the mitts but its kinds hard to conceal unless you have a jacket of some sort on. I havent really looked at the compacts close cause of the size of my hands but I gues Ill look at them and their options to see what fits.

Its hot here in central Texas. Seriously hot, we had 90 days above 100 degrees last year. Not 90 days of summer, 90 days above 100. The most convenient and comfortable gun I have found to carry is a Ruger LCR in .357 in my right front pocket. I have noticed that when I shoot at small stuff, like say a coffee can at 20 yards, I'll hit it 5 out of 5 times, when I do the same with my SR9 I find that I typically hit it 5 out of 15. While I admit this may just indicate a need to practice with my 9mm more, it keeps me confident in my ability to defend myself with the 5 shot wheel gun. I am a firm believer in accuracy over volume of fire.

I disagree with this. I used to think the same, but then I got a versa max-2 holster and a good quality gun belt from Milt Sparks, and I carried a colt commander all day long with a tucked in shirt! I'll be doing the same setup again as soon as my Springfield TRP gets here.

Yeah, the holster and belt cost a pretty penny from milt sparks, but ya get what ya pay for. I think a good quality holster can make all the difference in the world in what you can and can't conceal. Granted, I'm 6'2" and 220lbs, so that helps. But a good holster does make a difference.

You are right 100%

All my professors at the police academy were police officers who carried. Most of them just wore a polo style shirt and carried full sized Glocks. You would have never knew they had them on…

Just throwing it out there… LOL

All depends what you're using it for...

hunting - revolver. Especially if you plan on traveling to another state, many don't allow the use of a semi-auto

conceal - personal choice. I have a ruger sp101 in the smallest version but i choose to carry a ruger lc9 far more often due to the reasons mentioned above. If I am out for a walk in black bear country, the sp101 comes along.

Nice to have more than one tool for the job.

As a correction officer i do a lot of high risk transports and i wouldn't even consider carrying anything but my Glock, you couldn't pay me enough to carry a revolver. In the woods hunting deer i'll take my Dan Wesson revolver, but i wouldn't mind trying a 460 rowland.