We’re all fans of the revolver here (the RevolverGuy title kinda gives it away), so we haven’t found it necessary to spend much time discussing why we like them. All of our regular readers already “get it,” and there’s no sense preaching to the choir.
However, a recent experience left me feeling like a defense of the revolver might be overdue. I know the revolver veterans don’t need to hear it, but maybe it will be useful for some of our visitors who are new to revolvers (or guns in general), and it will probably save me some additional teeth grinding if I can get a few things off my chest.
NEGATIVE TRAINING
I have to attend an eight-hour recertification class for my concealed carry permit every two years, and I always dread it. A good instructor, with a good program of instruction, could make this an educational and valuable experience, but unfortunately, this one is not. It’s just another government-mandated haze that you have to endure (and pay for), while hoping that you don’t get injured by one of your fellow students.1
As usual, the instructor treated the assembled crowd to an extended discussion about the guns and gear that are suitable for concealed carry. Most of you can already see it coming, but it was decreed that revolvers are NOT suitable choices for carry, and will definitely . . . say it with me . . . get you killed in da streetz (h/t Ralph Mroz) because they don’t have sufficient capacity.2
Sigh.
RevolverGuys know that revolvers are naturally limited in their capacity, and that autoloaders of the same general size and weight can carry as much as two or three times the amount of ammunition. Yes, the autopistols hold more ammo. You got us. No argument, there.
THE NUMBERS GAME
However, it might be reasonable to question whether or not you actually need all that ammo on tap to defend yourself. I’m not a Missourian, but I am a “Show Me” kinda guy, and I have yet, after many decades of looking for them, found a meaningful number of incidents where armed citizens were killed or injured by bad guys after they shot their revolvers dry.
I’ve written extensively about law enforcement gunfights where officers emptied their revolvers and were killed while trying to reload them, but there’s a big difference between a law enforcement confrontation and a confrontation between a criminal and his intended victim. I just haven’t seen the same pattern emerge in gunfights involving armed citizens who were acting in self-defense. I’m not saying it hasn’t happened, or that it won’t, only that it seems to be a rare event. If it was common, we’d have plenty of examples to cite, but I’m not aware of any.3
It seems that when criminals start getting shot at by their intended victims, most of them tend to run away, if they still can. They don’t tend to stick around and “duke it out” until the finish, because they know that armed citizens don’t have an obligation to pursue and arrest them, like police officers do. Citizens will normally let them disengage and flee, to find an easier victim on another day.4
Even mass public shooters, who walk into schools, churches and businesses with the intent to kill innocents, don’t tend to stand their ground when they’re confronted by police or armed citizens. If they aren’t incapacitated by the good guys, they often flee, surrender, or commit suicide after encountering armed opposition.5
RIGHT SIZING
Generalizing is a risky business, and I’m not going to tell you that the Gray world around us can be neatly divided into Black and White, but it does seem the most critical element in armed citizen encounters is whether you have a gun, and can get it into the fight quickly enough, not how many rounds of ammo it holds.6
All else being equal, we would certainly love to have more ammo in our guns, but everything else isn’t equal, is it? The guns that hold lots and lots of ammo tend to be big and heavy, and big and heavy guns tend to get left behind in the real world, don’t they?
I’ve spent a lifetime in the “gun culture” and particularly in the part of the gun culture that carries guns for duty and defense. With respect to carrying concealed, what I’ve found is that even the people who should be most likely to carry large autoloaders, crammed full of cartridges, don’t really do it all that much. If they carry at all, they tend to carry smaller, lighter guns.7
Please understand I’m not discouraging anyone from carrying service-sized, large capacity handguns for defense. I think it’s an excellent practice, and I wish more good guys were doing it. I’m just pointing out the inescapable reality that it’s generally a lot of work to carry them, and most people won’t. They might do it for a while, but they’ll eventually leave the big gun behind at home, or maybe in a car, and it won’t be available to them when they need it the most. These same people would be much better protected by a smaller, limited capacity gun that they’d be more likely to carry, without fail.
As Mark Moritz once opined, the one rule of gunfighting is, “Have A Gun.” Small guns, with their inherently-limited capacities, make it easier for you to comply with that. They’re not the best fighting tools available, but they are the most available fighting tools.
SHOTS FIRED . . . OR NOT
Going back to that recertification class, I saw about 120 shooters step up to the line with a wide variety of handguns this year.
Normally, these recertification classes are a “Glock 19 and S&W M&P Shield-Fest,” with the vast majority of students shooting guns of those patterns, but this year there was a much broader variety of firearms present. The little Sig Sauer P238 and P239 pistols had a surprisingly strong showing, as did the newly-authorized P365.8 Oddly, a number of compact DA autos along the lines of the Walther PPK (including Walthers, Bersas, Makarovs, and others) were seen, along with some Officer’s-sized 1911s from a variety of makers. A diverse selection of compact and subcompact, polymer frame, 9mm, striker-fired pistols were also thrown into the mix, alongside the more traditional selections. I even saw a big FN Five-Seven being wielded by one of the students.
You know what else I saw? I saw a lot of semiauto pistols that didn’t work. In years past, when the ammo shortage was at its peak, it seemed that poor quality ammunition was responsible for many of the malfunctions (and we certainly had our share of those this year—quality control continues to be an issue), but this year it seemed pretty clear that the majority of problems were shooter-induced.
I saw shooters who failed to load their chambers, and others who created stoppages through poor loading techniques, like riding the slide. I saw shooters who failed to lock their magazines into place, and shooters who accidentally dumped them when they hit the button. I saw shooters who struggled to fire pistols that had safeties engaged (including one who “Tap-Racked” through virtually an entire magazine before he was stopped). I saw shooters who induced stoppages with a poor grip or stance. I saw shooters who failed to maintain and lubricate their guns, which led to stoppages. I saw shooters who loaded ammo backwards (!) in their magazines. I saw shooters who couldn’t load magazines at all, and needed help. I saw shooters who ignored manual safeties like they weren’t there, and others who got confused by controls like decockers and magazine releases.
I saw every kind of human error possible with a semiauto pistol, and would estimate that at least a quarter of the students armed with these guns experienced some kind of stoppage that prevented them from shooting.
I also saw a number of malfunctions. A magazine that self-disassembled. Lots of extended magazines that burped and refused to work. A number of magazine sleeves that worked themselves out of place and prevented proper insertion of the magazine. Two striker-fired guns that made light strikes. Ammunition with bad or hard primers that failed to go off, even when properly struck.
The majority of the stoppages and malfunctions I witnessed happened with compact and subcompact autos. The duty-sized guns typically ran much better, but still weren’t immune to errors in handling by poorly-trained shooters.
This is a common theme, in my experience. The smaller compact and subcompact guns are generally less reliable than their larger counterparts. Part of this is mechanical, part of it is ergonomics. On the mechanical side, tolerances shrink and the guns become more susceptible to fouling and debris. The delicate balance between slide velocity and magazine response is more easily interrupted as well, particularly by shooter technique (proper grip and stance, especially) and ammunition selection. Also, the guns lack recoil-absorbing mass, and tend to batter themselves more readily. This advances the wear and damage that can cause malfunctions. Engineering attempts to counter these effects generally depend on heavier recoil springs, which make the guns more difficult to operate (i.e., to retract the slide) and more sensitive to ammunition choice and shooter technique.
On the ergonomic side, the smaller guns offer less to hold onto, and are harder to control in recoil. The guns move around more in the hand, and are more susceptible to stoppages induced by poor shooter technique (a poor or weak grip, “limp wristing,” etc.), and controls or operating surfaces (like the slide stop or slide itself) that get bumped or touched during recoil.
Small autos are easier to carry, but the inescapable truth is that they’re generally less reliable than service-sized guns, particularly in the hands of the average shooter.
OUR TURN
We had four shooters out of the entire group that qualified with revolvers, myself included. Two of the others seemed to be familiar with their guns, and the remaining shooter was not. He handled his S&W J-frame like he had no prior training, and was clearly uncomfortable with it.
All of the shooters were shooting small frame, snub-type revolvers—three S&W J-frames and one Ruger LCR, all chambered for .38 Special.
None of the shooters experienced a stoppage or malfunction. Every round fired as intended.
That’s not a definitive test, of course. The comparison of four revolver shooters to a hundred-plus semiauto pistol shooters is not the stuff of the scientific method, but the experience was consistent with what I’ve seen before. It’s been my experience that revolvers tend to be more resistant to errors in handling (and neglect) than semiauto pistols. Their simpler manual of arms, and their strictly-mechanical action, which doesn’t rely on the ammunition’s shape and recoil impulse, or shooter technique, to properly cycle the action, make them less likely to burp, particularly in the hands of untrained, inexperienced shooters.
Small guns are easier to carry, and the choice of most people who carry a gun, but small autos are generally much less reliable than small revolvers. Given the choice between a five or six-shot snub that normally works every time, and the seven, eight, or ten-plus-shot subcompact autoloader that doesn’t, I’ll take and recommend the former, thanks.9
LIVING WITH THE GUN
I’d like to comment on something else, that we often overlook when we discuss this subject, and that’s living with the gun.
The truth is, a person who carries a gun for self-defense is going to carry that gun a lot more than they will shoot it. The shooting qualities of the gun are important for obvious reasons, but it’s also important to look at how the gun will fit into the daily lifestyle of the person who carries it, too.
Consider, for example, the striker-fired guns that are currently so popular with autopistol shooters. Since these guns are typically built without manual safety levers (or are built with manual safety levers that are so difficult to operate, that most shooters avoid using them), and have light, short travel triggers, they must be carried in holsters that properly cover and protect the trigger from accidental operation. It’s not generally safe to carry these guns without a holster, in a soft-sided holster, or in a holster with an opening that is large enough to allow foreign objects into the trigger guard.
This holster requirement can be limiting for many people who would like to carry a gun. Female shooters, in particular, may find it challenging to find a holster that properly protects the gun, yet remains compatible with their style and manner of dress. The same can be true of men and women who work in environments where specific standards of dress and appearance are expected or enforced—not everyone can wear an untucked shirt to cover the holstered gun on their belt.
Sometimes these obstacles can be overcome by choosing a smaller gun, but we’ve previously discussed how the smaller autopistols are more likely to encounter reliability issues than larger service pistols of the same general design, and their more powerful recoil springs can make them harder to operate. They’re also more difficult to shoot with precision than their larger counterparts, by virtue of their reduced size and weight, greater recoil, and shorter sight radius.
Dress restrictions can also be tackled by carrying a smaller gun in an alternative location, like in a purse, an ankle holster, or in a pocket holster. Unfortunately, these carry locations often subject the guns to more dirt and debris, and an increased potential for stoppages. Additionally, the squared profile of most autopistols make them more difficult to draw from these locations—autopistol slides, hammers, and controls tend to snag during the draw from these tight spaces.
The square profile of autopistols also makes them difficult to conceal under some clothing. The hard corners of slides and frames will easily print through concealment garments, and require a good holster, and some concerted effort, to hide.
Unfortunately, magazine releases frequently get bumped when autos are carried in pockets and on ankles, particularly when a gun that’s set up with a right-handed magazine release is carried on the left side of the body, with the button facing outwards. It’s not uncommon for magazines to get accidentally and unknowingly dislodged or ejected in these scenarios, leaving the shooter with a single-shot gun, at best (or an inoperable gun, if it’s equipped with a magazine disconnect).
THE REVOLVER SOLUTION
A small frame revolver neatly addresses many of these issues.
Compared to autopistols of similar size and weight, the revolver is generally much more reliable. It’s more resistant to errors in shooter technique, improper lubrication, fouling, and debris than the more finicky autos. It’s also more likely to be reliable when fired from awkward or compromised positions, or when in close contact to an opponent who’s fighting with you.
The rounded surfaces of a revolver are more “organic” and help it to hide better under your clothing, as well. Clothing tends to glide over these surfaces without printing as much, and even when the gun does print through clothing, it’s less noticeable—a gentle, rounded bulge is easier to overlook, and looks more natural, than a sharp point.
With their heavier, double action triggers, revolvers are safer to carry in thin or soft-sided holsters, and although we always recommend carrying a revolver in a holster, you could safely carry a revolver without a holster if you needed to, in a dedicated purse compartment, in a coat pocket, or hooked on a waistband.
Drawing a revolver from a tight space like a pocket or ankle holster is generally much easier than drawing an auto from the same location. The rounded profile and surfaces of concealed hammer or “hammerless” revolvers offer little to snag on, and they tend to draw very cleanly. The cylinder also creates a natural gap that makes it easier to get a hand in there and obtain a grip on the gun, in comparison to a flat-sided auto that has to be levered away from the body to obtain grip access.
There’s no magazine button to accidentally push on a revolver. The cylinder releases on these guns are much harder to activate by accident, and are generally protected by the cylinder and the holster. Even if they were somehow activated (and that would require a real trick), it’s highly unlikely a good holster would allow the cylinder to open.
Highly trained and motivated people will always find a way to deal with such challenges, and benefit from all the advantages a semiauto pistol can provide, but in many respects, it’s just easier for “normal, everyday Earth People” (RIP Pat Rogers) to live with the revolver than the auto. That’s an important factor that shouldn’t be overlooked, but often is in the rush to attack them for their limited capacity.
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
It’s evident we like revolvers.
That doesn’t mean we don’t like autopistols, though. We recognize they have advantages of their own, which is why we own and use them as well. All the RevolverGuys I know also use autos for recreation, defense and duty.
Our fondness for revolvers doesn’t deceive us into thinking they’re perfect, either. We’re practical, and we understand that revolvers have weaknesses, just as they have strengths. We’ve discussed the capacity issue at length, but there are other challenges associated with revolvers, like reloading them, working their long, double action triggers, and learning how to shoot them accurately (especially the small snubs that are so good for carry, that generally come wih crummy sights).
We recognize and accept those challenges. In fact, as committed fans of the platform, we know more about the revolver’s weaknesses than anyone else, but we don’t let them define our experience with the guns. Instead, we focus on the higher priorities of Mindset, Tactics, and Skill to maximize the revolver’s strengths, and minimize the revolver’s weaknesses.
Incidentally, we do the same thing with the self-loading bottom feeders, because we’re funny like that. Software before Hardware, eh?
balance
Unfortunately, we don’t often see this kind of reasoned balance in most discussions about using revolvers for self-defense. For too many people, the revolver’s limited capacity is a show-stopper, and they immediately dismiss it from consideration.
Killed in da streetz, you know . . .
The semiauto pistol’s greater capacity is an important advantage over a revolver, but the advantage is sacrificed when the shooter is incapable of keeping the system running. I honestly think many of the inexperienced and poorly trained (or just untrained) shooters I saw at my recertification class would be better armed with a low-capacity revolver that works every time, than a higher capacity autoloader that’s unreliable in their unskilled and untrained hands.
I also think most people interested in carrying a gun would find it easier to live with the revolver than the autoloader–particularly the non-dedicated personnel who aren’t going to invest significant time, effort, and money to train and practice with their gun and gear, or the folks whose lifestyle, environment, occupation, or social activities just make it hard to conceal a big gun on their person.
Autos can be a great choice for self defense, just as revolvers can be. Neither is inherently better than the other, but sometimes one or the other can be a better choice for a particular person, circumstance, or mission. As a result, I think it’s stupid and shortsighted to reject revolvers outright, over their limited capacity.
That’s the view from my side of the fence.
Thanks for listening and be safe out there.
*****
endnotes
1.) That’s not a joke. The gunhandling I see in the certification classes conducted by my sheriff’s preferred vendor is generally awful, and there’s insufficient supervision for all the students on the range. It’s not uncommon to have well north of 100 students milling about the outdoor range, waiting for their turn to shoot. Left unsupervised, they frequently handle firearms and ammunition behind the firing line, as they wait. I’ve seen students handling, loading and clearing guns off the line, with muzzles pointed in all 360 degrees of the compass. A single instructor is “in charge” of this gaggle, and it’s all he can do to keep an eye on the handful of students who are actively engaged in shooting, and prevent them from committing gross violations of the Big Four. There’s no brain space left for him to monitor the three-ring circus unfolding around him.
It’s scary. When I attend these classes, I feel like the proverbial long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. I’m constantly moving, scanning and assessing, looking for threats and trying to evade them. An optimist might say it’s all part of the training experience, merely an opportunity for me to practice important awareness and avoidance skills, but I’m not an optimist. I know that bastard Murphy is lurking behind every corner. I’m always relieved when it’s over, and I can go back to shooting with the competent, safe, and professional gun handlers that I’m normally around.
Since I’m the type of guy who’s not inclined to sit back and watch a preventable disaster unfold, I always deputize myself as an assistant RSO, to try and keep things on track. The instructor always appreciates the extra help, but I wish the school would add a few bodies to the staff, to manage things properly. A group that size is well beyond a single instructor’s span of control.
2.) Thanks to the collective “wisdom” of my fellow students, I now understand that other things which will get me killed in da streetz include guns without night sights, flashlights, optics, extended doohickeys, high-speed hollowpoints of whistling death, reverse-facing Go-Pro mounts, or bitchin’ lookin’ racing stripes, as well as guns chambered in calibers other than 9mm. Oddly, guns chambered in .45 ACP are no good anymore, because they don’t hold enough boolits and you’ll die of terminal Fuddism. I guess El Jefe had it wrong all along?
3.) If a reader can point me to verified examples, I’d welcome it. I’m open to correction if the data shows I’ve overlooked something, but in the absence of an established record, I have to surmise it’s an extremely rare event, at best.
4.) Can we plan on criminal flight? Absolutely not. There are definitely some sick, violent people (the late William Aprill accurately described them as “Violent Criminal Actors”) who enjoy hurting others, and engage in this kind of behavior for that express purpose. They’re less interested in your stuff than they are in hurting you. These monsters will need to be shot, and shot again, until they stop their predations. This may take a lot of ammo–even more than the typical revolver holds–especially if you’re not getting good hits on target.
Fortunately, these kinds of predators are far less common than the “transactional” kind of criminal who simply wants your stuff, and only uses enough violence to get it. If you make his job too difficult, he’ll often abandon his plans and go look for another victim that’s an easier mark. Not always, but often.
While I’ve focused on “ordinary” criminal activity to this point, it would be disingenuous for me to pretend that our threat environment hasn’t changed in the Post-9/11 Era. The specter of foreign terrorism here at home is both significant and rising, after we took our boot off their neck overseas, supplied them with an army’s worth of abandoned weapons, and left our borders wide open over the course of the past four years. We’ve also seen the proliferation and encouragement of domestic terror groups like BLM and Antifa, and an increase in radicalized, domestic lone wolves. It’s about to get even more dangerous in America than it already is. (Editor’s Note, 1 Jan 2025: This article was written in early Fall 2024, months ahead of the 1 January 2025 terror attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas, but the increased terror threat was already old news by then, and the trend line was already clear).
Furthermore, “regular” criminal activity seems to be changing as well, with criminals doing more work in groups, and bringing better skills, tactics, weapons and coordination to the fight–particularly in areas heavily influenced by drug cartels and street gangs.
So, there’s a strong case to be made that it’s much more dangerous out there than it used to be, and we need to be more heavily armed, as a result. Perhaps the revolver, as a “one bad guy gun” (h/t Tom Givens), is too capacity-limited for the current threat environment, where we’ll likely face multiple bad guys?
The truth is, we never know what threats we’ll face, and how things will play out. Is the snub enough gun? Will you get by with five or six rounds, or will you need more? Will there be one attacker, or a dozen? Will you be able to get to your gun at all? Will the enemy run away, or fight you to the death, with rifles and grenades? The crystal ball is murky and the Magic 8-Ball says, “it depends.” No absolutes here, just odds. You pays your money and you takes your chances, and anyone who tries to tell you different is just selling snake oil.
I can’t tell you what you’ll need, and what will be good enough. The only thing I can say with confidence is, the small gun you have with you is better than the big gun you left behind.
5.) Again, there are no absolutes here, but the numbers tend to favor certain outcomes. A 20-year study of Active Shooter Incidents conducted by the FBI determined that 44% of shooters (145 of 345) were apprehended by police, 35% of shooters (119 of 345) committed suicide, 19% were killed by police (67 of 345), just over 1% of shooters escaped (5 of 345), and 1% of shooters (4 of 345) were killed by citizens. The data indicates that nealy 8/10 active shooters commit suicide or surrender, rather than fight to the death, when confronted with force.
6.) Researchers like Gary Kleck tell us that armed citizens only fire their guns in about 24% of the estimated 2.2 to 2.5 million defensive gun uses every year, so capacity doesn’t matter at all in nearly three-fourths of them. That other quarter? Well, that gets a little more tricky, but I still haven’t seen any credible data that supports the notion we’re doomed if we only have 5-6 rounds on tap. More is certainly better, but rarely seems to be necessary in real life criminal encounters.
7.) There’s definitely a slice of the population who will regularly carry a bigger gun with lots of ammo, or even multiple guns with lots of ammo. They’re frequently the minority of gun people who are truly committed to the lifestyle, and willing to accept the inconveniences and penalties of being armed with guns of this size. They’re usually the people who are the best trained, the most aware, the most tactically proficient, and the most skilled, which ironically makes them even less likely to need the extra guns and ammunition they’re toting around.
I think it would be generous to label this group as the top 10% of people who carry guns. It’s probably much less than that, but I’ll leave it to others to refine the number. Whatever the figure, it’s certainly the smallest minority of armed good guys. The majority of them (which includes most off duty cops, by the way) only carry occasionally, and typically carry a smaller gun when they do.
8.) In California, the state maintains a roster of approved books guns that are permitted to be sold, and a special, California-approved variant of the Sig Sauer P365 was only recently added to the list, as the interim result of an ongoing legal challenge. The same legal challenge has permitted manufacturers like Smith & Wesson, Ruger, and Springfield Armory to add California variants of some of their newer semiauto pistols to the roster as well.
9.) You know whose subcompact auto didn’t fail during the certification? Mine. My Glock 26 (and my larger Glock 19) ran perfectly, because I’m well trained and practiced in its use, I maintain it properly, and I feed it quality ammunition. So, please don’t take any of this as the complaints of a crotchety old guy who just doesn’t like or understand autopistols. I’ve carried them both on and off duty my entire adult life. In fact, at the risk of being disowned by our readers, I’ll state that I carry autos as primary guns more frequently than I do revolvers (and I know most of you do, too–it’s OK, you don’t have to leave, we won’t cancel your membeship in the club).
I train with autos, I teach them to others, and I regularly choose them to defend myself and my family. I think they’re excellent tools, but I’m also honest enough to report what I see–and what I see, is that many, many shooters struggle to run them properly and keep them working, and the smaller autos tend to burp a lot more than the bigger ones. If you’re up to the task, a quality small auto can be an excellent choice–one I’d highly recommend–but many people who choose these guns are not up to the task, and are probably better served with a simpler gun that doesn’t rely on a recoil impulse and a stable platform to cycle its action. That’s not what most folks want to hear, but it’s true. Sorry if it stings.
Well said Sir! Like you said, the readers of Revolverguy already know what you wrote about in this article, but it is truly an excellant reminder about the software that should accompany the use of any hardware. I consider myself to be more of a Revolverguy because I carry one more then I do semi autos. Recently though, I tried carrying my Glock 17 as an everyday conceal carry option. The colder days allow for enough clothing to do so, but in all honesty, I was questioning my choices and wether or not I was carrying enough gun and ammo to adequately respond to a scenario where I might have to deal with more then one badguy. I put away my Glock 17, and happily put my 2.75 K-frame back on because I took the time to evaluate my tactics, my daily routines, and dedication to situational awareness that when put together, creates more of a safe environment for me then hardware selection. Thank you again for your dedication and sharing your knowledge and experiences with us!
Glad you enjoyed it and found something worthwhile in it, Mark! I’d rather have a guy who’s “tuned in” and thinking with a K-Frame on his belt, than a self-absorbed guy with a WonderMatic2000 and no tactical sense!
Being armed starts between the ears, eh?
Mike, your endnote about “dying of terminal Fuddism” is one of the best things I have ever seen in writing. Requesting permission to co-opt it for tombstone epitaph purposes down the road. Perhaps you are preaching to the choir, but hopefully some folks will read this who really need to. I would guess that the Revolver Guy who is faithfully armed with a J frame day in and day out is better equipped to deal with life’s chaotic situations than someone who says you must carry a Wonder nine with a red dot and WML and three 21 round magazines; but leaves it in the VBEIH (vehicle born expedient insecure holster) because it’s heavy and uncomfortable at the end of the day. I read an article on a gun blog this morning about a new polymer 9mm; the author referenced the 1913 rail on the gun and stated that it was a non-negotiable feature on a concealed carry gun, because they must have a WML. How did all of us Fudd’s ever make it this far with our ancient Model 12’s and obsolete Lightweight Commanders without being brutally victimized in “da streets”? I’d like to think we got good with our gear through training and practice, we maintained it, and we carried it religiously. You speak truth about software and common sense and discipline. Thanks for the good read.
Tell ha what, Kev, let’s make a trade. If I can have borrowing rights to VBEIH, you can have Terminal Fuddism! 😆
I just wrote something about WMLs that you’ll see in a future article, and I know you’ll enjoy it!
Mike, excellent article. Enjoyed it.
One statistic we can ever know is how many criminal encounters have been prevented simply by the criminal being made aware of the fact that his intended victim is armed.
That might be the victim presenting the firearm, it might be a physical action on the victim’s part telegraphic that they are drawing, or going for a handgun. It might be as simple as presenting yourself as someone who is not a victim. Awareness, focused on surroundings, physical bearing are also things that often prevent you being a victim.
For every reported encounter there probably hundreds of encounters prevented by the actions of the intended victim prior to the crime taking place.
Criminals have the same desire not to be shot, cut or beaten that we do.
They prefer to operate with odds seriously in their favor.
Absolutely, Tony. You can’t account for all those unreported, but very real, incidents. I think demeanor and presence deter a lot of potential crimes, and those are the best kind of Win for us.
The thing that keeps me up at night are the ones who are committed to the attack. I think we’ll be seeing more of them soon. Check Six.
The most frightening firearms situations I’ve experienced have all been at gun ranges where some folks apparently didn’t know how to safely load , unload and operate their semiauto handguns and long guns. But I’ve never seen it happen with a revolver or bolt/pump-action long gun.
Though I own quite a few semi-auto handguns, my go-to carry, in-the-city piece is always a Smith J-frame. Like Buffalo Cody supposedly once said, “It never [has] failed me.”
We oughta do an article about “scary stuff I’ve seen at public ranges,” Spencer. My favorite story is the time I saw a mother pistol whip her teen son because he wasn’t “doing it right.”
Yeah, they were definitely upper crust.
A few weeks back I was having coffee and a fine roll of smoldering tobacco leaf (cigar) with a fellow badged gun toter. Our conversation turned to slimming down our carry hardware when mulling around town not looking for trouble, and vaguely hoping trouble doesn’t come looking for us. I brought up Darryl Bolke and his Snub Gun Lifestyle, and postulated that since we’re not hunting criminals, or being stalked by one (that we know of) then a J frame should suffice.
My daily carry when venturing out into the urban zoo is a Glock 19 with an extra magazine, and an S&W M37 (Airweight J frame) with a spare speed strip. My compadre carries a SIG P226 in .357 SIG, also with backup mag. I’m fully retired, while he exercised questionable judgment ( ; > ) by taking a second career (sort of) as a school resource occifer.
As we tossed about the pros and cons, my buddy said, “. . ., you know as well as I do – bookies make odds, the street sets the stakes.” He was right. Playing the odds is like going to Vegas and banking your future on winning. The odds of winning are never in your favor. Playing the stakes, however, is a different animal. What are the stakes in going to stupid places, doing stupid things with stupid people? The odds are automatically against you, but the stakes are even worse. Yet by avoiding going to stupid places, doing stupid things, and avoiding stupid people, you shift the stakes dramatically against ending up in jail or the morgue, and in your favor of going home peacefully.
Both of my friend and I had careers on the streets, and in some really bad places, rather than sheltered casinos, so we tend to view things through optics totally different than those who wander the planet glued to their ‘smart’ phones. An overwhelming majority of folks have never had to confront the lower segments of predatory bipeds, and live in areas where said predators are only read about, but not seen. They likely feel very comfortable with 5 shots of .38 Special, or 6 shots of .32 H&R (or .327). In a sense, they are banking on the odds being in their favor. What are the odds of a group of bad guys coming to Podunk and starting trouble ?
But as Mike very aptly pointed out, the bad guys don’t want to be on the receiving end of flying lead either. There are a lot of hood rats and gang bangers that tote revolvers. As a rule, these street rodents know less about firearms than I do about the back side of Saturn. They have no idea how a Glock or any revolver works – you just press the booger hook against the bang button and it runs until it doesn’t. They like simple things: revolvers, Glocks, etc. So they, too, play the odds and the stakes: The odds are that lead will fly, and the stakes are either a trip to the ER or the morgue.
Reality doesn’t come down to odds or ballistics. There will always be those rare occasions when the bad guy soaks up more rounds than statistics say he should, especially when narcotic cocktails flow through the bloodstream.
The number one most important weapon in your daily arsenal should be what’s between your ears. Your mindset is paramount. It should govern your awareness of your surroundings, and your decision making on when to beat feet out of the area. The ultimate goal is to get home safe with the same amount of ammunition as you started with. Given that as your goal, anyone who is carrying on the street has an obligation to know their platform inside and out. You should be able to run it in your sleep, or not at all.
This is why I always enjoy the Comments here at RevolverGuy–they’re often better than what I write!
The stakes, not the odds. Excellent wisdom, and I appreciate you sharing it with us. I think that 10% I wrote about has this question settled in their mind, which is why they’re willing to go to the extra effort of living with a bigger gun, or several of them.
Saying a revolver is unacceptable due to capacity is a bit like saying a fire extinguisher is inadequate because it isn’t a sprinkler system.
As pointed out, I do see benefits to semi-autos at times. I’ve been carrying one (well two: a Sig P290 when out in public and a Sig P250 in compact configuration when at home or more otherwise subject to less scrutiny) for the last year. I have to fully agree with the statements about a revolver being easier to live with. The fact that I’ve been switching between two guns rather than just sticking with the 3″ SP101 like I normally would indicates that on it’s own. I’m really looking forward to being able to get back to the revolver just for the comfort and simplicity of that tool.
I love that analogy, Greyson! Perfect!
Off-duty I *ONLY* carry revolvers. I got plenty of semi-autos for work, but prefer to carry small lightweight snubs instead. The autos, no matter how small, print way too much; the L-shape is very recognizable, even to untrained eyes. However, a snub in the pocket takes more focus to recognize it as a gun, especially if it’s in a pancake-style holster. I used to carry a snub and a reload with me everywhere that I went. For the past few months however, I’ve been carrying 2 snubs with me 🙂 My logic is that the spare gun is actually faster to access than it would be to reload an empty snub. Secondly, I might have to access the guns from different positions or different places, so it’s better to have the guns spread out on me. Third, if SHTF I can hand a spare gun to a companion and now there are 2 guns pointing at the threat, which is more intimidating and presumably also more effective than only having 1 gun pointing at the threat. This is what I tell co-workers when they ask me why I don’t carry a fancy hi-cap Staccato (with a freaking mini-TV on top of it lol).
…Or maybe I just want to dual-wield the snubs and simultaneously point the 2 at the threat. (Definitely very intimidating!) Then I would coin the term “Did I fire 8 or did I fire 10? Do you feel lucky punk?” LOL
Haha! That would certainly make a bad guy stop and think. Make sure you get someone to film it, so you can become an internet hero for saying it. 😁
Your protocol of carrying two snubs is hard to argue with. Lots of capability and options there. Drawing a second will definitely beat trying to reload the first.
Be safe out there, buddy. Mean streets, getting meaner. Might have to put that MACTAC training to work soon.
YSG: Carrying two revolvers and drawing the second one in lieu of reloading the first one was known in the old days (70s/80s) as the “New York reload.” I don’t know where the term came from, but it was not uncommon for NYPD officers to use it in fights. Jim Cirillo is alleged to have used it, and others as well. It’s obviously faster than reloading a revolver. I don’t know how effective dual-wielding two snubs would be, but it would certainly scare me.
Maybe it should have been the Texas Ranger Reload? 😁
Question: Are the guns on your permit restricted by model number, or by serial number? In other words, if you qualify with, say a Model 642, S/N ABC1234, and you also own a Model 642, S/N ABC1235, can you carry it? Inquiring minds . . .
Do the same restrictions hold if you qualify under LEOSA?
Just curious. My state doesn’t have those restrictions, so I’m interested in how the other half lives.
Stay safe.
1811, here in the People’s Republic, CCW guns are listed by serial number on the permit, and you’re not allowed to carry one that’s not on there. Additionally, we’re normally limited to a maximum of three guns (although a few counties will allow more than three).
If you’re carrying under LEOSA, those CCW-based restrictions don’t apply.
One thing about pocket carry of small frame revolvers (h/t to Dean Caputo) is that the cylinder release on a Ruger DA revolver (e.g., LCR, SP101) can get depressed, like the magazine releases on many pocket pistols, unless the pocket holster is either rigid enough or has a recess to prevent that. Obviously, if the cylinder is not locked in place when the gun is drawn, the gun is hors de combat, as they say in French.
Always possible, Stephen, but my leather pocket holsters wrap the gun tightly enough that they keep the cylinder in place. A softer nylon or leather holster might allow it, but even then, there’s MUCH less chance it will occur with a revolver, compared to an auto. Advantage: Round gun
The statement about accidentally depressing the cylinder release on the Ruger reminded me of a question I had but I’ve never seen addressed. The top-mounted cylinder release on the S&W Bodyguard 38 looks to me like it would be fairly easy to engage and release the cylinder if you were drawing it from a pocket. Does anyone have any insight on that? (By the way, what ever possessed S&W to design a revolver so the cylinder turns the wrong way? Was someone channeling Colonel Sam?)
1811, I have no shooting or carrying experience with that gun, by choice. I’ve wondered the same about the accidental activation of the release on that model.
Superb missive Mike & in my view , your best ever.
My takeaway quote? “They’re not the best fighting tools available, but they are the most available fighting tools.” Which BTW, is why my SP101 always rides as back-up to the M&P 9. See you in November.
Thanks Bill! Look forward to seeing you in the comments before we meet again in November!
I like my G26 too, and frequently carry it in a Phlster Enigma when I’m outside my home. But with my body and my threshold for discomfort, the only thing I can actually manage to wear *all day* is my LCR22.
I got talked into it by Rhett Neumayer in 2021 when all the 9mm I could find was 60+ cents per round, and I was making 16$/hr, working 56 hours a week to keep myself and my loved ones housed and fed.
A pair of LCRs in 22 holds the same number of rounds as G19, and coincidentally comes to the same total weight, but I have the option of a fast appendix draw or a “covered low ready” from the pocket as Darryl Bolke puts it.
Plus I could actually afford to put 100 rounds through them per week in practice, and with Federal Punch it meets the requirements for penetration (tested it in Chuck Haggard’s “Pocket Rockets” class. Punch went through the 4 layers of clothing, 16 inches of gel, out the back of the block, and stopped in the fabric behind it without poking a hold. Exactly what we want)
That 100 rounds per week made you a very capable shooter, no doubt. You had your priorities straight. Software before hardware!
I like my Springfield XD-M in 10mm and my XD-S in 9mm. I also like my Bulgarian Makarov in 9×18 (the Makarov is an absolute tank).
But since I really started getting into the shooting hobby back in 2017, I’ve done the vast majority of my shooting with revolvers. I like the way they look, I like the way they operate, I like shooting them (duh), and I like carrying them. 75% of my range time is shooting my Taurus 327 (mostly .32 Long, really fun cartridge) and my Taurus 96 in .22LR. The 327 is also my carry gun, which I carry all the time. Yes, it’s hefty in a pocket compared to my S&W 642, but I don’t mind it.
I recognize the revolver’s limitations. Yeah, it lacks capacity, and is slower to reload. I’ve also heard from some that a revolver may not handle a hard drop as well as a semi-auto; really not sure how true that is though. Regardless, I feel most comfortable with them, and my personal threat environment doesn’t demand that I be armed to the teeth.
Not to go off on a tangent, but I feel similarly when it comes to long guns. People constantly talk about ARs as if they’re the end-all-be-all, but I’m fine with my Mossberg 500 shotgun or Rossi 92 lever-action for personal defense. They’ll get the job done, and if I have to shoot indoors, won’t be quite as obnoxious to my ears as popping off a 5.56.
Revolvers, lever actions, and pumps. The three basic food groups! My favorites as well!
Don’t forget cheese- the fourth food group!
I read long ago that nature’s perfect food id Irish coffee because it contains all four food groups: Sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and fat. I’ve never seen a study that specifically refuted that, do I’m sticking with it.
After my exposure to Irish cuisine, I think the coffee is the best of the lot. 😉
Well Riley, that just goes without saying, right? 😁
After a half century of shooting at public ranges, and all the more so since becoming an RSO and instructor in my semi-retirement, I am more convinced than ever that a great many shooters – male and female, young and old, strong and weak – would be much better off choosing a DA revolver as their first defensive handgun rather than struggling to understand, safely manipulate, and effectively apply any of the current horde of polymer, striker-fired, nines sporting optics, WMLs, laser pointers, and 20 round magazines. Don’t get me wrong, like you, I still maintain full-size and compact self-loading service pistols in my inventory; they even ride on my belt from time to time. But, while I strive to meet our customers and clients “where they are,” it will never not be chilling to be asked a question that suggests the untrained semi-auto shooter has absolutely no idea what goes on “inside” their pistol when they press the trigger. With a double-action revolver , especially one with an exposed hammer, they can watch the entire firing cycle. Anyway, I could go on, but you and your other RevolverGuy contributors do such a thorough job, I don’t have to… Cheers!
Thanks Michael! It does make us Gun Guys a litte nervous to see how many folks don’t understand the basics. I wish states like mine, who levy outrageous taxes and fees on gun and ammo sales, would use some of that money to provide quality training to the public. Lower the barriers to entry by making it low cost and readily available. It would do 10X more for “gun safety” than all the antigun measures they currently use the confiscated funds for.
Mike, you make excellent points about the revolver’s simpler manual of arms. I believe that most armed civilians would be better served by a standard five or six shot revolver, in a caliber that they can manage, since it’ll be rarely fired but often carried.
Fortunately, I now reside in a free state that has embraced Constitutional Carry and citizens (convicted felons and wife beaters – need not apply) are allowed to carry, openly or concealed, virtually any firearm that they can afford.
I tend to think that some shooters could use a wee bit of remediation after observing their unsafe antics at civilian ranges. As you suggested, sharing our range stories would make for a lively discussion.
Although there’s no state mandated training, I opt to qualify annually under LEOSA as a retired police officer. All retired officers must attend classroom sessions on use of force and then qualify on the firing line to the same standard as active duty officers. I also choose to undergo two courses of fire: semiautomatic and revolver.
Unlike the fiasco you’ve been subjected to in California (and had to pay for) my fellow retired officers are fairly proficient and handle their weapons safely and professionally. As a bonus, my sheriff’s office waives all fees for this course. (Sorry Mike, I just had to let you know how good we have it here!) With that said, these Georgia instructors are strict and I’ve witnessed a few officers fail in their attempts at firearms qualification over the past several years. It’s a six month wait to try again. Apparently, it pays to practice.
I’ll go out on a limb and venture that most RevolverGuys feel fairly confident and secure in protecting their families and themselves by placing a premium on superior tactics and situational awareness coupled with quality, well maintained wheel guns loaded with decent self defense ammunition (wadcutters included!)
I always carry at least one reload on my person and have a second reload in my truck and another in a pouch on my Harley.
Stay safe and keep defending Revolvers!
Well, you might enjoy constitutional freedoms in Georgia, but at least I have low taxes in California.
Oh, wait . . .
All kidding aside, it’s good to hear that so many states are finally “getting it” and removing restrictions to lawful carry. I hope that snowball continues to pick up speed.
It’s interesting that your Sheriff has two different courses of fire for revolver and auto. I’d think it would be easier to just design a revolver-neutral course of fire. I know there are some states that have adopted a similar scheme for CCW permits, where you have to be specifically tested to carry revolvers or autos, but if I were King, there would just be a single standard, and you’d use whatever equipment you wanted. I’m glad to hear your Sheriff is enforcing standards for LEOSA quals, and willing to withhold certification for those who aren’t cutting it. What a novel concept, eh?
Thanks, Mike for another excellent look into this subject. I like the view from Your side of the fence.
The common mindset put forth from many of the current ‘get you killed in da streetz’ instructors would be comical if it weren’t taken seriously by so many. I appreciate Your detailed look into revolvers strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of the semi-autos that now dominate. It’s uncommon to read such an honest assessment of the two systems. Your conclusions are right on target, I think.
As I read Your account of Your most recent recertification class, I had flashbacks (nightmares) of similar issues by fellow participants at some of my classes. It comes full circle as I find myself determined to not be one of those…therefore, I am committed to train, seek good instruction, and always evaluate my on strength and weaknesses. I am committed to carrying daily, and am obligated to ‘do it right’. More importantly, the right mindset is where it all begins.
My aging eyesight, and my large, arthritic hands also play a role into my carry choices more than ever. As an ‘irredeemable fud’, I love my revolvers and they have always been my first choice…the bigger bores especially. I confess to having 69 Combat Magnum in my carry rotation, because ‘if plenty is good, then too much is just right’ as my Dad used to joke. Seriously, with the right holster and clothing, it’s no problem. I also carry a Springfield Champion Operator 1911 on occasion, and find it more and more comfortable in my arthritic hands as the days pass. Yes, I’m likely one of those who’ll be the victim of ‘terminal Fuddism’. 🙂 As You said, there’s a place for both.
There are so many great comments by others above, s.Bond’s perspective on ‘The odds vs. the Stakes’ as example…I’m glad I’m going into 2025 with such a group.
Kevin, it’s great to hear from you, and I’m glad you found so much to appreciate in the article and the outstanding comments from our fellow RevolverGuys. Whether you’re armed with your Model 69 or your 1911, you’re very well armed indeed, because you make mental awareness and preparedness the priority.
Your comment about the misguided instructors reminds me of one I had at a multi-day pistol class, who convinced many of the impressionable students that they had to trick out their guns like his, if they wanted to survive. Service-grade triggers needed to be replaced with Match ones, stock controls had to be replaced with extended parts, etc.
At one of the breaks, I was talking to a fellow student who was telling me about all the “upgrades” he was going to make to his pistol when he got home after the class. He was a little confused when I told him he’d be better off buying a case of ammo, burning it up in practice, and keeping his gun as it was. We talked some more about it, and I hope I made an impression, but you never know–an instructor’s words can be powerful and influential.
It’s a good reminder about the responsibility that comes with the job, and how some folks just aren’t up to the task.
I’ve been carrying a Smith model 57 4” for about 3 years total, with a 1911 10mm in there somewhere. My first firearm purchased was a 4” revolver in 357 mag. I’ve found full sized firearms not bad to carry with the right belt and pants/shorts. I lived in AZ for almost 20 years, and there are ways to hide big firearms even in hot weather.
I’ve just liked the versatility of the platform. SD, fun, hunting (still learning that one). It’s hard for me to give all that up for an auto especially 9mm. (I’ve told my kids if they have to double tap, they’ve just removed the advantage of capacity ;-). My boys practice on 9mms, and I don’t really have a problem with them, but every time I strap on something other than the model 57 I feel like I am missing something. I’ve seen what my rounds do in living things… and how they react. So, it’s taught me a lot about what can or can’t happen. Seen rabbits flop right there. Seen them jump and run too.
Sometimes I feel like I am missing something, think I am being foolish, especially when the last few years reports seem to show criminals are going in groups, but then I figure practicality wins over fear.
Georgia has the exact same course of fire for revolvers and semi-autos, but they differentiate between the two types of firearms. The LEO 30 round course of fire is required for each type of firearm.
A buddy of mine bought a Glock 19 (his first and only semiautomatic). He fired it for the first time during his LEOSA qualification. Not a good idea.
He repeated the exact same firearms course with his familiar .38 SPL service revolver and passed with flying colors!
Florida did the same thing when I lived there.
Interesting. So, a person with only a “Semiauto” endorsement cannot carry a revolver then, and vice versa? What would be the penalty for doing so?
It’s that way in the two states I’ve qualified under LEOSA, Florida and the state I presently reside in. The courses are the same, but your card must be endorsed for “Automatic pistol,” “Revolver,” or “Automatic Pistol and Revolver.” I would imagine that most retired officers who qualify under LEOSA also have CCWs for their states, so carrying the “wrong” gun wouldn’t be much of a problem. The problem would come up if you were carrying the “wrong” gun in a state that doesn’t honor your CCW. It’s surprising and disheartening how many police are cop haters. On a related matter, I know of two retired officers who were detained and threatened with arrest in New Jersey because they were carrying hollow points (specifically authorized by LEOSA, but illegal under NJ state law). I talked with two Philadelphia PD officers who each told me that they would stop and help an officer in trouble anywhere in the United States, except across the river from them in New Jersey. That’s quite the reputation to have among your brothers and sisters, no?
Mike,
Good to know the .45 is not enough gun and could get me killed! Luckily I never had to shoot anyone when I carried one at my first agency. I must say, if they’d let me, I’d carry an N frame .44 special today as my duty weapon. Since they issue a 9mm, that’s what I use- with another 9 for back up. Off duty, I carry the LCR about 49% of the time, the K6S 48%, 2% both, 1% a semi. I don’t buy a 5 shot snub as a one bad guy gun, I’m comfortable with the idea of a controlled pair at each of two assailants and an extra shot for the first one to decide he’s not done. But if they both keep fighting, well… I’m Irish.
Attaboy, Riley. I was hoping someone would challenge that. Good man.
I’d love to see an N-Frame in a duty holster. A while back I started on an article that I never finished, which was a “thought exercise” on what a patrol officer would carry today, if restricted to revolvers. I think a .44 N would fit the bill, nicely. I’d have to contact the Davis Leather Company for a suitable rig.
Excellent article and a great testimony to get as much training as one can afford and practice often. I carry a snubby when I am not a duty range officer or on a church security team. Larger semis are easier to shoot and more capable at distance, but after wearing one day in and day out it starts to wear on the back. I appreciate the size and weight of a King Cobra over a Beretta 92 in most cases.
Something else to consider is the public sentiment after a defensive gun use incident. I have heard more than once that it is easier to convince a jury that a shooting was indeed justified and reasonable if the defender was carrying a revolver reminiscent of the film noir days than a 5 inch compensated barrel gun with “Punisher” images etched in the grips, an enlarged mag well, high end red dot sights, and a 1,000 lumen light wrapped in a kydex bucket holster. The former whispers ‘self defense tool’ while that latter screams “born to kill”. If my freedom is on the line, I don’t want to complicate my legal problems any more than they already would be.
Training, training, training. Spending one’s allowance on more training rather than more gun is always a wise investment.
Thanks Gil. I think we’d all like to believe the facts of the shooting are the most important thing, but unfortunately it’s true that other distractions can derail things. Anyone who watched the Rittenhouse trial should be disabused of the notion that they’ll get treated fairly by the system if they acted lawfully.
I’m not generally concerned about the optics of using an autopistol for defense, but you’ll get no argument from me about the “Punisher” logos, and such. Those are just stupid. Might as well pass out invitations to your own hanging.
You’ve chosen well with that King Cobra. I’m impressed with that design.
To follow up on yours:
1. As more manufacturers provide mounts for optical sights on revolvers as well as semis–including subcompacts– dot sights may well become the new normal, even for a jury chosen for its mindlessness. As for the other stuff, skull and bones belong on items containing poison, not on firearms.
2. Context isn’t everything, but a Punisher Special may be a lot more “acceptable” if employed to stop a home invasion, where trouble comes to you instead. It will likely be more effective, too.
3. As a guy who carried full sized semis with mounted lights and extended mags at work, I chose to carry compact semis and wheelguns without the trimmings off duty, and still do now that I’m out to pasture. A large gun with lots of appendages is about as easy to conceal as a large live lobster, and then there is the weight and the restriction of movement caused by, say, carrying a G17 AIWB with light and dot.
4. Revolvers remain highly effective defensive tools. They also fulfill specialized roles semis can’t handle well–if it all. I’ll always have one within reach.
I was once a “high speed, low drag” guy, with ready access to the best training & kit. Old age came along, & now the high and low are reversed!
In my job, “head on a swivel” was the rule, a constant state of situational awareness, while trying to be a gray man in whatever unfriendly place I found myself. Tactics & the avoidance of trouble were paramount, as was weapons concealment. A mentor taught that “our best survival kit is between our ears”, and he was right. With lots of practice carrying concealed, I learned what worked, and I found the J frame was a hidden friend.
As a civilian now–but with continued responsibility for protection of family and self in a difficult world–that experience remains true. Appearing unarmed until needed would seem to be important for any armed civilian.
To the revolver point: Autos are great tools, and I can make an auto sing. The J frame falls way behind the auto in some roles, particularly firepower. But the J frame offers concealment and deployment options that autos don’t, and it’s often my weapon of choice, because it just has so much going for it. I have found that 2 are better than 1. I’m right handed, and now use a cane. I can have a J frame in a left hand coat or pants pocket, and another in an IWB holster on my right, and still run that cane if needed, even while drawing or or preparing to draw a revolver. When driving, a variant is an ankle holster, my weapon readily tranferable back to a left pocket holster. The J doesn’t suffer from limp wristing or many of the malfunctions that autos can (a consideration for weak hand use) and I can hide it in a way not possible with an auto, particularly in warm weather. I can do all of the auto-oriented malfunction drills in my sleep, but as my focus is the J, my practice can center on the fundamentals of operating it. I don’t feel under armed or under prepared with a revolver. Any weapon has some compromise that goes with it, but I suggest that the J frame offers the best compromise for most of us.