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Aug 25, 2020 · By Gov. William J. Le Petomane. For some, the decision to carry a revolver or a semi-auto pistol comes down to the semi-auto’s greater capacity vs. the revolver’s reputation for reliability. While both of these reasons are valid, most defensive gun uses can and are resolved with less than five or six rounds at short distances.
When looking for a handgun, the choice between a revolver or a semi-automatic pistol is one of the most important decisions you need to make. Whichever option you choose, it will come with both advantages and disadvantages. In this guide, I'll explain the pros and cons of revolvers vs pistols to help you make an informed decision.
- 7 min
- Ease of Use
- Loading/Unloading
- Capacity
- Accuracy
- Power
- Concealment
- Customization
- Final Thoughts
This is a tough one. Both revolvers and automatics are easy to use in their own way. A semi-automatic handgun isoften easier to shootthan a revolver. This holds true for most new shooters as well. The shorter, lighter trigger pull of striker-fired and single-actionsemis guns make them feel much easier to shoot. With a revolver, you either have to m...
Loading and unloading can require some practice, as does de-cocking particular guns and managing manual safeties. An inexperienced user can look at a revolver and see if it’s loaded or not. Also, most modern revolvers are self-explanatory. Press, push, or pull the cylinder release, and boom, you can unload or load the gun. Managing a cylinder can b...
This is going to be the most obvious difference. Even people without firearm experience understand that automatics can hold more roundsthan a revolver. In the modern market, the highest capacity revolver I know of is a 10-round .22 LR revolver — that’s not exactly bringing the house down. A modern automatic designed for defensive use can hold up to...
At the end of the day, accuracy will really be on the shootermore than the gun. If you made a robot that could shoot firearms perfectly, you wouldn’t see a difference between a modern revolver and a modern semi-auto. These days, both guns are on parwith raw accuracy. Much of the accuracy will come down to the sighting system (red dot, standard iron...
I’m not talking about something silly like stopping power, but real power. Revolvers have always been king here. They can chamber the biggest, most powerful handgun roundspossible. Heck, they even chamber some rifle rounds. The latest S&W revolver chambers the .350 Legend cartridge, a cartridge originally made for AR-15s. Aside, there are powerhous...
Concealing a firearm can also be a hassle, but if you are looking for the smallest possible gun, revolvers win out once more. While their effectiveness might be questionable, you can’t beat the size of the North American Arms mini-revolvers. These super tiny revolvers hold five rounds of .22 Short, .22 LR, or .22 Magnum. While these might be the sm...
This is a clear win for semi-autos. You can purchase a Glock or a Sig P320, and guess what? You can make it your own very easily. Swapping barrels, triggers, and frames and adding lights, lasers, or optics can all be done with relatively little drama. While this isn’t true for all automatic handguns, a good number of mainstream options can beheavil...
Like all choices, this one will likely be a personal decision. I enjoy both types of guns across all price points. Honestly, I probably shoot my Heritage revolvers more than most guns and often carry a Ruger LCR in 9mmwhen I need something reasonably powerful and pocketable. What about you? Let us know in the comments below! Need some help choosing...
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Aug 8, 2022 · The pros of learning to shoot with a revolver are fewer moving parts and stationary shell casings within the firing chambers. As a result, there is less chance of malfunction. However, the cons of the revolver are less capacity (anywhere from 5-8 rounds) and slower reloads.
- Joshua Swanagon
Sep 4, 2021 · Why Choose a Revolver Over a Semi-Automatic? In a market dominated by semi-auto pistols, revolvers remain a popular personal defense option for a number of reasons. They are accurate, reliable, and incredibly simple to use.
When it comes to maintaining good stance, grip, breathing, sight picture, trigger squeeze and follow-through, semi-autos have a clear advantage. In most cases, semi-autos fit the hand better and more naturally than revolvers do, and their designs make it easier to quickly return to a solid shooting position between shots. Winner: Tie
