I want to share this article published yesterday for discussion:
https://www.recoilweb.com/revisiting-the-modern-service-revolver-152658.html
I do not know the author or his background.
I do think people should consider the service (full-size) revolver for carry. I don't want to turn this into another revolver vs. semi-automatic thread, so I'm going to focus on some revolvers vs. other revolvers.
It would seem small revolvers like the J frame and LCR are the most popular today, followed closely by little revolvers like the Kimber and SP101.
The article makes the distinction between what the author calls a "modern service revolver" and a "compact" revolver, but he does not make it so clear how much the compact revolver sucks.
Instead of detailing all the ways the compact revolver falls short, I will present the two traditional uses of it for your consideration:
Backup gun. You're in ass-deep and you just lost the bad-ass primary gun you brought to the fight or it just failed. Now your plan is to make it through this s-storm with a little mouse gun.
Off-duty gun. Your partner is not around. You have no vest. You have no taser. You have no baton. You have no radio link to dispatch. You have no chopper with the searchlight or FLIR. No backup unit. No K9. So obviously, you don't need a duty size gun, just a little pea-shooter, preferably with no more than 5 rounds of Wimp+P.
A few other comments on the article:
Lasers:
The author adamantly advises the use of laser grips. I have plenty of first-hand experience with green and red. There are whole threads on laser vs. no laser. What I will say is that no training schools offer classes based on laser sighting other than a one-time class at Gunsite because Crimson Trace sponsored a class there to be advertised. Save your laser money for a no-laser class.
Cartridge choice:
The author concedes that 327 Magnum is acceptable despite his previously published maxim requiring .38 Special or greater. Whatever. I suppose .30-06 is ok too even though it's even smaller than .327. The real problem with 327 isn't the cartridge, but the little guns its usually chambered in. It would be great in an 8-shot GP-100, but Ruger only makes a 7-shot, which I can have in .357, so what's the point again? Then he goes on to concede that he wears a rimfire gun in his underwear -- maybe he expects squirrels will try to attack him for his nuts? The threat does not weaken based on what you choose to wear.
Moon-clips.
Are awesome for carry. The author claims to have softened on chamberings for rimless cartridges that cannot be used without moon-clips. Whatever. The key thing is to carry full moon-clips. On your first load, they will help positively eject the spent cartridges without that one snagging or getting caught under the ejector. Whatever you think of moon-clips, they are worth it for just this alone. On reloads, they are faster and better than speedloaders. You must carry them so they won't be bent -- not loose in your pocket with the keys. I understand how they don't allow for "tactical" or partial reloads. Instead of wasting your attention lifting and picking spent brass, just carry more reloads. If you cut brass in a chamber, the next moon-clip won't load at all. Use the clip like a speed-strip. Insert two cartridges at a time and tear the clip off. You can always carry a speed-strip too. Moon-clips offer too much of an advantage not to have some.
https://www.recoilweb.com/revisiting-the-modern-service-revolver-152658.html
I do not know the author or his background.
I do think people should consider the service (full-size) revolver for carry. I don't want to turn this into another revolver vs. semi-automatic thread, so I'm going to focus on some revolvers vs. other revolvers.
It would seem small revolvers like the J frame and LCR are the most popular today, followed closely by little revolvers like the Kimber and SP101.
The article makes the distinction between what the author calls a "modern service revolver" and a "compact" revolver, but he does not make it so clear how much the compact revolver sucks.
Instead of detailing all the ways the compact revolver falls short, I will present the two traditional uses of it for your consideration:
Backup gun. You're in ass-deep and you just lost the bad-ass primary gun you brought to the fight or it just failed. Now your plan is to make it through this s-storm with a little mouse gun.
Off-duty gun. Your partner is not around. You have no vest. You have no taser. You have no baton. You have no radio link to dispatch. You have no chopper with the searchlight or FLIR. No backup unit. No K9. So obviously, you don't need a duty size gun, just a little pea-shooter, preferably with no more than 5 rounds of Wimp+P.
A few other comments on the article:
Lasers:
The author adamantly advises the use of laser grips. I have plenty of first-hand experience with green and red. There are whole threads on laser vs. no laser. What I will say is that no training schools offer classes based on laser sighting other than a one-time class at Gunsite because Crimson Trace sponsored a class there to be advertised. Save your laser money for a no-laser class.
Cartridge choice:
The author concedes that 327 Magnum is acceptable despite his previously published maxim requiring .38 Special or greater. Whatever. I suppose .30-06 is ok too even though it's even smaller than .327. The real problem with 327 isn't the cartridge, but the little guns its usually chambered in. It would be great in an 8-shot GP-100, but Ruger only makes a 7-shot, which I can have in .357, so what's the point again? Then he goes on to concede that he wears a rimfire gun in his underwear -- maybe he expects squirrels will try to attack him for his nuts? The threat does not weaken based on what you choose to wear.
Moon-clips.
Are awesome for carry. The author claims to have softened on chamberings for rimless cartridges that cannot be used without moon-clips. Whatever. The key thing is to carry full moon-clips. On your first load, they will help positively eject the spent cartridges without that one snagging or getting caught under the ejector. Whatever you think of moon-clips, they are worth it for just this alone. On reloads, they are faster and better than speedloaders. You must carry them so they won't be bent -- not loose in your pocket with the keys. I understand how they don't allow for "tactical" or partial reloads. Instead of wasting your attention lifting and picking spent brass, just carry more reloads. If you cut brass in a chamber, the next moon-clip won't load at all. Use the clip like a speed-strip. Insert two cartridges at a time and tear the clip off. You can always carry a speed-strip too. Moon-clips offer too much of an advantage not to have some.