As a handgun deer hunter/handgun competitor I've learned it isn't how many shots to take to get the job done . . . but that every shot matters, quickly.
Rare indeed is a second shot needed in the woods.
On the range? I won a special "steel challenge" match once at a tactical meet. The winner got the pot . . . and about 35 competitors chose to sign up for this "money match." The rules did NOT favor the revolver in this special match . . . so I decided to kick their tails with a revolver, just for fun AND for the challenge. After all, if I didn't pull it off, no one would be surprised. On the other hand, if I WON . . . I'd have plenty of good natured fun messing with the guys! Works either way!
The match:
1. Fastest time dropping EIGHTEEN steel plates and poppers, at distances of 10-40 yards, spread over a 90 degree arc wins the money.
2. Guns start UNLOADED, and in a pistol case.
3. ONE manditory reload, even if you choose to use a Glock 9mm with 33 round magazines designed for the Glock M18 machine pistols, to make it "fair."
4. ANY centerfire, iron-sighted handgun allowed.
You should have heard 'em howl when I came to the line with my chopped barrel, Model 25-2 revolver in .45ACP . . . along with a few loaded moon clips.
"How are you gonna win starting with an empty revolver, knowing you have to load THREE times IF you don't miss even once," someone asked.
"Well," I replied amused, "I'll have to take my time in a hurry!" I added that it would be embarrassing to get beat by a revolver! That made a lot of 'em lose (mentally) at that point. Under the stress they caved.
THE OTHER GUNS . . .
Everyone else except two people used trusty, competition-honed 1911 .45 Autos (with 10-round extended single stack magazines of course, or high cap. 1911 style autos and 13-14 round double stack mags . . . except for a couple of fellows who decided to pull out their Glock 17s and use the 33 round G18 magazines. One Glock shooter brought five magazines to the line . . . "just in case."
I waxed 'em all. I can reload my moon clipped Smith revolver as fast as I can my 1911s, and I've always done my best fast competition shooting with my S&W revolvers firing them double action.
Second place dropped his last plate over two seconds slower, using a single stack Colt 1911 and 10 round McCormack magazines.
DEAD LAST PLACE, with a DNF (Did Not Finish) was the guy with the five 33-round magazines. Under stress and trying to go too fast, he ejaculated over 150 rounds and still had a plate or two standing. Next to last place was the other Glock shooter. Both thought they could spray and pray their way to victory . . . and they learned otherwise.
In the field, in competition and on the streets, shot placement is everything when the chips are down.
WHAT DO I CARRY AS MY "ALWAYS" CCW GUN?
A five shot S&W Airweight J-frame revolver. Like I said, I do my very best shooting with my Smith revolvers. After so many years of practice, they point and shoot as an extension of my body. It is the blued one on bottom in this photo, with the big N-frame "snubbie" 25-2 I used that day on the field on top: