Why Only Semi's for Carry??

[Redcoat3340]

I have a couple of carry guns: PX4compact; S&W CS9 & CS45; Sig .40 250; and Smith 6906. Plus a S&W 642 for pocket carry. That's more than enough variety. (There's also a .38/32 S&W Terrier, but that's edging into not enough uumph territory I fear.)

Then I snagged a Smith .380 Shield EZ at a very, very good price and I told myself I'll put it away for when I have difficulty managing the slide on any of the others.
Then I started thinking maybe I should get a 9mm Shield EZ (or Walther CCP) for a bit more firepower (and the aforementioned easy-to-rack-slide) for my old age.

But it hit me that was discounting the easiest handgun of all to operate even with the arthritis I don't yet have: a revolver. No slide at all to worry about.
Now my 642 is +P rated so that's not a bad bullet. But what about .357 or .44 special?
Shouldn't I be considering something easily carried, say a 2" or 3" barrel, in my dotage?

So, if I were going to get a revolver for IWB carry and replace, say, my 6906, what should it be?
(And price is a consideration. And so is recoil, I don't want some dainty, lightweight frame for full-load 357's; and how much, if anything, does one get out of a .357 in a 2" barrel versus a +P .38 (yeah, I gotta do a bit more research I think).

Anyway, suggestions are encouraged. What would you get?

 

[Gun4Fun90]

As to why… mostly a personal preference type thing I guess. People just carry what they like and semi’s are popular. That being said I knew a guy was an armor car driver still carries a revolver to this day nothing wrong with it again just personal preference.

That being said… while I have never tried so I can’t say for certain I imagine IWB with a revolver probably is not the best or most comfortable option. Everyone I know who carry’s/carried a revolver carry’s it OWB. Just seems more practical.

Maybe someone that’s actually tried it can give you better advice.

 

[JohnKSa]

But it hit me that was discounting the easiest handgun of all to operate even with the arthritis I don't yet have: a revolver.

I know three people who have hand strength issues. One of them doesn't feel comfortable with her compact .38Spl all steel (not a lightweight model) revolver any more because her hand strength makes pulling the trigger too difficult and she worries about actually losing her grip on the gun during recoil even when shooting light loadings. She bought a Glock 19 which she finds much easier to shoot and operate.

Another person has developed arthritis with advancing age and can no longer pull the DA trigger on his self-defense revolver, a S&W Model 64. He now has to use his middle finger to pull the trigger, but that means that he's losing some of his ability to grip the gun since that finger is now no longer serving that purpose. He hasn't shot the gun in years and I wonder what his assessment of the recoil would be after some live fire.

A third person has a medical condition similar to arthritis and absolutely refuses to shoot centerfire revolvers in any caliber or size. She was told many times by gun store clerks that they were ideal for self-defense so she rented some on several occasions to try them out. The recoil caused her significant discomfort and she found the DA trigger difficult to deal with and the hammers difficult to cock. She finally gave up on centerfire revolvers completely (for life, apparently) and was eventually able to find a semi-auto pistol with a slide she could operate easily. It became her self-defense gun.

Anyway, all that to say that it's "common knowledge" that semi-autos are bad for people with low hand strength while revolvers are a great option for them. In practice, I have seen more than once that just the reverse is sometimes true.

I'm not trying to talk you out of your revolver or telling you it's going to be a bad choice for you as you get older, just keep in mind that revolvers may not be the panacea they appear to be right now. It's possible that you may find at some point that you are more easily able to deal with a slide than a DA revolver trigger or centerfire revolver recoil.

 

[CDW4ME]

Options: 642 in weak hand front pocket and one of the semis (whichever) on belt.
Gun in weak hand front pocket affords options of hand on gun without revealing you are carrying and/or quick access with weak hand.
If one reads that and thinks, "I don't live in a war zone / "bad area" and don't "need" two guns", they missed the point. Options are good wherever.

 

[bersaguy]

38spl +p out of a small revolver is about as far as I want to go. I shot exactly one 125g HP 357 mag out of a Ruger LCR, and I would rate that as "One star, would not recommend" Sp101 with a 3" barrel, that would be as small as I would be comfortable going with 357. With arthritis, a S&W j frame, SP101, and perhaps even an LCR loaded with 38spl would probably work. Not much different from semi autos, it all comes down to how each specific firearm fits your hand. I will say, most comfortable revolver I've ever fired was a model 10 with a Tyler T Grip installed. My only revolver is a Ruger Security Six, and the double action trigger is heavy enough that gives me some problems with accuracy, and I have not hand strength issues....yet. That will just require more time training to sort that out

 

[GBExpat]

... So, if I were going to get a revolver for IWB carry and replace, say, my 6906, what should it be? ...

3 immediately come to my mind; S&W Mod.36(or Variant), Charter Arms Bulldog and Ruger SP101.

I have fired the first (5rd .38spc), decades ago here at the farm, and was surprised at how well I could shoot it, especially at longer ranges. Getting that accuracy out of the little pistol is probably more of a personal thing, though.

I also have a pair of Bulldogs (5rd .44spc) and, like the 36, they are small and handy ... but pack more punch & make bigger holes. O'course, considering the perpetual paucity & price of factory ammunition, being a reloader is a BIG plus when having to feed a .44spc revolver.

A few years ago I thought seriously about getting an SP101 (5rd .38/.357), but I decided that I preferred not to spend a premium for such a (nice!) short-barrel .357mag that I would probably only use with .38spc. As far as I know, back then they were only offered in a .38/.357 chambering. Now that there are more choices, I would probably jump at getting one in .327 (6rd).

I am not a fan of IWB, only rarely carry in that fashion (and then only semiautos, usually with a MIC), but could imagine carrying one of these AIWB for short periods & special circumstances. I imagine that the leaner one is the better that would work.

Good Luck finding something that works for you!

 

[Archie]

My own take is most of the 'expert advice' comes from ex-military or "pistol game players".
Military personnel are taught the skills and attitudes for conducting combat. They should be, that is their job. But I respectfully submit that training is NOT directed or alway appropriate (marksmanship possible excepted) for personal defense occasions. In respect to this, I have the honor to serve as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. I am proud of my service, but the training was not geared toward self-defense as a civilian in a non-combat zone.
Players of pistol games know a great deal about how to win pistol games. Most are good shooters and occasionally superlative shooters. But they almost exclusive participate in exercises while carrying an open and even specially holstered sidearms. Those sidearms are typically outfitted to shoot a multitude of shots at clearly marked targets, clearly marked and identified prior to the match.

Such is the thinking generating the idea that one must have a sidearm with nearly unlimited rounds. Semi-automatic pistols with several spare magazines.

Real defense of persons usually require a number of shots within the limits of a general sidearm. Usually three adversaries at most, and distances of up to five to ten feet.
Yes, I have read and studied encounters in which the defender shot more than one magazine of ammunition. Almost always, one finds most of those shots were misses. On this subject, one must keep in mind, EVERY SHOT fired must be explained and accounted. Any damage to property or non-involved persons must be the responsibility of the defender.

Lately, I've been carrying an older Smith & Wesson K frame revolver with a three inch barrel. It is chambered in .38 Special; I carry defensive ammunition loaded with 158 grain Semi Wadcutter, hollow point bullets (design dated from the 1970s or '80s). I do carry one six round speed loader in reserve.

I suggest a short barreled, fixed sight K frame revolver, preferably made prior to 1980 or so. Or perhaps a J frame (five shooter) for enhanced concealment, but at the price of being more difficult to shoot well.

 

[Sovblocgunfan]

I pocket carry a smith model 49 frequently. I love that little gun. The shrouded hammer gives enough of a nub that i can shoot it single action if i want, but i dont need to. DA is where the gun shines.

 

[danez71]

I know three people who have hand strength issues. One of them doesn't feel comfortable with her compact .38Spl all steel (not a lightweight model) revolver any more because her hand strength makes pulling the trigger too difficult and she worries about actually losing her grip on the gun during recoil even when shooting light loadings. She bought a Glock 19 which she finds much easier to shoot and operate.

Another person has developed arthritis with advancing age and can no longer pull the DA trigger on his self-defense revolver, a S&W Model 64. He now has to use his middle finger to pull the trigger, but that means that he's losing some of his ability to grip the gun since that finger is now no longer serving that purpose. He hasn't shot the gun in years and I wonder what his assessment of the recoil would be after some live fire.

A third person has a medical condition similar to arthritis and absolutely refuses to shoot centerfire revolvers in any caliber or size. She was told many times by gun store clerks that they were ideal for self-defense so she rented some on several occasions to try them out. The recoil caused her significant discomfort and she found the DA trigger difficult to deal with and the hammers difficult to cock. She finally gave up on centerfire revolvers completely (for life, apparently) and was eventually able to find a semi-auto pistol with a slide she could operate easily. It became her self-defense gun.

Anyway, all that to say that it's "common knowledge" that semi-autos are bad for people with low hand strength while revolvers are a great option for them. In practice, I have seen more than once that just the reverse is sometimes true.

I'm not trying to talk you out of your revolver or telling you it's going to be a bad choice for you as you get older, just keep in mind that revolvers may not be the panacea they appear to be right now. It's possible that you may find at some point that you are more easily able to deal with a slide than a DA revolver trigger or centerfire revolver recoil.

Worth repeating. ^^^^^

I'd venture to say that the overwhelming majority of the people advocating revolvers for others with arthritis, dont have arthritis in their hands themselves.

But it hit me that was discounting the easiest handgun of all to operate even with the arthritis I don't yet have: a revolver.

Is your belief based on opinions from other people that dont have arthritis in their hands?

I have arthritis in my feet. Bad enough to have bones fused to eliminate joint movement. But you can't fuse all the bones....

I can say from experience that, on any given day, shoe X with sock Y can be ok or bad. Change to sock Z might make bad go to ok.. or might make bad go to horrible.

Same combinations on a different day might be significantly better or worse.

Sometimes a thicker softer sole is better and other days a thinner firmer sole is better.

Also, Weather will affect arthritis. If you go to https://www.arthritis.org/weather you put in your zip code and it will give a numerical rating as to how much the weather will likely affect your arthritis.


All that to say what others say is the best for arthritis may be the best for their arthritis but not your (yet to be) arthritis... or worse, they don't even have arthritis to base their opinion on what is best for you.

 

[Scrapiron45]

This question usually comes up at our training sessions once or twice a year. The instructor, who is a tac team leader with the sheriffs dept, usually tells people to carry what they are comfortable with however in their experiences most bad guys travel in packs nowdays and and usually have enough meth in their system to require multiple shots to stop the threat.
In a nutshell, we are taught to fire 3 rounds into the threat and evualate the situation, being prepared to continue fire until the threat is eliminated.
I love my revolvers but am terrible with speedloaders so I carry a glock 19.

 

[jarhead127]

Yeah, if I strap on my puny Taurus 605 (5rd .357) I feel nekkid. That's considering I usually got 13 shots in the summer (Sig 365XL) and 16 in the winter (Ruger Sec 9). And it weighs as much as the Sec 9. But, I do love a wheelgun + seem to shoot them more accurately. I'd LOVE to try one of those Chiappa Rhinos. The idea intrigues me and the .357 is my all time fav handgun cartridge. Even if it is butt ugly!

 

[Poper]

At 66 years old, I too, have a bit of arthritis in my hands. More specifically in the joints of my thumbs and base of my palm. My CC gun is a old S&W J frame modle 60. It is loaded with 125 gr. LSWC. My truck gun is either a 2" Taurus Titanium .44 Special loaded with 240 gr HP (remarkably easy to control, and I love the "ribber" grips) or a 3" Ruger GP100 loaded with 158 gr. LSWC. All are loaded to target velocities for ease of control as I subscribe to the addage that "One cannot miss fast enough to stop the threat."

 

[Deanimator]

I regularly pocket carry a 2" pre-lock S&W Model 36. It's perfectly adequate for the threats I'm LIKELY to encounter. At nearly 65, I have no trouble firing it double action. Any pre-lock S&W J frame in .38 Special or .357 should do, although the hammerless/shrouded models are better for pocket carry.

 

[trackskippy]

Ive always looked at carrying a gun as a package deal, and part of that package, at least for me, is carrying the gun you shoot best with, and in a manner youre going to need it, not popping cans in the yard or bullseye targets at the range.

And the "shooting" part of the deal, is the part you should be worried about and working hardest on, and on a regular basis. Carrying the gun is the easy part.

If your body is degrading, due to whatever, age, lack of maintenance, injury, etc, whats that doing to the important part of all this, the shooting part? If you cant reasonably work the gun, how are you going to shoot it? And if you arent regularly practicing with it, how are you going to be effective?

Just because youre getting older, or might have other issues, doent mean you give up maintaining, even increasing muscle tone, working to stay fit, finding a way to work around other issues. Hey, all of this is work, but it often seems its just human nature to try and avoid that, and seek out the perceived easiest path. Why work to stay fit, just get a gun thats easier to work.

This is all part of that package.... you, your weapon, and your skills. Mess with one, and you mess with balance, and you usually increase the demand of work on the others to make up for it.

I shoot both autos and revolvers on a weekly basis and have a real good grasp on what is what with both. The autos are generally easier to shoot well with, and easier on you to shoot with. And if youre carrying one with a decent capacity, they allow you shoot longer without reloading, and to deal with a much broader cross-section of things that might present themselves. And from a carry standpoint, they are generally easier to carry.

If youre thinking that a revolver will be easier to deal with, you need to get out and shoot with one in a more realistic manner, and then give what youve learned some serious thought. They generally take more work from you to be proficient with, and quickly come up short, with just minor increases in difficulty of the problem.

And the thinking that you have to carry a smaller gun, of any type, to be able to hide it, is false, and by buying into it, youre limiting yourself to guns that are usually harder to work and harder to shoot. The slides on the full size guns are usually easier to work, and usually offer easier means to work them in an unconventional manner, and are almost always easier to shoot well with.

Its also easier to reload an empty auto, than it is a revolver, and depending on the guns, thats at a 2:1 to 3:1 ratio.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Not everybody who is an experienced shooter buys off on the autoloader's superiority for aged users. My father is 85, and has transitioned completely to .38 Special for defensive use- a Model 10-7 and an early production Charter Undercover. He previously shot semiautomatics too, but now is most comfortable with the revolver's manual of arms and firing characteristics.

 

[mljdeckard]

It's not that I dislike revolvers, I just like autos more. Why I prefer to carry them? 5-12 reasons.

I don't currently have any, I would like a good Ruger .357, maybe a S&W 610. A while ago there was a total noob in a store who was asking about a Ruger LCR, and he was astounded that it was only five shots. I explained to him, "You just pull it and go 1-2-3-4-5. That's it. That's all most people will ever need for defensive use." But I can see why a lot of people watch movies where guns never run out of ammo and have this perception that everyone wants and needs full-size, max capacity autos.

 

[Tirod]

Arthuritis and racking the slide seem to be an inconvenient combination, yet I think more is made of it than actually exists.

First, you carry loaded with one in the chamber, therefore, there is no racking the slide at that point. It was taken care of on the sharp edge of the sacrificial workbench at home. No, you don't use the dining room table. Once the slide is back locked, you load mag, release slide no riding it and chamber. Optional to flip on safety.

At that point good to go. In the field after firing all your rounds, a proper defensive semi auto locks the slide back on the empty mag. Change mags, loaded again, done. There should be no racking of the slide needed after the first round is chambered, and that is combat military standard requirement. If the slide drops while doing it, it's a training defect, not a gun defect. Guns with no slide lockback, like the Ruger LCP, are no longer allowed in my inventory. I don't need click "while" thinking "6" was still in the pipe. An open slide is really hard to ignore.

Regardless of hand strength etc you could fire ten full magazines in a row and rack the slide once, in the beginning. I've done that with enough M16 mags to almost burn the barrel. I know I fired more than Colt used to catch their example weapon on fire and have a bullet keyhole out the gas block. Yet, just one lockback was all that was needed. Combat firearms engineers made that a standard since the days Union Switch made 1911s.

Having reached the point where I can't load a double stack 9mm without a Uplula, I'm aware there may be a time when I can't rack a slide two handed. There are now "gas pedals" which clip to a slide giving you a Garand sized operating handle on them. I think it's definitely an aid for those who decide they need it, but I also think when carrying and using a semi auto there is more made over it than when you actually use it.

Hedging my bets, Taurus .38 Special Ultralite with a Brauer Bros shoulder holster from the day is handy too. But, it's closer to .380 than 9mm, which means I'm not unaware of 9mm revolvers with moon clips, too.

 

[jstert]

very useful question and replies here. part of this answer goes to the revolver vs semiauto pistol question. im a grey haired revolver guy but an often ccw is a keltec p32 pistol, with an added hogue grip sleeve, because it is so discrete, plus easy to handle.

if i hadn’t lucked into a p32 at a great price a couple of years my centerfire ccw would solely remain a 5-6 shot, steel frame, snubbie loaded with 38sp wadcutter ammo in a owb paddle holster; hammered for single action too, steel and wadcutters to mitigate recoil. a backup and deeper ccw is a naa mini bugout 22lr with cv revision grips.

whatever we choose we must still work at it, i.e. practice and hand strengthening. i can imagine that my abilities to manipulate a slide and load a mag will disappear before i can still handle a revolver, especially in single action, but who really knows? what will be more in our defensive favor as we age will be our habits, duties, routines, nearby mammals and locales; all will likely be safer.

 

[bassjam]

If arthritis is of concern and you're looking at carry revolvers, I think the lcr is the best bet as I believe they have the lowest trigger pull in DA. The 3" models come with larger grips as well which will help, but I assume you can get bigger grips aftermarket for the 1 7/8 barrels. Wouldn't want to shoot .357 out of one but .38 sp +p will be fine (especially if you get a steel framed .357 model which adds a couple oz of weight).

For a steel small framed gun I think the Kimber k6s has the lightest and smoothest trigger. I have the 3" version, which again comes with slightly larger grips. .357 mag isn't exactly fun but it's manageable, and .38's are downright comfortable to shoot out of it. You can probably get a similar trigger pull by going with a S&W 640 or 60 Pro, or doing a trigger job, but then you're basically at the same cost as the Kimber and you're still giving up a round to the k6s's 6 shot cylinder.

 

[JTQ]

Worth repeating. ^^^^^

I'd venture to say that the overwhelming majority of the people advocating revolvers for others with arthritis, dont have arthritis in their hands themselves.

As somebody in my early 60's I've followed the "I'm old/weak/small/woman/etc." threads over the years with interest, since I will have those old/weak issues soon. I am likewise surprised to read the recommendations for DA revolvers in nearly all of these threads.

While I don't have arthritis yet, the finger on my hands that has lived the roughest life is my trigger finger.

I have DA revolvers, and both DA/SA semi-autos, and SA semi-autos. I'd much rather work a slide with the big muscles of my upper body than work a 10 lb trigger with the small muscles in my trigger finger. So far, as long as I can work the thumb safety, a 1911 is the easiest for me to operate with the light single action trigger, and I can cock the hammer to make racking the slide easier.

I'm paying attention to my own personal abilities as the years go by to see if my opinion changes as my health/strength changes.

 

[gyp_c2]

Revolvers are great!
Bring two!

 

[Tallball]

My friend carries a Ruger 357 LCR IWB. It's loaded with 38 special. The DAO trigger is light and smooth.

His hands aren't 100% anymore, but he has no problem with the LCR.

 

[Zendude]

The new Colt Cobra revolvers might fit the bill. The triggers are relatively light at about 9 lbs and as as a mid weight it has a good balance of recoil reduction and carry comfort.

 

[jarhead127]

Hedging my bets, Taurus .38 Special Ultralite with a Brauer Bros shoulder holster from the day is handy too. But, it's closer to .380 than 9mm, which means I'm not unaware of 9mm revolvers with moon clips, too.

That's what I should have bought, but brought home the 605 cuz it handled .357 (at one less capacity). Dumb move, .357 mags outta that gun are downright painful. OTOH, .38's and .38 +P's are surprisingly accurate for a snubbie. Don't know why, but the 856 DA trigger is also far better than the 605. The wife easily cycled the 856 DA at our LGS but she can't do it on the 605 at home. However, the 605 SA trigger is better than anything I own. I'm leary of Taurus' finish for EDC, so lookin for the 856 UL in SS now.

 

[Rexster]

It is not a matter of what I would get, because, I have them: Ruger GP100, SP101, Speed Six, and S&W K-Frames. Some L-Frames are on my wish list. Little guns, that fire duty/service-level cartridges, tend to aggravate my right thumb/hand/wrist arthritis, so I no longer like J-Frames. I need for the heel of a handgun’s grip, to make firm contact with the “heel bone” of my right hand. An SP101’s grip will do that. A Glock G19’s grip will not do that. I traded-away my three G19 pistols, in 2020.

Nerve impingement issues, affecting my right hand’s ability to ptovide a stabe platform, for autoloader functioning, make revolvers a best choice, if I want to be able to reliably use the weapon with either hand. Some autos tolerate this infirmity, better than others, but I reckon that it is a best practice to consider autos to be lefty-only guns, especially if in a situation of having to fire one-handed.