Why Only Semi's for Carry??

[bdickens]

5 rounds vs 15. Frankly, I don't understand why there is even a discussion.

 

[1942bull]

I have hand strength issues. As I approach being 80 years old I take that as the normal affect of the arthritis I have in my hands. I have never owned a revolver. That is not a rebuff of revolvers. It just comes from the fact that I was trained on a M1911 when I was in the Corps. I just got used to a semi. As my hands got worse I went to 380. I was not satisfied with those ballistics. So I wanted to go back to 9 mm. I began therapy to improve hand strength. After exercising for three months I was able to rack a 9 mm semi without a problem. Now my EDC is a Ruger Security 9 Compact with a 15 round magazine. I can rack it ans slingshot it without a hitch. I do those exercises every day to assure I can handle my pistol in every way. Eventually our bodies beat us, but we can fight it. Oh, my hand arthritis is really helped by the daily exercises

 

[1942bull]

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5 rounds vs 15. Frankly, I don't understand why there is even a discussion.

It means nothing until you need more rounds in a fight. The average number of rounds fired means nothing if you have to engage in a firefight. Suppose you have to extract from a situation an go from cover to cover to cover, if there are multiple shooters that could become an only option. You could easily need more rounds as you shoot and scoot. My EDC is a 9mm semi loaded with a 15 r round mag plus an additional 15 round mag on my belt. I hold that a failure if imagination can get killed. They say the average civilian gunfight is 2 to 5 rounds, and I believe that. But that does not preclude that more rounds will be needed. Always imagine the worst case scenario.

 

[trackskippy]

That's just the point. Do you prepare assuming the worst, or do you just go with what you hope will be the average encounter according to the statistics?

As often as the statistics are stated, "statistically", that sounds to be the basis for choices and plans for many, when these sort of discussions come up.

 

[CDW4ME]

That's just the point. Do you prepare assuming the worst, or do you just go with what you hope will be the average encounter according to the statistics?

As often as the statistics are stated, "statistically", that sounds to be the basis for choices and plans for many, when these sort of discussions come up.

When someone carrying a snub or pocket 380 starts posting statistics, averages, or what type of encounter they anticipate ...
IME its not about the gun.
The gun they really prefer discerned by what they carry when they go to an area of greater anticipated threat, if it more than the snub/380 ...
Then its about willingness and/ or preferred manner of dress/carry; they are unwilling to carry something "decent" where they perceive low threat (good area).
Rather than say, "if I can't stick it in my pocket and go I won't carry" (the truth) they post statistics, averages ect... yet they carry more if in a "bad area".
Its not about the gun its about preferred manner of dress/carry and their budding psychic ability to anticipate what type of threat is happening where.

 

[Armored farmer]

Anyway, suggestions are encouraged. What would you get?

I like handguns, and shoot them often. I prefer revolvers.
I took my advanced combat class with a s&w 66 revolver and did very well thank you. My instructor said I was the first to take that class with a revolver. I think classes and instructors are driven by high capacity pistols and movie stars.

A sp101 with a wolf spring kit and Hogue grips is one of the finest ccw guns out there imho. You owe it to yourself to try one out. Mine was my very first ccw and if it weren't for thr.....(lol) it might be my only ccw.

 

[kidneyboy]

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?

I suggest you first go out and try some full load 357's in a 2" or 3" barrel small frame revolver. If you are ok with that the earlier suggestions of an SP-101 or the Colt Cobra series are good. Full load 357's are not easy on arthritic hands.

 

[GEM]

I agree. Many professional folks think that for a compact revolver , the 32s are a good choice. I have a 432 for when I do pocket carry.

 

[Kleanbore]

I have only had one self defense incident in my 72 yrs. It occurred in1969. It took me exactly one shot to end it. ....That’s my real world experience. Your experience is yours....

I have had four DGU's in seventy seven years. No shots were fired in any of them.

That gives me no basis for assessing what I might need.

I have found this a lot more helpful.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...multiple-assailants-hit-rate-capacity.665883/

 

[GEM]

I am 73 and was hit by lightning. I survived. Thus, no one has anything to fear from lightning. That's my real world experience. Shocking, isn't it?

 

[GEM]

That's the best you have. The issue is clear. 5 is enough because it served me is baloney. Then when this is pointed out, folks pout.

 

[CDW4ME]

That's the best you have. The issue is clear. 5 is enough because it served me is baloney. Then when this is pointed out, folks pout.

That usually posted by people that have never fired a round in self defense.
I could post 3 civilian examples (LE examples never count for them) where 5 hits failed to incapacitate singe attacker, IME it changes nothing; they dismiss or rationalize them.

 

[tubeshooter]

Enough for me may not be enough for thee.

There's more to consider than just number of rounds on tap.

 

[Kleanbore]

We had a thread the other day in which a resident fired a revolver at a home invader. She hit him six times. He fled, drove away, wrecked his car, and ended up in jail.

Was six enough? Well, it did stop the attack, and that is the objective.

 

[.38 Special]

That usually posted by people that have never fired a round in self defense.
I could post 3 civilian examples (LE examples never count for them) where 5 hits failed to incapacitate singe attacker, IME it changes nothing; they dismiss or rationalize them.

I recently read a story in which a jeweler defended his store with dozens of rounds from multiple guns. Does that mean that a fellow carrying only a single gun, or carrying fewer than 24 rounds, is not adequately prepared?

 

[GEM]

IIRC, he survived but was lucky. Running around your store trying to retrieve various guns is not optimal. He would have been better served in that incident by carrying a high capacity gun and extra mags.

 

[trackskippy]

If I remember correctly, didnt that jeweler have a bunch of revolvers spread around?

The number of rounds it takes, is exactly the number of rounds it takes. If you have enough, you're golden. If you dont, I hope you brought more, and are well versed at doing a reload under stress. Or, in the case of the jeweler, run around and look for more guns.

His experience also demonstrates just how things can go much differently than you might think or expect, and why you might need something that carries more ammo. Being as well versed as possible with it is a big help too. Carrying a gun really is more than just carrying a gun.

 

[Miguel Loco]

Statistics are merely a jaded record of past events. Many are inaccurate. There is no "proof" as to which platform is better......only your own preferences matter. Most important..... is how well you function under the situation.

In my own experience, I find that if I know I have 20 rounds to fight with, I'd most likely just start pulling the trigger. Knowing I have less, would force me to take a split second to place my shot. Wyatt Earp talked about "taking his time" in a gun fight....and it served him well. I've seen numerous videos of law enforcement involved gun fights where 40+ have been fired in very close proximity with no one getting hit. So.....for a lot of people, it really doesn't matter how many you rounds you carry unless you can place a shot under extreme pressure. I'm sure most of us would fall short of this goal. Hopefully we never need to find out.

 

[JTQ]

deleted

 

[Kleanbore]

In my own experience, I find that if I know I have 20 rounds to fight with, I'd most likely just start pulling the trigger. Knowing I have less, would force me to take a split second to place my shot.

Training issue.

So.....for a lot of people, it really doesn't matter how many you rounds you carry unless you can place a shot under extreme pressure.

Almost. To effect an immediate physical stop, a defender will have to hit small invisible things within the attacker's body while the target is closing fast. Doing so is a matter of chance. More hits provide a greater chance.

 

[Shanvanvocht]

They say the average civilian gunfight is 2 to 5 rounds

The question arises, is the "average" 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 and what does "average" really mean? If we are referring to the "median", then half of the instances in the sample required fewer rounds and half required more. If we refer to the "mean", then we total up all the rounds fired in the sample and divide by the number of instances. If we refer to the "mode", we list each instance in the sample (for sake of argument lets say 1037) and cite the middle instance (in this case instance number 518). My point is that statistical analysis is not helpful in this discussion, since at least half of the sample required more rounds than the "average"

 

[Kleanbore]

My point is that statistical analysis is not helpful in this discussion, since at least half of the sample required more rounds than the "average"

An even better point is that neither the mode, the mean, nor the median of prior events, is of any use to us whatsoever for assessing the likely needs in a future event.

In fact, even if we had some data on the distribution for prior events, ww would not be able to do much with them. There are too many variables.

 

[1942bull]

The question arises, is the "average" 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 and what does "average" really mean? If we are referring to the "median", then half of the instances in the sample required fewer rounds and half required more. If we refer to the "mean", then we total up all the rounds fired in the sample and divide by the number of instances. If we refer to the "mode", we list each instance in the sample (for sake of argument lets say 1037) and cite the middle instance (in this case instance number 518). My point is that statistical analysis is not helpful in this discussion, since at least half of the sample required more rounds than the "average"

Your right. So I think my point in my OP — “It means nothing until you need more rounds in a fight” applies to wether one applies average, median, or mode. You did raise my consciousness about statistical terms. Thank you. I will keep your lesson in mind.

 

[SDGlock23]

I think the advantages of the semiauto far outnumber a revolver for carry purposes but I've carried revolvers before, so they're better than nothing. If for whatever number of reasons you couldn't find a way to manipulate a semiauto then by all means carry a revolver.

 

[Kleanbore]

If for whatever number of reasons you couldn't find a way to manipulate a semiauto then by all means carry a revolver.

When the bone spur on my LH elbow acts up and makes slide racking difficult, I strap on a K6s.