# Seven reasons for ladies to use a revolver rather than an auto.



## dahermit (Oct 30, 2014)

Seven reasons for choosing a revolver over an auto for the ladies...well, for everyone.

1. Better, more powerful cartridges available than an auto.
Generally, autos need ammo that they were designed to function with, usally meaning round-nose, light for caliber, full metal patch ammo. Without special magazine lips, feed ramp polishing, etc. On the other hand, revolvers can use just about any bullet design including semi and full wadcutter, soft nose, and hollow point in any available weight. Compare a 9MM 120 grain, jacketed load with a 158 grain lead bullet with a large, flat point. Now it is possible to go to the big stuff like a .45 Auto, but then such guns become problematic to carry despite what those that put up with the inconvenience of a full-size auto will say. A .38/357 snub in pocket carry is about as powerful as a caliber one can carry in that manner. A "dwarfed" .40 or .45 auto will have a heck of a time comfortably carrying in a pocket.

2. Better, ergonomic grips on a revolver.
Rounder grips, that fit the hand in a more natural way that those available on autos. The flatter grips of an auto may be of some advantage for concealed carry, but they do little for a natural grip in the hand. Hogue, Pachmayer grips are examples.

3. Less chance of an accidental discharge when racking the slide. 
With an auto, it can become a habit to release the tension on the firing pin spring after racking the slide when cleaning the auto. Such a perceived "need" can become such a habit that it is entirely possible to "forget" and pull the trigger after charging the chamber when loading an auto. No such habit is formed with a revolver, there are no springs under tension.

4. In comparison to a single-action auto, there is safety to get wiped-off in pocket carry, or even on/in the belt with an ambi-safety. Not only does a revolver safety not get wiped off unintentionally, but a revolver virtually eliminates the worry that it will.

5. With a revolver, one is less likely to fumble with the gun to disengage the safety, while under stress. The revolver is ready to go quicker, especially from less than ideal presentations and carry, such as pocket carry.

6. Double-action revolvers generally have lighter double-action pulls than similar size double-action autos. I have limited experience (none at all with small-double action autos), but have noted the complaints of the owners of small double-action autos in general and Walther PPK's in general. I do have experience with double-action revolvers and find that some are very good (Taurus 85), others (S&W 36), very bad, but I worked on it and ended up with a very light pull while retaining the factory hammer spring. It is my understand that those PPK's do not do so well pull-wise, even when worked on. I would not know...would appreciate any input from someone who has worked on them.

Well... only six reasons, I was exaggerating.

This is my opinion. It is not bumper-sticker, unassailable, cast in stone as from the Oracle of Delphi. I am not trying to portray myself as an ultimate expert in the field of handguns who's opinions are sacred and are as such, beyond reproach. Have at them as you will, you may even post something that I had not considered, or at my age...forgotten.


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## GCBHM (Mar 24, 2014)

dahermit said:


> Seven reasons for choosing a revolver over an auto for the ladies...well, for everyone.[\QUOTE]
> 
> Well, let's see...
> 
> ...


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## DirtyDog (Oct 16, 2014)

dahermit said:


> Seven reasons for choosing a revolver over an auto for the ladies...well, for everyone.


Math isn't your strong point, is it?



dahermit said:


> 1. Better, more powerful cartridges available than an auto.
> Generally, autos need ammo that they were designed to function with, usally meaning round-nose, light for caliber, full metal patch ammo. Without special magazine lips, feed ramp polishing, etc. On the other hand, revolvers can use just about any bullet design including semi and full wadcutter, soft nose, and hollow point in any available weight. Compare a 9MM 120 grain, jacketed load with a 158 grain lead bullet with a large, flat point. Now it is possible to go to the big stuff like a .45 Auto, but then such guns become problematic to carry despite what those that put up with the inconvenience of a full-size auto will say. A .38/357 snub in pocket carry is about as powerful as a caliber one can carry in that manner. A "dwarfed" .40 or .45 auto will have a heck of a time comfortably carrying in a pocket.


Why, yes, by all means let's look at those rounds. As far as personal defense effectiveness, do you know what the difference is? None. I've been in Emergency Medicine since 1979 and I've seen one or two bullet wounds. In the ER, in the OR, and on post-mortem, it is *not possible* to tell the difference between a wound caused by a .380 and one caused by a .45, other than by extracting the bullet and measuring it. The wound tracks are indistinguishable. A good hollowpoint round is the way to go, regardless of caliber, for virtually all real world situations.
You know what actually matters? Shot placement.



dahermit said:


> 2. Better, ergonomic grips on a revolver.
> Rounder grips, that fit the hand in a more natural way that those available on autos. The flatter grips of an auto may be of some advantage for concealed carry, but they do little for a natural grip in the hand. Hogue, Pachmayer grips are examples.


Just because this is true (if it is) for your hands, does not mean it's true for others.



dahermit said:


> 3. Less chance of an accidental discharge when racking the slide.
> With an auto, it can become a habit to release the tension on the firing pin spring after racking the slide when cleaning the auto. Such a perceived "need" can become such a habit that it is entirely possible to "forget" and pull the trigger after charging the chamber when loading an auto. No such habit is formed with a revolver, there are no springs under tension.


Again, I think you're projecting your own issues onto others. I use the decocker on my Ruger P95 when I load it. No issues with accidental discharge. With a striker pin fired gun, I don't feel any "need" to release the tension after loading it. No issues with accidental discharge. With a 1911 I load it and engage the thumb safety. No issues with accidental discharge.



dahermit said:


> 4. In comparison to a single-action auto, there is safety to get wiped-off in pocket carry, or even on/in the belt with an ambi-safety. Not only does a revolver safety not get wiped off unintentionally, but a revolver virtually eliminates the worry that it will.


If the thumb safety on a SAO pistol disengages unintentionally, there is likely a mechanical issue. The 1911 has been carried cocked and locked by hundreds of thousands of people (millions, even?) for over 100 years without this being an issue.



dahermit said:


> 5. With a revolver, one is less likely to fumble with the gun to disengage the safety, while under stress. The revolver is ready to go quicker, especially from less than ideal presentations and carry, such as pocket carry.


Nonsense. I don't know anybody who stuffs a 1911 in their pocket, personally. With a DAO or DA/SA hammer fired pistol or a striker pin fired pistol, there is no good reason to engage the thumb safety (if it even has one) when it's holstered. So there's nothing to fumble with.
If you're stuffing the gun in your front pocket without a holster, then you have bigger issues to worry about than fumbling with the safety...



dahermit said:


> 6. Double-action revolvers generally have lighter double-action pulls than similar size double-action autos. I have limited experience (none at all with small-double action autos), but have noted the complaints of the owners of small double-action autos in general and Walther PPK's in general. I do have experience with double-action revolvers and find that some are very good (Taurus 85), others (S&W 36), very bad, but I worked on it and ended up with a very light pull while retaining the factory hammer spring. It is my understand that those PPK's do not do so well pull-wise, even when worked on. I would not know...would appreciate any input from someone who has worked on them.


My Taurus PT111 G2 (my EDC) has about a 6lb pull in double action, about 2.5 in single. Yeah, that's incredibly heavy...
You might be able to measure a difference, but I really doubt there is any functional difference.

There are plenty of good revolvers out there, and good reasons to use them. But not the ones you've listed, as far as I can see.


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