I gotta admit, the title of this article is inaccurate, I’m not going to share .357 reasons to choose a revolver for self defense (since that’s actually less than one reason), nor even 357 reasons… because that would be just silly.
In truth, there are several great reasons to choose a revolver for every day carry, for home defense, for bugout bags and for caches.
Reason number one to choose a revolver?
A Revolver Goes Bang When You Pull The Trigger…
That’s right, revolvers go bang when you pull the trigger.
Every.
Single.
Time.
They just plain don’t jam, they don’t fail to eject, they don’t stovepipe.
Pull trigger? Boom.
OK, you might be out there thinking “but Salty, of course revolvers have failure to fire…: and while technically this is true, if this happens it’s because the ammunition is bad (or .22 rimfire, which amounts to the same as bad) or the gun needs cleaning and maintenance.
I own a whole bunch of revolvers, and I can state that for center-fire rounds in my high-quality modern revolvers, I doubt I have had 5 misfires in my lifetime.
Revolvers Are For Those Who Value Reliability Over Magazine Capacity & Reload Speed
There’s no getting around the fact that revolvers are slower to load than semi-auto handguns with detachable magazines.
Additionally, a revolver will hold anywhere from a couple less rounds (.357 Colt revolver vs 1911 Colt .45 semi-auto) on up to 11 rounds less (full-sized polymer 9mm semi-auto, many different brands).
While the speed of loading and limited capacity of a revolver is a deal breaker to many people, for other’s the increased reliability of a revolver (a gun with many, many less failure points) more than makes up for the lack of extended loaded firepower.
Not All Revolvers Are Created Equal For Personal Defense
In modern firearms, there are basically two distinct types of revolvers, single action and double action.
A lot of people finding keeping which type of revolver is which definition strait. Even after all these years, I still say and write the wrong one a lot, because I find the labels counter-intuitive.
The following applies not only to revolvers but all types of guns that have similar actions.
Double action means that the trigger does two things… it cocks the hammer (whether that hammer is external where you can see it or hidden internally) and then releases the hammer to fire the gun.
These are double action revolvers. On top is my EDC carry, a Ruger LCR .357, and below in silver is my beloved Ruger Speed 6 (a gun you might be able to see flash in front of your eyes briefly before before your world permanently fades to black… because you tried to break into my house at night).
Single action revolvers are guns where the trigger does one thing, releasing the hammer. You have to cock the hammer by hand.
For self defense purposes, if you choose to go with a revolver, whether it be internal or external hammered, you ALWAYS want to use a double action gun. You can fire off your magazine much faster if you simply have to pull the trigger.
Single action guns are for sporting purposes or just plinking.
Speedloaders
I know there are probably a lot of wheelgun folks out there sputtering at the screen “but Salty, I can reload my revolver with a speedloader just as fast as you can reload your Glock 17”.
Yeah, well… no you can’t. I’ll bet a pizza in person if you can beat me to 30 rounds on target. Heck, I might even sport you a 5-second head start. But I will beat you and… I want my free pizza. Cheese, green peppers, roma tomatoes and Spice wants mushrooms on her half. Please keep them off my half, thank you.
Speedloaders are great, though, they allow revolver shooters to have rounds prepared ahead of time to greatly increase loading speed. Here’s a pretty sight… speedloaders ready to work…
Doesn’t that just say “range day” to you?
I’ve seen some champion quality revolver shooters reload at ridiculous speed when watching events at PASA park just over the river from here, but I could still beat them to 30 rounds on target with my Glock. Unlike y’all, they don’t get a free five second head start though, because they just never miss.
There’s also the “New York Reload” a revolver user could choose… put two bags around your neck, one empty, one full. Grab a revolver out of the full bag, shoot it dry, drop it in the empty bag and grab another loaded one from the full bag. This was actually a popular thing for mobsters in the 30’s when semi-auto guns were scarce.
Need Another Reason? Cost!
I’m going to be blunt here: There are very, very few inexpensive semi-automatic firearms other than limited-capacity concealed-carry mouse-guns that are of any type of decent quality at all.
There are many good quality inexpensive revolvers.
I talked about one of my favorites in this article, one that I have multiple copies of and use as my “arm the rest of the group with a quality handgun” guns, available to use if the Stuff Hits The Fan (SHTF).
https://beansbulletsbandagesandyou.com/bullets/2017/03/22/review-rock-island-armory-armscor-m200-38-special-revolver/
That’s a 100-percent reliability gun for $200 that can shoot a meaningful self defense round.
Cost Part 2: Buying Used
I have to admit something… I don’t like buying used semi-auto handguns. Semi-auto handguns can be, if you get a bad copy, one of the most frustrating devices on the planet. Trying to figure out and fix why your semi-auto handgun is jamming is right up there with selective dentistry on my “least favorite things to do” list.
Used revolvers? Totally different matter.
With a wheelgun, all you have to do is pop the cover open to check that it’s not rusty inside, examine the cylinder, barrel and hammer for issues and make sure that the gun’s timing is accurate. If all these are OK, then it will go bang for years and years with proper maintenance and cleaning
Wrapping it up
I’m not trying to talk y’all into buying a revolver, but I am saying that it does have some significant advantages.
I get that modern semi-auto handguns have become exceedingly reliable, and that a lot of people will not give up the expanded ammo capacity in favor of a small amount of possible dependability.
Me? I keep a wheel gun next to my bed at night and a pump shotgun nearby. I’m taking no chances.
Been EDC a .357 revolver for years. Drop the hammer…BANG !!!
Yes sir.
6 1/2 ” barrel. More accurate. I do conceal carry a 9mm semi-auto when I`m going to the ” big city “. Don`t get me wrong, I`m in agreement with the other comments, Just my preference to open carry here around home. ( kinda hard to conceal a 6 1/2” gun ).
Phred, my 8-shot .357 magnum revolver has a 2.6 inch barrel…which is shorter than any 9mm semi-auto that I know of. That’s my “big city” gun…works great in the boonies too 🙂
Another point-for people with limited hand strength (like my 72 year old mom) racking a pistol can be difficult. No such issue w a revolver.
Thank you for your comment, that’s an excellent point, some of those slides are ridiculously hard to pull back.
Additionally, when carrying a semi-auto, there’s the whole “cocked & locked” vs. empty chamber carry debate you won’t get with a wheelgun.
Great article Salty…but being a wheelgunner…I am obviously biased. As much as I love revolvers, I can’t disagree with your point about a revolver not being able to “beat you to putting 30 rounds on target” with your Glock. That said, we should remind ourselves that the theme of this article is the choice of a revolver for self defense. In that case, capacity and reload speed takes a back seat…as usually only one round has to be on target. They available revolvers on the market hold 5 to 8 rounds….and if all end up on target, that should be enough to stop or seriously slow down the threat. BTW, one of the other “top” reasons for choosing a revolver is that you can also get a lever action rifle in the same caliber…but Salty already knows that. Lastly, and I am in no way affiliated with Grant Cunningham or the sale of his books…but he has written several books on defensive revolvers, as well as a general prepping and homestead defense book. I’m a huge fan and highly recommend his material for any 3BY followers who might be new to revolvers.
First, thank you for your comment.
Yes sir, I have a lot of fun with my .357 combo of one of my wheelguns and my Henry .357 lever gun… good call!
I tried telling a friend that he needed a revolver instead of a auto. Mostly because he was going to load it and put it in his night stand and forget about it. I warned that the magazine spring will develop a memory and weaken thus making it unreliable.
First, thank you for your comment.
I agree that a revolver is a great nightstand choice… heck it is MY nightstand choice. If I have time (i.e. the intruder is in another room) I can grab my .12 gauge riot gun for more firepower, but if he or she is in the room, the first t shots are what are going to count… and by this time Spice should have her Glock 19 fully engaged as well.
So what you don’t cover is the dynamics/psychology of a gun fight. Unless continually trained, most folks with a gun will aim at the source of greatest danger, and that is the other gun. Not too many folks are calm enough to double-tap center of mass. As a result, you see a lot of trauma to hands and arms after a gunfight. Now, try reloading a revolver when one of your hands has been shot. Try reloading bullets slippery with blood into a revolver chamber. Hell, try reloading with a speed loader under duress and see if the bullets don’t wiggle too much to align with each chamber. At least with an automatic, I can pop out a magazine and insert one with one hand. It’s why the 1986 gunfight with FBI agents in Miami led to the agency switching to autos (among a few other reasons such as greater load-outs,etc.). Just something to chew on when thinking about the reality of exchanging fire with someone out to kill you.
First, thank you for your comment.
The points you make are valid, and I think everybody will admit that in an extended gunfight revolvers don’t carry very much magazine capacity. My EDC Ruger .357 sports a massive 5 rounds… and, frankly, by the time the fifth round has left the barrel the dumb thing has probably broken my hand from recoil.
It’s also got a 2 inch barrel (more or less), which means it’s useless at over 7 yards. It’s an in close, personal, one-on-one gun. Having said that, the situations where I carry it in particular are ones that I think it’s the most appropriate choice. There are also times when I carry a Ruger LC92, and frankly in the summer I carry a tiny North American Arms .22 magnum mini revolver because ti’s the only thing that I can conceal in my workout shorts. Each gun has it’s own strengths and weaknesses… for example, I would never recommend using a .22 magnum for self defense, except in a case where nothing else is available due to concealment problems. Then? It’s a lot better than going unarmed.
I agree with the reliability of wheel guns. I have a Colt Trooper lll with 6.5 in barrel That I have had for 45 yrs, shoots great . It will shoot 38 cal. anything.
I believe Glocks are a close 2nd for reliability. On the short barrel gun accuracy I would disagree with you. I have a Glock 27 40cal. 2.5in barrel I hit a 50 round ammo box at 125 yrds 3 out of 3 shots. off hand, 9 witnesses ( they saw it and could not believe it ) It took about 4 or 5 min. for the three shots. I used 180gr Federal Hydra-shok . The only time I had any problem with it was when I let some one else shoot it. It stove piped a few times. I put over a 1000 rounds through it. never did that with me. Go figure. week hands?
My edc is a Rugger LCP 380 ease to conceal and it will do the job.
On the Ranch EDC is a S&W Governor, 2 #4 Shot shell, 2 Shot shell Defender loads, and 2 45LC Bear Loads, Yes a little heavier but Snakes don’t know the difference.
EDC in the Cities is the good old XDM 45acp, 13 +1 have put thousands of rounds through it without a problem.
The problem comes from people not keeping the semi’s clean. I just tell em, well do you wipe your butt each time? Than CLEAN the Firearm each time…..
Good advice !!
357 is my go to round
I have a Ruger SP101 for concealed carry the GP100 with 4″ barrel for camping/hiking and a Marlin lever action carbine for hunting. The option of using 38spl for plinking is a plus.