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The reliability of semi automatic pistols.

satman858satman858 Member Posts: 55 ✭✭
edited December 2008 in Ask the Experts
I have done a lot of reading the last month, and it seems that you can count on revolvers going off when you need them a lot more often than S.A. pistols.

If you had to choose between these 2 guns for protection, which gun would you choose.

A Ruger SR9 SS 9mm S.A. pistol that hold 17 cartridges that has a greater chance of a jam, or a Smith & Wesson airweight Model 642 Double Action Revolver that is sure to go off, but only holds 5 cartridges?

P.S.Please do not post and waste post space by saying neither one.

Thanks
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Comments

  • JimmyJackJimmyJack Member Posts: 5,506 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would personally prefer the revolver. I had to make the same general choice and chose a Model 60 SW.
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  • quickmajikquickmajik Member Posts: 15,576 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would also go with the S&W 642 over that particular auto.
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  • 511pe511pe Member Posts: 258 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Smith & Wesson airweight Model 642 Double Action Revolver. In a self defense case with a fatality, how many shots did you fire? It's easy to account with 5 and not get a hot spent casing bounce off something hitting you in the eye, face, down your shirt ie. L.E.O.'s joke about "dumping the clip" for a fail safe approach to this kind of accountability.
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  • leeblackmanleeblackman Member Posts: 5,303 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Back in the day when Beaumont PD required all their officers carry revolvers for the first year, and after that year they had an opportunity to go over to a semi-auto. However the only semi's that seemed to really be available were 1911 types, and browning hi-powers for those more recoil sensitive. Then somewhere in the late 80's Beretta's with their 15rd magazine capacity and double action triggers became popular. Seemed like early 90's the market was flooded with hi capacity 9mm's prior to Clinton's 94 crime bill. By that point, mainstream semi-auto's proved very reliable, and the capacity advantage took priority. After all an officer can carry 45 cartridges that can be reloaded very rapidly as opposed to 18 that take a little more practice to reload as fast. And once you realize that there is no such thing as a one stop shot, and lead starts flying your way, you will wish the capacity was there. Personally i think revolvers have a real disadvantage in a firefight. I analogize this with paintball where having a gun that fires 15 balls per second and has a mechanized 140rd ammo hopper on top is becoming the bar. Believe me that everyone without one is outgunned. Though the ballistics are different, and so are most of the scenarios, the firefight and adrenaline are still in the ballpark.

    One never really knows the situation they may find them selves in, and a gun is definitely better than no gun, however any gun must fire when the trigger is pulled or it is useless. So if circumstances and preferences were such a revolver may be prime choice. However I personally have had very positive experience with my Glock 22 .40sw. I have several magazines that stay loaded 100% of the time, and even in some circumstances where the gun has not been properly lubricated or maintained it has yet to malfunction. Though I have had other semi-auto handguns and magazines fail on me (most were lower quality or cheaper) it has not deterred me from carrying one. In fact the proven reliability of my duty capable Glock keeps me carrying it, knowing it will fire when I pull the trigger. And Revolvers do also malfunction, it has happened to me where a cylinder has locked into place and the trigger will not return forward or pull back and rotate the cylinder. Of coarse it was also with cheaper quality arms (IE Iver Johnson) and once with a S&W that the previous owner had tinkered with.
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  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My choice of those two, would be the 642 over the SR9.

    PS,the previous post didn't read yours very good, did he [?][?]
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  • Wehrmacht_45Wehrmacht_45 Member Posts: 3,377
    edited November -1
    A semi auto is reliable, but you cant be lazy. You have to pull maintenance on them more often. They need to be cleaned and lubed, and the mags need to be in good order.

    Now even Revolvers can fail on you. They go out of time, they have parts that can break, and sometimes they can bind up.

    Now unless the choice is between wheel gun and a single stack auto, I will always take the auto for the increased ammo capacity.
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello let me pose a QUESTION to you Why do all military personal from most all countries carry a SEMI AUTO [?] make that two questions Why have most all police departments CHANGED from revolvers to semi autos[?] both military and police do NOT CARRY guns that are un-reliability[:(!][V]
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  • satman858satman858 Member Posts: 55 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by perry shooter
    Hello let me pose a QUESTION to you Why do all military personal from most all countries carry a SEMI AUTO [?] make that two questions Why have most all police departments CHANGED from revolvers to semi autos[?] both military and police do NOT CARRY guns that are un-reliability[:(!][V]


    Let me pose this question to you.

    What is your problem dude? [:(!]
    I said from what I have read NOT EXPERIENCED, that semi autos are more likely to jam than revolvers.

    BTW, police have used revolvers about 100 years longer than semi autos, so I would think the change was to shoot more cartridges at one time, and load quicker by carrying another clip. [;)]
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  • iwannausernameiwannausername Member Posts: 7,131
    edited November -1
    Had a customer call yesterday, his new 642 was having issues firing. He was using magtech and winchester ammo, firing pin wasn't hitting hard enough...
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  • Wehrmacht_45Wehrmacht_45 Member Posts: 3,377
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by satman858
    quote:Originally posted by perry shooter
    Hello let me pose a QUESTION to you Why do all military personal from most all countries carry a SEMI AUTO [?] make that two questions Why have most all police departments CHANGED from revolvers to semi autos[?] both military and police do NOT CARRY guns that are un-reliability[:(!][V]


    Let me pose this question to you.

    What is your problem dude? [:(!]
    I said from what I have read NOT EXPERIENCED, that semi autos are more likely to jam than revolvers.

    BTW, police have used revolvers about 100 years longer than semi autos, so I would think the change was to shoot more cartridges at one time, and load quicker by carrying another clip. [;)]


    Thats only because for the majority of that time there was only the revolver. There was no viable semi auto in this nation made by a domestic maker until the 1911 and even then a lot of production went to the military for quite some time. However European police started adopting semi autos in the 1920's when the double action mechanism was perfected.

    If a semi auto can live through trench warfare, it can be called "reliable"
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