When choosing a weapon to carry, one must carefully choose what is best for them. You have the choice of a revolver or a semi-automatic pistol. Each type has positive and negative aspects to them. Careful consideration should be given to each one and ensure that what you choose fits your physical abilities and needs. Another consideration is weight of the pistol, how you want to carry it and will you carry additional magazines or speed loaders.
Many people cannot operate semi-automatic pistols due to physical limitations. Some do not have the hand strength to manipulate the slide properly without causing malfunctions. Some factors to consider are strength, hand size or possibly arthritis. Some do not like semi-automatic pistols because of the likelihood of malfunctions. Some semi-automatics do not have an active safety on them and some consider them unsafe.
While all pistols have a maximum number of bullets they carry, most common revolvers are limited to six bullets. This is another factor to consider when making the choice of a concealed carry weapon. If you choose to carry a revolver, will you carry a speed loader, should you need it? Most people will not carry a speed loader and further, it takes more training to become proficient at reloading a revolver in a timely manner. Revolvers are much less likely to malfunction, which is a strong point to consider.
Another consideration is the size of the revolver, the weight and whether or not it has a hammer. Many revolvers are light weight and hammer-less. While being lighter is a good thing, depending on the caliber of bullet you choose, it may have more recoil when fired and be more difficult for some to manage. A pistol that is heavier in weight causes less recoil. If your choice of revolver is hammer-less, you will have a stronger trigger press, making it more difficult to hit your intended target. Hammer-less revolvers are more comfortable to carry and less likely to get hung up on clothing. If your revolver does have a hammer, you may choose to fire it single action, having less trigger press to negotiate. When thinking about reliability, if a revolver malfunctions, you simply have to press the trigger again versus a semi-automatic requiring 3 to 6 steps in the malfunction clearance procedure. You may think about paying a gunsmith to lessen the amount of pressure it takes to press the trigger. Semi-automatic pistols typically provide the ability to have more ammunition than revolvers.
No matter the choice you make, make sure you train to become proficient with your weapon. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of training. In my experience, most people fail to train adequately. I am not trying to insult anyone and do not think that you need to train to be a Green Beret or Navy Seal. I do believe that you should be able to manipulate your weapon without having to stop, look at it and then think your way through the process to return the weapon to action. The point of carrying a weapon is to protect yourself, loved ones and possibly others who are in peril. I have stated in previous articles that you must have conscious competency with your weapon. Some refer to this as “muscle memory”. If you bring a weapon to a fight, make sure you know how to use it properly so that you are not a liability to yourself or anyone else.
If you are unaware, Red Flag Laws close to home. “Columbia City Council passed a trio of bills designed to give police more powers to tackle both guns and bias-motivated crimes. The new ordinances will make it easier for Columbia police to confiscate firearms from gun owners who are deemed to be an “extreme risk;” tighten restrictions on guns near schools; and create a city hate crimes ordinance. Under one new ordinance, the Columbia municipal court or other courts that may have jurisdiction in Columbia are empowered to issue protection orders if someone is deemed an “extreme risk”. (Greenville News September 18, 2019)
