Back
Semi-automatics
Written By: Yulia Selezneva
Non-Fiction
Semi-automatics are always a better choice than revolvers. Modern operators always carry semi-autos because they are simply the best tool for the job, and have been for decades. Revolvers cannot compete in terms of sheer volume of fire. You would need to carry three sixguns to have the same capacity as a single Glock, and even then, each shot would be slower and less accurate because of the heavy trigger. When you finally have to reload a Glock, you don't even have to take your sights off the target.
Most of the time, a sidearm is just dead weight, so it's important to be able to carry it comfortably. Semi-autos tend to be lighter than revolvers, and they and their magazines are both flat rather than round, making them much easier to carry and conceal. They are more likely than revolvers to have accessory rails to easily attach a flashlight. Without a light, it's impossible to positively ID a target at night, which is when most shooting occur.
Some old-timers claim that revolvers are more durable and easier to maintain, but I would argue the opposite. Semi-autos generally run jacketed rounds, which result in less fouling, and when you do have to clean it, you only have to wipe down one chamber and not six. Revolvers have very narrow clearances on the front and back of the cylinder, and any little piece of dirt can jam it up and make it a paperweight.
Revolvers can have all sort of timing issues, and a hangfire that would just give you a scare with a semi-auto could blow your hand clean off if you spin past it. Semi-autos can have malfunctions and stoppages, but 99% of the time you can clear it in seconds. When a revolver malfunctions, you generally have to take it to a gunsmith or replace it outright.
Most of the time, a sidearm is just dead weight, so it's important to be able to carry it comfortably. Semi-autos tend to be lighter than revolvers, and they and their magazines are both flat rather than round, making them much easier to carry and conceal. They are more likely than revolvers to have accessory rails to easily attach a flashlight. Without a light, it's impossible to positively ID a target at night, which is when most shooting occur.
Some old-timers claim that revolvers are more durable and easier to maintain, but I would argue the opposite. Semi-autos generally run jacketed rounds, which result in less fouling, and when you do have to clean it, you only have to wipe down one chamber and not six. Revolvers have very narrow clearances on the front and back of the cylinder, and any little piece of dirt can jam it up and make it a paperweight.
Revolvers can have all sort of timing issues, and a hangfire that would just give you a scare with a semi-auto could blow your hand clean off if you spin past it. Semi-autos can have malfunctions and stoppages, but 99% of the time you can clear it in seconds. When a revolver malfunctions, you generally have to take it to a gunsmith or replace it outright.