Modern Self-Defense Revolvers

[TeflonDon]

24/7, 365, for ratings and profit, and "if it leads it bleeds" internet, social media, news media, and talk radio has people feeling as if they're not armed with 11 - 30 plus rounds, they're lives are in danger.

I'm content carrying whatever handgun I'm most I carrying and shoot the most regardless of where I'm going. My criteria is how much training, practice, and round count I put through the pistol, and how well I shoot and can manipulate it. If said gun had 5 or 15 rounds in it, so be it. It's what I'm going to carry. If in a SHTF and WROL situation we're to happen, I'm STILL going to carry the pistol I have the most training and am most comfortable with irregardless of how many rounds it may have. A handgun would be a secondary option in that case anyway, and a rifle would be my primary. If I had to transition to my pistol during a gun fight in that situation, I'm as good as dead anyway.

With all the fear mongering about EDCing a 6 to 7 round single stack and/or a revolver, you'd think we'd hear about the epidemic of armed gun owners who carry those type of weapons who were found dead by their empty revolvers and low capacity single stacks. There should be hundreds if not thousands of anecdotal we could point to by now.

[JCN]

I say this with a huge amount of respect for you as a shooter and contributor here. I have the same respect for HCM as a shooter and contributor.

More germaine to this topic is skip all the hassle checking for bent clips and get RIMZ plastic clips. I just picked up another 10 pack of .45 ACP clips. I get the flexible ones that will finger load and unload. I'm going to try the rigid polymer ones that are too stiff to finger load.

I've owned many revolvers over the years, and still do, but never had the passion for learning about them that I now do.

Hey thanks, I’ll check out the RIMZ ones.

Have you checked out Steel Challenge for revolvers? You can do just fine with a 7 shot revolver and you could run rimfire if you wanted to. They even have an optical revolver division….

[Malamute]

Hey thanks, I’ll check out the RIMZ ones.

Have you checked out Steel Challenge for revolvers? You can do just fine with a 7 shot revolver and you could run rimfire if you wanted to. They even have an optical revolver division….

I didnt know there was a revolver centric Steel Challenge. I shot a 5 plate one long ago with both a Smith 19 and Ruger SA 45, my times were very similar. Another 6 plate one I did a short while after, I shot better times/scores with a revolver than a 1911. Ive just always shot revolvers better with less effort, so is a large part of why I use them more.


I have a 7 shot cylinder for my 586. Contrary to common internet information, it dropped in with zero other parts needed (no special hand) and timed exactly like the 6 shot cylinder. Now if I can only make it not be that unsightly stainless color, Id be set.

[JCN]

I didnt know there was a revolver centric Steel Challenge. I shot a 5 plate one long ago with both a Smith 19 and Ruger SA 45, my times were very similar. Another 6 plate one I did a short while after, I shot better times/scores with a revolver than a 1911. Ive just always shot revolvers better with less effort, so is a large part of why I use them more.


I have a 7 shot cylinder for my 586. Contrary to common internet information, it dropped in with zero other parts needed (no special hand) and timed exactly like the 6 shot cylinder. Now if I can only make it not be that unsightly stainless color, Id be set.

https://scsa.org/

Steel Challenge has two dedicated revolver divisions for centerfire. Iron revolver and optics revolver (which is easy with an allchin mount on a Smith and Wesson).

Optics (open) revolver also allows compensators and there's no minimum power factor for the sport!

For rimfire, you can run them in the rimfire pistol irons or pistol open but they'll be at a little disadvantage. Still fun, though.

[john c]

Hey thanks, I’ll check out the RIMZ ones.

Have you checked out Steel Challenge for revolvers? You can do just fine with a 7 shot revolver and you could run rimfire if you wanted to. They even have an optical revolver division….

Shooting competition is both limited in my area, and the matches that are available are completely full. So it's a little difficult. I now mostly shoot in a non-sanctioned PPC type weekly league. It's a low stakes way to try out new guns, techniques, sights with a uniform scoring mechanism so I can measure myself against myself.

That said, next month I'm headed to free America to visit my son who's in his first semester of college. The first thing we did was look for a pistol match nearby, and there's a steel challenge match he and I decided to shoot (his and my first one). I debated using my 617 revolver, but I don't have a holster sorted for it, yet (I have a Pro-tac but it doesn't fit my optic and rail. I need to dremel it). So I'll probably use my duty pistol for more time using my optic.

My 18 year old son is very interested in learning how to shoot a revolver, because he's seen me shoot one a lot recently. I told him that's hard mode, and I'd like him to master a Buckmark with a dot on it before we start throwing in impediments. He's bought into the idea, and is working on shooting better. We'll see what happens at the match. I have a CZ Shadow SP-01 reserved for him when he graduates to a centerfire pistol.

[JCN]

I debated using my 617 revolver, but I don't have a holster sorted for it, yet (I have a Pro-tac but it doesn't fit my optic and rail. I need to dremel it). So I'll probably use my duty pistol for more time using my optic.

My 18 year old son is very interested in learning how to shoot a revolver, because he's seen me shoot one a lot recently. I told him that's hard mode, and I'd like him to master a Buckmark with a dot on it before we start throwing in impediments. He's bought into the idea, and is working on shooting better. We'll see what happens at the match. I have a CZ Shadow SP-01 reserved for him when he graduates to a centerfire pistol.

So the good news is that the 617 if it's 22LR doesn't need a holster for Steel Challenge!

Rimfire and long guns start from low ready!

[john c]

https://scsa.org/

Steel Challenge has two dedicated revolver divisions for centerfire. Iron revolver and optics revolver (which is easy with an allchin mount on a Smith and Wesson).

Optics (open) revolver also allows compensators and there's no minimum power factor for the sport!

For rimfire, you can run them in the rimfire pistol irons or pistol open but they'll be at a little disadvantage. Still fun, though.

Thanks for the tip on Allchin. I have a Steiner MPS on a brand new S&W 66 with an Apex plate, and DPP on my S&W 617 with a direct mounted plate. I'll check out Allchin.

[JCN]

@john c also if your 18 year old isn’t allowed Airsoft or other scary gun type things on campus…

Something like this can be an option for training.



I can give you specs if it’s something you’re interested in.

[Malamute]

So the good news is that the 617 if it's 22LR doesn't need a holster for Steel Challenge!

Rimfire and long guns start from low ready!

They had me do that with the SA Ruger.

[Totem Polar]

More germaine to this topic is skip all the hassle checking for bent clips and get RIMZ plastic clips. I just picked up another 10 pack of .45 ACP clips. I get the flexible ones that will finger load and unload. I'm going to try the rigid polymer ones that are too stiff to finger load...

Thanks for posting that; I agree that new materials might do wonders for the reliability of moons for EDC. I wish RIMZ did 5-shot .38 special clips for guns like the 640 pro.