The Great Debate: Semi or Revolver

Have we stopped fighting about caliber long enough to have a totally different argument? When it comes to picking your pew pew, you've decided on a caliber, now you've got to decide semi-auto or revolver. Which one is best? Do you want to look like Dirty Harry with a .357 magnum or do you need to be a high-speed low drag operator with the newest Glock semi-auto? Just like we discussed in the caliber debate, the important idea behind picking your piece is function over form, who cares what it looks like if it gets the job done. In a gunfight, nobody gets awards for looking cool (unless your Kris Paranto, who battled in Benghazi wearing cargo shorts, which is pretty dope). Two very different reasons exist for carrying both and neither are wrong as long as you can successfully hit your targets.

On the plus side for revolvers is their simplicity. Nobody carrying revolver is really worried about dirt or dust, sand or what not that can usually stop up a semi-auto pistol. While the more powerful loads that a revolver can handle are great in certain circumstances, urban environments with thin walls and dense populations are not the MOST ideal for a revolver. We're not saying don't carry a revolver in the city, just be aware that a gigantic ass hand-cannon may not be ideal for those of you living in apartments. On a ranch in Montana however, with bears roaming around, yeah, pack that hand cannon and make Yogi bear think twice before harassing you or anyone else.

Semi-automatic pistols are usually the main choice nowadays for personal protection. Higher ammo capacity and more standardized rounds that won't punch through twelve walls (yes we're exaggerating, calm down ballistics nerds), are the usual attractors to the semi-auto brand. The downsides to semi-automatics? If you're unfamiliar with them, they are much more difficult to clean than a revolver and have many more moving parts (thanks 1911). That, in turn, means that if your pistol gets dirty (it always gets dirty, it's a damn dirt magnet) and you don't clean it, you're more likely to suffer a malfunction of some type when you go to shoot. Don't skimp on thinking when picking your pew pew!

How often do you plan on cleaning your weapon? How many rounds do you need? What type of aggressor are you planning on encountering? What is your environment like when it comes to innocent people? These are all extremely valid questions you need to ask yourself when picking your pew pew. Maybe the revolver is right for you, maybe that brand new shiny Glock is your go to. Either way, make an educated decision and get some range time to ensure that you're hitting your target and not all the innocent people around them.