Revolver vs auto

[rammac]

You're going to hear all kinds of stories from people that have never shot a big bear with anything, they seem to be experts on all things that they have no direct knowledge about. I'm not one of those, I'm just a guy that has an opinion about what I prefer to use to protect myself with in the woods.

Personally I feel that you should shoot the biggest caliber that you are comfortable with. By comfortable I mean that if you can get 3 shots in to a realistic kill zone in under 3 seconds then that's the gun that you should be using. All this talk about what caliber is best means nothing if you can't get rounds in to the kill zone when a big animal is running at 30 miles per hour straight toward you. A few years ago there was an older man in Alaska, a professional hunting and fishing guide, who killed an Alaskan Kodiak bear that charged him. He killed that bear at just a few feet from him with a small framed 9mm. The bear died and the man wasn't even injured so caliber isn't all that important (within reason) as long as you have the right ammo and you can put the bullets where they need to go.

I live in rural Montana in the middle of Grizzly country and I have both revolvers and semi-auto pistols, which one I carry just depends on how I feel that day, if I'm tired I'll carry the XDM 10mm, if I feel good then I'll carry the S&W 329 PD lightweight .44mag. I've practiced with both pistols but not nearly enough to really feel good about my skill level, but I'll still carry one or the other if I don't want to carry a rifle, if I'm really scared of running in to a life threatening situation I'll carry one of my short barreled .308 rifles. I carry my pistols in a chest holster so I can keep them from getting packed with fouling that might prevent them from functioning properly. And being that they are easy to remove from the holster, I can check them from time to time to make sure that they are in good condition.

In a real bear attack you wont have the time to get more than a few shots off, maybe 3, so capacity isn't nearly as important as most seem to think. A revolver isn't drastically more dependable than a semi in rural country (the proof is that no military issues a revolver any more - semi-auto pistols are actually more reliable than a revolver when they are covered in mud, twigs, grass, etc.). In my opinion the most reliable pistol in the real world is a striker fired gun (I'd of said weapon but then I'd have to listen to some crazy talk about the definition of the word). A striker fired gun has no openings that will allow crud to get in to the mechanism and prevent it from operating. Revolvers earned a reputation for being more reliable back in the day when 1911's, Browning's, and Luger's, were popular. Back then the technology of semi-auto pistols was in it's infancy and they just weren't as reliable as they are today. Part of that is because today we have better powder, primers, and bullets, but it's also because the designs of some of the semi-autos just weren't very good.

If I were in your shoes I'd buy the XDM 10mm and practice a lot.

 

[josip89]

My brother are in the proces of buying xdm 10mm, I am in the proces of reloading my 357 ,then I would test with wich I am faster and more accurate.

 

[josip89]

As I stated ,I need gun for ptotection off attack.
We here have wolf and bear and it is a good amount cases when You shoot something (roe deer,chamois,red deer,wild boar) that wolf and bear are going to that eat that,it is a lot cases that bear are going on to shoot (they learned when they hear shoot that mean meal for them).
One more reason if is some animal wounden and we are tracking and if You process meat in the woods you cant have rifle on You.

For that reasons I have Hill people gear kit bag (so ruger can be always with me).

My opinion is that rifle is much better option for defense or anything because it is stronger and more precise than any gun and people is instinctively better with rifle,yet there is lot situation when is really hard to use rifle so for that You have a gun and I want know what gun is smarter choice ,revolver or auto.

 

[ZAK13]

It's been a long time since I visited Croatia, (it was still part of Yugoslavia), but I have family there, some live in Zagreb and my Father lives in Bol. Beautiful country there. Anyways, I have both, a GP100 and a Glock G20, and dependent on where I hunt, is what I carry. If hunting in heavy grizzly country I take my G20, but if I hunt in an area, where Grizzly is less likely than I take my GP100, both loaded with an appropriate bear load.

 

[Radman]

You're going to hear all kinds of stories from people that have never shot a big bear with anything, they seem to be experts on all things that they have no direct knowledge about. I'm not one of those, I'm just a guy that has an opinion about what I prefer to use to protect myself with in the woods.

Personally I feel that you should shoot the biggest caliber that you are comfortable with. By comfortable I mean that if you can get 3 shots in to a realistic kill zone in under 3 seconds then that's the gun that you should be using. All this talk about what caliber is best means nothing if you can't get rounds in to the kill zone when a big animal is running at 30 miles per hour straight toward you. A few years ago there was an older man in Alaska, a professional hunting and fishing guide, who killed an Alaskan Kodiak bear that charged him. He killed that bear at just a few feet from him with a small framed 9mm. The bear died and the man wasn't even injured so caliber isn't all that important (within reason) as long as you have the right ammo and you can put the bullets where they need to go.

I live in rural Montana in the middle of Grizzly country and I have both revolvers and semi-auto pistols, which one I carry just depends on how I feel that day, if I'm tired I'll carry the XDM 10mm, if I feel good then I'll carry the S&W 329 PD lightweight .44mag. I've practiced with both pistols but not nearly enough to really feel good about my skill level, but I'll still carry one or the other if I don't want to carry a rifle, if I'm really scared of running in to a life threatening situation I'll carry one of my short barreled .308 rifles. I carry my pistols in a chest holster so I can keep them from getting packed with fouling that might prevent them from functioning properly. And being that they are easy to remove from the holster, I can check them from time to time to make sure that they are in good condition.

In a real bear attack you wont have the time to get more than a few shots off, maybe 3, so capacity isn't nearly as important as most seem to think. A revolver isn't drastically more dependable than a semi in rural country (the proof is that no military issues a revolver any more - semi-auto pistols are actually more reliable than a revolver when they are covered in mud, twigs, grass, etc.). In my opinion the most reliable pistol in the real world is a striker fired gun (I'd of said weapon but then I'd have to listen to some crazy talk about the definition of the word). A striker fired gun has no openings that will allow crud to get in to the mechanism and prevent it from operating. Revolvers earned a reputation for being more reliable back in the day when 1911's, Browning's, and Luger's, were popular. Back then the technology of semi-auto pistols was in it's infancy and they just weren't as reliable as they are today. Part of that is because today we have better powder, primers, and bullets, but it's also because the designs of some of the semi-autos just weren't very good.

I enjoyed & I agreed with everything that you say, (especially about "handguns" : ). I'm a huge fan of the .44 Magnum but I know someone who shot a black bear with a .44 Magnum rifle. It didn't faze it. He put six more .44 Magnum rounds into it from his "revolver". With 7 - .44 Magnum slugs in it, it still ran off into the bushes where his hunting buddy nailed it with a .30-06. While a .44 Magnum has always comforted me, IF I was hunting bears today I believe that at least a 500 S&W would be a better silent partner.
We all agree that shot placement is everything but - this true story clearly demonstrates that In the Heat of the Moment things do not always go as anticipated....where just raw, brutish, freight train strength is vital.
(Now I realize that we're all sniper-quality shots, that we're all special forces, that we've all killed 1100 pound grizzlies with a .22 short from 300 yards......but this was a real-life experience for 2 of my friends which to me proved that anything can go wrong on any given day. When you have already paid the money, you're miles from home and it's just you and nature, it probably isn't the best time to start thinking of what you "wish" that you had brought along)
I'm just saying....

 

[Mike Matteson]

I have bow hunted in Montana for 15 + years. I got a 500 smith not to long after that. Built up hand loads for it that equal the 30/06 in some bullets in fpe. I fire it several times in practice. I also carry bear spray too. I have been reading the blogs on use of a pistol on bears. I didn't get an 8" barrel either I got it in a 4" barrel, which is long to start with. I am changing my mine on what to carry. The 500 is only 5 rounds, and the recoil is great and I believe that 3 shot in a few seconds isn't possible while being accurate. When in Vietnam 69 I carried a car-15 and a 1911 45 auto loader and used both. So under pressure doesn't worry me. Been there and done that. So in thinking about it, I am now looking to change to a 10mm pistol with more rounds and less recoil. Luck would have it, I don't have a 10mm either. Now I have never had to go up against a Grizzly Bear, and hope I don't ever have too.

SSS
Mike

 

[MZmoose]

I will agree that semi autos are much more reliable than they used to be. But having been in law enforcement for the last 17 years I have seen a lot of malfunctions in semiautomatics. They are usually caused by ammo, dirty gun, something broke in the gun, or operator error. Probably why they train LEO's to work through malfunction clearing drills twice a year. Almost every LEO I know carry an snub nose revolver for a backup because if it malfunctions you just pull the trigger again. I would not carry a people stopping round for bears,personally. I would start at the .41 Rem Mag and prefer bigger, with heavy for caliber bullets.

 

[UplandFreak]

I want to know Your opinion and reason.

Each have their + and -.
My problems with revolver is speed and precision.
I am more fast and precise with auto and due to recoil faster follow up shots,revolver have heavy and long trigger.
But revolver is better in ultra short range and no problems with magazines and can have less problems with ammo.
On the other hand I dont which is better if they are dirty or mudy or in sand or something,because moder auto are very good.

On auto You can put light or laser or both ,but on revolver much harder.

I have GP100 4.2" 357 mag with night sights and custom handle.
But lately I am thinking about XDM in 10mm.

Go with the XDm in 10mm. I am not sure what ammo is available to over there, but in the US we have companies like Underwood that load them hot and are more effective than a 357 mag.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I understand about malfunctions. That was the reason I when to a 500 Smith with a 350 gr solid lead copper covered. Running at 2015 fps, and 3156 fpe. The only thing is recoil and going to the second or third round as follow up shots.
SSS

 

[Xescane]

I'm not sure if this helps. I have harvested more than 20 bear over the years four of which were taken with a pistol. Two with a .40 xdm(180gr) one with the 44 mag redhawlk(240gr) and the last with a caliber to small to mention. Only one died in less than 100 yards and that was a head shot and the only one shot kill body shot was with the 44. There is simply not enough damage done by a pistol to flatten a bear anything like a rifle but they get the job done.

 

[Mike D Texas]

You're going to hear all kinds of stories from people that have never shot a big bear with anything, they seem to be experts on all things that they have no direct knowledge about. I'm not one of those, I'm just a guy that has an opinion about what I prefer to use to protect myself with in the woods.

Personally I feel that you should shoot the biggest caliber that you are comfortable with. By comfortable I mean that if you can get 3 shots in to a realistic kill zone in under 3 seconds then that's the gun that you should be using. All this talk about what caliber is best means nothing if you can't get rounds in to the kill zone when a big animal is running at 30 miles per hour straight toward you. A few years ago there was an older man in Alaska, a professional hunting and fishing guide, who killed an Alaskan Kodiak bear that charged him. He killed that bear at just a few feet from him with a small framed 9mm. The bear died and the man wasn't even injured so caliber isn't all that important (within reason) as long as you have the right ammo and you can put the bullets where they need to go.

I live in rural Montana in the middle of Grizzly country and I have both revolvers and semi-auto pistols, which one I carry just depends on how I feel that day, if I'm tired I'll carry the XDM 10mm, if I feel good then I'll carry the S&W 329 PD lightweight .44mag. I've practiced with both pistols but not nearly enough to really feel good about my skill level, but I'll still carry one or the other if I don't want to carry a rifle, if I'm really scared of running in to a life threatening situation I'll carry one of my short barreled .308 rifles. I carry my pistols in a chest holster so I can keep them from getting packed with fouling that might prevent them from functioning properly. And being that they are easy to remove from the holster, I can check them from time to time to make sure that they are in good condition.

In a real bear attack you wont have the time to get more than a few shots off, maybe 3, so capacity isn't nearly as important as most seem to think. A revolver isn't drastically more dependable than a semi in rural country (the proof is that no military issues a revolver any more - semi-auto pistols are actually more reliable than a revolver when they are covered in mud, twigs, grass, etc.). In my opinion the most reliable pistol in the real world is a striker fired gun (I'd of said weapon but then I'd have to listen to some crazy talk about the definition of the word). A striker fired gun has no openings that will allow crud to get in to the mechanism and prevent it from operating. Revolvers earned a reputation for being more reliable back in the day when 1911's, Browning's, and Luger's, were popular. Back then the technology of semi-auto pistols was in it's infancy and they just weren't as reliable as they are today. Part of that is because today we have better powder, primers, and bullets, but it's also because the designs of some of the semi-autos just weren't very good.

If I were in your shoes I'd buy the XDM 10mm and practice a lot.

You would be dead wrong about no opening for dirt to get in a striker fired pistol. The XD and presumably XDM pistols will most definitely get dirt on the striker channel and gum it up making it inoperable. I had an XD that I used hunting all the time. In just one weekend of hunting enough dirt got in the striker channel around that stupid pin that protrudes from the rear to make it not fire at all.

On a second occasion I could not get the magazine release to work due to the same reason. Dirt had gotten in it and stopped the flapper that they use from operating and releasing the mag.

I ditched that gun, went to Glock and have never had any issues like that.

 

[ronstone09]

As I stated ,I need gun for ptotection off attack.
We here have wolf and bear and it is a good amount cases when You shoot something (roe deer,chamois,red deer,wild boar) that wolf and bear are going to that eat that,it is a lot cases that bear are going on to shoot (they learned when they hear shoot that mean meal for them).
One more reason if is some animal wounden and we are tracking and if You process meat in the woods you cant have rifle on You.

For that reasons I have Hill people gear kit bag (so ruger can be always with me).

My opinion is that rifle is much better option for defense or anything because it is stronger and more precise than any gun and people is instinctively better with rifle,yet there is lot situation when is really hard to use rifle so for that You have a gun and I want know what gun is smarter choice ,revolver or auto.

I would prefer a short shotgun with buckshot ,it will work and when you're scared the shotgun makes up for nervous

 

[josip89]

I have one very bad expirence with xdm 40.
Friend and I was going to train some longe range with 338LM and in front of the car is some big dog (a owner of a dog just abandoned dog in the woods)with roe deer in the mouth.
When he saw as he start run and I draw a xdm and start shooting.
Dog is very fast but when i shoot first round he is jump to the some big rock and he was confused about 1second , in that second I was perfectly and steady aim at him ,I shoot and heard just click and I fast put another round in chamber but dog is at that time run like hell and I am shooting multiple times but nothing.
My Xdm did not cycled correctly and he did not put round in the chamber after first shoot.
At that point I was completly lose my thrust in that kind off a gun and sold it right away and buy Ruger.
But I was not that good (speed and precision)with revolver.

 

[Deviant]

You're going to hear all kinds of stories from people that have never shot a big bear with anything, they seem to be experts on all things that they have no direct knowledge about. I'm not one of those, I'm just a guy that has an opinion about what I prefer to use to protect myself with in the woods.

Personally I feel that you should shoot the biggest caliber that you are comfortable with. By comfortable I mean that if you can get 3 shots in to a realistic kill zone in under 3 seconds then that's the gun that you should be using. All this talk about what caliber is best means nothing if you can't get rounds in to the kill zone when a big animal is running at 30 miles per hour straight toward you. A few years ago there was an older man in Alaska, a professional hunting and fishing guide, who killed an Alaskan Kodiak bear that charged him. He killed that bear at just a few feet from him with a small framed 9mm. The bear died and the man wasn't even injured so caliber isn't all that important (within reason) as long as you have the right ammo and you can put the bullets where they need to go.

I live in rural Montana in the middle of Grizzly country and I have both revolvers and semi-auto pistols, which one I carry just depends on how I feel that day, if I'm tired I'll carry the XDM 10mm, if I feel good then I'll carry the S&W 329 PD lightweight .44mag. I've practiced with both pistols but not nearly enough to really feel good about my skill level, but I'll still carry one or the other if I don't want to carry a rifle, if I'm really scared of running in to a life threatening situation I'll carry one of my short barreled .308 rifles. I carry my pistols in a chest holster so I can keep them from getting packed with fouling that might prevent them from functioning properly. And being that they are easy to remove from the holster, I can check them from time to time to make sure that they are in good condition.

In a real bear attack you wont have the time to get more than a few shots off, maybe 3, so capacity isn't nearly as important as most seem to think. A revolver isn't drastically more dependable than a semi in rural country (the proof is that no military issues a revolver any more - semi-auto pistols are actually more reliable than a revolver when they are covered in mud, twigs, grass, etc.). In my opinion the most reliable pistol in the real world is a striker fired gun (I'd of said weapon but then I'd have to listen to some crazy talk about the definition of the word). A striker fired gun has no openings that will allow crud to get in to the mechanism and prevent it from operating. Revolvers earned a reputation for being more reliable back in the day when 1911's, Browning's, and Luger's, were popular. Back then the technology of semi-auto pistols was in it's infancy and they just weren't as reliable as they are today. Part of that is because today we have better powder, primers, and bullets, but it's also because the designs of some of the semi-autos just weren't very good.

If I were in your shoes I'd buy the XDM 10mm and practice a lot.

I have a short barreled AR in 458 Socom that would probably be my first choice if a grizzly was charging but for an easy to carry lighter option I would have to go with my compensated Coonan 1911 in 357 mag. Its never jammed and shoots great. Some years ago I had a S&W Alaskan guide 44 mag revolver that I wish I would have kept but it really wasn't that fun to shoot being so light and having such a short barrel. I'm not sure I could put 3 rounds on target fast enough with that kind of recoil.