Revolvers are Reliable, but . . . WATCH OUT ! !

TO : Video of SW-29 44mag revolver at night

Semi-auto pistols malfunction.
Revolvers rarely fail.

Despite HAZARDS raised below:
The carry gun that I recommend
for reliable/ready defense, for the
average user, is a 22 magnum
revolver (full-jacket ammo to avoid
lead "spitting" from the cylinder gap,
and for penetration of barriers).

For always-carry, I might choose:
NAA-HG-M 22magnum.(7oz)
For larger carry, I might choose:
Taurus 941B2UL. (19oz)

……… First ..C A U T I O N
There is an important danger from revolvers that few talk about. .Except for
special revolvers, there's a gap between the front of the cylinder and the barrel.
This allows part of the detonation to escape around the front of the cylinder.
Such side blast includes flame, lead, grit, and gases; and this can get worse with use !

There is a natural temptation to place the free hand at the front of the trigger guard
to support the gun and steady the aim. .Fingers/hands can be BADLY injured !
I "resent" the lack of blast guards/gun-warnings, but producers aren't concerned enough !
TO Article on lawsuit against SW for negligence in design, indicators, warnings.
TO Video of a Smith 460 cannon. . . . count your fingers.
TO Ugly pic of one injury.
TO Another video of Smith 44 mag at night (Flash is tough to record, since the image
is sampled every .033 seconds from the ccd. You can now buy HD at .017 sec interval.)
One reason the danger is not more known is that you can't see it in full light.)

KEEP AWAY from the AREA AT THE FRONT OF THE CYLINDER !.
Lead/powder grit, gases, and fire WILL BURST FROM THAT GAP

(so fast that it takes slow-mo or darkness to see it)

(A shooter on youtube covers that area with paper to test how bad it is on his guns.)

Gap comment from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_10_54/ai_n28027458/
"… .002" is too tight ... lead particles and carbon residue, and the cylinder will
bind against the barrel. … gaps in excess of .006" are too big, contributing
to excessive muzzle blast, lead spitting, and a significant loss of velocity."

From page 12 of a 20-page manual for Taurus single action revolvers:
"The release of excess gases and hot particles from that point are part of the normal
operation of revolvers, and pose no safety hazard to the shooter > if < the firearm is
held in a normal grip and fired at arm’s length." "Never allow other persons to stand
beside you where they might be struck by ejected particles or gases."

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
A very short barrel tends to reduce side blast. Also, you can check the gap between
cylinder and barrel by backlighting the gap. Be sure to rotate the cylinder to all
positions to check the maximum gap. This is a known problem, even on new guns.

.....-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Revolvers tend to be heavier, wider, harder to reload, have more recoil,
and have triggers that can be tough to pull. But they give you at least five
shots when needed (if your fingers don't get in the way of "the gap").
Semi pistols are less reliable, and some are very unreliable.
www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=345373&page=12

If you have a single action option, with just a second to prepare, you can
be ready for an easy trigger pull by cocking the hammer.
This also improves accuracy, since the easy pull helps aiming. (If you don't fire,
then you must engage any hammer/pin safety, and/or rotate to a notch or empty
chamber, and/or carefully decock the hammer.)
There is usually no safety to remember, but many revolvers have devices that prevent
a strike to the hammer from causing discharge (hammer block, inertial firing pin,
recessed hammer, etc). .The top chamber can be left empty to avoid that risk.

…..... Second ..C A U T I O N

If a child finds a loaded revolver, there is a greater chance of a tragic result.
While a semi-auto magazine can be easily removed, and it is not necessary to
have a round in a chamber, a loaded revolver always has a round in a chamber.
Unloading is not so easy, and that also makes the gun less ready.

………- - - - - - - - - - - -
If you are not convinced of the reliable operation of a semiauto pistol, you are
"more ready" with a revolver, as long as you can accept side blast, a tougher
trigger, and cocking the hammer for single-action.
Some 38 revolvers are light and small enough. .But a 22mag (fmj) is powerful,
while lighter and smaller. (even a 17 magnum has good power if you can find one)

For me, the safety risks of revolvers keep me focused on semiauto pistols.
(for routine easy carry, I use just a self-corrected Keltec-32g2, with fmj/tmj euro)
(I will never again buy anything that is Smith & Wesson).

.