Which Type is Best?

Semi-Auto or Revolver?

By Kathy Jackson

This is a contentious topic on firearms boards. Every gun owner seems to have an opinion about it, and some get quite irate if you don't agree with theirs.

The truth is that every gun is a compromise. Neither revolvers nor semi-automatics are perfect in all respects. Which one is right for you depends upon what your priorities are, and upon what you are willing to give up in order to achieve those priorities.

The list below is alphabetized. It isn't in order of what I think is most important, because what's most important to me may not be as important to you.

Ammunition: Semi-automatics carry more ammunition, and they are easier to reload. While no one envisages having to fight off a horde of invading Mongols, a determined attacker may need to be shot multiple times before he goes down. And that determined attacker might have gang buddies with him, too.

A revolver will often allow the user to load two different calibers of ammunition (.38 Special and .357 Magnum, for example), allowing greater flexibility for the user.

A lightweight revolver can often carry more powerful ammunition than a semi-automatic of equal weight.

Budget: All other things being equal, because it is a simpler machine, a quality revolver will cost less than a semi-automatic of similar quality. 

At the low end of the scale, really cheap revolvers are usually more reliable than really cheap semi-automatics. Again, this is because revolvers are simpler machines.

When buying a used gun, it is somewhat easier to check out a used revolver than it is to inspect a semi-automatic, and revolvers are somewhat less likely to suffer non-obvious problems that affect function.¹

Cleaning: There's no major disassembly required in order to clean a revolver, but you have to learn how to take the semi-auto apart and put it back together again in order to clean it properly.

However, once you've learned to do that, even with the disassembly/reassembly process, it's usually faster and easier to clean a semi-auto than it is to clean a revolver.

Concealability: Which one is more concealable depends upon what method you are using to carry it. But generally speaking, if you plan to use one of the non-conventional carry methods (a belly band, for example), revolvers have a slight advantage.

Ease of use: Revolvers are undeniably simpler mechanical objects than semi-automatics are. Their operation is easy to understand. They have fewer moving parts.

However, it isn't that hard to learn the basic operation of a semi-auto. A semi-automatic handgun is less complicated than a washing machine or a car, and every normal adult in America is able to understand both of those complex machines at least well enough to run them.²

Hand Strength Issues: Conventional wisdom says that revolvers win this category, because racking the slide of a semi-automatic takes a lot of hand strength. So if your hands are weak, you may be better off with a revolver. That's usually true and worth remembering.

But it isn't always quite that simple and clear-cut, in my opinion and experience. I've met women who couldn't manage a double-action revolver trigger at all, but who had little trouble racking the slide of a semi-automatic when shown the correct technique (see article titled Rack the Slide for more information). It all depends upon which part of your hands are weak, and what the causes are for your weakness.

As a side note, if your hands are so weak that it is difficult for you to pull the trigger of a double-action revolver, and you also have difficulty racking the slide of a semi-automatic, you may want to look at  Beretta's tilt-up barrel semi-automatics. These are semi-automatics which do not require the user to rack the slide for loading.

Recoil: All other things being equal, a semi-automatic generally produces less perceived recoil than a revolver of equal weight and power. This is because the movement of the slide can be expected to absorb some of the force.

Reliability: Comparing modern, quality semi-automatics with modern, quality revolvers, there really is no appreciable difference in terms of reliability. However, if you choose a semi-automatic, you will need to learn how to clear a misfeed and a double feed. These malfunctions happen to semi-automatics only.

Revolvers rarely experience a simple malfunction such as these. If a revolver fails to fire, it is usually ammunition-related and the cure for it is simple: pull the trigger a second time. But if pulling the trigger a second time does not cure the problem, it may be necessary to take the gun to a gunsmith in order to repair it. Revolvers rarely malfunction, but when they do it often requires the help of a trained professional to get them running again.

At the extreme lower end of the price scale, semi-automatic quality degrades considerably. In such cases, revolvers win the reliability test.

Sights: Semi-automatics often (but not always) have the advantage on this one. A lot of revolvers have low-contrast sights which are little more than nearly invisible bumps on the front of the gun. Of course, that problem isn't unique to revolvers, nor are all revolvers like that. But it's definitely necessary to consider the sights when you evaluate a gun for its self-defense potential.

Next Steps

• Semi-Auto or Revolver: Another View by Ryan McAndrews
• Which Gun Should I Get?
• Home Defense Choices: A Handgun for Home Defense?
• Home Defense Choices: A Long Gun for Home Defense? by Larry Correia

Previous Steps

• Gun Store Miss Adventures - when women get guns
• Trying On a Handgun (all about gun fit)

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