Semi Auto vs. Revolver. A Personal Experience.

[2Wheels4Ever]

I have an obsession with riding motorcycles places few others will ever travel. I ride in all different terrains, and in all different weather conditions. While I am out in the middle of nowhere, with no cell service, and 150+ miles from the nearest town, I like to be armed.

Now, I am a revolver guy at heart. At my property, when I go to shoot some steel I will usually take my SW686 or my ruger single six. While plinking, all of my revolvers have been 100% reliable. Because I had never experienced an issue with my revolvers, I decided to take one on the OBCDR.

The Oregon Back Country Discovery Route is a massive trail system that reaches all over Oregon. The most intense track is Route 5, which goes from Goose Lake Cali, to Walla Walla, Wa. I have done this route in its entirety twice. Once in 2013, and again in 2016. The first time I took a G23, and the second time I took the Single Six.

This route is extremely dusty, rocky, and there are a couple water crossings. While I am on the bike the gun is carried in a holster that I have on my hip. The Glock had zero issues. At the end of the trip, yes, it was dirty, and dusty, but it shot without any hiccups.

The second time around I took the Single six with the .22mag cylinder. Towards the end of the trip, I had some time to kill so I decided to plink at some cans. That little ruger was so gummed up, the cylinder barely rotated, and the hammer would only lock back half of the time. I was stunned. I had always heard how reliable revolvers were. I guess that only applies to ideal environmental conditions. Now some might say that this was bound to happen, and that you just need to clean out the revolver. However, I was in the field; I did not have a table or a clean place to conduct a cleaning. Nor did I, in my very limited space available, make room for a cleaning kit. I still love revolvers, and find them more enjoyable to shoot at the range, but I will never carry one as a form of self defense again.

'] 0160818_091001_zps6x0qnsys.jpg.html]']0160814_104636_zpstlblkkmx.jpg.html] ']0160813_152651_zpsc3fcm73g.jpg.html] '][/URL]

Read More

 

[Koda]

I agree with you on the gun to carry but Im actually more interested in The Oregon Back Country Discovery Route. That looks like fun and something Im interested in doing later down the road.

back to the gun, Im assuming you open carried. It makes sense that dust and debris would enter the revolver mechanism but it was surprising to learn just how bad it got.

 

[transittech]

Thanks for posting. I love revolvers, but this is a good point that never seems to get addressed.

 

[Alexx1401]

The wheel gun vs auto is a never ending "thing" with some. Those who claim the wheel guns better are of course pretending to miss this part, dirt and crud. MANY, not all but many, autos are made to take on getting "dirty" and still work. Of course it would be best to try to carry in such a way as to offer the gun more protection in an area like you were. In that situation though wheel guns are way out of their element. That does look like some beautiful county to ride in too!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I have seen semi auto pistols gum up with dust and debris and get locked in place.
The M9 series while in the field in Desert Shield / Storm .... Also in Somalia.

Granted those places were examples of a extreme environment.
Also I would think firearm design might be a factor.
A Glock having a "enclosed" barrel and a M9 having a exposed barrel might make a difference.

Holster style might make a difference as well a full flap holster might serve you well while on a road trip,
( I know that the Army used a fully flap in my two examples above ... but as I said those were extremes )

Was the weather the same during both trips? ... Hard to compare if it was different.
Same dusty and dry conditions?
Also this is a case of one time for each ... might different next time.

Not trying to argue ... I like revolvers and semi auto pistols.
Both I think can extremely reliable.
Andy

 

[Camelfilter]

... Im actually more interested in The Oregon Back Country Discovery Route. That looks like fun and something Im interested in doing later down the road....

Ditto!

Hope to do a bunch of it w/our full size pick-up.

 

[The Heretic]

The whole "a revolver is more reliable" is based on a false premise that because it is "mechanical" it has less to go wrong than a semi-auto.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

1) Both revolvers and semi-autos are "mechanical".

2) Revolvers are more complex than most semi-autos, especially combat semi-autos. Try to take one completely apart and put it back together someday. I would start with a Ruger SP101 which is one of the simplest. If you are truly brave (or skilled and experienced or have the money to take it to a good gunsmith), try a Colt and I wish you luck. How many have actually done this? I have done a Ruger SP101, but after a quick look at other revolvers insides, I chickened out - and I have used to work on diesels, hydraulic pumps and such. How many have taken apart a Glock? Most people who own them.

3) Revolvers have tight tolerances. Not just the inner clockwork, but the cylinder and its related parts too. Those are very exposed to the elements and are easily jammed.

I've made these points a number of times whenever I hear the old trope of revolvers v. semi-auto reliability. It is usually a lost cause - people just can't get it out of their heads. People who never take their sidearms out in the field and really get them dirty like you did - and you weren't even doing it on purpose.

The only real reliability advantage revolvers have is that if one cartridge fails to fire, you can simply pull the trigger and move on to the next. A dud cartridge, at least in new commercial centerfire (not reloads) is rare. More common is a light firing pin strike, in which case, something is wrong with the gun - I had a Dan Wesson .44 mag that did that occasionally and the factory fixed it. In many cases, a second strike of the primer will fire the cartridge, and some semi-autos facilitate that - my SIG P229 does.

FWIW - I do not carry any firearm on my person when riding, especially off-road. I fall way too often to risk falling with a hard object like that on my person. I wear a lot of armor, especially off-road, but a hard object like that on my hip or in a shoulder/chest holster, could turn a fall that would result in a bruise (or not) into a fall that would result in a broken bone or joint.

I carry my firearms in my tank bag when I am on the bike. Not as accessible, but out in the boonies, I rarely encounter other people and I don't feel I need rapid access to my firearm most of the time, and when I am moving I am not going to be shooting anyway.

 

[The Heretic]

Also, for most handguns in the field like that, I try to get a holster with a full flap.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I find that a full-flap waterproof pocket keeps pocket revolvers pretty clean. lol

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

FWIW - I do not carry any firearm on my person when riding, especially off-road. I fall way too often to risk falling with a hard object like that on my person. I wear a lot of armor, especially off-road, but a hard object like that on my hip or in a shoulder/chest holster, could turn a fall that would result in a bruise (or not) into a fall that would result in a broken bone or joint.

I carry my firearms in my tank bag when I am on the bike. Not as accessible, but out in the boonies, I rarely encounter other people and I don't feel I need rapid access to my firearm most of the time, and when I am moving I am not going to be shooting anyway.

I had thought about this as well. However, both times I have done this trip I have had bear encounters. I know that 99% of the time you will be fine and the bear will leave you alone, but it makes me feel good to know that I have a way to fast protection. The first time I did the OBCDR, I did not crash once. I was on a Dr650. This last time though, I went down more times than I wanted to. The Xr650 is not as planted for my type of riding style I guess. That aside, I fell on my gun twice. The little ruger took it like a champ; not a scratch on the thing. My hip was fine as well haha.

 

[mjbskwim]

I had a S&W 22 mag revolver. Nice little target gun.
But the tolerances were so tight you had to clean it every other cylinder.
Even a single six is going to have tight tolerances. I can see that a little dust could clog it up. And as @AndyinEverson was saying the conditions may not be severe but dust seems to find its way everywhere.
I always carried under my coat when riding. Left hand draw to keep the throttle hand free. Maybe a pocket sized gun?

 

[Joe13]

I would mount the gun to the bike, not have it on my hip for the same reasons listed above.

Having it on you is just asking for more broken things if you fall.

 

[ikemay]

I know space is at a premium on your bike, but maybe a can of Hoppe's Gun Medic Cleaner and Lube? They make it in two different sizes, 4oz and 10oz. Or Hornady One Shot.

I mean, what happened to your revolver could happen to a semi-auto too. At least you'd have a chance to get it working again without too much fuss.

 

[Joe13]

I know space is at a premium on your bike, but maybe a can of Hoppe's Gun Medic Cleaner and Lube? They make it in two different sizes, 4oz and 10oz. Or Hornady One Shot.

I mean, what happened to your revolver could happen to a semi-auto too. At least you'd have a chance to get it working again without too much fuss.

Yea, that spray can stuff works well

 

[teflon6string]

Thanks for sharing!

That's surprising to me as I've often carried semi-autos and revolvers in extreme conditions, dirt, dust, sand, rain, salty ocean mist, etc., and never got either kind so grimy it wouldn't work. Filthy and desperately in need of cleaning? Yup! Gritty action? Hell yeah! Black grime and sluggish behavior from a couple hundred rounds between cleanings? Absolutely!

My daily carry pieces are far from display-case beautiful. With that said, I'd be inclined to try a splash of gasoline for solvent and motor oil for lube to make a gummed up pistol functional out in the woods.

Interesting anecdote about falling off a motorcycle, and why I don't ride with a holstered weapon (or a big knife) on my hip... Check out my buddy's S&W 642 shaped bruise, cylinder flutes and all. OUCH!!!

 

[Joe13]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but how 'wet' do you keep your carry guns lubed?

Mine are just a few drops and then I use an air compressor to disperse it into the gun.

Safe guns get liberal lube and wiped down with a cloth before use.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I don't want mine too wet ... too easy to pick up dust , dirt etc ...
Just a dab will do you ... as they used to say.
Andy

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

I run my guns pretty dry. Just a thin film of lube that is wiped down with a cloth. That bruise is crazy.

 

[mjbskwim]

I don't want mine too wet ... too easy to pick up dust , dirt etc ...
Just a dab will do you ... as they used to say.
Andy

Now we're going WAY back

 

[ikemay]

I don't want mine too wet ... too easy to pick up dust , dirt etc ...
Just a dab will do you ... as they used to say.
Andy

Though I was more of a Vitalis guy myself.