The Perfect Gun: Revo addition

[Bartman]

On a recent range trip, I rented a 1911. I had brought my M&P 9mm along to try to make direct comparisons. Intellectually, I knew the .45 acp was a larger round, but holding one up to the other convinced me that I want to switch from the 9mm to .45. Need to? Maybe not, but my mind is pretty well made up. For the record, this wouldn't be carried, more the home defense, "night stand" variety. And range toy as well.

Get the 1911 some would say, or just trade out the M&P for the larger bore others might say. The thing is, I'm kinda meh on plastic frames at this point, and 1911 internets about frame safeties and reliability concerns dance through my head. Revolvers have always been more comfortable to grip, and more importantly, point more naturally for me.

So, all other justifications aside, I'm currently weighing my choices between a S&W 625 (PC maybe?) and the Ruger Redhawk in .45acp/.45 Colt. I lust for both but will probably settle on one. But here's the problem - INGO. Hopper's thread has me considering a NM 66 as an alternative. Or maybe a 686.

My question is, for a 6 (or 7) shot, non-carried, night stand paperweight that may someday need to be used in the middle of the night, is there anything a .38 special K/L frame would do better than a larger framed .45 acp? I'm thinking with the larger frame, the recoil would be pretty comparable between the two, but that's supposition. I'm not really interested in lighting off magnum loads inside the house. I don't reload, and right now I can find aluminum cased .45 acp fmj cheaper than .38 spl range ammo.

Where would your money go?

 

[Benp]

The 9mm round has plenty of stopping power, and the M&P has plenty of bullets if the first several shots don't do the trick.

 

[Hopper]

GREAT thread topic! Especially about the question you ultimately seem to be boiling down to, which is 45 ACP vs 357/38. If you're into reloading, both sides of this caliber coin can be loaded according to your taste within the reloading specs. Which makes them both extremely versatile calibers to consider.

I will say you're less likely to go deaf with 45 than you are with 357. As amazing and versatile a caliber as I think 357 is, I only carry 38 +P for personal and home defense... without the luxury of grabbing ear protection if something goes bump in the night, my eardrums can hopefully stay intact. I guess my issue with a 45 ACP revolver, which may be me overthinking it, is that you would need moon clips for 45 ACP in the S&W 625. But I've seen plenty of reviews from M625 owners that absolutely LOVE them.

I'm with you Bartman on the whole metal vs. plastic gun thing. I've recently rekindled my affection for 1911's, and in a way, the revolver and 1911 platforms are similar in that they are both timeless examples of very functional designs that still work perfectly well today.

Now that I've fully danced around my response, my humble opinion is that a 1911 is made and meant for 45 ACP (though I have a 9mm 1911 Ruger SR1911 Commander that's been completely fantastic), and 357/38 is my preference for revolvers. Using a revolver for 45 ACP is a compromise that requires using moon clips. If 45 is the direction you're leaning, I'd go with the 1911 platform. While I can't speak from experience, I suspect recoil from a full-sized 1911 and the beefy M625 N-Frame are likely to be similar.

So is the S&W 625 the best of both worlds, or a compromise between two worlds? A little of both, I suppose... if I'm not mistaken, Kirk Freeman has a 625 PC or JM, would be great for him to chime in. And now I'm rambling. Hopefully some of this helps a little!

 

[SSGSAD]

When my kids, were small, I had a S&W Model 59, 9mm at my bedside,

with an EMPTY chamber ..... the kids could NOT work the slide, no lock, no safety .....

As the kids grew up, and were shooting everything, and could work the slide,

I put the S&W Model 19, .357 Mag., with .38 +p as the bedside gun .....

If you need more than 5-6 shots, things are going south in a hurry .....

The model 59, was CLOSE, at hand .....

 

[Tactically Fat]

A) "stopping power" pertaining to handgun rounds is stupid. Handguns suck. All of them (in "normal" calibers, anyhow) do.

B) With modern ammunition, 9mm isn't giving up anything, performance-wise, to the .45 ACP.

C) Because handguns suck at stopping things, more capacity is never a bad thing.

D) Quick reloads, under stress, are hard to do. Quick reloads after having just had an OhCrapThisIsHappening moment are probably gonna be significantly more difficult.

E) Felt recoil with 9mm is generally less than it is with .45.

F) 9mm can cost considerably less to practice with - and, let's face it, we all need practice.

G) The manual safety on a 1911 can be problematic...especially if it's not well practiced with every. single. day. in order to make it a mental institution.

H) There's a chance of having a less-than-optimal grip on a handgun during an encounter - whether due to the speed of grabbing the gun, adrenaline, "sleepiness", all the above... Grip safeties don't often engage/disengage with sub-optimal grips.

That's why I wouldn't have a low-capacity firearm like a 1911 for either carry duty OR night stand duty.

Revolvers:

A) low capacity

B) pretty slow to reload for us mere mortals.

C) Stoked with .38 +p is still "lower" on the scale than 9mm



Other stuff: If you need it, you'll not ever hear the shots go off. Or at the very least you won't hear them at full volume. HOWEVER - the effects on your hearing will still happen. Hearing damage WILL occur...even with .22LR.

MY opinion is worth exactly what you're paying for it: Keep the M&P for house duty. Invest in a good bedside safe.

Get a 1911 and/or a revolver for range-time fun.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Limiting yourself to one revolver? Is this possible?

*Shaking . . . tears*

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Everything you mentioned is a fine weapon. Pick one, shoot the snot out of it. Buy another just like it.

 

[2A_Tom]

According to BBI most single attacker situations are solved in three rounds or less. In a day when thugs are frequently attacking in packs, capacity andspare magazines may be a good idea.

 

[Hopper]

Limiting yourself to one revolver? Is this possible?

*Shaking . . . tears*

Agreed... this is impossible. At least for me! I completely admit that I could go to shooting nothing but wheel guns, and live a perfectly happy life.

 

[Bartman]

Indeed, the stats posted by BBI is part of what has me rethinking what I "need" as far as capacity.

And dry your eyes fellas, It wouldn't be my only revolver. My main carry gun is a Colt Agent .38 special - which is what has me considering some flavor of .357 mag. I have a Shield 9mm which is more comfortable shooting and has that 1 or two extra rounds. But the revolver gets carried because the sights align much quicker for me. My thinking is, however many shots I have on tap, the first one matters most.

 

[Ggreen]

I'm a big fan of guns and guns in general. I am not a bandwagon gun guy so I'll try to be as impartial as possible just going off of my shooting and using experience and no tactical handgun training other than reading and practicing drills I find interesting.

My con with a revolver is the flash at night. It is a lot more than you expect especially .357. It can cause a little more night blindness than you think. I used to carry my grandpa's python in the evenings around the farm bringing the end to many pests. Fun and a great shooter but definitely not my choice as an indoor defense weapon. You will have ringing ears unless you wake up and don hearing protection before defending your position. Awesome gun but imho impractical indoors sthf. Very few revolvers with rails for a light. A light is as important as the gun if your talking indoors with family and pets.

1911's are proven. if you have an issue with the natural grip and removing the thumb safety you have not shot enough. Any weapon you put beside your bed should be completely natural. 1911's are inherently natural and extremely user friendly. I've owned 3. 1st gen Taurus which was 100% reliable the three years and thousand or so rounds I put through it. Magnum Research 1911G reliable but had some cosmetic issues that I couldn't get over. My current 1911 is a sig emperor scorpion which I do not expect any issues out of. Buy a nice one and you can avoid the junk floating around. Lots of topics weeding the good from the not so good. It is extremely loud indoors. Not as much as 357 but loud enough to be uncomfortable. It is also not as easily managed as a modern poly 9mm without more training. More training requires more 45 which is regularly more expensive than 9mm. This is my bed gun tho. A light is a must for a bed gun for me. I want to see before I shoot. This generally means a more expensive 1911 to get a rail but if your putting your life on it what is a thousand dollars?

I love the M&P 9mm. comfortable, reliable, easy to fire and 9mm is an extremely effective round. Police everywhere are going back from .40 to 9mm. It's a great balance between ease, cost of training, and indoor suitability. Your ears will ring but you will not go deaf. I would consider a solid poly 9mm mp or glock with a light for a bed gun.

 

[2A_Tom]

Never trust anyone who doesn't hold strong opinions.

 

[hog slayer]

doesnt like my picture

I prefer this to the rail mounted tactical light when considering home defense



who knows your home like you do? I can generally walk through my house without lights without bumping onto things. HOWEVER, with so many kids, nobody can get through my house without stepping on what surely is a pungy spike...or toy tractor

 

[Mgderf]

IMAO,
If you don't reload, you really should start, and your new .45Colt revolver would be a fantastic place to start.
Big, fat, slow-moving slugs have taken down horse, deer, and man-sized targets for more than a century, and they do it pretty reliably.

I have become a HUGE fan of the .45Colt since I began to reload.
The myriad of loads available for this round is mind boggling.
You can load down so far you can actually watch the bullets on the way to the target, or hot enough to rival .44mag performances.
This is assuming you have a modern firearm, in proper working condition.

Yep, my vote is for the .45Colt.
EVERYONE should own something chambered for .45Colt...

 

[Thor]

Everyone should own 2 chambered in .45 Colt...a revolver and a carbine or rifle.

Also, reloading a moon clip .45ACP revolver is not a slow process. Loading the moon clips maybe but the resulting combo are cylinder seeking missiles that just seem to fly in.

 

[Mgderf]

Everyone should own 2 chambered in .45 Colt...a revolver and a carbine or rifle...

I have a Taurus Raging Bull in .454Casull with an 8-3/8" ported barrel, and a Rossi model 1892 in .454Casull.
Both are literally more fun than should be allowed by law when shooting .45Colts.

 

[in625shooter]

I was issued a K frame in 1986, used an L frame for duty in 1991 (still have it) and shoot a 625 off and on in competition last 19 years and have all 3. Ot saying Ruger is t good but I prefer S&W (have a couple Ruger and they are nowhere near the S&W without wolf springs and more sometimes)

As much as I love the 625 the 686 is more usable. 625 is a BIG gun. And with the offering of 686 plus in a 3" that would be about the best all around Revolver​.

As far as ammo you can't beat reloading your own for revolvers but with factory there seems to be very little difference in cost between 38, 357 and 45

The only other qyirk with 625's are DO NOT use steel amno (wolf) they expand and usually you can't get them out and 2 sometimes moon clips can get bent but it's not an epidemic type problem. But I've had a few in 20 years and they easy enough to check

 

[Magnum314]

Everything you mentioned is a fine weapon. Pick one, shoot the snot out of it. Buy another just like it.

I think I have to agree with this!! I will add...then shoot the snot out of the other one...buy another...you get the idea!

 

[throttletony]

I love the topic of this thread.
I'm now a wheelgun convert and currently have a GP100 Match Champ in my bedside safe... I also have a CZ 75 Shadow in 9mm.
If something bumps in the night, I'd grab the higher cap CZ, and hand my wife the revolver (they are intuitive, she is not a big "gun person" but would protect our kids to the best of her abilities)
Neither has a rail, I have 2 maglites at the bedside also

*IF you go for the revolver - I'd suggest having a "New York reload" ready --- meaning a whole other revolver that's also loaded and ready to go. I think Kirk mentioned that you should buy a duplicate of your main gun. This is a great idea if possible.

[only] Choosing between 1911 and 625 for bedside use, I'd lean towards the 1911, railed, with 8 rd mags that you've proven for yourself (8+1 is 50% more rounds than a 6-shot 625). We're lucky we live in such a good place that we can have these "hard" decisions I woudn't fault you for either, but I'd lean towards a 1911.
Would you consider a shotgun or AR variant, if possible?

the .45 certainly hits with some authority, but any modern design of good mfg will be on par with each other.
Look at this guy get rocked by the 45 while attempting to rob a gun store.
https://youtu.be/ISFU5ehObC0

[video]https://youtu.be/ISFU5ehObC0[/video]

 

[Thor]

That Active Defense guy has some neat videos. Stuff you definitely don't hear about on the news.