I just watched a video where the premise was “revolvers are fighting guns and semi-autos are shooting guns”. The presenter talked about how unreliable semi-autos can be due to limp writing or just jamming, during a lethal force incident. Many of the people commenting argued that revolvers “never jam”, and that the typical “gunfight” is 3 rds, so more capacity isn’t needed. I’m old. I started out shooting revolvers and I still love and carry them. I also am an old guy who carries a modern, high capacity, semiautomatic with a dot sight. Do some semiautomatics jam? Yes, that’s why we practice malfunction drills. ALL mechanical things can break or malfunction. Have I ever had a revolver jam? Yes I have. They take longer, and sometimes a gunsmith, to clear. So there are no absolutes in those situations. Pick the best firearm you can afford and shoot well, and carry it in the best holster you can afford, with quality ammunition. Maintain it and practice with it. Dry fire and practice reloading and manipulation drills.
All firearms can be “fighting guns”. The fight is up to you, and your will to survive a lethal attack.
I’d stop watching anything from that source as soon as I came across that silliness
The presenter is an idiot. Change the channel as swiftly as possible, or watch for entertainment purposes and laugh your ass off.
was this video from 1964? 
I was just scrolling through YouTube and saw a video on firearms so I watched it. I couldn’t believe it. Then I scrolled through the comments and was even more surprised. I thought most of the “autos aren’t reliable” attitudes has long since passed.
I have multiple semi autos that have gone 4k rounds with 0 stoppages or malfunctions of any kind. Probably have more but I spread rounds around other guns and don’t shoot as much at the moment as I had before.
If people are having consistent issues with reliability they are probably shooting reloads and/or using crap non factory magazines, or just substandard guns. Or they are just repeating things they have read or heard.
A modern semi auto with quality OEM mags and factory ammo, lubricated pretty much at all, and held even half reasonably, is very reliable
There is a reason LE and .mil pretty much exclusively use semi autos…and they have those guns for fighting
I shot competition pistol for years, we shot both autos and revolvers. First let me say that in all the time I shot I would never call one or the other unreliable in any fashion. As being a participant and spectator I’ve seen 100’s of thousands of rounds go down range and I don’t think I could count the number of failures I’ve seen on one hand. And the usual problem was we All reloaded, so any issues we had was with our ammo, not the guns. Finally, they were all competent fighting and shooting guns, and to characterize either in one category or the other is in my opinion ignorance.
I see your points. I recently read some articles on this, one saying that semi’s have come a long way and can be very reliable. But I also wonder if a lot of folks do not educate and train on how to use them properly, thus for them mishandling it, it is not as reliable for them personally.
I like where you eluded to, to each his/her own. Many of us differ from one another. I mostly go semi, but interested in revolver that I recently went out and got another “wheel”.
I’ve never carried or even owned a revolver. Started with a 1911, now I carry a Glock and sometimes a FNX .45 Tactical.
6 semi-autos. 5 are for fighting and the 1911 is a dual role. Too purdy to be either, but capable of both.
Wanna get a roundy round gun though. Cool factor and all ya know.
Revolvers or semi-autos all serve a purpose. You can use either for fighting or shooting. Some people prefer revolvers and some prefer semi-autos. It’s a matter of preference. If I were in a fighting situation I would be happy with any reliable gun.
Or they got the occasional lemon from the factory. I bought a Smith & Wesson Shield. It jammed on the second magazine. Took it to a training class–multiple malfunctions. Instructors oiled it up, looked it over, watched me shoot properly (no limp wristing) and it still malfunctioned multiple times. I had to send it back to S&W and they polished the feed ramp and replaced the extractor. Functions fine now.
I have a S&W Sigma 9mm. Literally thousands of rounds through it. It will not reliable feed hollow point ammo. Round nose bullets have never been an issue. I should send it back, but have never gotten around to it.
I’m not a S&W hater, but the only center fire semi-autos that I have that have ever jammed were S&W. Ruger, Sig, and Glocks that I own have never had a malfunction.
But, yes, overall I do agree with your point/post.
My “fighting” gun and my “shooting” gun are the same gun. Don’t get me wrong, I love my revolver, but I don’t carry it everyday. I switched my EDC from a Springfield Hellcat to a Shadow Systems XR920 shortly after I started to concealed carry daily. My thinking changed from, I want as small a gun as possible to have it be the most concealed even if it’s not something i enjoy shooting to, I want to concealed carry the same gun that I shoot at the range and classes and will have on my belt if ■■■■ hits the fan. Give me capacity, shootability, and faster reloads every day of the week.
Both a semi-auto and a revolver are my fightin’ tools.
There is no distinction if I do my part.
Shooting specific guns would be something like a target .22 pistol, hunting rifles or a trap/skeet shogun
but even those could be deployed as fightin’ tools if necessary.
I have one of each as my 2 “fighting” guns, but they’re also my main fun and practice “shooting” guns.
I have other “shooting” guns not for SD, but as for my two regular carry guns, each does its job perfectly. Each fits a little different carry need, but I wouldn’t want to part with either of them, and I trust both equally do do what it needs to do.
Pretty ridiculous spin on that crap
Joseph 488, SIR my favorite fighting. Gun in my germen. 8, millimeter. Iron.sights. 6.hundred millimeters. Spot on. !! Amazing. Much better . Then my. 30-06. Pump! Rifle. !! With a scope.!! Mauser. 19,38 . Mint. Condition. High lift. Sight. Definitely . My favorite. Military . Rifle. !! My birthday present. !! Thanks. For everything . Sir. Love Bobby Jean and Debbie ann .SIR. 
