9mm Revolver - Yes or No?

[Penywisexx]

I've been contemplating a revolver and after looking at the SP101 in 9mm now I've decided to get one...thanks a lot, now I'm gonna be $550 poorer.

 

[Go_Ordnance]

You absolutely MUST purchase another gun!!! I am and have been leary of revolvers with moon clips, some seem to work well, some not so much. If anything may cause the weapon to not be 100% reliable, then it becomes a range toy in my opinion. 9mm bullet crimp is almost none and the .38/.358 has a decent amount of crimp. Lack of crimp can and will in even the most expensive ammo allow bullet jump. If the bullet protrudes for the cylinder, your gun will lock up until you fix it. Not a common occurance granted, but then again neither is needing your gun for a defensive encounter. As a carry gun, the 9mm revolver in WAYYY down the list of my preferred favorites.

Another vote no, for the reasons very well laid out in the quoted post.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

I have a pitbull and like it. I like the SP a lot more. haven't got to shoot a Taurus 905, but the way they flail them around in self defense videos, it'd be hard to find a more compact bludgeoning weapon.

 

[doctorjj]

I’ve got a couple of the 547’s. Never shot either of them. Haha! I also own 2 different SP101ms in 9mm. I’ve only shot one of them and it, like all the SP101’s I own, was smooth as silk.

 

[gerhard1]

Read that one on his S&W - not the greatest experience........Looking for some insight on shorter barrels.

I think the concept was and is good, but my 986 had issues of light hammer strikes. I sent it back to Massachusetts for warranty work. They've had it for a week now and no word from them, but S&W CS advises me that the turnaround time is about four weeks.

I like wheelguns and I like the 9 mm and moonclips are a very fast way to reload, so the 7-shot 986 seemed like an ideal combination. I just hope this trip to Springfield is the last one for this particular handgun.,

 

[jmike314]

I have a pitbull and like it. I like the SP a lot more. haven't got to shoot a Taurus 905, but the way they flail them around in self defense videos, it'd be hard to find a more compact bludgeoning weapon.

I have owned a Smith 547 (K-Frame 4" barrel - sold to another OSA member about 3 years ago) and currently own a Charter Pitbull snub nose in 9mm.
The 547 was very smooth and well engineered but as a full size revolver it didn't seem to have a useful niche for practical (to me) use. The Pitbull works well and is sized well to be a BUG for, for example, ankle carry if desired. Notice that in each case I wanted to avoid moon clips - that's a purely personal issue, some others seem to like them.

In my opinion, the 547 is the better made revolvere but is greatly over-valued in the resale market. Again, value is a personal decision - one man's trash another man's treasure.
The Pitbull is less refined but the newest evolutions (5 shot versus the early 6 shot models) do seem to work well (mine is of recent manufacture) and are of moderate price. I still am having trouble finding the exact practical role for this revolver but it works...if one follows Charter's instructions for employing the ejector rod appropriately.

I do like the idea of not having to use moon clips.

For the guys with a 9mm revolver.....have you had any issues with bullet creep? Are some brands less likely to creep than others?


“Crying is for babies, little girls, and men who just had their ears ripped off.”
- Winston Churchill

 

[caojyn]

most revolvers with 9mm cylinders don't necessarily NEED moon clips. The cartridges continue to headspace on the case mouth and not the moon clip. Of course you cannot eject without the clips, but the empties can be pushed out with a stick. lol

 

[jfssms]

just buy the best .38 or 9mm you can afford. Either will get the job done.

 

[ronny]

Had an SP 101; let it go. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Currently have a S&W 940. Very good carry gun.

 

[saddlebum]

I have a Ruger lcr in 9mm, it does nothing that a s&w shield doesn't do better