Revolvers and CQB, hot gasses...

[Marion David Poff]

Good Day.

The discussion about the compensated pistols and the vector of hot gasses got me thinking....

How much side blast do you get in a revolver?

And given concern over hot gasses with a discharge in CQB, the gun being close to the body, should I steer away from a revolver?

I always enjoy the insightful information y'all provide, thank you.

 

[dayton3]

Depends upon whose version of close-quarter battle you subscribe to.

There is a position used in some police circles called "close-quarter hip". This is a more complex version of the Cooper "speed rock". Both are employed against opponents at arms length or closer, with your weapon held tight against your side just above the hip. Do it properly, and you will at least get some tatooing on your shirt. The degree of severity is entrely dependant upon the timing of your revolver.

Practically speaking, it is not that big of a deal unless your wheel gun is a real "spitter". If it is, it needs the attention of a mechanic anyway.

Although it seems to be dying down somewhat, the horribly non-PC term "firepower" has caused many people, some of whom would be better served by a revolver, to shun them for the glitz and glamour of an auto-loader. A good DA revolver will serve you admirably as a defensive piece in the real world. The only reason I don't carry one as primary when in uniform is because I'm a walking bullseye, and almost half of police gunfights today involve multiple assailants.

But if I knew, really KNEW, that any lethal force encounter I might run up on again would be one-on-one, or even two-on-one, I'd still be wearing my trusty M-66 on the Sam Browne belt. We have had more than one bad guy walk (or run) away from peripheral hits with both 9mm and .45 ACP. The only felon we ever shot with a .357, regardless of shot placement, who did NOT fall down and stop right there was loaded to the eyes with PCP.

No, I am not saying that the .357 is magic, etc., etc. But it has a good track record; better than any of the semi-auto cartridges, IMO.

If a revolver is spitting lead and/or gas bad enough to bother you, it is out of time and needs repair. Otherwise, don't worry about it. Select whatever weapon pleases you.

 

[Rex G]

I agree with Dayton3. I never got tattooed badly by my own revolvers when firing from a retention position, but poorly timed revolvers have spit at me from several feet away. I carry a .40 Glock on duty, but off-duty frequently use one or two customized Ruger SP101 revolvers, loaded with full-power .357 125-grain JHP. I once owned a ported .357, and ports blow MUCH more stuff at you than the gap between the barrel and cylinder. I have seen, at close range, what a 125-grain JHP will do to a human body. Remember, revolver bullets do not need to be tapered to feed from a magazine, up a ramp, and into a chamber. A revolver bullet's hollow point gapes much wider, with most loads, and often the lead is exposed, both of which aid in immediate expansion. Revolvers, especially those without protruding hammer spurs, conceal quite readily and are smooth on the draw. In the real world, revolvers are not a handicap. True, a gang could assault your position, and you could then run out of ammunition before you run out of opponents. It is a personal decision.