Revolver vs. Semi Auto

[schneiderguy]

I turn 21 in a couple of months so I'll be buying my first handgun awe

Right now I'm trying to decide between these two (other suggestions are welcome as well). It'll just be a range toy and backup home defense.

S&W M&P in 9mm, 4" barrel

or

S&W 686+ (7 round) in .357 magnum, 4" barrel

Here's how I see it:

M&P 9

-More capacity (10+1 in CA)
-Lighter by about half
-Slightly smaller
-Cheaper gun by about $200, slightly cheaper ammo (compared to .38special)
-More tacti-cool, could add a light on the rail under the barrel

686

-More effective against two legged animals with .357 loads
-Less recoil than the 9mm with .38specials
-My grandpa has about 500 rounds of .38 special he said he'd give me for free (he doesn't shoot them, he thinks shooting full power .357's out of his snubnose revolver is fun D
-It says MAGNUM on the side of it which makes chicks wet amirite?
-Probably has a better trigger than the M&P

So what does ATOT think?

Update: Bought the M&P and joined the legions of the Semi-automatic master race.

 

[deadlyapp]

I'd go with the M&P personally, but since you're neutered by capacity restrictions there is less of a difference between the two.

 

[twinrider1]

Based on your ATOT history, I think this is more your speed....

 

[Malak]

 

[forhonor]

Try before you buy.

If you think the .357 is good for home defense, hopefully you're a good enough shot to not miss. In low light conditions, the .357 is blinding.

Also, you probably don't want to drop that much money on a revolver for your first hand gun. But if you do, get a H&K P30.

Some other guns to consider:
Glock
1911

If it's only between the 686 and the M&P9, get the M&P. It's good to practice with a lighter load.

 

[dank69]

Magnum, that way you can crack walnuts.

 

[lxskllr]

A revolver doesn't leave evidence on the ground ;^)

 

[Phanuel]

Try before you buy.

If you think the .357 is good for home defense, hopefully you're a good enough shot to not miss. In low light conditions, the .357 is blinding.

Also, you probably don't want to drop that much money on a revolver for your first hand gun. But if you do, get a H&K P30.

Some other guns to consider:
Glock
1911

If it's only between the 686 and the M&P9, get the M&P. It's good to practice with a lighter load.

1911 isn't exactly a platform I'd recommend to someone mulling over costs and new in general to firearms. Finicky and not cheap in the least for a reliable one.

I think the 4" barrel on the M&P series looks ridiculous(ly bad) and I own the 3" version of the 9mm myself. My surefire X250 or w/e that number is sticks out past the barrel and eats a lot of the muzzle action but it's built for it so I don't worry about it.

Glock is what I'd recommend if you're looking at comparable automatics, but be warned that they are fairly easy to limp wrist compared to the weightier M&P. If you can, rent whatever you're looking at before you put down the money so that you don't later regret your decision. Revolvers I don't have much experience with outside of shooting them once or twice at a range. Reliable, sure, but reloading in the dark or in a hurry requires quite a bit more ingrained training than shoving a magazine into a relatively open well.

And if someone comes in here and recommends the XD series, go screw yourself and your awful awful cheap Croatian garbage.

 

[twinrider1]

Jokes aside, your first pistol should be a .22.

Take a basic pistol class. Half day of classroom, half day on the range. Talk with your instructor. You'll probably get to fire a number of pistols and that experience will help you decide.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I like revolvers for first time gun owners. They are fairly fool proof, you don't have safeties to fumble with, you can easily tell if it is loaded just by flipping open the cylinder, the modern ones have the same kind of internal safeties that semi-autos do (to protect against accidental discharge if dropped) and they are less prone to jamming than semi-autos.

I'd get the Smith & Wesson with 6" barrel. I used to have one and sold it years ago. I always kind of regretted that so I bought an 8" .44 Magnum S&W a few years ago to replace it.

 

[JulesMaximus]

1911 isn't exactly a platform I'd recommend to someone mulling over costs and new in general to firearms. Finicky and not cheap in the least for a reliable one.

I think the 4" barrel on the M&P series looks ridiculous(ly bad) and I own the 3" version of the 9mm myself. My surefire X250 or w/e that number is sticks out past the barrel and eats a lot of the muzzle action but it's built for it so I don't worry about it.

Glock is what I'd recommend if you're looking at comparable automatics, but be warned that they are fairly easy to limp wrist compared to the weightier M&P. If you can, rent whatever you're looking at before you put down the money so that you don't later regret your decision. Revolvers I don't have much experience with outside of shooting them once or twice at a range. Reliable, sure, but reloading in the dark or in a hurry requires quite a bit more ingrained training than shoving a magazine into a relatively open well.

And if someone comes in here and recommends the XD series, go screw yourself and your awful awful cheap Croatian garbage.

How do you limp wrist a 9mm? :\

 

[schneiderguy]

If it's only between the 686 and the M&P9, get the M&P. It's good to practice with a lighter load.

I'd be doing most of my shooting at the range with .38 special which is less powerful than 9mm.

I've shot a comparable S&W .357 revolver (my grandpa has one that is a 5 rounder with a 3" barrel I think, forget the model number) and the M&P in .40S&W (also my grandpa's :awe and I shot better with the revolver.

Not really interested in 1911s. I do like them but .45ACP is a little pricey.

 

[schneiderguy]

Jokes aside, your first pistol should be a .22.

I know I know. But I've probably shot about 1-2k rounds through handguns in my lifetime so it's not like I'm a complete noob.

And I can always get one of those after I go broke shooting centerfire :awe:

 

[Gooberlx2]

I know I know. But I've probably shot about 1-2k rounds through handguns in my lifetime so it's not like I'm a complete noob.

And I can always get one of those after I go broke shooting centerfire :awe:

Yeah, I see nothing wrong with starting at larger than .22. I'd say go to a range where you can rent different handguns and put some rounds through them. Find out what feels good in your hand.

When I got my handgun, I started out thinking I wanted a glock, but ended up with a used Sig P228 because of how much better it felt in my hand (even moreso after I swapped in Hogue grips).

If I were looking today, and being cost conscious, I'd probably be looking at a FNP-9.

 

[Specop 007]

Range toy and back up defense? Revolver all the way. Thats a sweet revolver too. Not a damn thing wrong with the Smith but everyone needs at least one revolver in the mix.

 

[Jaepheth]

When you inevitably get drunk and decide to play Russian Roulette; we're more likely to win if you get the semi-auto.

 

[nick1985]

Check out the Springfield XD/XDm series

 

[deadlyapp]

Check out the Springfield XD/XDm series

My personal fave.

 

[schneiderguy]

Check out the Springfield XD/XDm series

What are the advantages to the XD over the M&P or Glock?

I'd prefer made in USA all other things being equal.

 

[boomhower]

I like the semi's personally. Added capacity over the higher power of the 357. The difference between the two is pretty irrelevant. With handguns of any caliber shot placement is more important that caliber. With the 9mm follow up shots will be much much easier.

 

[pontifex]

1911 isn't exactly a platform I'd recommend to someone mulling over costs and new in general to firearms. Finicky and not cheap in the least for a reliable one.

I think the 4" barrel on the M&P series looks ridiculous(ly bad) and I own the 3" version of the 9mm myself. My surefire X250 or w/e that number is sticks out past the barrel and eats a lot of the muzzle action but it's built for it so I don't worry about it.

Glock is what I'd recommend if you're looking at comparable automatics, but be warned that they are fairly easy to limp wrist compared to the weightier M&P. If you can, rent whatever you're looking at before you put down the money so that you don't later regret your decision. Revolvers I don't have much experience with outside of shooting them once or twice at a range. Reliable, sure, but reloading in the dark or in a hurry requires quite a bit more ingrained training than shoving a magazine into a relatively open well.

And if someone comes in here and recommends the XD series, go screw yourself and your awful awful cheap Croatian garbage.

we're not in 1940's any more. 1911s today are damn reliable. You can get a RIA 1911 for like $400 and it will work just fine.

 

[UsandThem]

What are the advantages to the XD over the M&P or Glock?

I'd prefer made in USA all other things being equal.

They are very good guns. I own several Glocks and a XD, and the M&P is highly rated. It comes down to how each feels in your hand. I have to say my XD handles the recoil better than my Glocks, but they are both reliable and fire every time.

 

[poopaskoopa]

What are the advantages to the XD over the M&P or Glock?

I'd prefer made in USA all other things being equal.

For me, it is the trigger. The trigger is lighter than M&P and the break is crisper than any Glock I've ever shot. I chose XD over slightly more expensive brands like Glock/H&K/Beretta/Sig for this reason.

 

[boomhower]

we're not in 1940's any more. 1911s today are damn reliable. You can get a RIA 1911 for like $400 and it will work just fine.

Can they be? Yep. Would I trust my life to any out of the box 1911 with HP's? Nope. If you go the 1911 route you have to be willing to invest in a proper amount of testing with your carry load of choice. The RIA's are a great value but aren't immune to 1911 issues. Feeding HP's is an ongoing problem from $400 RIA's to $2000 custom jobs.

 

[sdifox]

revolver