Anybody here carry/shoot a 9mm revolver?

[Mr Whiskey]

Whatta ya think of it? (Revolver only please. I'm a wheel gun guy, thank you.)

[Chrisj CMA]

I can't see why anyone would want a little 9mm in a revolver.  A small semi auto has the advantage of size for CC.  If you are going to carry a revolver 38+P or .357 are the same size gun (can be) but much more effective rounds.

[CajunRider]

Never tried a 9mm in a revolver. 

Though I AM a fan of revolvers (380, 357, 45... any of 'em).  Simple to load & shoot, especially for those that have trouble pulling the slide on a semi. 

If you're looking for accuracy, go with single action.  I'm a big fan of Ruger single-6 revolvers.  My .17 HMR Single-6 can take a bottle cap off at 30 yards (so can my dad's single-6 .22). 

If you want self defense, get a snub-nose (1.5 or 2 inch barrel) dual action.  They are much easier to carry, plenty accurate enough for close up, and no need to rooster it before shooting (just pull the trigger). 

[solo1]

There is only one revolver in 9mm that I 'm familiar with, the Charter Arms Pit Bull.  A 9mm cartridge is rimless and will not work in a revolver unless the revolver uses half moon clips (I don't know of any)  or if it is a Pit Bull.

Charter Arms unique approach to this problem doesn't use half moon clips.  I had a .40 in charter Arms Pit Bull. It had to be returned for opening up the cylinders.  Even then, it was a pain to load (the cartridges had to be pushed into the cylinders, and extraction was not consistent, at least one empty would hang up.  Not recommended!

Best to get a .38 Special or .357 revolver.  The .38 special has about the same power as a 9mm.  The.357 much greater. There are many good wheelguns out there.

I like wheelguns myself. I have two Ruger single actions, a New Vacquero in .357 and a Super single six (.22).  MY Charter Arms .44 special Bulldog is another great revolver.!

[Jess from VA]

At different times, several makers made 9mm revolvers (I think both Smith, Taurus, and maybe Charter) (.40, 10mm, and .45acp too), they all need full moon clips for quick reloads and to make the ejection rod work.  Some (or all) of them will shoot ammo without full moons, but the shell cases expand in the cylinder, and won't dump out with gravity, you have to poke them out one by one with a cleaning rod.  So even though they may shoot without clips (and without one, you can get a light primer strike and a misfire), it is really not a good idea, unless you are just screwing around at the range, and have a cleaning rod handy.

9mm is a decent defensive round, in modern JHP quality expensive ammo, but not so much in the cheapest 115 FMJ.  And of course, .38 special has traditionally been the cheapest centerfire ammo available, though when you get good JHP PlusP, the price goes up.  Unless you were chasing a 9mm revolver because all your autos were 9's too and you wanted to stick with one ammo, I'd pass on a 9mm revolver.  Also, the 9 loses decent power in a short bbl revolver with gap between cylinder and bbl.  .38 has about the same power, and .357 better power, and both are made for revolvers and both are utterly reliable in revolvers.

That said, I love the .45acp round and have a couple revolvers that shoot it with full moons (1911s too, and thus the ammo universality applies).  All of them are big N-frame revolvers, more for target (or home defense) and not for carry.  And I can load .45 Auto Rim which has a rim and needs no moon clips.  With dozens of loaded full moons, these revolvers can be reloaded more quickly than with speed loaders, but really these revolvers are not go to guns for SHTF situations (although, if all I had was a revolver, then this would be it).  But the 45 acp does make a nice big hole, is very accurate, and recoil in a heavy revolver is quite manageable, say compared to a .44 mag.

[Hoser]

I have a European 9mm six gun by Smith and Wesson, three inch barrel, was marketed for Police overseas, did not go over well with all the high capacity autoloaders, limited production and pretty rare.  It has a unique ejection cylinder that will eject 9mm rimless. Does not work well unless the revolver is kept meticulous clean.  It is worth some bucks because of it's scarcity. I use my Glock mostly when I shoot 9mm.  I wish I could remember what the model it is, but I don't have the box. Hoser

[solo1]

BTW, the Charter Arms 9mm Pit Bull is still in production.  The cylinder uses very small individual spring loaded crescents in each chamber to headspace the round.  As a result each round must be pushed into the chambers overcoming the springs.  Extraction is even worse.  Invariably the ejector star will overide at least one round resulting in a problem.

I traded my .40 Pit Bull and lost money on it  since the word was out about problems.

I'll stick with my Charter Arms .44 Special Bull Dog.    The .44 special is is a very dependable round with power roughly equal to the .45 acp but a bullet .020 smaller in diameter.   This Charter Arms is well made unlike some years ago.

[Chrisj CMA]

The main drawback with a revolver chambered in 9mm is they are short (acp) rounds that really can't afford the less efficient platform of the revolver.  At least with the semi automatic you get more rounds before reloading.  

I mostly carry a 4" bbl Smith 686 with full power .357.  In that strength, six is plenty.

[solo1]

When revolvers are mentioned, the Ruger name comes up.  Here is my classical Ruger, A four inch barrel Security Six .357 with goncolas wood grips and target sights, all factory issue.

A real heavy duty revolver.

[PAVALKER]

I have a Taurus 905 9mm revolver and also a 455 45ACP revolver.  They are unique and fun to shoot, and use the same ammo as some semis.  They use moon clips (actually stellar clips....a full moon) and will shoot even without moon clips but, occasionally, a casing may get caught in the cylinder (but only without the moon clips).  I believe the purpose of these wheel guns in these calibers was to use common calibers as back up wheel gun....in the event of a jam on a semi.  Makes ammo stock easier as well.   

[Jess from VA]

I love revolvers.  The machinery is old school, and good ones are as reliable as anything ever made my man.  They are more interesting than autos, though they cannot do everything autos can do (unless you're Jerry Miculek). My favorites are (older) Smith K frames.

Performance Center PC13 from 1995 (Lew Horton) ( .357 3" round butt DAO)


Smith 19 (2.5" .357 round butt)


Smith 15 (.38 2" square butt)


Smith 10 (.38 4" square butt)


Smith 66 (.357 4" square butt)


They're cheaper than Valkyries, so you can have more of them.  

[PAVALKER]

Smith 10 (.38 4" square butt)

That was my first, still have it in the original box...

[henry 008]

357 baby! 



I carry this as much as my lcp 

[Wizzard]

Never tried a 9mm in a revolver. 

Though I AM a fan of revolvers (380, 357, 45... any of 'em).  Simple to load & shoot, especially for those that have trouble pulling the slide on a semi. 

If you're looking for accuracy, go with single action.  I'm a big fan of Ruger single-6 revolvers.  My .17 HMR Single-6 can take a bottle cap off at 30 yards (so can my dad's single-6 .22). 

If you want self defense, get a snub-nose (1.5 or 2 inch barrel) dual action.  They are much easier to carry, plenty accurate enough for close up, and no need to rooster it before shooting (just pull the trigger). 

Amen,, I have a .22 /22mag convertible in the Ruger single 6 and a 357 mag of the same. Very accurate. That .22 is the most fun to shoot. Especially when I put the .22 mag cylinder in.