BUT, if you don't train regularly with them, haven't taken the time to determine a truly RELIABLE load for them (most people don't as you know), and practice failure drills until they're muscle memory, I think auto-loaders aren't the best choice for first time defense guns.
I take a lot of crap for that, but I'll stick with it.
A good .357 can chamber and fire both .38 spl and .357 magnum cartridges. If one fails to fire, just pull the trigger again and there's a 99.9% chance it'll go bang.
There are no magazines to lose, drop, or fumble with. And no one can argue that the .357 magnum lacks sufficient power.
There's a universe of small, concealable, well made 5 and 6 shot packages available today and they're quite common on the used pistol market.
As usual, just my two cents, everyones mileage will vary.
Good to see you about my friend. Take care.
Yep - revolvers are the best for the inexperienced. My use of the term ‘inexperienced’ isn’t meant to cast aspersions - it’s just the truth. We talk a great deal about weapons, but it really comes down to one’s will to live and the willingness to take whatever action necessary to achieve that.
One fellow I knew years ago said that he wouldn’t pick up a gun for any reason. My response was that not only did he not value his own life, but the lives of his wife and two kids were, in his judgement, not worth anything either.
That got him pissed. I told him, good - you’ve made the first step towards living in the real world. He didn’t much like that, either. needless to say, we didn’t have much to say to each other after that.