You have to think carefully about what you carry in your concealed carry jacket. What you choose can become a matter of vital protection of life and limb, and at a moment’s notice.
So what do you choose to carry?
Model aside, would you rather carry a revolver or a semi-automatic handgun?
Let’s take a look at some of the strengths and weaknesses of both types of action.
Revolver Pros and Cons
Let’s say you’re a fan of revolvers. Here are some of the advantages that they offer.
- Revolvers don’t jam in the same sense as semi-autos. This can make them more reliable.
- If you pull the trigger on a dud round, just pull the trigger again; there’s no slide to rack.
- You don’t need to worry about magazine seating or feeding with a revolver.
- Revolvers are more forgiving when not properly maintained and cleaned.
- Believe it or not, the rate of fire of a revolver is determined by how fast you can pull the trigger (or cock the hammer and pull the trigger). In the right hands, this means the ROF with a wheelgun is theoretically higher than with a semi-auto.
- Small revolvers can be concealed better than some semi-autos.
- Many revolvers are more affordable than semi-auto alternatives.
- It is impossible to limp-wrist a revolver.
Not so fast – you might want to have a wheelgun in your concealed carry jacket, but there are some drawbacks, too.
- Revolvers usually have 6 or 8-shot cylinders, a smaller capacity than most comparable semi-autos have.
- Some revolvers have very heavy trigger pulls, which some users find hard to use.
- Revolvers with external hammers may snag and get hung-up on clothing. (There are, however, some models that lack external hammers, thereby addressing this issue.)
- Revolvers can produce heavy recoil and a lot of muzzle blast.
Semi-Auto Pros and Cons
Now that we’ve covered revolvers, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why a semi-automatic handgun might be better.
- Semi-autos tend to have larger capacities than revolvers, in some cases, substantially so.
- Semi-autos are usually smoother shooting and produce less recoil than comparable revolvers.
- Reloading a semi-automatic handgun is much faster than reloading a revolver. You can also easily carry spare magazines, which you can’t do with a revolver.
- Semi-autos can be more easily customized; some also have rail space for mounting lights, lasers and other shooting accessories.
- Most semi-autos have much lighter trigger pulls than most revolvers, which many users will prefer.
- The majority of modern semi-automatics are designed to offer superior ergonomics than most comparable revolvers.
With all of that said, there are plenty of shortcomings to semi-autos, too. Among these are as follows.
- Semi-autos can jam when limp-wristed, and on top of that, mag issues can cause a semi-automatic to jam.
- Semi-automatic handguns tend to be more expensive than comparable revolvers.
- They can be less reliable in stressful situations, and operational complexity makes it hard for some users to become proficient with semi-autos.
- A semi-auto that has not been properly cleaned and lubricated can experience other operational malfunctions besides jams that can cripple it.
Not Here for Gun Wit, but for a Concealed Carry Jacket?
This is all well and good, but if you came here looking not for what gun to carry but what to carry it in, we have you covered.
Visit Fatigues Army Navy to shop a wide assortment of concealed carry jackets. Remember, not buttons, it should be layerable, and it should be comfortable and offer a wide range of motion.
Beyond that, how you choose to carry, and what you choose to wear, is up to you.
