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What are your personal pros and cons between a revolver and a semi-automatic?

Revolver: Ease of maintenance and a sturdier overall piece of machinery

Semi-auto/blow-back/repeater: Rapid fire, easier to re-

Semis are neater, but revolvers are more reliable.

I've just always owned Revolvers, and the only time I ever shot an auto was times at the range with Lil Brother. Revolvers are simpler, and I just feel more comfortable with them.

Definitely revolver! While not having the same rapid fire capability or number of rounds as an automatic, some of the speed reloaders give close to the same effect but with higher reliability from jams/breakdowns.

I have to admit my favorite toy is a semi-auto but I always worry about jams happening at the wrong time. (Come on with my luck that would be when the darned thing did jam)

they both have their purposes

semi auto better at sea (will even shoot underwater) tho i have only did that in practice

semi auto easier to carry concealed

pistol more intimidating

stainless steel is a plus

there is room for both in my armory

Oh, we knows whatcha means, Chief (except that underwater part) and I agree, but we ain't never had any problems with the revolver. My auto is a constant, though petty, source of problems!

but you took cheap over quality

you save and get the right one the first time

ive had my semi auto for 5 years

Yep, we hears ya! Waiting on a Mak or Glock.

Oh, one thing about the Colt M1917 revolver -- it has a MOST intimidating muzzle due to the barrel contour. On the wrong end, up close, it looks more like a 12 ga. shotgun than a revolver. The S&W does not give this impression.

One nice thing about the M1917s is they can fire shot shells for eliminating snakes, rodents, or small predators without jamming like a self-loader will (yes, the M1911 can jam with shot shells -- I tried them in it!).

The .45 Auto Rim cartridge was designed to fit these guns without the use of clips. The .45 Auto Rim was brought out in 1920 and remains in production.

[Trivia: in an emergency or when the clips weren't available, the rimless .45 ACP cartridge could be loaded into the S&W M1917 clylinder and could fire six shots. However, the cases (rimless) would not be gripped by the extrator and they had to be punched out individually. Early Colts had through-bored cylinders for ease of production and could not do this, but later production cylinders added the "step" in the cylinder to fire the .45 ACP without clips like the S&W. This feature helps date the production date of the Colt. Both guns can use the .45 Auto Rim without clips.]

The advantage of the self-loader over the revolver has always been its use of a detachable magazine and the number of rounds it can carry. The clips used by the Colt and S&W speed reloading, although you're limited to six rounds of .45 ACP. S&W continued commercial manufacture of the M1917 as the Model 25 after World War 1. After some years out-of-production, it was reintroduced as the Model 625 in 1989.

Below: A S&W Model 625 revolver shows material and cosmetic differences over the old M1917 and Model 25, the most note worthy is the barrel lug that completely encloses the ejector rod. Neoprene grips are standard with the Model 625, as are adjustable sights.

[Darn! MSN sent my first part on the .45 ACP revolvers into digital oblivion. Here's what I posted before the photo of the S&W Model 625 in .45 ACP.]

There's a good, and mostly overlooked compromise between the revolver and the self-loader that combines both the simplicity of the revolver and the speedy reload of the self-loader: the Colt and S&W M1917 revolvers. These revolvers were purchased by the U.S. government to help equip American troops fighting trench warfare in World War 1 because the availability of the standard sidearm, the M1911, could not keep up with the demand. Colt converted its Model 1909 in .45 Long Colt to fire the .45 ACP cartridge while Smith and Wesson converted their Model 44 Hand-Ejector to the same caliber. Both pistols were issued to the troops as the Model 1917.

Both Colt and S&W pistols look very similar. Both were initially issued with blued finishes. Post-war, some guns were overhauled and these were given a gray phosphate finish that was considered more durable under field conditions. The sights on both guns are fixed; the Colt has a "shark fin" shaped front sight and the S&W has a rounded front sight. Colts have an exposed ejector rod, while S&W's have a lug beneath the barrel for the ejetor rod to latch when the cyclinder closes (and protect the rod). These are the major identification features of the M1917 revolvers.

When Colt and S&W converted their revolvers to fire the .45 ACP they were faced by a problem: the .45 ACP cartridge is rimless to function in the M1911 self-loading pistol. Double revolvers like the M1917 need rimmed ammunition to extract and eject the spent cases. The solution was the half-moon (later full-moon) clip to hold the ammuntion and serve to headspace it for firing. The extractor grooves of the .45 ACP case just snap into the cutouts of the clip. G.I. clips hold three rounds (two are required to load the cylinder) or the later commercial equivalents hold six rounds (one to load the cylinder). The ejector rod is able to extract and eject all six spent cases with one motion to clear the cylinder for a speedy reload.

Both Colt and S&W M1917's soldiered on into WW2 and Korea. On the commercial scene, the S&W redesigned the M1917 and offered it to the public as the Model 25. The Model 25 was blued and had adjustable sights. S&W dropped the Model 25 from its line for awhile, but IPSC shooting led to its reintroduction as the Model 625 in 1989.

If you want a handgun that has the simplicity of the revolver, the punch of the .45 ACP, and the reloading speed of the self-loader, then consider the Model 1917. I had both and they were great shooters.

Key Idea: Don't play around with reduced handloads or ancient ammunition in these pistols -- and this is true of all revolvers -- because you might just have a bullet jam part way down the barrel. It happened to me with both the Colt and the S&W. I was using handloads of dubious quality in the Colt and some very ancient M1911 G.I. Ball in the S&W. Both times, there was a different sound when the guns fired. I checked the barrels and found a bullet lodged about half way down it. I had to punch both out when I got them home. This is NOT a problem with fresh ammunition or quality handloads. The reason why the rounds stuck in the barrel was insufficient gas generated when the powder burned (old powder or too little powder) and the loss of pressure at the cylinder-barrel gap that all revolvers have. The combination was enough for the bullet to go about half way down the barrel and stop. This is something that all you revolver shooters should know about. If the sound of the shot does not sound NORMAL, stop shooting and check for a projectile stuck in the barrel -- BEFORE you follow it up with another round!

Above: A Colt M1917 double action revolver in .45 ACP. This is an arsenal refinished gun in gray phosphate. Note the exposed ejector rod and "shark fin" front sight that immediately identify it. Grips are smooth walnut and there is a lanyard loop on the butt for the use by cavalry troops.

Below: A S&W M1917 double action revolver in .45 ACP. This gun retains is origianl blued finish. Note the enclosed ejector rod and rounded front sight that immediately identify it. A box of Peters ammunition is alongside with .45 ACP rounds loaded into clips. A lanyard, as used by mounted cavalry or military police, is attached to the loop on the butt.

Ya know, MG, it amazes me that that style of pistol is still in vogue. S&W 625, the Colt 1917 and the S&W 1917. Except for the encclosed ejector and being a .357, my Taurus 627 looks along those lines.

I have Hogue grips on mine, though.

For a truly strange combination gun, the Mateba automatic revolver built in Italy has got to be a gun that combine both systems of the revolver and automatic pistol.

Here's what Wikipedia says about this expensive and elusive piece.

Mateba Autorevolver

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Mateba Autorevolver
Mateba Model 6 Unica revolver
Type	Automatic revolver
Place of origin	Italy
Production history
Designer	Emilio Ghisoni
Designed	1997
Manufacturer	MA.TE.BA. Arms (Macchine Termo-Balistiche), via Villa Serafina, 2/B. 27100 Pavia (Italy)
Produced	1997 - 2005
Variants	Variants
Specifications
Weight	2.96 lb (1.35 kg)
Length	275 mm (10.83 in)
Barrel length	152 mm (6 in)

Cartridge	.357 Magnum .44 Magnum .454 Casull
Feed system	cylinder
Sights	Iron sights fixed 2 dot Night sight

The Mateba Autorevolver (also Mateba Model 6 Unica) is one of the few types of hybrid automatic revolver (actually a semi-automatic revolver) handguns ever made. It was developed in Italy and sold by the Mateba company. Emilio Ghisoni is listed as the owner of US Patent #4,712,466 which details the operation of the weapon. The revolver is not automatic in the traditional sense of firing as long as the trigger is depressed, but called "automatic", because it uses the energy of a fired shot to rotate the cylinder and cock the hammer for the next shot technically making it a "semi-automatic".

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Design

The Mateba Autorevolver's barrel alignment is different from most other revolvers. The barrel is aligned with the bottom of the cylinder instead of the top. This lowers the bore sight (line of the barrel) which directs the recoil in line with the shooter's hand thereby reducing the twisting motion or "muzzle flip" of normal revolvers.

Variants

The following are variants of the Mateba revolver.

Defense - 4" barrel, .357-Magnum
Home Protection - 5" Barrel, .44-Remington Magnum
Dynamic Sportiva - either 5" or 6" barrel, .357-Magnum
Hunter - 8-3/8" barrel, either in .44-SW Special or .44-Remington Magnum

In addition, their barrels can be changed with interchangeable 3", 4", 5", 6", 7" and 8" inch barrels.

Mateba Grifone

Also available was the Mateba Grifone, which mated an 18-inch barrel, fore and butt stock to the Autorevolver's frame and action. It was available in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum chamberings.

Multiple Cartridge Capabilities

Mateba Autorevolvers chambered in .357 Magnum can be loaded with .38 Special ammunition but typical .38 Special loads do not have enough power to fully cycle the recoil mechanism although the weapon will still function with a double action trigger pull. There are two optional recoil springs designed specifically for .38 Special cartridges that can be installed by the operator to overcome this problem (.38 Special and .38 Wadcutter). Replacing the spring requires the removal of the slide assembly, which is blocked by a retaining pin held in place by a small set screw in the triggerguard. The barrel shroud acts as the spring keeper and guide rod bushing.

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