Maybi I. was originally born in Cuba and moved to Florida as a child.
She became a long-haul truck driver, achieving her version of the American Dream.
The trucking company she works for is based in California, so Maybi decided to relocate to be closer to the company headquarters.
Since she spends so much time on the road, she decided to rent a room in a house in California where she lived with four roommates.
Maybi wasn’t home often, and she didn’t know her roommates well.
One evening, she finished cleaning the home and planned to shower and relax in her room.
A male roommate returned to the home, apparently intoxicated, and tried to strike up a conversation with Maybi.
“He wanted to talk to me, and I wasn’t ready for a conversation. I was tired. I wanted to take a shower and go to my room. And he kept on bugging [me],” she recalled.
To avoid talking to the roommate she went outside for fresh air.
The roommate followed her, and she told him they could talk tomorrow after he cleared his mind, but the roommate became agitated.
Next, Maybi tried to go to the bathroom to get away from the roommate.
But when she went into the bathroom the roommate wouldn’t let her close the door.
That’s when Maybi knew she was in danger and got scared.
She ran from the bathroom and to her room. The male roommate followed her and broke down her bedroom door.
So, she grabbed her pistol from her purse and fired at the roommate.
“I fired one round because he got on top of me, because he pushed me down, pushed me against the wall,” she recounted.
The bullet she fired didn’t hit the aggressor, but other roommates heard the gunshot and called 911.
California law allows residents to carry guns on private property.
But when police arrived, they arrested Maybi for discharge of a firearm with gross negligence.
She spent the next twenty days in jail until the charges were dropped by the prosecutor.
Obviously, it’s incredibly boneheaded and unbelievable that this poor woman spent 20 days in jail – welcome to California.
With that being said, gun ownership among females has skyrocketed over the past few decades.
It’s estimated that about 40% of gun owners are women, and one in five women own a gun.
Many women who own firearms trend toward carrying revolvers.
Some people recommend revolvers because they are simple to operate and don’t take a lot of hand strength.
And I’m not going to argue whether a revolver or a semi-automatic pistol is a better choice.
Because the truth is that the best gun for a shooter is the one they can operate and are comfortable shooting.
However, one thing that is sometimes overlooked is how to train with a revolver versus training with a semi-automatic.
So, if you own a revolver or ever thought about getting one, here are a few training ideas that are different from training with a semi-auto handgun.
Malfunctions:
Any weapon can suffer a malfunction.
But clearing a malfunction in a revolver is different than a semi-automatic.
For example, if a semi-auto has a dud round or failure to fire you would likely pull the slide back to clear the malfunction and do a tap-rack.
But if a revolver has a failure to fire, you simply pull the trigger again.
That’s because pulling the trigger will rotate the cylinder and fire a new round.
Another issue that could arise with a revolver is the lock-up of the cylinder if it’s dirty.
This happens most often if there is fouling near the front of the cylinder where the base pin is located.
The cylinder on a revolver tends to be where things can go wrong.
If the cylinder notches are not aligned, then the cylinder could lock up.
Sometimes, if there is a malfunction, the cylinder won’t close at all.
So, while any weapon can malfunction, clearing them on a revolver can be a little more time-consuming than a tap-rack if it’s a serious malfunction and not just a dud round.
Trigger control:
When the trigger is pulled on a revolver there are a lot of moving parts.
The hammer is cocked, released, and the cylinder turns.
This is why trigger control is so important.
The shooter needs to make sure not to short-stroke the trigger.
Some shooters will pull the trigger again on a revolver before it resets, and the revolver won’t fire.
So, when training with a revolver, one of the most critical factors to practice is trigger reset.
Ruger revolvers tend to have a more noticeable reset point. Smith & Wesson revolvers have a smoother pull.
No matter what revolver you shoot it’s a good idea to practice knowing it’s reset so you can make any adjustments.
Reloading:
The biggest downside to a revolver is reloading.
And just like you should practice reloads with a semi-auto you should do the same with a revolver.
First, I would check out speed loaders.
They are a good idea if you own a revolver, but it’s something that needs to be practiced all the time.
But your speed loader could break or you might not have it with you when you need to reload.
So, be prepared to reload a revolver the traditional way.
Also, treat the revolver cylinder with care, don’t slam it open and closed.
Do it gently so you don’t damage the cylinder.
Grip:
A good grip is essential for shooting with precision and accuracy with any firearm.
However, with a revolver, it’s even more important.
You see, revolvers are known for their recoil.
And if you don’t have a good grip on the revolver, the recoil could be more challenging to control.
In addition, the wrong grip can lead to hurting your hand or finger if they are near the cylinder gap.
Plus, if your hand is too high on the grip strap it will cause the muzzle to flip up.
Bottom line: the best gun for home defense is different for every shooter.
And there is nothing wrong with owning a revolver as your concealed carry or self-defense firearm.
But if you plan to use a revolver, train with it regularly, so you’ll have the knowledge and confidence to use it when it matters most.
There are a number of firearm drills and training that I learned from my time at the agency and while training with Navy SEALs and other covert operatives.
