Many retirees want to slow down and enjoy their time in peace and quiet. This is exactly what 82-year-old Venus R. did living on her farm in rural Kentucky.
However, one evening, Venus noticed her dog running towards a storage building on her farm where expensive equipment was stored.
Since it was out of character for her dog to do this, Venus went to investigate what had caught the dog’s attention.
As she approached the storage building, Venus confronted a man who was attempting to steal farm equipment.
According to Venus, the man said he would leave, but she was not about to let him go for what he had planned to do.
Venus was armed with a snub-nose .38-caliber handgun and she shot out the tires on the criminals’ truck, while balancing on her walker.
She told local media, “I didn’t even think twice. I just went and did it. If they’d even dared come close to me, they’d be 6 feet under by now.”
Next, Venus flagged down a passing motorist, who called 911. While waiting for police to arrive, Venus held the man at gun point.
The criminal, later identified as Curtis Parrish was charged with trespassing.
Venus told police, “I’m trying to live a quiet, peaceful life and stay out of trouble, and all it is, is one thing after another.”
Clearly, Venus was prepared to deal with any threats. The thing is, a lot of retirees like snub-nose revolvers for self-defense since they are easy to use and don’t require hand strength to pull the slide back.
On the other hand, there is no question some people love their semi-auto pocket pistols since they are small, but hold more rounds than a revolver.
With that in mind, a lot of people often ask which is a better choice, a snub-nose revolver or a semi-auto pocket pistol.
Before we dig into this, most semi-auto pocket pistols come in either .380 or 9mm caliber. On the other hand, a snub-nose revolver is usually chambered in .38 special caliber.
Considering the basics of each gun, here is a detailed look at some factors to think about if you are wanting a smaller gun for self-defense.
Ammo capacity. Most semi-auto pocket pistols have an ammo capacity from 7 to 12 rounds depending on the gun. (For example, my Sig Sauer P365 holds 10 rounds, but I can get an extended magazine that holds 12 rounds).
However, a .38 snub-nose revolver will usually have 5 rounds at the most. Smaller caliber revolvers in .22 hold more rounds, but then you are reducing the size and stopping power of the bullet.
Cost. If cost is a major consideration for you, then semi-auto pistols are going to be the best choice since decent models can cost between $200 and $400.
With that being said, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a snub nose, either.
Basic snub nose revolvers such as those from Smith & Wesson and Ruger usually start between $350 and $400.
Ease of operation. Obviously, there are a lot of factors that play into shooting a gun such as recoil, trigger and how your hand fits around the gun.
Both semi-auto pistols and snub nose revolvers are more challenging guns to shoot depending on your hand size.
What I mean is, these guns can be difficult for those with large hands who can’t get a good grip on the firearm. Personally, I shoot a semi-auto pocket gun much better than I do a snubby revolver.
Dependability. Anytime you purchase a gun, one of the most important factors will be the reliability of the firearm. In this case, snub-nose revolvers are considered more reliable since you never have to worry about a feeding jam or similar malfunction.
Another factor is a revolver will fire, even at point blank range, where a semi-auto could be forced out of battery if you are in direct contact with your target.
If you are considering a new smaller gun, I suggest going to your local shooting range and renting both semi-auto pocket pistols and snub-nose revolvers.
The biggest thing to take into consideration is how the gun fits into your hand and how comfortable you are shooting the weapon.
