9mm revolvers

[Ed steinberry]

I’m not even sure why I want one, but is it worth having a 9mm revolver? It seems like it would be a fun range gun.

 

[2AOK]

Hello, Ed.
I'm overly practical when it comes to firearms, so I don't really think in terms of range guns vs. defensive guns vs. hunting guns, etc. That said, my comment might not be what you're looking for.

Cartridges for revolvers have rims at the primer end, and a revolver's cylinder has recesses that accept those rims. The combination keeps the cartidges from jumping forward in the cylinder with each recoil impulse.

9mm cartridges (typically not for revolvers) don't have rims that extend beyond the casing because they're intended to fit into and feed from a box magazine. I think revolvers for 9mm and other semi-auto pistol cartridges require an additional flat fixture that fits into a recess in the rear of the cylinder. It seems to me I've seen two such fixtures accommodating three rounds each for a total of six rounds. The term "half-moon clips" comes to mind...

For me, that extra level of complexity is a turn off because reloads under pressure would be difficult (for me). But if you just want something different for range day, why not? I'd avoid the SA pistol cartridges and go with a basic 38spl revolver that can handle +P. Roughly the same shooting experience as 9mm, but with less complication.

LAST WORD from a practical, skeptical gun owner:
The firearms industry keeps itself alive the same way the fashion industry does. They keep recycling old ideas. A while back it seemed like most people had zero interest in "wheel guns" anymore. But now the industry has ginned up a "must have" sentiment for revolvers, and the prices are WAY high.

 

[joncon]

I had a S&W 547 9mm revolver it was a fun shooter, I wish I'd have kept it. S&W 547's have a tapered cylinder and don't need any clips etc to work properly.

 

[gregkl]

I know a lot guys who shoot revolvers chambered in .45 Colt. Mostly competition shooters. I think they would be fun but I'm into caliber consolidation so if I was going to do something like that it would be 9mm.

And other than the 547 mentioned above, Smith doesn't have much to offer in 9mm offerings. Plus, if you were going to compete with it, I'm not sure what division you would be in and if you would be competitive.

I do think they could be fun, but if you have a .357/.38 I don't see the cost/benefit being good enough to buy one.

Do you have any centerfire revolvers?

 

[ECS686]

I have used a S&W 625 45 acp since 1998. I love it and the full moon clip is great for fast reloads at any gun game.

I have toyed with some 9mm S&W revolvers as well so if you want one I’d say get it.

The only Quirk is stay away from steel cased ammo like Wolf etc. it will fire fine but the case expands more than brass or aluminum cases and you will not be able to extract it without a rod from the front of the cylinder.

 

[NyleRN]

I have a Ruger SP101 in 9mm. It's cut for moon clips. It can be fired not using the moon clips but you have to poke out the empties. It's not practical. For its size and weight there's semi auto 9s that are way more practical. I bought it simply because it's different. I'm glad I did cause I bought it before prices got nuts. Bought mine NIB at my LGS for $550 OTD 4yrs ago. You can't touch those for that now

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Ruger also makes their Blackhawk convertible (Single Action) in .38/.357/9mm with the extra 9mm cylinder. I always thought that would be fun. I have a convertible in 45 colt/45 acp. It's nice to be able to shoot the cheaper 45 acp ammo with it.

 

[Colt556]

I have revolvers in .45acp and 10mm and 30 Carbine and they are fun to shoot and pretty accurate. If you have a semi auto in 9mm buying 1 caliber ammunition is pretty beneficial especially since 38/357 prices are so high nowadays. I haven’t researched the 9mm enough to know if it can only shoot 9mm Parabellum or also shoot any of the plethora or 9mm cartridges out there but that might be interesting. My 10mm can also shoot 40 S&W which is a plus in my opinion. You may also want to consider the fact that you can have a revolver, semiautomatic and a rifle all chambered in 9mm. That could come in handy if ammunition became more expensive or scarce. Someone mentioned the Moon Clips as a hindrance but to me they are just speed loaders. You can preload as many clips as you want and carry them for rapid reloads and they also keep the spent cases all together if you want to save them. I don’t currently own a 9mm wheel gun but if I ran across a deal on one I’d pick it up. Sorry for the rambling post but hopefully it makes sense to you.

 

[Ed steinberry]

I know a lot guys who shoot revolvers chambered in .45 Colt. Mostly competition shooters. I think they would be fun but I'm into caliber consolidation so if I was going to do something like that it would be 9mm.

And other than the 547 mentioned above, Smith doesn't have much to offer in 9mm offerings. Plus, if you were going to compete with it, I'm not sure what division you would be in and if you would be competitive.

I do think they could be fun, but if you have a .357/.38 I don't see the cost/benefit being good enough to buy one.

Do you have any centerfire revolvers?

Oh yeah I’ve got probably 8 centerfires. Mostly .357’s and .22’s. I just can’t afford to shoot them anymore and don’t have a lot of time to try and reload them. That’s the reason I’m so keen on a 9mm.

 

[Whip_McCord]

You may like the Ruger Super GP100 Competition in 9mm. It's not a carry gun, but for range and competition it should be great. It's an 8-shot revolver built on the Ruger Redhawk frame. When it came out I thought it might be cool to have, but I have three S&W 8-shot revolvers in 38/.357 so it would not mke sense for me. I shoot revolvers a lot. More than half my handguns are revolvers. I use my 8-shot revolvers for steel challenge, ICORE, and range fun.

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ruger.com

 

[browndog2]

S&W makes a Model 929 that holds 8 rounds of 9mm.
It has a 6 inch barrel, so it's not much good for carry.
I use mine sometimes for shooting bowling pins.
I bought mine specifically for bowling pin matches.
10mm works better so I usually shoot the 610.
Using a heavy bullet with the longer sight radius seemes to work well enough.
I'm not sure if the slightly longer barrel length makes much difference.
Not much recoil.
Its a fun range toy.
If practical is part of your formula, you'll likely pass on one of these.
I do not regret purchasing mine.

 

[sliptap]

I have a Taurus 692 which has the ability to switch cylinders between 38/357 and 9mm. I was mostly drawn to the 3" barrel and 7 shot capacity but the 9mm compatibility is a nice bonus.

I honestly don't shoot the 9mm that often for range/plinking. The moon clips are a pain to load/unload and the moon clips sometimes bend, causing the rounds to not fire. I know they make tools for the clips but its easier for me to just shoot 38 special. The moon clip issues could be a Taurus problem (not general problem) but I only have a sample size of one

I assume most would be drawn to 9mm because of the cheapness/availability of ammo. I am lucky to have a family reloader who provides me with low power 38 special for plinking, so that ends up working best for me.

Happy to answer any additional questions on the 692 if you're interested. Best of luck in your search.

 

[Amishman44]

I’m not even sure why I want one, but is it worth having a 9mm revolver? It seems like it would be a fun range gun.

Fun to shoot... abso-freakin'-lutely!
Practical as an EDC revolver...not so much!
When you look at the differences between a revolver casing and the rimless semi-auto casing, after experience with both, I recommend keeping it simple and using the pistol or revolver that is inherent to casing design...more practical that way. Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[armalitesheepdog]

I never wanted a revolver that requires moon clips. Just seems like extra work easy to loose them ect. But if you want one get one try it if you dont like it you can always sell/trade

 

[Whip_McCord]

I never wanted a revolver that requires moon clips. Just seems like extra work easy to loose them ect. But if you want one get one try it if you dont like it you can always sell/trade

Not extra work the way I see it. When I shoot a match, I can load more than enough moon clips for the entire match. Other guys are loading mags and I'm just relaxing, and BSing with other shooters. Also, the brass comes out in a nice bunch. Much easier to pick up brass in the moon clips than scattered all over the range.

 

[Whip_McCord]

S&W makes a Model 929 that holds 8 rounds of 9mm.
It has a 6 inch barrel, so it's not much good for carry.
I use mine sometimes for shooting bowling pins.
I bought mine specifically for bowling pin matches.
10mm works better so I usually shoot the 610.
Using a heavy bullet with the longer sight radius seemes to work well enough.
I'm not sure if the slightly longer barrel length makes much difference.
Not much recoil.
Its a fun range toy.
If practical is part of your formula, you'll likely pass on one of these.
I do not regret purchasing mine.

While the 929 is nice, my 627s are similar but in 38/.357, the early models had some issues. I think they were with bore diameter, but I could be off. Just something to look into. Either the 929 or the Ruger Super GP100 Competition would be good choices for match/range guns. Pick whick one feels better in your hand.

 

[Whip_McCord]

I have a Taurus 692 which has the ability to switch cylinders between 38/357 and 9mm. I was mostly drawn to the 3" barrel and 7 shot capacity but the 9mm compatibility is a nice bonus.

I honestly don't shoot the 9mm that often for range/plinking. The moon clips are a pain to load/unload and the moon clips sometimes bend, causing the rounds to not fire. I know they make tools for the clips but its easier for me to just shoot 38 special. The moon clip issues could be a Taurus problem (not general problem) but I only have a sample size of one

I think the moon clip issue is more related to the 7-shot clips. I had a custom 686 in 7-shot, cut for moon clips. My buddy had it built by S&W before they had 686s with 7 rounds. They were hard to load. I think it was due to the smaller circumference crowding more rounds than anything else.

I have three S&W 627 revolvers (8-shot N-Frames) and those clips are easily loaded with my fingers. They also fit the cylinder better than the 7-shot. These clips are larger circumference and more rounds do not crowd the other like with the smaller clips.

I have not had any issues with the clips bending, unless someone steps on them at a match. Your issue with them bending may be to the maker or misuse while loading/unloading the clips. I have only bought moon clips from Ranch Products. I have used several hundred in 6-shot 45, 7-shot 38/.357, and 8-shot 38/.357. They are a good product and about the best deal out there for moon clips.

 

[Indy574]

I have a S&W 625 PC, probably one of my favorite guns and a blast to shoot. I’d say go for it.

 

[ACC]

I have the New Ruger Blackhawk with the .38/357 & 9mm cylinders. It is a nice single action revolver. I never shoot the 9mm cylinder but it is nice to have it if I ever wanted to.

 

[snapping turtle]

The fact that revolver rounds use rimmed cartridges make the using of non rimmed rounds an after fact in the building of the gun.

Nice to have for the utility of it but should not be the primary means of deployment