Firepower (that's the main reason for the switch to semi-auto pistols, isn't it?) is a good thing. In a firefight, I want as many rounds as I can carry. Any combat vet will agree to that. But there are other uses for a handgun besides combat, and that's what we're looking at here.

As a young Los Angeles policeman, I started out with a 4-inch .38 and a couple of speed loaders; I didn't feel sorry for myself when I went to work every night in the south end of the city. I added a 2-inch .38 as a back-up (almost all L.A. street cops carry two guns) and felt very well-armed. The criminal element in Los Angeles was just as heavily armed in the 1980s as now, and probably more violent. I transitioned to a Beretta 92 and later a .45 S&W before retiring a year ago. But I still carried a succession of 2-inch .38s for back-up, undercover and off-duty.

This 70 year-old Colt .38 will still outshoot most new semi-autos. A superb trigger and excellent intrinsic accuracy also mean that practice is fun and rewarding. (Photo: Robert Kolesar)

I liked carrying the Beretta and other semi-autos, but if I were working the mean streets of L.A. again, I wouldn't mind packing my old S&W .38. A few old-timers in there are still carrying .38s - their numbers shrinking daily with each retirement.

I carry a handgun everywhere I go since graduating from the LAPD Academy in 1984. I tried the full-sized pistol thing, but it wasn't for me. Off-duty, of course, is different than plainclothes work, where the expectation of trouble is much greater. If you're on duty, a full-sized gun is probably mandated anyway, unless you're working narcotics. My usual carry piece now is an S&W M442 in .38, holstered in a battered inside-the-waistband rig.

Also along for the ride in my weak-side pocket is a Bianchi 6-round speed strip. I won't get involved in anything unless my life or my family's safety is threatened, so my little J-frame pop-gun is the right choice for me because it's small enough that I will carry it without thinking, unlike a larger auto. I know, there are many autos about as small as a five-shot Smith, but I like the little .38 and the lack of any substantial weight in the aluminum J-frame. It works because it's always on me instead of under the car seat or in the glove box if I need it.

The author's 4-inch M67 LAPD duty revolver and his 649 2-inch back-up, which he carried his first years on the LAPD. Both work well in retirement as home defense and CCW weapons. (Photo: Robert Kolesar)

Okay, let's get tactical for a moment. Besides not looking cool anymore, the main argument against revolvers is the limitation of six rounds. About 99% of the time, that's not an issue. But what if you're confronted with multiple assailants? As a cop, soldier or even a homeowner, you've probably solved that problem by having heavier firepower available.

But in the nightmare scenario I hear so often, you're confronted in a dark parking lot by several gangsters bent on robbing and killing you. Wouldn't the Glock 23 and a couple of spare magazines make more sense? Maybe, but always remember that tactics and coolness usually trumps any equipment issue. Not letting yourself get drawn into a bad situation is much more important than your armament. And I'll let you in on a little secret based upon 24 years of police work: bad guys don't go after people they think are armed.

Another old favorite, an S&W M10-8 3-inch .38, modified to DAO by LAPD Armorers. The trigger face was also polished for DA work and the action tuned. A superb carry revolver. (Photo: Robert Kolesar)

This accomplishes two things: one, the felony has already occurred and there is no doubt what happened, and two, it gets the bad guys away from any innocent people who could be injured if you reacted in the middle of the crime. It always looks better if you tried to avoid a shooting around innocent bystanders.

I'm not bad-mouthing anyone's choice of weapon here; any handgun beats your fists when you need it. I just believe, based on some pretty extensive experience, that a revolver for most people would work quite nicely. Do I dislike semis? Nope, I own quite a few, carried several different autos in both combat and patrol and still shoot bullseye with one.

I just think that most shooters should consider a revolver for their defense and target-shooting needs. A revolver is still a viable option for today's gun owner.

The opinions contained in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of TacticalGunFan or its staff.

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