What handguns malfunction more than others?

Answer 1

Semi-auto Pistols malfunction much more than Revolvers.

There are a group of American made semi-auto pistols that I would say are the world's worst....they are cheaply made and poorly engineered.

Most are made in (of all places) Southern California.....Bryco, Jennings, Raven, Jiminez are the brand names I recall at the moment.

There were some really bad Llama pistols that came out of Italy in the 1970s and Star made some junkers around that time too.

While the original Ruger P-series was a piece of garbage, as is nearly every S&W semi-auto ever made, these guns at least have some redeeming qualities....they are junk made from good quality steel!

I would also like to add Hi-Point to this list. (I know, I know....someone has a Hi-Point with 10,000 rounds through it and no failures.....you are the exception, my friend, not the rule!)

Answer 2

You've got a pretty good range of answers here, from the ignorant to the well informed, LOL. Although, to properly answer the question, we have to know what your question was asking. Did you mean what "type" of handguns malfunction more? If so, that's clearly semi-auto's - simply because of their nature and how they operate. Yet, the notion running through these responses that a semi-auto malfunction isn't as bad as a revolver one is pretty accurate.

However, if you meant what "brand" of handgun malfunctions more, then that's a completely different beast. I work in a gun shop and I can say - without any BS - that all makes and all models have their good's and bad's. Some more than others, as in the case of "poor manufacturing and poor materials" which has been mentioned here. Yet, there's even some manufacturers who are great, but just have a poor design - i.e. some of the early clone makers (copies of "industry brand" firearms) who 'modified' here and 'tweaked' there to "make it their own". Taurus, for example, used to make a questionable product - really hit or miss, depending on what you bought. Of course, they've gotten much better over the years and are now a pretty good company with good "bang" (pun) for the buck.

Answer 3

Any gun can malfunction, even proven brands. I had a brand new S&W .45 ACP and it jammed on the last shell in the magazine every time I shot it. I got mad, sold it and bought a Colt. Problem solved right? Wrong! I was still using the ammo I had purchased for the S&W. Turns out it was a bad batch and while there was sufficient tension on the mag spring both guns would feed it, however when the mag got close to empty it would have trouble getting fed into the chamber. Sometimes it's not the gun.

However, I would stay away from cheaper "bargain" semi-autos. If this is your self defense gun spend as much as you can afford to. It may mean saving your life. If you want to be sure of your gun get a revolver. As others have said, I have never had a revolver fail on me. I did, however, break one once, but I had modified it and it was my fault.

Answer 4

All else being equal, a more expensive gun will be higher quality, and will be less likely to jam or "malfunction."
All else being equal, a decent quality revolver will be more reliable than an autoloading pistol; however better quality autoloaders, if kept clean, are unlikely to jam.

A used 1911A1 is pretty darn reliable; as is most any Browning. The 1911A1 does have a bit of a break-in period but not, in my experience, a long one, particularly a better quality one like Colt or Randolph.

Berettas are decent- I liked my 94f - but as far as autoloaders go I'd stick with H&K, Sig Sauer, Bren, Glock, or CZ.

For most people who need a permit to carry, you don't need much more than a .38 revolver. The Smith and Wesson or the Colt .38 is reliable, compact, and has sufficient stopping power for any personal protection need.
If you truly need a big, 10 round or more 9mm, .40, or .45 (outside of police or military) then you don't need a pistol - you need an armed security detail !!! (And probably more life insurance!) For 99% of civillian use, a .38 revolver is fine.

For hunting, you'd want something bigger, and a .44 mag Ruger is plenty for most game. They do, of course, have a fair amount of recoil - from your question I doubt you need this for hunting anyway. (And if you're hunting, you really should be using a rifle, shotgun, or bow, of course!!)

If you're in the military or police, you'll need a 9 mm or .40 cal autoloader, but you don't really get to choose them, normally, you just go with the standard issue for your unit. Most any police issue or military gun is reliable and accurate enough for what you need.

The very best things you can do are: 1) fire your weapon at the range until you're very competent at it and 2) keep it clean - clean the bore and the action after every firing, particularly for autoloaders. Use a lubricant that won't get gummy in the cold.
If you're really worried about reliability, go with the major American and European manufacturers. Avoid the cheaper models from Russia, China, and South America.

Otherwise, the component that's likeliest to malfunction is the shooter. Hone your skills at the range and you'll be just fine!!

Answer 5

As long as you buy a good-quality handgun, it should be fairly reliable. Semi-autos can jam, but if you drop a revolver on a hard surface such as a sidewalk, it may not function at all until you can get it to a gunsmith. At least you can clear a jam in a semi-auto very quickly if you know how. You can't do the same with a revolver with a bent crane or badly misaligned cylinder.

Answer 6

What handguns malfunction more than others? Junky handguns!

Seriously, most modern, quality handguns are pretty trouble-free. Limp-wristing can cause even a quality semi-auto to jam. So can lack of maintenance (cleaning & properly lubricating). So malfunctions today are more prone to be due to user-error or lack of maintenance.

Today the only 'modern' handgun that tends to malfunction (misfire) more often are guns like the now defunct pepperbox design (four barrel Deringers) and some Deringers (two barrel one over the other one). Sometimes one or the other barrel will fail to fire.

Best.

H

Answer 7

both will "malfunction" semi actions are likely to jam but calling this a malfunction is more of a mis-nomer as it is a likely happening and is expected so a malfunction is a harsh word. If a wheel gun malfunctions it is going to be a critical malfunction and likely put the weapon of out commission until it can be properly smithed. A semi can be field stripped and cleared quickly if trained and brought back to battery quickly

Answer 8

Any mechanical gadget can and could malfunction. Semi-vehicle pistols are no longer any exception, yet malfunctions in pistols isn't worry-loose, and their threat would be decreased to almost non-existent in case you're taking some very clever precautions. first and maximum general purchase a solid gun. For a house protection gun you do no longer decide directly to count on a low value piece of crap pistol because of the fact it became $200 greater decrease priced than a nicely-made gun. you may additionally use high quality ammunition in a house protection gun. on the type, shoot despite you choose yet once you leave it loaded interior the nightstand to handle a means intruder, you choose ammo interior the chamber which will go bang once you pull the set off. preserve your firearms. sparkling it and gently oil any shifting areas that are available touch with different areas many times. in case you will get a gun for domicile protection, prepare with the damned factor. If it is going to sit down in a drawer for 4 - 5 years, until some evening while your spouse is domicile on my own and hears glass breaking downstairs. Is she going to remember no depend if there's a around interior the chamber? Is it going to be 2nd nature for her to hunt for the front sight while she goals? Is she going to remember which way the protection is on or off? The mag springs would be ok and you do no longer could issue approximately changing the ammunition, it is going to final for a century if it is saved in known situation. in case you have a house protection gun. You and every physique who would use it would be standard and soft with it. Take it out and shoot it a pair cases a 300 and sixty 5 days. under the situations you defined you would be only besides served by using the .38. In a house protection scenario the double action set off pull of a revolver will no longer electrify your accuracy almost as lots because of the fact the strain will.

Answer 9

I have owned a lot of pistols in my life and not once have I ever had a revolver malfunction on me.

Every semi-auto has malfunctioned on me plus some a did not own and were just testing for friends.

I currently own a Kimber and a Beretta Neos.

The higher end 1911 pistols will give you all sorts of problems in the begining because they are so tight they have to work themselves in and then they start to run smooth. Normaly takes about 1000 rounds before a high end 1911 will run smooth, but once you get them there they run like water off a ducks back.

The worst I ever had was a lorcin 380 Auto. It was a jam-o-matic. 50% malfunction rate on the one I had. I have them all too FTF FTE Stove pipes. you name it that lorcin did it except shoot.

Answer 10

Cheap semi-autos top the list. Just about any .22 rimfire semi-auto pocket pistol jams often. I won't waste money on such junk that other people list here. Even the best may malfunction occasionally, however. My Browning "Hi-Power' would not function at all with hollowpoints until I had some work done on it. Now, I must keep the feed ramp cleaned every 150 shots or so. My CZ-75 and my SIG P-226 do not like certain ammo brands, but they work well with pet brands. My two Beretta 92's are the only semi-autos that have never malfunctioned on me. Revolvers are more reliable than semi-autos...unless you bury them in mud or wet sand. then, my Berettas big and tiny (9mm and .25) win.