TexasCHLforum.com

I'm not an instructor, but I have to ask....

Since you are not required to qualify with your own personal carry weapon, why qualify with a revolver at all?

The reason I ask is this: If you qualify with a revolver, you may only carry a revolver. If you qualify with a semi-auto, you may carry either a revolver or a semi-auto. Indeed, many of us here have both types of guns in our carry rotation, and qualified with the semi-auto so that we would have more carry options.

I typically carry a .45 caliber semi-auto, but I also occasionally pocket carry a .357 magnum J-frame revolver.

A lot of instructors will rent you a sem-auto (frequently something easy to shoot like a 9mm Glock) for a minimal fee. Then you qualify with the SA, but carry the wheelgun. And, God forbid you should ever find yourself in such a situation, you'll be legal to pick up and use a semi-auto in a self-defense shooting if necessary; or buy and carry one after trying it out someone else's at the range and deciding you really like it.

My wife is a perfect example of this. Her daily carry gun is a S&W 642 J-Frame .38 Special. But she qualified with a rented Glock 19 (9mm) and liked it so much that we went out and bought her one just like it the very next day. She never carries it, but she is licensed to do so if she ever changes her mind. And if, God forbid, we are involved in a shooting together and I get taken down, she is legally able to pick up my more powerful and higher capacity .45 - with its faster reload capability - and use it. This would be faster and easier for her to do than to try and reload a 5 shot revolver, under fire. Plus, she actually shoots the semi-autos better than her revolver... ...it's a matter of her unwillingness to make fashion concessions that prevents her from actually carrying her Glock.