Is 6 Shots Really Enough? - Page 5

Certaindeaf · March 5, 2013, 03:41 PM

OP,
For decades, most six-shot "shooters" carried two reloads and called it a day. That's eighteen rounds total.
Are you saying "six-shot" or "six shots". If I only had six shots of X, I'd sure choose a smooth K or L frame six shot. and even then

LouisianaGunner12 · March 5, 2013, 04:07 PM

Yes. I'm starting to think that 6 shots of .357 is plenty for the vast majority of likely (and unlikely) scenarios...

...and in the few unlikely scenarios where 6 shots aren't enough, the little Glock 26 backup in my ankle holster should be plenty. If I don't have enough time to draw my Glock 26 backup after my revolver's empty, I was probably screwed anyway.

Certaindeaf · March 5, 2013, 04:46 PM

I think it's been said, though I have no references but memory.. if you're able to trade your life with another on the battlefield (and how I read battlefield is you are essentially both prepared to trade), you've done good/average.

SharpsDressedMan · March 5, 2013, 06:18 PM

I'm not trading my life with a hostile adversary in an armed encounter. My life is worth more than his because I am a good guy.

ApacheCoTodd · March 5, 2013, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Certaindeaf

I think it's been said, though I have no references but memory.. if you're able to trade your life with another on the battlefield (and how I read battlefield is you are essentially both prepared to trade), you've done good/average.

I dunno - where I come from we call that a losing draw.

Sounds wonderfully romantic in a Hemingway-esque sorta way but on a battlefield it's a wash and in a criminal environment it's even worse.

Black Knight · March 5, 2013, 08:56 PM

What I like about a six shot revolver is that it makes you concentrate on making your shots counts. You can't afford to waste even one round. With a semi-auto with 15 rounds some feel they have enough ammo that the amount is all they need. Quantity does not always equal quality.

BRE346 · March 5, 2013, 09:12 PM

I thought 25 rounds would be enough until I got a compact with bigger mags.
Yes, a revolver had better be enough to get you out of range or barricaded.
It's those gangstas that worry me.

Bill4282 · March 5, 2013, 09:22 PM

Hear of a New York reload? If 12 good enough for NYPD, good for me. If the bad guy is a good shot, you'll probably not even need a backup.

Warp · March 5, 2013, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill4282

Hear of a New York reload? If 12 good enough for NYPD, good for me. If the bad guy is a good shot, you'll probably not even need a backup.

Don't NYPD carry Glocks with well over 12 rounds, and at least two spare mags for WAY more than 12 rounds total?

AFDavis11 · March 5, 2013, 09:37 PM

You will fight with whatever you bring to the table. Although you might worry about capacity now, you'll only replace it with worry about reliability, later.

Try to focus more on your willingness to fight.

Carry any gun you want. Fight with the gun, a reload, a knife, your fists, your teeth.

If you really want something important to think about, focus on the speed you'll probably need to draw and fire the first two rounds in.

I think worrying about the sixth round might be overly optimistic, based on the speed of the average gun fight.

JRH6856 · March 5, 2013, 09:54 PM

Quote:

based on the speed of the average gun fight.

3 shots in 3 seconds at 3 feet.

David E · March 5, 2013, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicroTecniqs

3 shots in 3 seconds at 3 feet.

Source?

Certaindeaf · March 5, 2013, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SharpsDressedMan

I'm not trading my life with a hostile adversary in an armed encounter. My life is worth more than his because I am a good guy.

I hear you and they'll all say/think that but the truth is true. You're either going to trade or not, hence historical numbers. You almost don't have a choice if you go on the field.

asia331 · March 5, 2013, 10:44 PM

Someone once said words to the effect that if you need more than 6-7 rounds you don't need more ammo...you need more friends

KC&97TA · March 5, 2013, 11:06 PM

This is like the 9mm vs 40 vs 45 vs...

I feel adequate with 6 in a Colt D or S&W 10, snub noses are my choice the majority of days. No reload, just 6 rounds of 158gr +P.

I admit, I vary my carry with sub compact high capacity tuperware and various 1911's... more so on Sat / Sun than durring the week.

SharpsDressedMan · March 5, 2013, 11:57 PM

If you have already decided you are going to come up even in a gunfight, it's better that you decline to participate. Stay home. To allow any thoughts other than victory is to sabotage your own mindset. Don't do it.

smle41 · March 6, 2013, 12:02 AM

What Asia331 said has much truth in it.. individuals are much more easily picked off than pairs or groups.

ZVP · March 6, 2013, 01:30 AM

A handgun is for defense, if 4 are not enough then hope that your records are in order!
Seriously, the odds of multiple attackers are low and you had be well practiced enough to make all 5 count!Most people don't carry a gun so you are already ahead in the fight.
I trust my little Chief's Special.
ZVP

Bill4282 · March 6, 2013, 02:18 AM

A New York reload was two .38s, one in each back pocket.

Tcruse · March 6, 2013, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asia331

Someone once said words to the effect that if you need more than 6-7 rounds you don't need more ammo...you need more friends

Probably good advice. For the government to tell me that 6,7,10 or 15 is enough is an absolute NO. The choice should of what I depend on is mine and a "right" under the constitution, so it is not dependent on what someone else thinks is good for me.
The how many is enough many times comes down to "revolver" or "semi-automatic". I know that a revolver can be as accurate and as powerfull (maybe more so) than an automatice, however I have observed that the people that go to my range with revolvers (a minority of shooters) do not seem to hit as well. One of the things that my CCW instructor said in gun and ammo selection was to see what the local police carried and use that as a starting point. Mainly so that you had a good answer as to why you carried that "evil black Glock" with hollow point ammo. I see almost no LEO using revolvers these days, that should tell us something about what works best. If you look at the math, probably an empty gun is enough most of the time.

David E · March 6, 2013, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZVP

!
Seriously, the odds of multiple attackers are low

Over 40% of the time, there are multiple attackers. You're calling 40% low odds?

Quote:

you had be well practiced enough to make all 5 count!

Yup!

Quote:

I trust my little Chief's Special.

Curious, do you carry a reload for it?

Godsgunman · March 6, 2013, 10:42 AM

"3 shots in 3 seconds at 3 feet"
That'll most likely get you injured if not killed. Only takes me 1 second to cover 3 feet of distance.

JRH6856 · March 6, 2013, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David E

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicroTecniqs

3 shots in 3 seconds at 3 feet.

Source?

Supposedly from FBI statistics.

JRH6856 · March 6, 2013, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godsgunman

"3 shots in 3 seconds at 3 feet"
That'll most likely get you injured if not killed. Only takes me 1 second to cover 3 feet of distance.

That assumes the fight starts with you at 3 feet rather than ends with you at 3 feet.

Godsgunman · March 6, 2013, 11:05 AM

Also letting the threat within 3' (basically arms reach) in the first place generally shows a huge lack of situational awareness and you aren't drawing your gun in time before you are sucker punched from that distance.

March 5, 2013, 03:41 PM	#101
Certaindeaf Member Join Date: January 16, 2012 Location: Wet Oregon Posts: 4,592	OP, For decades, most six-shot "shooters" carried two reloads and called it a day. That's eighteen rounds total. Are you saying "six-shot" or "six shots". If I only had six shots of X, I'd sure choose a smooth K or L frame six shot. and even then __________________ Sent from my computer using my fingers.

March 5, 2013, 04:46 PM	#103
Certaindeaf Member Join Date: January 16, 2012 Location: Wet Oregon Posts: 4,592	I think it's been said, though I have no references but memory.. if you're able to trade your life with another on the battlefield (and how I read battlefield is you are essentially both prepared to trade), you've done good/average. __________________ Sent from my computer using my fingers.

March 5, 2013, 06:18 PM	#104
SharpsDressedMan Member Join Date: February 18, 2007 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 5,226	I'm not trading my life with a hostile adversary in an armed encounter. My life is worth more than his because I am a good guy. __________________ 1)Beware of the man with only eight rounds.......he MAY be scared enough to make them count! M1 Garand & M1911 2) "What would Genghis Khan do?"

March 5, 2013, 09:12 PM	#107
BRE346 Member Join Date: February 10, 2011 Location: South Texas Posts: 211	I thought 25 rounds would be enough until I got a compact with bigger mags. Yes, a revolver had better be enough to get you out of range or barricaded. It's those gangstas that worry me. __________________ Ancient Airman

March 5, 2013, 11:06 PM	#115
KC&97TA Member Join Date: July 17, 2005 Posts: 788	This is like the 9mm vs 40 vs 45 vs... I feel adequate with 6 in a Colt D or S&W 10, snub noses are my choice the majority of days. No reload, just 6 rounds of 158gr +P. I admit, I vary my carry with sub compact high capacity tuperware and various 1911's... more so on Sat / Sun than durring the week. __________________ "Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never really care for anything else thereafter." -- Ernest Hemingway

March 5, 2013, 04:07 PM	#102
LouisianaGunner12 Member Join Date: June 7, 2012 Posts: 44	Yes. I'm starting to think that 6 shots of .357 is plenty for the vast majority of likely (and unlikely) scenarios... ...and in the few unlikely scenarios where 6 shots aren't enough, the little Glock 26 backup in my ankle holster should be plenty. If I don't have enough time to draw my Glock 26 backup after my revolver's empty, I was probably screwed anyway.

March 5, 2013, 08:56 PM	#106
Black Knight Member Join Date: June 19, 2006 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 1,173	What I like about a six shot revolver is that it makes you concentrate on making your shots counts. You can't afford to waste even one round. With a semi-auto with 15 rounds some feel they have enough ammo that the amount is all they need. Quantity does not always equal quality.

March 5, 2013, 09:22 PM	#108
Bill4282 Member Join Date: February 24, 2013 Posts: 91	Hear of a New York reload? If 12 good enough for NYPD, good for me. If the bad guy is a good shot, you'll probably not even need a backup.

March 5, 2013, 09:37 PM	#110
AFDavis11 Member Join Date: December 10, 2011 Posts: 185	You will fight with whatever you bring to the table. Although you might worry about capacity now, you'll only replace it with worry about reliability, later. Try to focus more on your willingness to fight. Carry any gun you want. Fight with the gun, a reload, a knife, your fists, your teeth. If you really want something important to think about, focus on the speed you'll probably need to draw and fire the first two rounds in. I think worrying about the sixth round might be overly optimistic, based on the speed of the average gun fight.

March 5, 2013, 10:44 PM	#114
asia331 Member Join Date: December 25, 2010 Location: Arizona Posts: 255	Someone once said words to the effect that if you need more than 6-7 rounds you don't need more ammo...you need more friends

March 5, 2013, 11:57 PM	#116
SharpsDressedMan Member Join Date: February 18, 2007 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 5,226	If you have already decided you are going to come up even in a gunfight, it's better that you decline to participate. Stay home. To allow any thoughts other than victory is to sabotage your own mindset. Don't do it. __________________ 1)Beware of the man with only eight rounds.......he MAY be scared enough to make them count! M1 Garand & M1911 2) "What would Genghis Khan do?"

March 6, 2013, 12:02 AM	#117
smle41 Member Join Date: July 6, 2011 Location: Athol, ID Posts: 31	What Asia331 said has much truth in it.. individuals are much more easily picked off than pairs or groups.

March 6, 2013, 01:30 AM	#118
ZVP Member Join Date: May 20, 2010 Posts: 343	A handgun is for defense, if 4 are not enough then hope that your records are in order! Seriously, the odds of multiple attackers are low and you had be well practiced enough to make all 5 count!Most people don't carry a gun so you are already ahead in the fight. I trust my little Chief's Special. ZVP

March 6, 2013, 02:18 AM	#119
Bill4282 Member Join Date: February 24, 2013 Posts: 91	A New York reload was two .38s, one in each back pocket.

March 6, 2013, 10:42 AM	#122
Godsgunman Member Join Date: February 14, 2012 Location: Olathe, KS Posts: 382	"3 shots in 3 seconds at 3 feet" That'll most likely get you injured if not killed. Only takes me 1 second to cover 3 feet of distance.

March 6, 2013, 11:05 AM	#125
Godsgunman Member Join Date: February 14, 2012 Location: Olathe, KS Posts: 382	Also letting the threat within 3' (basically arms reach) in the first place generally shows a huge lack of situational awareness and you aren't drawing your gun in time before you are sucker punched from that distance.