Capacity. How much does it matter to you?

How much capacity are you comfortable with for a CCW pistol?

  • 5-6 rounds.

    Votes: 50 39.7%

  • 7-8 rounds.

    Votes: 37 29.4%

  • 10+ rounds if it doesn't print.

    Votes: 39 31.0%
  • Total voters
    126
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Bill Raby said:
Full size guns are more likely to stay at home. Only because most folks who carry concealed take the path of least resistance and/or simply lazy. It is not as difficult to effectively conceal a full-size handgun as most people come to believe, if you commit to it and spend the effort (and money for quality equipment.) Bad guys prefer to go after people that are not going to fight back. Fire a shot and he most likely will find something better to do. No, not most likely. If a bad guy wants to have a shoot out instead getting out of there, you have a rather serious problem no matter how much ammo you have. I'd rather have the serious problem with more ammo on hand … And then there is the extended shoot out with a whole gang of bad guys scenario. In that case you are just screwed unless you have back up. Even then you are probably still screwed. Ditto my last ...

A lot of you people watch too many movies and over think everything. Only good movies. Which has nothing to do with "over thinking?" Prefer to call it "over-prepared" which is better than being "under-prepared." Get the gun that you will actually have with you when you need it and be happy that you have some way to defend yourself. I'm entirely comfortable with an 8-shot 1911 or a 6-shot revolver, because I'm comfortable with my level of training. All things considered though, I'd prefer to have 13, 16 or 19 rounds on tap and a couple spare mags.
Click to expand...
 
I doubt I can say anything on this topic that hasn't already been said, except for the following: The biggest, best pistol that I can comfortably conceal holds 8+1, so that's what I carry. I'm about to move to 7+1, and I carry spare mags.
 
Some people (me) carry the same thing regardless of location and/or light. Ex: Glock 23 + spare mag.

That approach is a bit simplistic for some who prefer to use a carry hierarchy. ;)
Lethal force situation closer to home ("good" area) is anticipated to require "less" than elsewhere.
Somewhat like this:
Green: in perceived "good" area trip to store, pocket gun - in case somebody(s) try to kill them.
Yellow: out of green zone, across town, maybe at night, bigger pistol IWB - in case somebody(s) try to kill them.
Red: "indian country" perceived as potentially "bad" - add a extra mag to that pistol IWB - in case somebody(s) try to kill them.
 
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How many of you have been involved in an ARMED encounter with a criminal/s, as a civilian, and fired more than 5 rounds to stop the threat???????:)
 
CDW4ME said:
Lethal force situation closer to home ("good" area) is anticipated to require "less" than elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Why do you think that likely--assuming, of course that shooting is required at all?

Jim Rau said:
How many of you have been involved in an ARMED encounter with a criminal/s, as a civilian, and fired more than 5 rounds to stop the threat???????
Click to expand...
I have been involved in more than one ARMED encounter with a criminal/s, as a civilian,. I have never fired a single shot.
 
I would bet 98% of THR members have not been in a shootout, this includes me. But since this is about the stakes, my life and my family’s well being, I carry 16 rounds minimum.

I’m lucky and my frame allows a full size Glock so I’m not judging anyone who can’t carry a big gun. But if you can easily carry it, why not do it?

There is also the active shooter, nut job extremist that needs to be considered more now than in years past. May not matter but extra rounds might help you get your family to safety.
 
CDW4ME said:
Somepeople (me) carry the same thing regardless of location and/or light. Ex: Glock 23 + spare mag.

That approach is a bit simplistic for some who prefer to use a carry hierarchy. ;)
Lethal force situation closer to home ("good" area) is anticipated to require "less" than elsewhere.
Click to expand...

This is essentially what I do. The only difference is I do make a distinction between whether or not I'm in an NPE.

If I'm in an NPE I carry my Glock 26 and reload.

If I'm not in an NPE I carry my Glock 19 and two reloads.

CDW4ME said:
Red: "indian country" perceived as potentially "bad" - add a extra mag to that pistol IWB - in case somebody(s) try to kill them.
Click to expand...

I work in Indian Country when I'm not on the clock I stay the hell away from it.

My basic rule is it if I feel like I need to up armor to go someplace I don't go there.
 
Jim Rau said:
How many of you have been involved in an ARMED encounter with a criminal/s, as a civilian, and fired more than 5 rounds to stop the threat???????:)
Click to expand...

Well, in the two cases in which I had to draw a weapon in self defense, one was a group of four Hispanic males who were attempting to kidnap/rape my girlfriend in a laundromat in Iowa, and the other was two Native Americans in an old Ford pickup that were planning on stealing my muscle car in the middle of nowhere, Montana by blocking my return to the highway by pulling their truck across the road.

I didn't have to fire a shot, but ironically I had the same gun in both instances, which occurred less than a year apart. It was a Ruger P90 .45 acp with 8 rounds.
 
Jim Rau said:
How many of you have been involved in an ARMED encounter with a criminal/s, as a civilian, and fired more than 5 rounds to stop the threat???????:)
Click to expand...

I don't know if you'd call it being in an armed encounter but I've been in the wrong place at the wrong time three times.

All three times I became one with the ground until the shooting was over.
 
Trey Veston said:
Well, in the two cases in which I had to draw a weapon in self defense, one was a group of four Hispanic males who were attempting to kidnap/rape my girlfriend in a laundromat in Iowa, and the other was two Native Americans in an old Ford pickup that were planning on stealing my muscle car in the middle of nowhere, Montana by blocking my return to the highway by pulling their truck across the road.

I didn't have to fire a shot, but ironically I had the same gun in both instances, which occurred less than a year apart. It was a Ruger P90 .45 acp with 8 rounds.
Click to expand...

Small tangent but it applies to number of carry rounds.

Long haired blonde girls ARE A TARGET. Woman and girls in general are “easy targets” in some areas but blondes, in some areas, REALLY need protection.

Part of the reason I take carrying so seriously, and having as many rounds as possible on board, is because of the blonde females in my family. And yes they have been targeted in the past but luckily not harmed (thank God).
 
CDW4ME said:
Some people (me) carry the same thing regardless of location and/or light. Ex: Glock 23 + spare mag.

That approach is a bit simplistic for some who prefer to use a carry hierarchy. ;)
Lethal force situation closer to home ("good" area) is anticipated to require "less" than elsewhere.
Somewhat like this:
Green: in perceived "good" area trip to store, pocket gun - in case somebody(s) try to kill them.
Yellow: out of green zone, across town, maybe at night, bigger pistol IWB - in case somebody(s) try to kill them.
Red: "indian country" perceived as potentially "bad" - add a extra mag to that pistol IWB - in case somebody(s) try to kill them.
Click to expand...

Interesting point regarding where you go and the various threat levels.

I live in a small town of 800 or so. Two bars/restaurants and no stoplight. According to the website CityData.com, the national average crime index for America is around 300, IIRC. The town in which I work in about 15 miles away is 165. Lower equals less crime. My town is 25, lol. There's more of a threat from wildlife than people in my neighborhood.

But I work the graveyard shift in corporate security and our operations room has to have the local police scanner on 24/7. So I hear every call that comes in for police, fire, and ambulance in the area.

The town I work in has the low crime index number of 165, but it is a college town of about 35,000 with around 15,000 stupid, irresponsible, spoiled, entitled college students.

The calls are pretty steady, maybe a couple per hour, but when it is Friday or Saturday night, and the weather is warmer, then the radio traffic is constant.

But every weekend, there are calls for stabbings, assaults, sexual assaults, guns being brandished, vandalism, domestic assaults, burglary, etc. And every weekend they happen outside of the same couple of bars and the same few apartment complexes.

I have never been to either of the two bars where most of the violence occurs. I have never been to any of the apartment complexes where the violence occurs.

Part of the responsibility of being an armed citizen is avoiding places where you are likely to have to use your weapon, if possible.
 
Jim Rau said:
How many of you have been involved in an ARMED encounter with a criminal/s, as a civilian, and fired more than 5 rounds to stop the threat???????:)
Click to expand...

Since most civilian encounter don't have shots fired, why do you carry a gun that is loaded? Who has armed encounters - police do and they don't carry J frames anymore. Funny to see old shows with some old Detective with some 6 shot Colt DS.

I like the idea that nice areas only have nice low intensity gun fights. Sounds like a plan to me.
 
GEM said:
I like the idea that nice areas only have nice low intensity gun fights. Sounds like a plan to me.
Click to expand...

My stepdad was the Chief of Police of my hometown for 24 years, only about 15 miles away from where I live now. He spent 42 years on the force, and never fired a shot. Crime was/is very low.

But he lost one of his officers about a decade ago to a man that lost his mind. He was a POS that beat his wife. My brother, a Detective for the county, was the lead investigator into a domestic abuse case involving the POS and his wife.

One night, the man totally lost it and loaded up an SKS and several mags and killed his wife at their home out in the sticks. Then he drove to town and went to the sheriff's office, walked to the dispatcher office window and asked for my brother. He was told that he was off-duty and unavailable. Then he walked back to his vehicle, retrieved the SKS, and proceeded to shoot into the dispatch office, thankfully missing everyone.

Then he started towards a nearby church.

A young CCWer heard the shots and approached the area with his 1911, saw the man with the rifle from about 25 yards away and challenged him. He was shot and wounded.

The man then went into the empty church and killed the janitor cleaning the church after hours. He then proceeds up to the steeple where he had a view of the sheriff's office building down below and watched the responding city and county officers come racing up a few moments later.

He shot and killed a city cop and wounded my brother's buddy, a sheriff's deputy, as they were getting out of their vehicles, having no idea that there was a sniper about 100 yards away in the church.

The POS eventually killed himself.

A few years later, another POS with severe mental issues went on a shooting spree in the same town and killed three people, including someone in a fast-food place where my stepdad, brother, and I would meet for lunch occasionally.

So yes, my area is a pretty nice place, but there have been some not so nice shootings lately that are nowhere near the typical scenarios for self-defense shootings.
 
TomJ said:
A lot of this is based on our perspectives. My brother lives in a part of Wisconsin where crime is rare. They have 2 newer Audis which they do not lock. When we're there I instinctively lock my car with the remote and he's puzzled as to why I do that. To him carrying a gun doesn't even enter into his thought procress, much less a higher capacity gun. Living where I do (for now due to family reasons), carrying a gun with 5 to 6 rounds doesn't make sense when there are so many options with 10+ rounds available. With so many major manufacturers making compact and subcompact guns which are reliable, accurate and hold 10 to 12 rounds I don't see the downside to carrying one of those. I understand that the odds of needing a gun are minimal, much less needing 10 to 12 rounds or more, however I lose nothing carrying one of those guns. In the unlikely event that I do need that many rounds and I don't have them the results can be catastrophic.
Click to expand...

We'll go ahead and hurry north, it's nice up here and we'd love to have you ;)

I live in a rural area in North Central WI where crime is very rare if you don't do drugs or hang with those who do, I'm sure a 2 shot Derringer is overkill for anything I'd actually encounter, like a possibly rabid fox when I was walking once.

Yet in the past few years we still did have a mass shooting event (started domestic I believe) that cost an LEO his life and a string of daylight, occupied, home invasions only miles from my sleepy cabin/waterfront neighborhood.

So I carry, and I like to have more than 10 but have been perfectly comfortable with a 1911 and a reload as well.

When I visit family in Madison or Milwaukee, I do "gun up" to something that holds at least 15.

Trunk Monkey said:
I work in Indian Country when I'm not on the clock I stay the hell away from it.

My basic rule is it if I feel like I need to up armor to go someplace I don't go there.
Click to expand...

As mentioned, when you live rural, any city seems a place to up armor to me.

But places where even city folk need to armor up, yes I agree I just avoid.
 
The concept of a "low intensity gunfight" completely escapes me. Perhaps this is because I have heard rounds fired over my head and in my direction (Vietnam and as deputy sheriff). It doesn't take a bad guy armed with a gun to make your heart beat so hard it feels like your chest is going to explode. The guy who started to come after me with the 10" screw driver he'd been using to pry open coin boxes at the car wash got the same reaction (intensity) from me as the guy with the 12ga pump walking toward me in the trailer park. Thankfully both changed their minds, perhaps because of looking down the barrel of my Government Model 45...or perhaps because of my attitude and demeanor. Same result for the other 5 armed encounters I had while wearing a badge, for which I thank my Creator regularly.

My opinion, based on my experience, is that situational awareness is the most important thing to have when out and about...anywhere. If you see a potential problem, avoid it. Go the other way. Run your errand some other day. The best way to win a gunfight is to not have one.

After retiring from the SO I ran my own firearms training business, mostly teaching CCW Permit classes. I can't even guess how many times I was asked what the best handgun was for concealed carry. In the 10 years I had that business my answer remained the same. The best gun is the one you will have with you, that you will actually carry. Capacity doesn't matter if you leave it home except for those "Indian country" days. Unless it's involving your job avoid those days, or more specifically those locations, even if you have a Glock 17 and two spare magazines.

My $.02 worth,
Dave
 
It's been said before but I'll repeat it. If you really think you're going to be in a fire fight, show up with a high capacity rifle. If you're not, practice, practice and then practice some more. A hit with a .25 is generally more helpful than a miss with a .357 Sig. Find a weapon you can constantly hit with and practice more than being a statue and punching holes in paper. Whether you carry a 2 shot derringer or a 30 Glock make sure you hits count.
 
Kleanbore said:
Why do you think that likely--assuming, of course that shooting is required at all?

I have been involved in more than one ARMED encounter with a criminal/s, as a civilian,. I have never fired a single shot.
Click to expand...

I don't think that, carry same everywhere.
 
CDW4ME said:
I don't think that, carry same everywhere.
Click to expand...
Good.

Missed that. Sloppy reading on my part.

So, why would anyone think that?

Fill disclosure: at on time I dis make carry decisions on the basis of that philosophy.
 
Dirtdawg7988 said:
It's been said before but I'll repeat it. If you really think you're going to be in a fire fight, show up with a high capacity rifle. If you're not, practice, practice and then practice some more. A hit with a .25 is generally more helpful than a miss with a .357 Sig. Find a weapon you can constantly hit with and practice more than being a statue and punching holes in paper. Whether you carry a 2 shot derringer or a 30 Glock make sure you hits count.
Click to expand...
I beg to differ.

IF you think your going to be in a firefight --------- DO NOT GO THERE !!!!.

Leave and if possible send in an air strike !.

The best fight is the one you avoided,unless your bulletproof :)
 
The term "risk assessment" can be a bit variable, and it apparently also means different things to different people.

My personal perspective of "risk assessment" is predicated upon the experiences of my former career and training (meaning both as a working peace officer and a LE firearms trainer).

I didn't make such decisions for the folks I helped train when I was working (policy handled that), and won't resume or pretend to be able to do so for anyone else now that I'm retired.

Nor am I particularly concerned, let alone affected, by what others may wish to think when it comes to "EDC/Risk Assessment", for that matter. Handy thing to live in a free country. ;)
 
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