What is your minimum?

My minimum is a NAA .22mag mini revolver but I almost always carry something bigger. My usual carry is my DB9 9mm. When I go into the big city I carry my XDs in .45 and maybe even a backup pocket pistol. I NEVER leave the house without carrying a pistol. I used to carry a P32 to work everyday where printing was not an option but they sent us to work from home when COVID started and don't plan to have us ever work at the office again. I can't remember carrying the P32 since. I will carry my LCP during summer when wearing shorts.

All of my friends that will NEVER carry anything smaller than a 1911 officers model pretty much NEVER have a pistol on them.

WisBorn said:

@MikeInOr you mentioned your 1911 carrying friends.
With so many great little guns on the market. I don't get the mind set of only carrying a service size handgun? Or carry nothing???

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I agree, it makes absolutely no sense to me.

MikeInOr said:

I agree, it makes absolutely no sense to me.

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I think you would have to look at the reasons for carrying a small gun. The thread though is about personal choices.

WisBorn said:

I agree that carry is a personal choice!
I have no problem with carrying a service size handgun. Not carrying a handgun because it is to big or heavy or hot!!! That is what makes me wonder....

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I completely agree with you, it makes no difference to me what my friends carry. I find it amusing that they tell me that they would never carry a small gun like my P32, but they usually choose to carry nothing at all instead of carrying something small. I have never understood the logic either. These are guy that own many guns and could afford to buy a small pistol if they chose too.

P.S. The officers model 1911 is the compact 1911 with a 3.5" barrel, a fair bit smaller than a full sized 1911.

My minimum caliber I would be comfortable to carry would be .380 shot from my Keltec P3AT. After that it would be any of my Colt Detective or Cobra with 158 FBI loads.

For me it's a Glock 43X with 10 + 1 9mm

Otherwise it's my Glock 48 9mm with Shield Arms mag button & 15 round S.A. mags

Well I started with a .32S&W...but the only .32 I carry now is the ACP.

That's my minimum. .32ACP a.k.a. 7.65BR.
I put a Silvertip or a GD in the pipe, as well as the first round in the mag, rest is Euro hardball. Backup magazines are just hardball.

Rotate my minimum between the P32 & Beretta 81BB.

I rotate my carry between; .32ACP, .38Special, 9x19, .40S&W/10MM.
Circumstances and mode of carry dictates the choice.

I have gone with 9m.m. as my off duty carry of choice. I bought a SIG 365 for pocket carry as I live in FLORIDA and a jacket is just out off the question most of the time (though I could have done it tonight, burrrr). Several of my fellow officers bought one off duty and one petite female who works in plainclothes got permission to carry it on duty after she qualified with it, so it has proven reliable to me. I have not had any reliability problems, but it is right at my recoil tolerance limit. I tried some 124 grain jhp from FEDERAL and SIG and my recovery time between shots was too long, so I switched to the HORNADY 100 grain FTX "LITE" load. The recoil is about the same as generic 9m.m. 115 grain fmj.

Previously and on occasion I carry a GLOCK 42. I noticed that when I switched to the SIG 365, I noticed it more when walking. The GLOCK 42, even when fully loaded, just seemed to disappear and I would not even notice it when walking.
Before the GLOCK 42, I had tried most of the micro 9m.m. single stack pistols and found them just too unpleasant to shoot.

I still prefer to stick with a 9m.m. Everything else seemed to be more of a compromise for me. I tried the 5 shot J-frame size .38 Specials and a WALTHER PPK in .32ACP. All were good guns, but lacked magazine capacity, stopping power or controlability. The SIG 365 is the first pistol that I can pocket carry that meets all the needs, even if just barely.

Jim

My minimum is my Keltec P32. Definitely a "get off me" gun but I'm able to carry it places I couldn't carry something bigger. And, since Rule #1 is "Always have a gun" I'm covered.