Caliber vs Capacity...Where do YOU draw the line?

I chose 9x19 as a Glock 19 with 15 rd. mag is my normal carry gun, but sometimes carry a Glock 21 SF .45 with 13 rd. mag, so therefore picked 12-13 rd. as minimum.
I Always carry a spare mag, but it doesn't affect the decision as to what to carry.

The minimum cartridge I'll carry as a primary CCW is .380ACP. My Ruger LCP is always loaded with 6+1, for a 7-round minimum. But I voted for my minimum capacity as 5 rounds, but to me, that's only acceptable in a revolver of at least .38 Special or better.

I do have a NAA Mini Magnum (5-shot, .22 Magnum) in my pocket right now, but I have bigger, better guns nearby. I'd never stray too far from home with only my Mini Revolver, but it's nice to keep in a pocket at work or around the house.

If I'm going to pack only 1 CCW, away from home or work, it's a minimum of 7 rounds of .380ACP, or 5 rounds of .38 Special +P.

Of the pistols I own (xd9 and xd9sc), one of them is always with me, even around the house. So practically, I am in the 9mm camp with 11 round minimum.
Theoretically, a 5-shot .38 snub nose would be my lowest round count and caliber (although I would carry at least one reload).
Ideally, I would go for a 1911 with officers size frame and 4" barrel (that would be 45acp and 7 rounds).
Alas that there are so many desirable firearms around and not the funds to purchase them! Until Ed McMahon brings my check, one of my trusty xd's will be by my side.

My theoretical minimum would be 6+1 .380 in an LCP. I did almost vote for 5 rounds of .38 spl though.

I realized that my CW9 with 8 rounds of 9mm is small enough to carry anywhere I ever go so that is my practical minimum.

My main carry right now is a Walther PPS 9mm with a 7 round mag. I haven't bothered to buy some more mags yet because of the cost and availability. So, right now my line is 8 rnds of 9mm. However, my other 9mm carry gun is a Bersa Thunder 9 Ultracompact which is 13+1 and I carry a fullsize 17 rnd mag as a spare for that pistol.

My only concern is caliber. I don't CCW, and already have a dedicated HD gun.I only do target shooting. I could care less how many rounds I can pack in a mag.

As my only gun, I voted for 9mm/7-8 shots. Coincidentally, my Kahr PM9 holds seven (with the flush "in gun" magazine) 9mm rounds. As a second[/] (backup to the main sidearm) gun I would have a use for a pocket .380 or even .32, but have not obtained one yet.

There are quite a few anecdotes of people actually getting into gunfights and almost immediately upgrading caliber or capacity in the aftermath. Here is one:

With the Para Carry LDA (a seven-shot .45 - TLH) still in evidence until the trial of the second armed robber is over, the Marine is now carrying a single action Para-Ordnance Hawg .45, comforted by its ten-plus-one cartridge capacity.

Click to expand...

The Retired Marine and the Robbers (page 4)

6 in 38 spec is all I need

I voted .380 for caliber and 5 rounds minimum.

What I carry:

J-frame in a pocket holster or IWB; 5 rounds of .38
Sig P250 IWB or OWB; I load 15 rounds of 9mm

However...I've CCW'ed a Glock 22, a BHP, several 1911 variants and a ton of other stuff.

In a week or two I may just want to change again!

I voted .45acp and 7-8 rounds, but I carry a XD45 with a 13 rd mag or a Compact with a 10 rd mag and a 13 rd mag backup.

Capacity isn't the reason I wouldn't downsize. Weight to soak up recoil and better sight radius are the main reasons.

This question only applies to the on board capacity, not including reload. So, what caliber/capacity are you comfortable with if you couldn't carry a reload?

If you could carry a reload, would your selection change?

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.380acp 7-8 rounds

No

Where is the box to check .25 ACP?

For that matter, where is the box for 9x18?

.327 magnum would be my smallest caliber, now only if they'd come out with a good ccw gun for it...

All I've carried has been autos, and I tend towards 9mm or .40, no real preference beween either, capacity, well more is always better so long as size doesn't become an issue.

I have before and will again carry a .38 and been perfectly comfortable with it, both with and without reloads depending on the context.

I see you're still trying to wrap your little mind around others choices.

Kind of like the nosy neighbor....

Caliber
Concealment
Capacity

Pick any two.

This poll is invalid, there's no 10mm choice.

15 rounds of 10mm in a Glock 20SF for me.

I normally carry .40, but sometimes .357 snubby. I will use, on occasion, use .38 or .32 for backup weapons, but .357 is my usual minimum, so that was my vote in the poll.

Five is my minimum capacity for defensive handguns. 2+ assailants are the new trend, with as many as five, sometimes. They don't always all show weapons, but when I see the BOLOs on my computer screen, I am no longer surprised to see five suspects described. (This computer is in my patrol car.)

I would only go with one-shot and two-shot handguns, for defensive use, in extraordinary circumstances, such as choosing to go armed in areas where it is forbidden, and we don't go there in this forum. If I just HAD to carry such a low-capacity weapon, I would make sure to carry a stout walking stick, or such, and a powerful, blinding flashlight would take on greater importance.

Caliber
Concealment
Capacity

Pick any two.

Click to expand...

A young lady once said something similar to that to me;

"Good
Fast
Cheap

Pick any two."

And I said, "I'll take good and cheap, Honey and you take as looooong as you like."

Minimum caliber at which to draw the line? Minimum capacity? I'd probably choose a .22LR over nothing, one of those 5-shot NAA Mini-Revolvers. There we go. Minimum caliber and capacity.

But I view this more as a “what role does it need to fill” question rather than a “what minimum would I use all the time” question.

In other words, most days, for most occasions, a 9mm Glock 19 fits the bill. One magazine.

But for stick-in-pocket-and-go guns, when utmost discretion is called for, 9mm is my preferred smallest caliber. In that light, the 6+1 Kahr PM9 is great.

This is all proportional to the potential threat and carry/storage issues, and there are no hard thresholds. Regarding caliber, .22 LR is a good minimum because it penetrates just enough most of the time, and the vast majority of people can shoot it quickly and accurately enough with a minimal amount of practice. .32 ACP with FMJ bullets can penetrate all the way through most human torsos, and is therefore another good minimum for that particular reason. Larger calibers offer greater margin at the cost of controllability for some folks, and capacity in some cases. For me personally, .32 ACP is the minimum recommended caliber for self-defense, although I currently use .40 S&W because I can.

As for capacity, much depends on logistics such as the mode of carry, but as far as recommendations go, you'll most likely need "several" (say, maybe 5 at minimum?) rounds per assailant, in my opinion, because while one bullet can be enough to kill, eventually, stopping a determined attacker RIGHT NOW usually takes a lot more than that. In home invasion and business robbery scenarios, for example, the perpetrators often attack in groups of 2-4, usually with 1-2 of them actually inside, and the others as backups, lookouts, and getaway car drivers outside. The state of California, in all its benevolent wisdom , has decided that all I need is 10+1 rounds in my M&P40 at any given time, so that's what I keep handy along with a spare magazine, giving me a grand total of 21 rounds. Pointless legal restrictions aside, that half-pound of lead should be enough to take care of the whole gang if it comes to that, which it usually won't. I could probably get away with 10+1 rounds in most real-life scenarios, but why risk running low on ammo after putting down a perp or two? Some people just won't stay down when told and may need additional persuasion. I may not need to fire even a single round in most cases, if I'm lucky enough, but at the same time it's not overly burdensome to prepare for the worst case that I could expect (within reason).