What is the lowest caliber you will carry

The lowest I have personally carried was a .380, no issues there. I currently carry a .38 spl for ease of use. Have 9mm pistols that I rotate in too. Wouldn't bother me to go back to a .380 now that I am beginning to reload soon. In any sense if I practice enough and do my part anything that I own/carry would do me good. My G19 often gets left at home, while my 642 comes with me.

The lowest for me is a 32 cal but I do have a no lock Beretta 950 in 22 short and a NAA Mini Pug in 22 mag for which I do carry for walking/exercise. It's my dog guns.

One of those wooden carved out pistols with a rubbr band trigger!!! HAHA

The Dove

I carry a .380 LCP or a .38 snub as the only gun that I have on me at times, but I don't exactly feel "safe" with them, it's just that sometimes logistics wins over preference. I can't say I feel 'safe" with any caliber, but a .38 4"bbl or a full-frame 9mm that I've proven to myself that I can trust functionally and hit pretty well with gets me over the hump into feeling somewhat adequately armed. If wardrobe allowed, I'd prefer to carry a 4" .357 as a "most-often" default.

380, in and around the house, in a pocket holster. Once I leave, I pick up a larger caliber with at least a 10 round mag. Usually a glock 26 or 30. I always carry 2 guns. I may have to pull the little one quicklly which works out well since i can have my hand on it in my pocket, with no one noticing. This also gives me time to find cover and get to my larger weapon.

I carry a NAA in 22 short as my dog repellant when biking. Tucks in the change pocket in my shorts.

If I thought a mini revolver in .22 short was enough for the dog, I'd be ashamed of myself for shooting him. Have to be a sick chihuahua.

Lowest caliber

I have been carrying a LCP 380 for backup. I usually carry a 45 as primary.
The 380 is a decent round. Hell, the 22 is a decent round too. All about shot placement.

I personally carry a Ruger LCP in .380 everyday, keep the 1911 in the truck. Yeah, the .380 can be considered a wimpy round but it will let you fight your way back to a real gun.

My father in law just acquired an absolutely mint 4" K22 Masterpiece in 22 mag earlier this week, so I may have to recant my earlier post as this is going to be an exceptional BBQ gun and I would trust it for protection against 2 legged predators.

I offered to trade him my Heritage Rough Rider .22 for it and he nearly choked on his drink he laughed so hard. .

.380ACP is the smallest caliber I feel comfortable with, but even that's pushing it. All things being equal, I'd tote a 10mm with handloads everywhere I go, but that isn't very practical unfortunately.

Many will say "380acp", because that's what they have heard parroted on the internet.

I would be ok with a 22LR under the proper conditions.

I'M BACK AGAIN! But the smallest and pushing it is .22 LR .380 Auto it good.

BIGGBAY90 said:

What is the lowest cal. You would carry and feel safe with

Click to expand...

5.56 mm NATO, and that's probably pushing it.

Handguns don't particularly make me feel safe.

However, on the "bring a gun" principle and being as I'm a civilian now, I'd go as low as a .380 ACP or even a .22 LR. depending on the gun itself. It just has to go "bang" every time*, and preferably in rapid succession, as well as be accurate at short range.

*And for the record, I don't buy that good .22LR is any less reliable than center fire ammo, as I've had plenty of bad center fire rounds, and very, very few bad .22s. Seems about a wash, in my experience.

Those 102 grain Golden sabres are petty close to 9mm power at arms length. I have no problem with an lcp in my pocket right now as I type. Under the ideal conditions or circumstances we would all like a larger caliber if a gunfight suddenly erupted. But it's better than most other small light guns. And I believe in having a gun on my person all the time, not near me but on me. So as mentioned I can probablly get to the larger caliber guns with the lcp laying down some cover fire, if not solving the problem right there. 20-30 years ago when we carried 5 shot revolvers and walthers, we felt fine about having enough stopping power. In the last 20 years we seem to have adopted the idea that we need a buffalo gun to be effective against an armed attacker. I guess we were all just dumb and happy back then.
If there are 2 or 3 guys coming in your house "for example" to rob and do other bad things to you and yours. They don't usually expect to die. If you shoot one, unless they are trained operators, chances are, they are going to freeze and see their buddys head split open. This is usually the part where you have now moved into a better position, and they have left the premisis.You know that saying , "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry". You can plan all you want, but a shot in the right place will ruin your day, and your plan.

With the current crop of pocket "nines" that are out now, like the Ruger LC-9, plus the advancement of 9mm ammo over the last few years, this is the smallest caliber I will carry. The LC-9 is only slightly larger than the .380, and the 9mm is a superior round, imo.

I found the lcp to be more concealable than the 9's. I had a seacamp and that was too small ,I would fumble with it at times after 4 holsters I found the lcp is just the perfect gun to stay upright in any situation, and not tumble in my pocket. i wear loose nike type Blk nylon pants. and all the others were too big or too small. Maybe with jeans the 9 would be ok. My Glock 26 is too big, and my keltec is also too large. I'm talking strictlly pocket carry. For iwb they are fine. Actually I sold a taurus 740 slim, and it was really a great size to caliber gun, but I couldn't gety past the Taurus as my primary. I trust the ruger and the Glock, the pf-9, was doing fine till it ftf'd the 147 grain ammo, which I found out was not to be used in that gun from a member here, and the Ktog forum. I don't want to rely on a gun that is that picky.

.380 but it must be loaded wit 100 gr +P Buffalo Bore hardcast.

I carry nothing but my wallet and cell phone, most days. So I'd have no issue carrying one of those Swiss 2mm pin guns, just for the heck of it. That doesn't mean I'd think of actually using it in self defense.

Any caliber above "sharp stick".

i wont carry anything smaller than .40 in a semi-auto.....and i dont carry revolvers so no .357 or anything (nothing against revolvers, they just arent my thing)

my .40 fits in my pocket, nothing else i could ask for

I've been known to carry a Budischowsky TP-70 .25 ACP...




nero