Capacity or Caliber, what is more important in a carry weapon

[gym]

In a carry weapon would you sacrifice the weight of the pistol for more capacity, or larger caliber. Assuming you had to give up one. "Sticking to 9mm, 40,357, or 45cal, 10mm". Trying to include the most popular carry rounds for Pistol. I excluded revolvers because of their limited capacity.

 

[gogodawgs]

I choose a .40 (Sig 229) that also converts to .357sig. I get a caliber that starts with a "4" yet have a magazine that holds 12 +1. Therefore, with one in the chamber and one extra magazine I have 25 rounds. That plus the larger caliber should be enough to get to go home. This is the same firearm that the Secret Service carry, the Coast Guard, The Air Marshalls and many other federal agency's. And it is a 'plastic' gun so I do get some benefits of a little lighter.

 

[highorder]

I don't know who to credit, but here it is;

"Shot placement is king, and penetration is queen. Everything else is angels dancing on pins."

 

[CWL]

Don't need extra rounds if you can consistently hit your target.

 

[TeamPrecisionIT]

Sig 229's are plastic? All the ones I have held or seen were all steel.

Anyway, my philosophy has been to carry the biggest gun with the heaviest, hottest caliber you can shoot quickly and accurately. So I would think with that philosophy that neither one of those would determine what you would carry (caliber vs capacity). If I personally needed to choose between them I would choose capacity, because being able to shoot more targets if necessary is more important due to all handgun calibers being anemic in terms of 'stopping power.'

Damian

 

[shockwave]

I excluded revolvers

Then your question is meaningless. People who carry revolvers have weighed the limitations in capacity and elected to opt for accuracy and reliability. It's a trade-off. You can have 17 available as fast as you can pull the trigger, and hope there's no problem, or have 5-8 and a virtual guarantee that they will deliver.

 

[FROGO207]

If the requirements are limited to the OP then a caliber that starts with a 4 and ends with a 5 would be my choice. Single stack 1911 style. I was always taught aim well pull trigger once and stay aware of other possible threats. Part two is practice practice practice..........

 

[hso]

I love the BHP, the grandfather of the wonder nines, but since the vast majority of defensive shootings are "3 and done" the debate is more a question of personal preference than real practicality.

 

[Gunfighter123]

I will give up SOME round capacity in place of a bigger bore auto --- make mine either 10mm or .45acp.

 

[ForumSurfer]

I love the BHP, the grandfather of the wonder nines, but since the vast majority of defensive shootings are "3 and done" the debate is more a question of personal preference than real practicality.

I've read that all over the place before. I've always been of the opinion that you should be %100 familiar with your weapon and you should be able to operate it from several shooting positions and either hand. Proficiency in your firearm is much, much more important than the amount of rounds and caliber you're carrying. With the typical civilian defense situation consisting of 3 or less rounds; 9mm, .40, 357 or 45 should all do the job given proper ammo.

I can see the need for cops having 3 fully stacked 17 round mags at all time, but not myself in a defensive situation. The 6 to 9 rounds in my 1911 should suit me just if heaven forbid, I ever had to use it. 5 or more shots in a revolver seems more than adequate to me, as well.

 

[Cuzzin]

"Capacity or Caliber, what is more important in a carry weapon"

Neither - most important is the ability of the operator to effectively use the weapon.

 

[Prosser]

Move to Kali. The legislators will make the choice for you. 10 round magazines or less.

Therefore, the biggest caliber that gives you 10 rounds in a gun that you have to conceal, since you can't get a CCW unless you are Nancy Pelosi, or Diane F.
10MM, Glock 29 pretty much works.

I went with 45 Super and a Detonics Combatmaster. Considering the Kahr PM40 to replace the PM9. That size gun is easy to deep cover, and, ends up going everywhere.

I would take issue with all handgun calibers being anemic. 454 Casull, 44 magnum, .475 Linebaugh, .500 Linebaugh, 500 JRH, .500 Max, all are said to kill near to the .375 H&H rifle, if loaded correctly.

Fackler argued that the old Swiss round, .40 caliber, soft lead bullets, 300 grains @ 1350 fps had the same or greater effect then the .223 rifles we use now, both in temporary and perm wound channels.

 

[22-rimfire]

I'm quite comfortable with a 5-shot Smith 442 revolver. Accuracy first regardless of caliber. But to answer your question, I choose a caliber that I am comfortable shooting that I believe does the job. For pistols, I prefer the Glock Model 23 which is a compromise between size and capacity in 40 S&W. It is also a gun I am not afraid to scratch or otherwise do things that show marks and wear.

 

[Hatterasguy]

I prefer 9mm because you can carry a lot more of them.

Any bullet will work as long as you hit the target; I just want as many chances as possible.

 

[GunsBeerFreedom]

To me, the most important thing when carrying is;

What can I carry, that I know will work, will be comfortable for long hours, and in a caliber that I trust (somewhat related to working gun)?

 

[mljdeckard]

I carried various hi-caps for years. One of the factors that bumped me back to a 1911 was realizing that I can do the job with a reasonable number of rounds. If it's a job that can't be done with one reload, it's probably not a job for a pistol in the first place.

 

[DFW1911]

I excluded revolvers because of their limited capacity.

You need to include revolvers because of their "limited" capacity.

I don't know who to credit, but here it is;

"Shot placement is king, and penetration is queen. Everything else is angels dancing on pins."

Beat me to it.

There is a reason so many of us carry a J-frame as CCW on occasion, if not as a primary CCW. Why? See the second point above.

I think this is a horse worth beating, so here goes:

We train for placing our rounds on the target, not near it. So blasting away and getting really, really, close to hitting our target, but missing it, with 17 rounds of 9mm, or 13 rounds of .40, or 8 rounds of .45, or 6 rounds of .357, or 5 rounds of .38, or two rounds of .410, or so on and so forth, really doesn't matter, since not one round hit the target.

Many of us vary our CCW from hi-cap pistol to lower-cap revolver based on any number of variables...it's an individual decision the user of the tool must decide for him/herself.

Regardless of the variables we use to make our decisions on what and when to carry it, there is one constant: we are proficient with the firearm we choose. If not, we shouldn't be carrying it.

Capacity is subordinate to placement.

Thanks,
DFW1911

 

[eddism]

I think both are important. However; capacity is more important. Take for instance the Tokarev TT30. It is the cousin of the Colt 1911 with the half cock notch but operates on Browning principles. Its 24 cartridge capacity in 30 caliber is very popular in eastern europe and the middle east. It is small enough and light enough that they arn't over burdensome.

 

[fastbolt]

Capacity or caliber, what is more important in a carry weapon

I excluded revolvers because of their limited capacity.

Sounds like you've already selected the criteria which matters most to you ...

I started my LE career carrying an issued 6-shot revolver and a 7+1 Colt Commander for off-duty.

As time passed I was issued different 'high capacity' 9mm's & .40 S&W's.

I finished my career carrying an issued 7+1 .45 compact on-duty and a 5-shot J-frame off-duty most of the time. My, how times change ...

Now that I'm retired I choose my CCW weapons for their ability to work well with my activities and personal desires.

Capacity is rather low on the priority scale. Matter of fact, so is caliber. Something in one of the more commonly encountered service/defensive type calibers, and no less than 5 rounds (because I like the J-frame).

I tend to look for functional reliability, durability under reasonable conditions, inherent accuracy and the ability to serve whatever perceived needs I anticipate.

A 5-shot J-frame serves me well most of the time, although I have a number of pistols chambered in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP from which to choose, as well. The magazine capacities of them run to 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 12 rounds.

As you can tell, neither capacity nor caliber worry me overly much.

What does concern me, however, is maintaining my abilities, skillset and mindset to effectively utilize whatever I may be carrying at any given time ...

The skills and mindset are more important to me than the specific tool, when it comes right down to it.

While I don't have any personal stake (or interest) in why someone chooses to lawfully carry a handgun as a defensive weapon, I would suspect that overly focusing on either caliber or capacity might sometimes serve as a distraction from giving due consideration to the more important, even critical, priorities ... such as knowledge of the applicable laws, familiarization with whatever weapon is chosen, developing and maintaining good skills, preparing oneself physically to withstand the rigors of unexpected stress (to the extent reasonable given any individual physical limitations or restrictions), and, developing the mental and emotional conditioning to be able to intentionally and effectively function in a crisis situation.

Caliber & capacity?

Sure.

Pick whatever you like.

I do.

I will acknowledge to having passed by carrying the CS45 (6-rd mag/.45 ACP) in favor of a 3913 (8-rd mag/9mm), upon occasion, but then at other times I decide just the opposite.

I do shoot a fair amount to maintain my skills, though, regardless of whatever I choose to carry.

 

[12131]

Originally by CWL:
Don't need extra rounds if you can consistently hit your target.

What if the target keeps advancing after being consistently hit?
Or, you have 8 rounds, but there are 9 hostile advancing targets?

 

[AOK]

I don't understand how gun owners go by databases that say "the average gun fight is over in three shots or less." If we really went by averages and databases, why are we even carrying firearms? If we go by averages, odds are we will never be attacked in our lifetime. Obviously we carry because there is always a chance we could be attacked. Just like there is a chance we will need more than 3 rounds. I'm a believer in preparing for the worst and hope for the best so a five shot revolver could never be my primary carry.

In regards to the OP, I don't think there is one right answer to that question. People will carry whatever caliber and capacity they feel comfortable with. For me, I am always carrying a Glock 23 or 27 (40 cal) but wouldn't hesitate to carry as small as a 9mm with the right ammo. In regards to capacity, I always make sure to carry at least extra magazine should the one in my gun fail. With that said, most occasions I am carrying two extra mags.

 

[ilikepancakes]

1. Reliability/Accuracy
2. Ease of concealment
3. Comfortable while concealed
4. Caliber
5. Capacity

If I can satisfy the first 3 criteria and still have a choice in firearm, I next look at caliber, then capacity. When the zombies attack I might reconsider, but for defense as long as I get at least 5 shots I'm going to carry the heaviest bullet I can.

 

[David E]

I phrase the question differently: At what point does capacity and caliber converge for you?

IE; if you're a .45 acp man, would you select a single shot (like the "Downsizer") over a 5-shot J-frame?

Or would a 30 shot .22 magnum be preferred over an 8 shot .45 1911 ?

Where does caliber and capacity converge for you?

 

[cleardiddion]

I figure if I'm good with it I'll carry it.
Whether it's a NAA minimag or a SW 500.

That's why I'm more than happy to tote around my PA-63 while lots of people frown on it.

 

[medmo]

Sounds like youi are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Many folks are endlessly fighting the battle seeking the perfect balance. There isn't one. Find what you shoot best and then figure out how to carry it. There is a big difference between "comfortable" an "comforting". You can find lots of options that are comfortable. If it isn't comforting when the chips are down than there is a problem. I'd rather carry a few more ounces to find comfort. What is the bias towards a revolver? Don't you know S&W figured out how to make a really light carry revolver that has an 8 round 357 mag cylinder? I own a S&W 327NG which is really sweet but daily I'm with my Sig 229 in 357 SIG and an extra mag.