How many rounds minimum are borderline sufficient in your semi auto pistol?

Minimum capacity desired?

  • 6+1

    Votes: 135 46.4%

  • 8+1

    Votes: 72 24.7%

  • 10+1

    Votes: 36 12.4%

  • 12+1

    Votes: 24 8.2%

  • 15+1

    Votes: 10 3.4%

  • More

    Votes: 14 4.8%
  • Total voters
    291
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Neat poll, and not shaking out how I would have expected (live and learn!).

I worry a bit, though, about some anti-gun group citing this poll and saying, "See? Even the vast majority of gun owners are okay with with 7-round magazine limits!!!" :banghead:
 
ExTank said:
Neat poll, and not shaking out how I would have expected (live and learn!).

I worry a bit, though, about some anti-gun group citing this poll and saying, "See? Even the vast majority of gun owners are okay with with 7-round magazine limits!!!" :banghead:
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:) one more reason for 12+. I learn something new everyday as well.


On serious note this is not a scientific poll that any anti or pro can rely on.
 
On serious note this is not a scientific poll that any anti or pro can rely on.
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:rolleyes: Since when as that stopped any of them?

Whoops! Hit submit too soon. Just editied to say I'm real surrised 6+1 is such a strong leader. I voted 15+ myself. Not that I'd reject any pistol that doesn't have that much capacity; I have 2 1911's and a 40 that holds 12+1, and a .22 that holds 10, and I like shooting them all
 
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Bobson said:
You didn't answer it.

Do you carry your Colt 1991A1 primarily because it has a capacity you trust, or is there a more significant reason? And if there is a more significant reason, which seems very likely, what is your minimally acceptable capacity?
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I did answer it.

The OP asked "What do you all think about the minimum desired capacity of semi auto? Before selecting a gun for a self defense, do you have any minimum capacity requirement?"

My answer was: "Sure I have a minimum capacity...7. Because that's the magazine capacity of my Colt 1991A1, the smallest capacity sidearm I own."


My minimum desired capacity is based on the smallest capacity gun I own. If I didn't own that gun, then the next smallest capacity would be 9, and if I didn't own that one, then it would be 15.


I carry my Colt because, out of the three handguns I currently own, that one has the best combination of concealability and capability. My Beretta, though superior in magazine capacity, is not as concealable, nor is the safety as ideally situated as it is on my Colt. My Automag II, though a fine handgun and slim enough to be easily carried concealed, would not be my first choice in defense calibers as a .22 WMR, as compared to my .45 or 9mm.


If I should, in the future, add another handgun to my collection which would significantly alter my choices for concealed carry, then perhaps I'll change. But that's for a future discussion.

:)
 
So, for some of us, our vote has more to do with which firearms we already own rather than what we believe about minimum capacity? And if we owned a two-shot Derringer our vote for minimum capacity would be two? :)
 
Mike1234567 said:
So, for some of us, our vote has more to do with which firearms we already own rather than what we believe about minimum capacity? And if we owned a two-shot Derringer our vote for minimum capacity would be two? :)
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Interesting observation.

In my case, I only buy revolvers and pistols which have "standard" capacities which I find acceptable for their intended roles (which has typically been as either off-duty or retirement CCW weapons).

This means I accept the inherent 5 & 6-rd revolver capacities ... and the 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 12-rd pistol magazine capacities ... as acceptable for the various roles for which I bought them.

If I were still active full-time, I'd carry the same 7+1 rd compact .45 I was carrying at the time of my retirement ... or, I'd not be averse to again carrying a 6-shot medium frame revolver. I could see a little advantage to carrying one of the large frame Scandium aluminum 8-shot revolvers, though. Lighter on the hip, and the extra couple of rounds puts it up in the same "capacity range" as the 7+1 .45 pistol. ;)

I really liked the issued 6906's I carried for several years, though, and their 12+1 capacity made it easier to run through the longer qual courses-of-fire without reloading.

All of that said, while I'm presently driving/traveling out-of-state, I brought one of my 5-shot J's and my LCP as LEOSA weapons (the LCP for those times when it slips into a pocket holster in some jeans better than the J-frame). I remember the days when I used to carry my 3913 (8+1), or a G26 or G27 during my out-of-state driving trips.
 
6, 7 or 8 round semi-autos have less appeal to me because they are in revolver territory. They do have the advantage in that they load quicker, but that's negated by drop dead reliability of a good quality revo.

I do own some semi-auto's with that capacity, but for specific reasons, which are:

Ruger LCP - smallest viable defense handgun out there (or one of them)
Ruger P345 - 8 rounds is adequate for .45acp, or so say the 1911 guys
Hi Point .380 - $139 for a brand new reliable semi-auto is too amazing to pass up!

Beyond those, 10 rounds is kind of my minimum. But giant 20 round guns aren't practical for me, either.
 
I like to get as high capacity as possible. It does not hurt to have more rounds than you will need. You never know what could happen.
But if you want a small compact single stack pistol that is easy to carry, unfortunately you are limited to very few rounds.
I sold my Vektor CP1 that could hold 13 rounds and bought a Taurus PT709 that can hold only 7 rounds. I did not do that because I don't want a high capacity pistol, but only because I wanted a more compact pistol that prints less etc while carrying it. I bought it to shoot at a shooting range mainly, but do want to carry it on me while going to the range etc, as grab thieves can easily take the pistol in its case out of your hands.

I believe you should buy whatever is your needs. Here in South Africa on farms, they come in packs of 5-6 or more. Then my PT709 will not be good enough. You need a high capacity pistol on a farm. Something like a G17 with a happy stick.
But I myself, I live in a complex. 99% of the time there are there no more than 2 bad guys at a time. And they go for soft targets. The moment you shoot back at them, ie you are making noise, they fled as fast as they can. They don't stay around and shoot. So then you don't need high capacity really.
It all depends on your own needs and where you go and where you live.
I am still going to buy a Glock G34 next year with lots more capacity than the Taurus but I don't feel that I need it. I am only going to buy it for sport shooting and I am not going to use it for SD. But I'm sure if ever there are intruders in my house, I will rather grab the G34 than the PT709. But I don't feel unarmed with only 7 rounds of 9mm.
 
I voted 10+1. However, on rare occasion I carry a 5 shot snub nose .38spl+P, you know, when I can't effectively carry a real gun. And round count is round count, regardless of whether it is a pistol or revolving pistol.
 
Presently I'm carrying a 386PD S&W revolver with a 2.5" barrel, and seven rounds in the cylinder, I have two speed loaders for this gun also. My reason for carrying this particular gun is it's extreme light weight and my ability to shoot it well off hand out to 50 yards. In the past I carried a Kimber Ultra Carry which had a single stack magazine and depending on which magazine I used held either 6, 7 or 8 rounds. I always carried two extra magazines with me. I had a double stack Para Ordnance that held 14 rounds, and also a commander sized Para that held 12 rounds in the mag, I never did carry either of those two guns. Presently I have a Rock Island 1911 that holds 17 rounds of either 9 MM or 22 TCM, I don't consider either of these two calibers to be a good self defense round. I have a Glock model 30 and also a model 20, they both hold quite a few rounds in the magazine, but I'm happy with my choice of a revolver that holds 7 rounds. I know this gun will go bang every time I pull the trigger. I would rather depend on my own ability to use a handgun effectively than depend on a high magazine capacity to get me by.
 
ExTank said:
Neat poll, and not shaking out how I would have expected (live and learn!).

I worry a bit, though, about some anti-gun group citing this poll and saying, "See? Even the vast majority of gun owners are okay with with 7-round magazine limits!!!" :banghead:
Click to expand...
well the poll did ask for your minimum , now if the poll asked for you max , I think most of us would have said 15 , 20, or 50 , just because we can ,
 
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I'm not sure how to answer, because home defense and very-discreet CCW are vastly different niches, and a very small CCW pistol that throws away decent capacity in exchange for concealability and portability will definitely be less than ideal in the HD role.

For me personally, my EDC is a slim S&W 3913LS with a capacity of 8+1, but at home or any other time concealment is not the primary requirement then the 3913 will be in the safe and the S&W 5906 (17+1 or 20+1) will be out. So while I might put up with a minuscule capacity in a certain limited niche (discreet CCW of a small pistol), a full-size 9mm with a capacity that small would be unacceptable to me.
 
I couldn't play because the poll did not go low enough to accommodate the Springfield XDs .45 standard capacity magazine.
 
The vast majority of self-defense related confrontations I've read about -- confrontations that result in the use of lethal force, seldom take more than 3 rounds. But what about the rest of those confrontations -- when 3 wasn't enough? I'm not to plan for the best case...

I carry the guns I shoot best that are easily carried. When that includes a Kahr CM9 or a Kel-tec PF9 I always carry an extra mag... and hope I never have to use it. I have also carried a Glock 23, and a SIG 228. If often carry an extra mag for those guns, too. (With the SIG and Glock, the extra mags are more in anticipation of malfunctions, than concern about running out of ammo.)
 
Since most gunfights are at 3 ft or less, in 3 seconds or less and fire 3 shots or less, I will have to go with 6 + 1.

You don't need 15 round magazines if the first 2 shots do the job. Practice shot placement rather than depending on magazine capacity.

If you need more than 7 rounds, you have pissed off way too many people. Or you are some place that you should not be to begin with!
 
km101 said:
Since most gunfights are at 3 ft or less, in 3 seconds or less and fire 3 shots or less, I will have to go with 6 + 1.

You don't need 15 round magazines if the first 2 shots do the job. Practice shot placement rather than depending on magazine capacity.

If you need more than 7 rounds, you have pissed off way too many people. Or you are some place that you should not be to begin with!
Click to expand...

On average only 18-20% of handgun rounds fired defensively by private citizens or LEO's strike their target.

Handguns are weak and ineffective as a general rule.

The world is not perfect, it is impossible for every person to always avoid being somewhere they shouldn't...or avoid the place they shouldn't be coming to them.

The fact that you have addition rounds does not mean you are depending on them in place of shot placement.
 
km101 said:
Since most gunfights are at 3 ft or less, in 3 seconds or less and fire 3 shots or less, I will have to go with 6 + 1.

You don't need 15 round magazines if the first 2 shots do the job. Practice shot placement rather than depending on magazine capacity.

If you need more than 7 rounds, you have pissed off way too many people. Or you are some place that you should not be to begin with!
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"Most" isn't "all".
 
You know by definition if you prepare for the average gunfight half of the time it won't be enough.
 
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