how many shots?

[Dollar An Hour]

I carry a 5-shot J-Frame about half the time, without a speedloader.

That said, 5 shots is minimal considering you're not guaranteed to score quality hits with each shot. Extra shots could certainly prove valuable.

As far as your original post, since you like your S&W 3rd Gen pistol, I think the little S&W CS9 you mention would be a very natural adjustment for you. Similar feel, disassembly, etc.

Good luck!

 

[Oregongundude]

Everyone has made some really good points.

Most of us will never be in a shooting situation. However, I work in a large city, where we have Meth addicts breaking into are work places, stealing all the time. My home is way out in the country away from the troubled areas. I have a double barrel 12 gauge shotgun for home defense, and a .308 Browning hunting rifle. I have two CCW handguns 9 mm Glock 17, and one XD subcompact .40 S&W. I usually carry the .40 S&W in my Chevy Trailblazer loaded with Federal 155 grain hydra shoks around town where i'm working. I haven't needed it ever and I hope it stays that way. I have my CHL issued here in Oregon and can carry a concealed weapon. I have a few friends that work on the police force here in Portland, and they have told me some things about how many times they have to shoot people especially BG's on Drugs, and personally I want to cover all my bases if I ever need to shoot someone in self defense. I think if you live out of the country and don't need to work in a major US city your fine, you may never need more than 5 rounds ever. No Gangs, or drugs and dopped up punks packing 9 mm's around with them. You may need more rounds than you think until the Police can assist you in some sort of stand off with these guys. However, that being said if I kill someone in self defense protecting my life. The first person i'm calling is a lawyer, and then 911 in that order. My first line of defense after a shooting is to call a very good lawyer, and I know one.

So I guess it just matters where you live and work on a day to day basis. However, most shootings in big cities usually involve some one on drugs according to the Police because they have an expensive habit to support.

 

[MCgunner]

I carry my revolver now and then, but most of the time I have a small 11 shot 9mm in a pocket. More the better, way I look at it. Besides, the 9mm+P has the .38+P beat out of a snubby and in fact can equal or exceed most .357 loads out of a 2" gun with a lot less flash/bang and recoil. I can get my shots off quick and accurate in the gun. I have a lot of confidence in the gun for a fighting tool. I ain't worth a toot with speedloaders and I can't carry as many of 'em. I have two ten round magazines in my belt pouch right now and I am much better at tactical and speed reloading with a square gun. Helps to practice, I suppose. Almost all of my reloading practice is with an auto, hardly ever practice with the revolver. Anyway, those are my personal reasons for carrying a small 9mm in lieu of my beloved revolvers for social situations. I don't think CCW gets a whole lot better than a subcompact high cap 9 or .40 either pocket carry or IWB. They can be carried year around, easily concealed, and offer almost the effectiveness of a full size duty gun. I sort of think of my little DAO 9mm as a little square revolver, anyway. Its trigger is very revolver like, it's hammer is internal, just draw and fire.

I can get 12 round mags for my little 9mm now, probably order a couple soon.

 

[up_onus]

uhh...

your "small" 9mm will beat the .357 in a 2 inch....hmmm, where in the hell do you get your info? and 9mm+ will beat .38+p??? ballistically, they are almost identical! 3,100 posts....and this is what you come up with....hrm....

 

[Chris17404]

MCgunner,

Would you please let us know what your little 9mm of choice is? I'd really like to know.

Chris

 

[10-Ring]

I've oftne heard it sadi that most shootings are 3 shots or less, so your 5 shot revolver should be fine...YMMV

 

[whitestone]

When we're talking 3, 4, or 5 shots in a gunfight, that's not an average number. What it means is that those are the number of shots that are most usually fired by one person. In other words, that's the mode. It does not mean one person shot 17 rounds and many others only shot once, twice or not at all. That would be a meaningless statistic. As others have stated, your best bet is to carry as much capacity as you can get away with. Sometimes your lifestyle and dress will limit what you can do in that regard. I carry a five-shot revolver by necessity, not choice. If I was not constricted by dress, I'd have my semi-auto with two 14-round mags with me all the time. But as long as your training has been consistent enough to allow you to do more than spray and pray, you generally will not be undergunned with five shots before having to reload. Just make sure to have the reloads handy!

 

[RustyShackelford]

Shots fired/CCW weapon selection...

Hi
To my understanding most "gunfights" are over in 2/3 seconds with about only 2 or 3 rounds fired(by both sides, ).

As far as the distance, I'd say be able to aim/fire out to at least 30 feet. LAPD research showed that most sworn LAPD officers fired at subjects at an average of 28 feet.

For your CCW weapon selection I would get a Glock 26 9mmNATO with night sights and a New York 1 trigger. You can carry full size spare magazines and be able to deal with most CCW type events(car-jacking, armed robbery, etc).

Thanks for playing;
RS

 

[seeker_two]

Another thing to consider....

Dud rounds happen & sometimes magazines fail, causing malfunctions. It's always a good idea to have at least one extra reload available to deal with this problem (if not an extra gun).

Chris17404: You might also want to try using an SKS stripper clip for your SP101. It will hold 10 rounds (2 reloads) of ammo in a very compact & easy to use package. When you reload your revolver, line up two cartridges with two chambers, insert, & slip them off of the clip in a downward motion. With practice, it's faster than using a speed strip and almost as quick as a speed loader.

 

[Chris17404]

What is a "New York 1 trigger"?

 

[steveracer]

Chris, here's an idea.

You have the small Smith already. You shoot it well.
A new small snubby will be a great gun, but I guarantee you won't shoot it as well as what you already have. If you were in a gunfight RIGHT NOW, which would you want in your hand?
Right. So, I know a lot of guys who have bought these really small snubbies, but they aren't all that much fun to shoot in volume. I know, I know, "you aren't going to shoot them in volume, you're going to carry them."
Ok, I agree, but WHY are you going to carry them?
Ask yourself this question: In a fight with a handgun on the street, are you going to trust yourself with a miniature five-shot snubby to get the job done and go home, or are you going to trust yourself with what you aleady have and know how to shoot well?
I used to carry a 642. Really nice little gun. I shot it MUCH less than any of my other guns. In practical shooting, volume equals victory. What you shoot often, you will shoot well more often.
The price of a snubby is more than it would cost you to find a really nice and comfortable carry rig.

 

[James T Thomas]

mindset

Chris17404:

Since we're discussing a serious subject, take a closer look at statistics and averages.

There may be several "modes;" -averages for different conditions that a person defending themselves or others may have, depending on the situation.
An overall average may be dangerously deceptive.

For example. The av. 2-3 rounds fired may be taken from close range, daytime, one agressor data. How about other situations, like you might have at an automated teller machine while withdrawing money? In a parking lot somewhere? At your stranded car alongside some highway somewhere?

Then, there is the "standard deviation" of the data. That is, just how variable is the data? The 2-3 rounds is the center, but 12 rounds may fall near by this "average." And be realistic.

You can reload, of course, so there you are, you have surpassed the average for your presumption.

What I am getting at, is this. Do not set your mind on a narrow viewpoint of what you may encounter in defense of your life or that of others.
While you certainly may never encounter a "Bruce Willis" type of shoot out, it is possible, and real to life, that you can exceed a 2-3 round shoot at any time, place, or event.

PS: With our PA Senatorial election coming up, take a good look at our second amendment supporting senator; the good Rick Santorum versus the "dark horse;" -which ever end -Casey. And remember your back slapping, governor too -Ed Rendell -from anti gun Philadelphia! And never ever forget Senator Arlen Specter
the traitor.
Perhaps more important that gun technicalities in the long run.

Jim Thomas

 

[Trisha]

A handgun without ammunition is an expensive, over-engineered rock.

That's why I carry reloads. . .

 

[critrxdoc]

I figure I should assume for the worst because my luck sucks. I carry a glock 23 in the summer and a glock 17 in the winter. That's 14 rounds summer and 18 rounds winter. If you add a +2 extension to the "baby" glocks, you have just created a mid sized glock in dimensions in the handle which is the hard part to conceal. I will sacrifice some comfort for extra rounds. It is my life or my family's on the line! I don't usually carry an extra mag because I it is not easy to carry, find, or reload when TSHTF. Just my thoughts

 

[Chris17404]

Thanks for all the informative replies, everyone. I have some thinking to do!

 

[NineseveN]

I carry 36 rounds of .45ACP currently, so I don't worry about feeling outgunned.

The real reason I do this is because I carry in a shoulder rig and the extra mags in the off-side carrier balance the weight within a few ounces of the gun on the other side (lightweight 4" 1911 on one side, 4 spare 7-rounders on the off-side). Before that I carried 25 rounds of .45ACP (HK USP 45 Compact and 2 spares). When I do occassionally carry on my hip or IWB these days, I always carry at least one spare magazine somewhere on my body...but that's more in case of mag failures than capacity and round count.

I'd always go for having a reload handy...either get real good with speedloaders or moon clips, carry a second snubby revolver for a New York relaod or go to an auto with at least one spare magazine.

Just my 2 shillings.