Is "six" still enough for defense?

[MikeInOr]

Yup. Sometimes the robbery crew is 3 or 4 guys, with rifles & shotguns, bailing out of car to assault you.

You'd better be paying attention.

When I watch videos of civilians using a gun to protect themselves I often ask, "what if they had 6 shots?" And at the moment I can't think of one where it would have mattered.

As John Corria of Active Self Defense says, "The most common cause of a gun running out of ammo is missing."

3 or 4 guys holding drawn and ready rifles / shotguns on you while you are sitting in your car? Do you really think you would be able to draw your weapon and take even one of them out before your brains are splattered all over the inside of your car? 4 rounds or 40 rounds the end results aren't going to change.

 

[JohnKSa]

It's really far less about being attacked by a well-armed, small army and far more about the undeniable reality that:

1. (Even really accomplished) shooters miss much more in gunfights than they do when standing in front of stationary targets and shooting at them.
2. Even a solid hit on an attacker may not stop him.

Even one determined attacker can be a real challenge to stop with a miss rate like those commonly seen in gunfights and only a few rounds on hand to make the stop.

 

[Tallball]

These threads get silly. As MikelnOr pointed out, when four armed assailants suddenly start shooting at you from right up close, it's game over. Doesn't matter what's in your holster.

Inoffensive civilians out in public minding their own business will occasionally be mugged, carjacked, or sexually assaulted. It's wise to be aware of that, be careful where you go, and perhaps to arm yourself.

 

[JCooperfan1911]

These threads get silly. As MikelnOr pointed out, when four armed assailants suddenly start shooting at you from right up close, it's game over. Doesn't matter what's in your holster.

Inoffensive civilians out in public minding their own business will occasionally be mugged, carjacked, or sexually assaulted. It's wise to be aware of that, be careful where you go, and perhaps to arm yourself.

Luckily I’ve only got to worry about the first two.

I’m too ugly, fat, and old to have to worry much about the last one.

 

[Tallball]

Luckily I’ve only got to worry about the first two.

I’m too ugly, fat, and old to have to worry much about the last one.

Same (no offense).

And when I walk my dogs I have no wallet. My truck is worth maybe $500. If I'm running errands I have $20 or less and a credit card that I have to activate with my phone to use.

IMHO, leaving expensive watches, jewelry, vehicles, etc. at home and paying a lot of attention to what's going on around you is WAY more effective SD than just shoving a 17-round 9mm into your waistband and thinking you're protected.

 

[trackskippy]

Luckily I’ve only got to worry about the first two.

I’m too ugly, fat, and old to have to worry much about the last one.

LOL. Ya never know these days. Lots of weirdos out there anymore.

The problem I still see here is, a lot of people seem to think that if you have "any" gun, youre armed and prepared. Whats worse is, Im betting most of them arent in the least prepared to actually use it in any realistic fashion, even if those bullseye targets and pop cans might have a reason to be scared.

One other thing too, if youre already assuming youre dead because there are multiple armed opponents, youve already given up and given in. Watch a bunch of those CCTV clips on shootouts and look at the level of skill and training thats there. Chances are, if youre the target, you probably have a better chance than anyone else around you. Dont defeat yourself with the wrong mindset.

 

[JohnKSa]

Dont defeat yourself with the wrong mindset.

Or by making equipment choices based on misconceptions.

 

[Shivahasagun]

3 or 4 guys holding drawn and ready rifles / shotguns on you while you are sitting in your car? Do you really think you would be able to draw your weapon and take even one of them out before your brains are splattered all over the inside of your car? 4 rounds or 40 rounds the end results aren't going to change.

That's my point. You won't have time to empty a large magazine in that scenario.

 

[Shivahasagun]

To answer the original question I will say, "almost always".

 

[mcb]

It does not take much research to find incidents where people fire more than 6-shots legally in defense of themselves and loved one. They are usually the exception or unusual circumstances but they do happen and happen more frequently than some in this thread seem willing to accept.

Again I carry a revolver 95% of the time if I am carrying a gun at all, but I live under no delusion that 5 or 6 rounds is the optional capacity. So far I have only had to reload once in a mildly dangerous situation, no humans involved.

 

[No Quarter]

Once you learn to make decisions on probabilities rather than possibilities, you'll miraculously find much more money left in your bank account every month.

 

[GEM]

That's a meaningless phrase by some old gun farts. Most folks don't know crap about probability. The issue is that they think the most probably outcome always happens. They do not think that the more extreme ends of the distribution occur.

This discussion is just going into cliches circles again.

 

[Pudge]

2 to 4 guys get out of a car to do you in because they are hunting your ethnicity. Never happens.

BTW, President Joe has been reading this thread and thinks it is disgusting to have a semi auto. Wants to ban them. Maybe everyone should jump on the Joe "NO MALARKEY" bus to two shot derringers. That's all you need if you are doing your job.

Two options - belt carry - a semi with 10 or more rounds and an extra mag makes sense.
NPE or dress - pocket gun, then a lower capacity J or one of the smaller semis and a reload - because you are limited by circumstance.

Really don't need ammo as most DGUs have no shots fired anyway. Or get plastic surgery to become ugly and get fat.

Do you carry 10 or more rounds in your concealed carry firearm?

 

[GEM]

Yes, unless as mentioned there is a reason for a pocket gun.

 

[Robert]

If 8 pages isn't enough to get a few decent answers, then another 8 will not help. As always, do as you see fit and allow others to do the same.