Minimum capacity for SD (not HD) in your opinion?

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5 shots out of my S&W 642, or 5 shots out of my SP101, depending on the season.

I used to pocket carry a Bond Arms Derringer, but it is too heavy, and only produces 2 shots. The snubs are better options.
 
Pocket - 5 shoot J or a 6 shot snubby of different kinds
Belt - a G26 or G19 sized Glock

Fits with my clothing regime.
 
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PBR Streetgang said:
Carry what you have. One shot is better than nothing...
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Obviously one shot is better than nothing, but this is an area where you get to select your carrygun. It is not assigned to 99% of us. You do not have to choose a single shot.

Who would choose a single shot Downsizer in .45 acp over a 5-shot .38 for typical concealed carry?

I had asked a very similar question to the OP a couple years ago: "where do you draw the line between power and capacity?" using the Downsizer example.

When some folks said a 2-shot .22 Derringer, I realized the question was pointless. This time, folks are citing single shots or no gun at all. :rolleyes:
 
I personally would not like to go less than six, but would prefer about 8 min.

I think however that it is more important to make sure you can put those rounds where they count, then 5 can be plenty.
 
Can't see how the minimum capacity anyone would consider could be anything but one.

Given a choice between nothing and a single shot derringer, who would choose nothing?
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I'll yield my time to the gentleman from Louisiana.
 
I have a 2 shot 45lc that I carry (loaded with #12 shot) when I go fishing...where there is one snake there is two.
 
I've never really thought about it. I would have to say five or six, as I don't like derringers, a wheelgun will hold at least five, and an auto will hold at least six. I prefer to carry at least one reload, but have ran out for a minute without one.

Since I don't like derringers, I think I'd be hard pressed to find something holds less than five or six rounds. The two smallest pistols I've owned were a Taurus Model 85 and a Kahr PM9. The PM9 is long gone, later replaced with a P9.

If I cant conceal a Model 85 or a P9 in what I'm wearing, I'm not dressed appropriately to be in public, so you wont find me in public, and a smaller pistol is useless to me.

I'll take a maglight over a single shot derringer. If there's a good chance they're close enough to hit with the derringer, I take a step can reach them with the club, er, maglight.
 
The problem with the "with the choice between 1 and 0, I'll take 1" argument is that it doesn't really tell the person who is going out to buy a CCW anything. It just says the obvious (that N is better than N-1).

When you go to buy a gun, or are picking between two you already own to carry, or are evaluating whether you need a different one, your choices aren't 0 or 1. It's anywhere from 1 to 21 (not including extended mags or the PMR-30). So the question is, where on that scale would you feel comfortable.

A better way of wording it would be "at what point do you feel you're sufficiently armed for any self defense encounter you will likely be involved in, as opposed to just 'well, it's 1 more than before' or 'better than nothin'?"
 
Obviously one shot is better than nothing, but this is an area where you get to select your carrygun. It is not assigned to 99% of us. You do not have to choose a single shot.

Who would choose a single shot Downsizer in .45 acp over a 5-shot .38 for typical concealed carry?

I had asked a very similar question to the OP a couple years ago: "where do you draw the line between power and capacity?" using the Downsizer example.

When some folks said a 2-shot .22 Derringer, I realized the question was pointless. This time, folks are citing single shots or no gun at all.
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Agreed. Some folks just can't get over themselves enough to not argue semantics...whether the argument is valid or not doesn't seem to matter.
 
I submit that THIS is the new definition of "Optimist."
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I want to be a pessimist but i just don't think it'll work out.

seriously you can one more round yourself right up to the point the load's so heavy you can't run fast enough to avoid trouble, what then.
 
seriously you can one more round yourself right up to the point the load's so heavy you can't run fast enough to avoid trouble, what then.
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I don't care for the "one more rounding myself", my judgement on 5 being the minimum is that I plan for a 2 bad guy minimum, at least 2 shots to each bad guy. (And finding a gun with a four round capacity is just hard work)

A 2 shot derringer just doesn't cut it for me.
 
AAH, there are 4-shot derringers. I don't know how rare they are, though.
 
The C.O.P., the "Compact Off-duty Police" is a 4 shot DAO .357 (tho they allegedly made one in .22)

If you think this gun is practical for SD, then you've never pulled the trigger on one.
 
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Yeah, I saw it posted before: Who would choose nothing if it was that or a single shot... so I guess the minimum is one.

My lowest capacity gun is 5, fwiw.
 
For me I would say six. I usually carry either a XD-40 or a Kel Tec P11. The XD has a capacity of 12 + 1. The Kel Tec has a capacity of 10 + 1. Sometimes if I am going to the woods I take an old Dan Wesson .357 with me though & it holds 6. If carrying an auto I usually carry a spare magazine. Spare mags are small enough & light enough if I am going to carry a gun it is very little extra trouble to carry a spare mag.
 
I would say a 5-shot .38 special would be the "least" I would willingly carry. Sure any gun is better than no gun, but I would not be comfortable with a .22 or a 2-shot derringer for SD.
 
As far as derringers - there were the old 4 barrel Sharps and some remakes in 22 LR by HJS. Iver Johnson's web page said they were going to do one but I never saw it. The COP is a heavy thing - best used on Battlestar Galactica.

Now on the old TV show, Yancy Derringer - he carried Sharps. One up each sleeve. One in each vest pocket and one in his hat. And a sword gun. That's a hint. Pluse he was accompanied by his native - American buddy with a double barreled 12 gauge.
 
I feel well protected when carrying my 5 shot S&W j-frame.
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^Me too. I usually carry a 16+1 XD9, but its real easy to tuck the .38 in a pocket and go.

I have and will continue to carry 5&7 shot guns
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^I would never mess with someone carrying 5-7 shotguns! :what: Oh wait, I read that wrong. :rolleyes:

Of course, if that double digits is in hexadecimal, that's even better.

If I could find a 9mm pistol with a C8 capacity magazine I'd be very happy.
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^I was going to call you guys nerds, til I realized I knew what you were talking about.

No more and no less than five shots
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^Why no more?
 
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