Of All of Your Hanguns, Which Is Your Minimal Level of Comfort for SD?

[entropy]

I've carried a .22 when that's all I had, and I've carried .380's, but the smallest I own now is a .38 Spl. so I guess that.

 

[cfullgraf]

I think it would be a 500 S&W Magnum because indoors it would make my ears bleed!

I have a nice down loaded round, 255 SWC at about 1000 fps, for my 460 S&W Mag that would make a nice self defense round. Something similar in scope could be worked up for the 500 S&W Mag.

But with an 8-3/8" barrel and HEAVY frame, my 460 is a bit unwieldy to quickly maneuver. But, for lack of something better, it would work in a pinch.

(Yes, I know I could shoot 45 Colt or 454 Casull in my 460, I just hate shooting short cases in the gun and having to clean the carbon ring out of the cylinders later.)

 

[MedWheeler]

Dragon813gt writes (about my not choosing .22s first, but accepting them as possible contenders for SD duty):

Which was the point of this thread. I would not hesitate to grab the Beretta U22 Neos if it was all that's available. But I'm not about to carry it for self defense which was my point.

True, the point of the thread was what "the minimum" caliber/platform would be. You had written that your .22LR-chambered handguns couldn't perform self-defense duty. Perhaps you meant that they wouldn't perform such duty. That would have been your point.

But the OP understands that we all may have differing points. When I say that my .22LR-chambered handguns wouldn't be my first choice, I'm not saying that they would never serve such duty, nor that they could never.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I thought the question was which would be the last gun you would use, sorry.

And, a .22 wouldn't be all that bad as long as that .22 was in the form of the .223 Rem.

 

[usfan]

since the question is 'minimally', & not 'optimally', i'll go with my most minimal pistol.. the NAA black widow, in 22lr or 22m. I would rather carry a 22 than nothing, so it would be the 'minimal' carry piece. I'd prefer to have a 38spl, or 9mm, or 357, or 45acp, but the question is minimally.

At first i thought the question was about physical comfort, & i think i would put a 38spl 4" k frame as the biggest carry piece i am comfortable with. I'd rather carry a lcr, or a small 9mm auto, for comfort.. and even though the NAA is small & 'comfortable' physically, i don't carry it much, as it is too 'minimal'.

 

[huntsman]

I start at .380acp and go up from there.

 

[jrdolall]

I have an example of many calibers, from .22 short up to .44 mag, and would use any of them in a strange scenario where I was forced to choose a single weapon. Say I am cleaning guns and the only fully assembled pistol is a 22 short. There you go.

For carry the lowest caliber I intentionally use for SD is 380 auto, I have several but generally carry a DB 380 when I carry that caliber. I normally CC a 9mm.

For HD I have a variety of guns in the house. One of these is a KT PMR-30 because my daughter can operate it effectively.

 

[LoneGoose]

Sig 938. 9mm, handy, night sights, reliable.

 

[bannockburn]

Of all my handguns probably the minimum level of comfort for self defense would be one of my .380s; most likely my KelTec P3AT. I could certainly try to "make do" with one of .22s or my Baby Browning for that matter, but I really wouldn't have that minimum level of comfort that you're asking about.

 

[CDW4ME]

The minimum I carry when I can't do better is Glock 43 with HST 147 +P

 

[Tallball]

Sorry if I stated it poorly. I wasn't trying to make a scenario as much as I was just curious where everyone's comfort level was.

I appreciate all of the interesting responses.

If all I had was a 22 derringer, that would be better than harsh words and a pointy stick, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with it.

I prefer 32 H&R to 380, but my 380's hold between 8-14 rounds and none of them are 30ish year old guns that had an obsolescent design even back then, so I chose the old NEF revolver as my minimal level of comfort. It doesn't give me the warm fuzzy feeling of a double-stack 40 or something like that, but at least the caliber is effective and it goes bang every time.

Thanks again to everyone who has replied.

 

[jeepnik]

First rule, have a gun. My smallest is NAA .22 mag mini revolver. So, that's my minimum "comfort" level.

As to maximum, I'd love to, but I just can't fit a 105 in my pocket.

 

[Matthew Temkin]

Any one of my .22 revolvers.
My preference would be my Glock 19 or Smith Model 10 revolver.

 

[reppans]

Minimal Comfort (but frequent CCW) - J-frame Smiths.

Uncomfortable and below the bar - LCP and NAA Mini.

 

[thewillweeks]

My two little .380s are the bare minimum. But they leave me feeling pretty bare to be honest.

 

[Warp]

Glock 26


However, I do have a S&W 642 I carry once in a [great] while when not wearing a belt and by myself

 

[C0untZer0]

I have a very old single-barrel break-open shotgun that I'd be hesitant to load up with buckshot.

My dad kept a .22LR Ruger Standard for his nightstand gun. I argued that it wasn't enough caliber for home defense but he felt 100% confident in it. Any .22LR handgun would be the last thing I'd use.

 

[2zulu1]

For where I live and lengthy LE response times, something substantial.

 

[bangswitch]

Minimal level of comfort for SD....

Of a .22LR, .32Auto, 9mm, .38Spl, .357 Magnum, .40S&W, 10mm, or .45Auto, my minimum for CC is my 9mm.

My usual is the .45

 

[Hanzo581]

I think the last handgun I would think about grabbing would be my Walther P22. I got lucky and own one that is completely reliable, but I wouldn't bet my life on it or the .22lr it fires. While I know a .22lr can be lethal, so can a pebble in a slingshot.

(only slightly above that is my Ruger 22/45, and only because it is far more accurate than my P22)

That said, minimum I go out with is my Ruger SR9c in 9mm.

 

[mdauben]

My Ruger LC9s is the smallest self defence handgun I own so that's my answer.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[franco45]

One of these is a KT PMR-30 because my daughter can operate it effectively.

If she missed at least the bad guy would be both blind and deaf. But then again so would she and anybody else in the room.
For me it's 9mm minimum for home defense. A Springfield XD9 Tactical is my nightstand gun and I have a Kahr CT9 at my side as I watch TV at night. I think both of those will be replaced by 45acp soon. I just finished breaking in a Kahr TP45 and I put a XDM 45 on layaway Saturday.
I sometimes carry a Keltec P32 when I walk the dogs or go to the gym but I usually carry my Kahr CM9 or Remington RM380 when I leave the house.
Having said that I guess my bare minimum is 32acp but it wouldn't be the one I grabbed on the way out the door in an emergency.

 

[jrdolall]

If she missed at least the bad guy would be both blind and deaf. But then again so would she and anybody else in the room.

Those suckers are loud for sure! I have never experienced it but I imagine any "substantial" caliber, fired inside a bedroom or hallway, would cause ear damage. Unless you're on The Walking Dead, then there's no issue.

 

[BigBore44]

When I worked in a crisis stabilization center (acute mental hospital), we had a kid come in who had tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the forehead with a 22 pistol. Shot himself 1/2" above his glabella (area between the eyes). The bullet didn't penetrate the skull. But it looked like he'd taken a straight right from Mike Tyson with brass knucks. Never seen a face look like that except on Star Trek. Massive facial contusion and edema.

Last week a woman was assaulted in a home invasion in Tulsa. She shot one of the perps with a 22lr pistol. The perps fled but the recipient of her 22lr bullet died of internal injuries.

My "minimum" is whatever is the minimum amount of distance from me at the time of the incident. I'm not happy if all I have is my Arminus 6" 22lr. But with 8 shots, I know it will get the job done.

 

[Acera]

My last resort would be a gun I have that was specifically designed for that purpose.

It's a 7 shot .22 rimfire revolver from the late 1860's. I only shoot CB shorts out of it.

With a massive 32 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle, I think it has a better chance of really starting the fight instead of ending it, LOL.