Are 5 enough? According to all the stats, it very likely is. There are no guarantees of course. Though if you need more than 5 it's most likely because either:
1) You are missing
2) You are badly outnumbered
3) Both
Not all inclusive (didn't count body armor), but you get the idea. Missing won't win a gunfight. And if you are outnumbered? Say, 3 to 1 and they are armed with guns. Eek, that's 3 aimpoints against 1. Not a pleasant place to be with but a
handgun.
IMHO, more ammo is never a bad thing. But it is not the sole determinant of what I carry. Actually, it doesn't figure into the equation much at all.
This was my criteria I used when selecting my one and only CCW piece:
1) Reliability. If it don't work, the number of rounds in the gun doesn't matter. Well, except that it would make for a heavier club.
2) Pointability. I desire a gun that points naturally for me, which increases the likelihood of a stopping hit at short distances without the use of sights. The mechanical accuracy of most handguns exceeds the ability of most shooters, so it comes down to what you shoot best.
3) Convenience. A big, hefty gun is nice, if you have it with you. I wanted something small enough to slip into a pocket holster and go. That encourages carry whenever it is legal to do so. To take it to an extreme, a snubby in the pocket beats an AK in the safe.
4) Ease of unholstering/drawing. Looking at the stats, most life or death encounters involving an armed citizen are over in a few seconds. So speed of draw is key. Pocket carrying a Glock 26 is fine as long as your pocket openings are large enough to make a clean, reliable draw.
5) Price. Yeah, that does figure in for the vast majority of us.
6) Ammo price. For those that don't reload, check ammo prices before you buy.
In the end, a hammerless J Frame fit the above criteria best. Snubbies have a well earned reputation for reliability, and my J Frame is no exception. I don't claim to be an expert shot, far from it, but I do well with my 642. 5 shots, 5 yards, 5 inches, 5 seconds. It is compact and easy enough to carry that it is with me where ever I can legally carry. The smooth, rounded backstrap make it super easy/fast to draw. In practice (unloaded of course), I've never had a hangup. And the prominent grip is easy for the hand to find and grasp. And it only set me back $355 at the time, and 38 special is fairly affordable - though I do reload now. Round count would have figured in as a tie breaker, but no such tie existed for me in this case.
For me, the S&W 642 is best. YMMV, quite considerably. If you don't feel comfortable with 5, then perhaps look into other options that boost your confidence.
7, 6 and even 5 round are proven in dealing with evil, if one has the mindset and skill sets to do so.
Correct - software is more important than hardware. Not that my software is free of bugs, far from it
.
In the end, I do my best to avoid such situations to begin with. I live in a safe area, so that's not too difficult.
