Smallest caliber you will carry

[ATAShooter]

.38 spl smallest for me.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Smallest Carry?

Well, I don't actually own anything suitable for carry smaller than 9mm (9x19).

I would consider a .380 or .38 special.

Probably take .380 over the .38spl, due to recoil and capacity concerns.

Of course, if things are desperate, anything better than nothing. Except the .25, of course.

You're not allowed to carry a .25 loaded. Jeff Cooper said so.

 

[Water-Man]

None of the above!

 

[Girodin]

.380 although I definitely prefer something larger. I'd go with the 380 if I couldn't conceal anything larger. My .380 is so small and concealable I can not really see the need to ever go smaller.

 

[sierrabravo45]

A Kahr in .40 S&W

 

[spuscg]

.500s&w special derringer.

 

[mgregg85]

I'd carry a .17 HMR if that was all I could possibly conceal. Even a tiny gun is better than no gun.

A .32 ACP is just below what I would feel comfortable with, I feel just fine carrying my .380 P3AT.

 

[BADUNAME37]

500 Magnum

However, my pants might be down around my knees (like the current young fashion) and my one leg will get shorter than the other one.

 

[Officers'Wife]

If a 32-20 handgun was made that could be concealed and I could use as well as my current handgun of that caliber I would feel more than comfortable with it.

I guess it goes back to what my Dad is very fond of saying - a .22 ball in the brain beats a .45 ball through the window. Use what hits your target.

Selena

 

[slow944]

I have a 25acp for a bug but I always carry my Kahr MK9.

 

[HB]

2. You own every bullet that comes out of that gun and a .22 goes WAY too far and has way too much penetration to "be responsible" for it.

You might want to revise that statement there... But yes, i agree, as a professional police officer, your off-duty gun could be used differently that a non-cops gun.

HB

 

[tribbles]

9mm Parabellum. MAAAAAAYBE a .380.

I really don't know if I'd feel undergunned carrying a CZ-52 in 7.62x25, though.

 

[BothellBob]

There's what I have carried, what I will carry, what I prefer to carry, and what I do carry. Those four are almost never in agreement. But I do like mouse guns and am not above carrying one.
-BothellBob

 

[OOOXOOO]

9mm is the least I will carry.

 

[kd7nqb]

For me its either .38spl or .380. Small enough to conceal easy but large enough to have some punch. Although if all I had was a .22lr I would not simply surrender and say "sorry I dont have enough gun to fight"

 

[greenr18]

lol you put 5.7mm and .22; .22 is 5.7mm, unless you mean 5.7 x28mm, but i dunno how many people carry around FN 5-7s

 

[gotime242]

Sometimes i carry nothing, any gun is better than that.

 

[gbran]

I've been told that caliber doesn't matter and that it is all about shot placement.............. so all I carry is a Crossman .177 air pistol.

Just remember, a hit with a pellet is better than a miss with a .45.

 

[rcmodel]

O.K.
I voted .22 LR because there was no .22 Short option.

30 years ago the smallest bug I owned was a Beretta Minx .22 Short.

And it was way better then nothing!

Now, I have a Kel-Tec P3AT .380 that weighs about the same.

 

[357sigRog]

.380

 

[jkingrph]

I clicked 22lr, only summertime when I need it's extremely small size and thin profile (Walther TPH) otherwise .380.

 

[XD-40 Shooter]

None of the above for me, I will not carry anything smaller than 9mm. The Kel-Tec P-11 is very concealable and packs a pretty good punch.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

22 l.r.
Shot placement is everything.

 

[RevDerb]

I will OCCASSIONALY carry my Bersa Thunder .380 (not an option on the poll) but prefer not to be lighter than .45acp.

 

[RevDerb]

gbran said: "Just remember, a hit with a pellet is better than a miss with a .45."

Why in the world would anyone miss with a .45?