What is the lowest caliber you will carry

[dovedescending]

9x18 Makarov is the smallest caliber I CAN carry, currently

 

[Bohemus]

I carried .22l.r. on few ocasions and didnt feel underpowered - after all it was still more fire power than 99% Europeans can carry.

 

[LawScholar]

.380 Automatic in urban/civilization setting

.40 S&W when possible/out in the boonies

.357 Magnum in the wilderness

 

[Dr.Rob]

.380 though I've open carried plenty of .22 pistols, their primary purpose wasn't defense.

 

[cleardiddion]

Honestly, just about anything as long as I can haul it around; but, preferably .380 and above.

 

[Nom de Forum]

Any caliber above .0 if that is all that is available. The smallest ammunition I own is 2.7 mm Kolibri, and I hope it never becomes a necessity. I carry as small as .32 acp when clothing makes it impossible to prevent detection of anything larger under all conditions. However, I once successfully concealed a Bodyguard in a bathing suit when frisked during a MOUT exercise involving hostages. There is at least one class of Green Beanie students that never again failed to grab the sack when conducting a frisk.

 

[MrWesson]

Ive grabbed my .22 before to walk to the mailbox.

but a gun with the purpose of carry .38 special/.380

 

[thefamcnaj]

9mm is as low as i feel comfortable with. I primarily carry a g19. I own .40 and .45s as well and my wifes 38 specials she swears by. I feel comfortable with a high cap. 9mm. I shoot follow up shots most accurate with the g19. 2 or 3 rounds of 9mm to the chest is just as effective to me personally as say....a shot to the stomach and the upper left thigh LOL (i tend to shoot low and left with my g27 if i'm not concntrating)

 

[woerm]

7.62x25

Norinco's clone of the TT-33

works nicely. fits my paw and does .5 " groups as long as I'm feeding it S&B

group opens up a bit w/ Norinco's own stuff (tolerances or lack thereof and all

that)

There's a 1903 Hammerless .32 for 'dress occasions'.

 

[rogertc1]

Have carried and would carry a 22LR or 25Auro or 32Auto.

 

[45_auto]

What does everyone posting have on them RIGHT NOW?

Doesn't matter what the "smallest caliber you will carry is" if you don't have it on you when the SHTF.

Best answer I ever saw was when a bunch of us were sitting around discussing the subject of this thread. An old codger pulled a Baby Browning (.25 ACP) out of his pocket, plunked it on the table, and said "This is what I got, what are y'all carrying?".

Since no one else had their .380, 9mm, .38, .45, etc, etc, he won by default ....

 

[Madcap_Magician]

.38 Special +P.

I draw the line just above the .380 ACP.

 

[wow6599]

Any centerfire caliber works for me. IMO, it's all about where you put the lead, not how big the hole is. Woods carry is different; .357 Mag, no less than a 3" barrel.

 

[Cop Bob]

Personally. .380 or better to open, with hand loads, however as of late there are some pretty good commercial rounds now being loaded for it..

Now, if I got my hands in the right .32 revolver, in 32H&R mag or .327 Max.. with some load development that could prove to be a winner..

22lr would defiantly work, with the right ammo and barrel length,, There have been more fatalities recorded with the 22lr than all other rounds.. Not my 1st choice, but depending upon how I had to dress, the occasion.. it could have a place..

The 25acp, no way, I have seen the post shooting reports where suspects took multiple rounds from 25 acp's and shook them off and kept coming.. one in the bridge of the nose and it ringed and popped out his forehead!! It never penetrated the skull... Real Deal... The bad guy continued his assault on a Undercover Officer on a buy-bust, fortunately there was a uniform back up that put him down with a 44..

 

[jkulysses]

.38+p's but my carry gun is a .357mag LCR that I carry mag rounds in.

 

[Nom de Forum]

"What does everyone posting have on them RIGHT NOW?"

Good point, 45_auto! For me it is a PF-9, now and approximately 50% of the time when I am not checking my eyelids for waterproofing. Thirty years ago when I was a member of the Cult of the .45 and carried the sacred 1911 I would have thought it heresy to ever primarily carry a compact 9mm. My how times do change, or is it that experience broadens perspective?

 

[carbuncle]

I'd feel safer carrying anything than nothing at all. That being said, I prefer at least a .380 which is what my EDC is now. The size of my gun, the S&W BG380, has allowed me to get back to full-time, 7 day a week carry. I'd also feel comfortable carrying a .38 snubbie with no reservations, and did for a couple of years.

 

[Water-Man]

.380 loaded with Buffalo Bore +P Hardcast.

 

[AZ Desertrat]

.38 Special or 9mm

 

[matt_borror]

with todays compact pistols i see no point in carrying a .380 so 9mm

 

[JTHunter]

As my .22LR/.22Mag revolver is too big for concealment, a palm-sized .25 ACP is the smallest I would go. I would prefer to carry my .380 however.

 

[rogertc1]

KelTec .32Cal and an old 38 colt Detective.

 

[Smokey in PHX]

22lr/.380

 

[tiro6]

Carry a .38 snubby when i want something small. otherwise its usually a .40 cal.

 

[zekelopezjr]

I carry a .380 LCP with hollow point.