What is the "wimpiest" handgun you would carry for SD?

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KT P32, because it is the smallest pistol I have that is not chambered in .22lr.

Better than nothing and good-enough to push into some BG's gut at contact range during an attack. I use FMJs in this caliber to insure proper cycling and better penetration.
 
Today's .38 special +P snub nose loads aren't what I'd call wimpy IMHO.

The smallest and lowest powered cartridge I would carry and still feel reasonably comfortable doing so would be .32 ACP with a good, non hollow point bullet.
 
I carry a Kel-Tec P32. Its in my pocket everytime I step out the door. Why? Because its absolutely reliable, and its easily carried. It locks open on an empty magazine, and shoots perfectly to point of aim. Do I want to be in an extended gun fight with it? Not really, but I do feel better having it in my pocket.

I have been questioning myself if I need something more powerful... I have lots of larger, heavier pistols, and revolvers that were designed for CC, but the P32 is still my EDC
 
A large percentage of real-world stopping power is psychological. People need to perceive the gun as real and dangerous in order to get the zero-shot stop that is the ideal outcome of an encounter. Given a choice between a black LC9 and a raspberry purple LC9 I would tend to choose the less wimpy gun even though both are functionally identical.

So my general rule is that SD guns should be as unwimpy as possible given their form factor. Obviously a NAA mini revolver is always going to look a bit like a toy, but a bright green one with "zombie bug" written in orange across the side makes that even worse.
 
I've carried my wife's P238, but the .380 is a little on the light side for my taste. My own minimum is a .357 LCR, but the low capacity bothers me. I really need to get back in the habit of carrying a service pistol - it isn't as though I don't have enough to choose from.
 
Better than nothing and good-enough to push into some BG's gut at contact range during an attack.
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Keltec P32 is a fine gun for its suited purpose, but I'd be careful about a "push into some BG's gut" as that could knock it out of battery and prevent firing. A small revolver may be a good option if part of your training and tactic is a body-contact shot.
 
The smallest I carry is a 40 S&W, just the smallest pistol caliber I own. I would and did carry a walther ppk in 380, sold it to get something else. I pretty much think any caliber will do the job. What is important is reliability and follow up shots. I always carry 2 extra mags and a knife(mainly for opening packages and things like that)
 
What is the "wimpiest" handgun you would carry for SD

My wimpiest is a KT P3AT. But in the looooong viciously hot Texas summer, it gets a lot of duty.
 
I don't have a minimum caliber. I have preferences and most of the time those are met by a 38 Special. More important to me is concealment. On some occasions its easy to conceal a full size handgun such as a 1911 or Security Six. Most of the time a Jframe 38 will work. There are times though, when I would go with a 22 if I needed something ultra concealable.
 
Caliber is much less important than reliability and concealability. I always have my P32, and I would not feel un/under-armed with a Beretta M71 in .22LR.
 
Caliber is much less important than reliability and concealability. I always have my P32, and I would not feel un/under-armed with a Beretta M71 in .22LR.
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Don't forget shot placement, too! A .32 in the right spot WILL GET THE JOB DONE EVERY TIME.
 
There was an awful lot of people pretty well killed with .32s, .380s, and .38 Specials until Elmer Keith and Jeff Cooper came along and let us know that wasn't possible.

I've seen a couple of fellers that was plumb dead from a single .32 Auto. Guess they din't get the memo....:evil:
 
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I don't know what my absolute minimum would be to carry; I suppose I'd carry whatever was available rather than nothing. Currently the smallest caliber pistol that I carry for defensive purposes is a S&W .380 Bodyguard, as a BUG.
 
Beretta 21

I have one of these, and it is about as reliable as anything can be that depends on rimfire ammunition. On those occasions when I have to get into the stock pond to get a calf out, I usually have that little gun in a ziploc bag where I can get at it. We have water moccasins here in the Ozarks, and the little LR does good work on 'em at 'smell-the-halitosis" ranges. I wound up with trespassers, drunk and disorderly who were considering getting into my pickup while I was in the pond. The snake I potted on the bank sent 'em packing.

(Pond, by the way, is posted, and about a quarter mile from the road.)
 
Minimum..22short. It's a lot better than nothing when it's a fight for your life. Besides, most of the time the report of the first shot sends the brown stuff down the bad guys legs as he runs the other way. With that said if you are choosing to carry you are also choosing what to carry. My preference is anything that is a wheel gun with magnum in the caliber name. 327,357,41,44. All are more than adequate. Anything below the ability of 327 is not likely to do much to the bad guy and anything bigger than 44 is dangerous to people inside buildings. With these calibers you are typically making a decision based off of capacity. 5,6,or 7. Do you think you need more than that? If so go weaker and get an autoloaders and risk a jam.
 
I have carried a .25 ACP, primarily in Chicago in the late 60's when I was a reserve adviser to the 12TH SF. Why a .25? since it was illegal to carry in the first place it had to be deep concealment. This was in the days before all the small revolvers or pistols were available. In uniform there was no problem because of a loop hole in their many different weapon laws at that time. How ever, off duty, in chivies, was a different matter, even the military frowned on their people carried guns down town, so any thing I carried had to concealed, very , very concealed. Know what, I was very comfortable with that little Berretta never had to use it and still have it.
 
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