What is your minimum?

[The Night Rider]

Because like many I don’t subscribe to the idea that only the most self defense is viable self defense. A reliable .22 lr is better than most people’s knives, brass nuckles, pepper spray, taser, etc. Things aren’t binary. My normal is a .38 or .380

But is your .22 better than a Crack Baby's 9?

 

[WisBorn]

But is your .22 better than a Crack Baby's 9?

As I said in the first post!
This is a personal choice! And a personal opinion!!
Nobody said that a 22 is better than a 9mm or any other cartridges. The 22 is smaller and can be carried in very small firearms.

 

[CDW4ME]

No, at no point did I say "i'd rather defend myself with a .22." Lol. I said if I had a .22 LR pocket pistol, which I don't, I would carry it occasionally if it was reliable.

You didn't say it, but...
Whatever you decide to carry when/if you are not limited by work clothes like a quick trip to the store ...
The handgun you carry is defacto what you would prefer to defend yourself with of the handgun options you have.
If you carry a 22 instead of a 38 or whatever, your action (choice) says I'd rather defend myself with a 22 than my other options.

 

[The Night Rider]

Because like many I don’t subscribe to the idea that only the most self defense is viable self defense. A reliable .22 lr is better than most people’s knives, brass nuckles, pepper spray, taser, etc. Things aren’t binary. My normal is a .38 or .380

OK let me ask this a different way. Why would you choose a .22 over your normal .38 or 380?

 

[Autodidactic]

You didn't say it, but...
Whatever you decide to carry when/if you are not limited by work clothes like a quick trip to the store ...
The handgun you carry is defacto what you would prefer to defend yourself with of the handgun options you have.
If you carry a 22 instead of a 38 or whatever, your action (choice) says I'd rather defend myself with a 22 than my other options.

Because most people don’t carry, or can’t. There is a scale of preparedness and defense, and a reliable .22 is already somewhere in the middle. This is a strange artifact of the gun community, where only the utmost defense at all times, is legitimate defense. Then people should only be carrying a 10 mm, .357, .44 mag, .357 sig etc. “Why would you rather defend yourself with a 9 mm or .45 acp?” It’s a binary that isn’t necessary. If someone is preparing for bear/moose country, or police/military, or a bad neighborhood, sure. Do you lecture someone carrying a knife, pepper spray etc, or is it only those carrying a lesser firearm?

 

[Space Ghost]

Well, going off the firearms I own, you'd think a .22lr... but I don't really feel comfy with anything less than a .380, and I prefer a 9mm, or .38 special as my bottom end.

If I need to go small, the Sig P238 gets the nod.

 

[CDW4ME]

If I had a .22 pocket pistol that was reliable, I'm not going to lie, I'd likely carry it once in a while to the store.

You would rather defend yourself with a 22 than other options.

No, at no point did I say "i'd rather defend myself with a .22." Lol. I said if I had a .22 LR pocket pistol, which I don't, I would carry it occasionally if it was reliable.

Because like many I don’t subscribe to the idea that only the most self defense is viable self defense. A reliable .22 lr is better than most people’s knives, brass nuckles, pepper spray, taser, etc. Things aren’t binary. My normal is a .38 or .380

You didn't say it, but...
Whatever you decide to carry when/if you are not limited by work clothes like a quick trip to the store ...
The handgun you carry is defacto what you would prefer to defend yourself with of the handgun options you have.
If you carry a 22 instead of a 38 or whatever, your action (choice) says I'd rather defend myself with a 22 than my other options.

Because most people don’t carry, or can’t. There is a scale of preparedness and defense, and a reliable .22 is already somewhere in the middle. This is a strange artifact of the gun community, where only the utmost defense at all times, is legitimate defense. Then people should only be carrying a 10 mm, .357, .44 mag, .357 sig etc. “Why would you rather defend yourself with a 9 mm or .45 acp?” It’s a binary that isn’t necessary. If someone is preparing for bear/moose country, or police/military, or a bad neighborhood, sure. Do you lecture someone carrying a knife, pepper spray etc, or is it only those carrying a lesser firearm?

The most self defense? Is there a situation where somebody(s) is trying to kill you, lethal force is going to be used to try and stop them hopefully before they can inflict serious or lethal injury to you and you would prefer the less self defense?

What most people carry or not doesn't matter.

This aint a lecture. Of the options you have, always try to carry a handgun you would prefer to defend yourself with; I do.
If you have a 22 and a 38 (or whatever) and decide to carry the 22 that is saying (by action) that you would rather (prefer to) defend yourself with a 22.

 

[The Night Rider]

If I had a .22 pocket pistol that was reliable, I'm not going to lie, I'd likely carry it once in a while to the store.

Let me respond specifically to this.

It reads like what you're saying is "If I had a 22 that was reliable I'd carry it to the store just For the Hell of it."

JMO if I'm carrying a gun for self-defense I want to pick the best option available of the options I have.

If the best option you have is a .22 then carry that. But if you have a better option then you need to be carrying that.

Carrying a gun for self-defense isn't like deciding which shirt you want to wear today.

 

[The Night Rider]

Uh-oh. Silver only works with werewolves. One needs holy water, crosses and wooden stakes for vampires.

the stake has to be Ash, Willow, Juniper or Hawthorn.

 

[Autodidactic]

The most self defense? Is there a situation where somebody(s) is trying to kill you, lethal force is going to be used to try and stop them hopefully before they can inflict serious or lethal injury to you and you would prefer the less self defense?

What most people carry or not doesn't matter.

This aint a lecture. Of the options you have, always try to carry a handgun you would prefer to defend yourself with; I do.
If you have a 22 and a 38 (or whatever) and decide to carry the 22 that is saying (by action) that you would rather (prefer to) defend yourself with a 22.

Yes, it is in fact a lecture and presumption to correct someone, after repeating it multiple times. The "I carry 24/7 only service calibers and if you don't you are a failure crowd" is in an echo chamber. That's simply not the perspective of all people. I except of course military and LEO.

 

[Autodidactic]

Let me respond specifically to this.

It reads like what you're saying is "If I had a 22 that was reliable I'd carry it to the store just For the Hell of it."

JMO if I'm carrying a gun for self-defense I want to pick the best option available of the options I have.

If the best option you have is a .22 then carry that. But if you have a better option then you need to be carrying that.

Carrying a gun for self-defense isn't like deciding which shirt you want to wear today.

We don't need to be doing anything. Any gun is better than nothing. Most people don't carry, and even a lot of people with carry licenses don't always carry. My life isn't a binary requiring again the highest level of self-defense. I think certain people with high risk lifestyles, jobs, or locations would have or be required to have a different calculus.

 

[CDW4ME]

Yes, it is in fact a lecture and presumption to correct someone, after repeating it multiple times. The "I carry 24/7 only service calibers and if you don't you are a failure crowd" is in an echo chamber. That's simply not the perspective of all people. I except of course military and LEO.

I stuck with examples you gave, 38 snub, 380 and a hypothetical 22.
You said if you had a 22 you might carry it to the store.
I said you would prefer to defend yourself with a 22 than the other options you had.
Carrying it (22) is defacto preferred when you could carry the other options you have.

 

[The Night Rider]

Most people don't carry, and even a lot of people with carry licenses don't always carry.

But most of the people you're likely to have to defend yourself against DO.

I've been in the wrong place at the wrong time once or twice. I pray to God I never am again but if I am I want something more than a .22 on me.

 

[Hangingrock]

My EDC is a S&W Shield 9X19mm 8+1 Rds supplemented with a S&W M640 38Spl 5 Rds

 

[JTHunter]

With the overly expensive restrictions placed on IL-ANNOY residents, I have not bothered to get a CCP. I also go to too many places that are posted and the signage here has the "force of law".
That being said, I have had an Astra .380 for 45 years that I would carry concealed. I also reload for it so I know what my reloads can do. It is a 7 + 1 with a spare magazine as well.

 

[Choctaw]

9mm for me. You want to shoot them with enough gun so they stay shot. The first shooting I can remember responding to was a little bar in San Angelo, TX. Upon arrival we found a dead guy on the sidewalk. We entered the bar and there was a man sitting on a barstool with blood pumping from his chest. He had been shot twice with a small .22 LR revolver. He in turned pulled out his .357 mag and finished the fight (hence dead sidewalk guy). I believe 357 guy died a couple of days later but the point is he was never out of the fight.

 

[bltmonty]

Usually as much as I can carry, but in this order: 327 in LCR, Glock 39-6 rounds of 45 gap, 1911 3" Sentinel 6 rds of 45 acp, p320sc 10 rds of .40, and glock 21-30 hybrid--LWD g30 lower with 21 glock upper=10 rounds of 45 in 4.6" barrel.

 

[RealGun]

38 Spl J-frame snubbie with 5 rounds is my minimum but rarely carried. It usually is in my go bag, secondary to whatever I have on my person. Everything else is six rounds in a revolver or some form of semiauto.

 

[WestKentucky]

6 of MY hand loads in 32 long from a smith 30-1. They run a tad hot…for 32 long anyways

 

[racoonbeast]

Full-size 1911 in caliber .450 SMC. I carry it in a Milt Sparks Versa Max 2 IWB holster. I have been carrying this combo for years. Well, the .450 SMC conversion is new. Was .45 ACP before that.

 

[Hikingman]

For over 10 years, 9mm and 8+1. (The extra mag is ready, and close.)
The ammo is Hydra-Shok hollow points.

Otherwise, a full size 1911 with Hydra-Shok ammo in a Versa Max 2.

 

[Archie]

Minimum for me is a S&W M36 (five shooter). However, I only carry it when I do not wear a jacket of any sort. I prefer a M10 to the 36 and I prefer the Colt Commander (lightweight) in .45 ACP to most anything.

Uh-oh. Silver only works with werewolves.

No, brother Riot, silver bullets work on most everything. But silver bullets get spendy real fast.
Werewolves are traditionally injured by silver bullets. I think you worded your statement reversed.

 

[WisBorn]

Minimum for me is a S&W M36 (five shooter). However, I only carry it when I do not wear a jacket of any sort. I prefer a M10 to the 36 and I prefer the Colt Commander (lightweight) in .45 ACP to most anything.

No, brother Riot, silver bullets work on most everything. But silver bullets get spendy real fast.
Werewolves are traditionally injured by silver bullets. I think you worded your statement reversed.

Not sure about the werewolves, vampires, and even Zombies. If they start coming after me it's open fire time! Silver bullets or not

 

[Archie]

Not sure about the werewolves, vampires, and even Zombies. If they start coming after me it's open fire time! Silver bullets or not

You have a point. It isn't going to make things worse.

 

[reverseturn]

Don't carry often, but when I do carry it is a usually a 7 round 9mm in a pocket or inside the waistband
Less frequently it is a 5 round 38 spl (lcr) loaded with wadcutters so that is my current minimum.
Now If someone would give me for free a reliable LCP sized gun in any caliber that would be my new minimum.