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View Poll Results: What is the smallest acceptable total capacity acceptable for a concealed carry gun?

Voters
272. You may not vote on this poll
  • 4

    8 2.94%
  • 5

    150 55.15%
  • 6

    45 16.54%
  • 7

    12 4.41%
  • 8

    17 6.25%
  • 9

    4 1.47%
  • 10-12

    19 6.99%
  • 13-15

    6 2.21%
  • 16-18

    6 2.21%
  • 19+

    5 1.84%
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Results 141 to 160 of 163

Thread: How Many Shots Is Enough for Concealed Carry?

  1. #141
    Boolit Master
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    I don't think I voted but my answer would be 5....that said...

    I've known a lot of people personally who have been in gunfights or "critical situations" where no shots were fired. I've also read a bunch of personal stories of people on the various websites and one "theme" keeps coming up. Those who carried "Mouse Guns", as in snubbes and below rarely ever carried them again as their primary unless there was no choice.

    One of the ones I remember best was a retired LEO on the original Shooters.com. He lived somewhere in the mid west outside a fairly large city. He had always carried a SIG 9mm of some kind but one day he came on raving about his newly purchased Keltec .32 and how he was no longer carrying the 9mm.... Now while I have owned P32s since they came out and think they are the finest BOG/hideout gun ever made, I told him he was giving up an awful lot of firepower for "convenience"...he disagreed....

    A few months go by and one Monday he posts that while he is still carrying the P32 in his pocket all the time, he has gone back to the 9mm while out and about.... Seem the previous morning he and his wife had to go to the big city very early...there was no traffic at all. They were in a industrial/warehouse type area when a pickup with three apparently hadn't been to bed yet drunks pulled up along side and started cat calls at his wife. They then began following them and finally tried running them off the road. He was able to escape the situation and once safe they pulled over shaking....it was then he realized if something had gone wrong the only thing between the 3-jerks and his wife was the little .32 in his pocket that he couldn't even access while seated....

    But as I have written before, it isn't what you carry that keeps you out of the fight in the first place or prevail if it comes to it, but your knowledge, skills, attitude, training, tactics and awareness....but having "enough gun" helps.

    Bob

  2. #142
    Boolit Buddy challenger_i's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by scottyp99 View Post
    I pocket-carry a j-frame on a regular basis. Yeah, only 5 shots, but I practice situational awareness, and I feel like 5 shots of .38 Special +P ought to let me get out of just about any situation I am likely to find myself in. If I knew I was going to get into a gunfight, I'd bring my shotgun full of 00 buckshot, and all my friends who own shotguns.


    Scotty
    Plus 1.
    Rights, and Privileges, are not synonymous. We have the Right to Bear Arms. As soon as the Government mandates firearm registration, and permiting, then that Right becomes a Privilege, and may be taken away at our Master's discretion.

  3. #143
    Boolit Buddy
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    But as I have written before, it isn't what you carry that keeps you out of the fight in the first place or prevail if it comes to it, but your knowledge, skills, attitude, training, tactics and awareness....but having "enough gun" helps.

    Bob[/QUOTE]

    This! People get all wrapped up about equipment and forget that they are the weapon and their firearm is just one of their tools. Good tools help but the important thing is YOU being physically and mentally prepared.

  4. #144
    Boolit Buddy
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    Years ago I simplified my handgun inventory by moving exclusively to stainless Smith & Wesson double action revolvers with spring kits that gave the same trigger pull and with identical sight set ups. This reduced the required manual of arms and muscle memory to a single baseline. Prior to that I had a good CZ 75b that I shot well, but finally decided that 16+1 plus a spare mag was much more than would ever be required. Now, with the rise of multiple perp street assaults and home invasions I am starting to wish I had held on to the CZ. I handled one of their decockers not long ago, and the drill would seem to be identical to a double action revolver up to the reload.

  5. #145
    Boolit Master
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    That's why I like my striker fired semi-autos. Same as my revolvers. Just point and shoot.

  6. #146
    Boolit Master
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    In rural areas, 6 rounds in my .357 Mag walk along with me. In crowded areas, I have 14 rounds of .357 SIG that keep me company.

  7. #147
    Boolit Master





    SSGOldfart's Avatar
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    I'm in the J frame Air weight camp 5 rounds fits great in a ankle holster, Last time I draw it only took one shot but I was carrying a colt 1911 and we only loaded five shots in each mag.
    Last edited by SSGOldfart; 01-19-2023 at 10:04 PM. Reason: small keybroad large fingers
    I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left.
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    Looking for a Hensly &Gibbs #258 any thing from a two cavity to a 10cavityI found a new one from a member here

  8. #148
    Boolit Bub


    DonMerlin's Avatar
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    I voted 6 because “one per customer” was not a choice in the poll.

  9. #149
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DonMerlin View Post
    I voted 6 because “one per customer” was not a choice in the poll.
    I once talked to an old copper from northern Illinois and that's how he described the .38 Special FBI load!
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  10. #150
    Boolit Master



    Crash_Corrigan's Avatar
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    Earlier I carried a Buldog 44 with a ground down hammer spur with two tuff speed strips or a Charter Arms Patriot in 327 mag that carried 6 shots along with two tuff speedstrips with 8 shots apiece. recently I bought a Smith shield 2.0 EX CT. It is flat, carries easily, has a laser sight and carries 8 plus one along with two loaded 8 shot mags. All of these were easy to conceal and carry and with the right ammo will do the job required. My carry amo is Underwood 90 gr extreme defender solid copper rounds. The ballistics on this round are incredible. Velocity is 1520 fps and the wound characteristics are truly nasty in gelatin.
    Pax Nobiscum Dan (Crash) Corrigan

    Currently casting, reloading and shooting: 223 Rem, 6.5x55 Sweede, 30 Carbine, 30-06 Springfield, 30-30 WCF, 303 Brit., 7.62x39, 7.92x57 Mauser, .32 Long, 32 H&R Mag, 327 Fed Mag, 380 ACP. 9x19, 38 Spcl, 357 Mag, 38-55 Win, 41 Mag, 44 Spcl., 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 45 ACP, 454 Casull, 457 RB for ROA and 50-90 Sharps. Shooting .22 LR & 12 Gauge seldom and buying ammo for same.

  11. #151
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    It could be 5,7, or 9 on any given day.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #152
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    I just bought a second Glock 42, picking it up tomorrow. Been CCWing for about 15 years now and tried alot of different guns, both wheelies and bottom feeders. While I have plenty of others in my arsenal and do carry them, there is no other handgun out there that gives me the best combination of concealability, decent power level and capacity, ease of use, and accuracy that the Glock 42 does. I feed it Makarov level loads with 100 grain plated flat points and it doesn't miss a beat!
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  13. #153
    Boolit Master
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    Five shots is fine for 90% or more of situations but sometimes I carry a 13 shot 9 mm with an extra mag.

  14. #154
    Boolit Bub Snakeoil's Avatar
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    Can't vote because my choice is not one of the selections. My normal carry is a 5 shot Mod 60. But I have been known to stick a 2-shot Texas derringer in .38 spl in my pocket when a holstered carry was not practical. That little gun is also perfect for jacket pocket carry. Gun is basically in your hand all the time you are walking.
    Regards,
    Rob

  15. #155
    Boolit Mold
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    I've used a gun 3 times to defend my self, luckily I didn’t have to shoot.
    I now carry a 9mm pocket gun and 2 mags 6 rds ea. on me all the time I'm up, total weighs 1.6#, just in case.

  16. #156
    Boolit Bub Snakeoil's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MEB View Post
    I've used a gun 3 times to defend my self, luckily I didn’t have to shoot.
    I now carry a 9mm pocket gun and 2 mags 6 rds ea. on me all the time I'm up, total weighs 1.6#, just in case.
    Wow, that's about 3 times too many. I had a drunk pull out a small revolver and stick it in my face. I could see the little copper plated 22 rounds in the cylinder. I could also hear my buddy's feet pounding the sidewalk as he ran away. I did not dare run. I talked. He was pissed at somebody in the bar I'd just come out of. Somehow, I talked him down and he put the gun away. I can still see the muzzle and those little copper bullets in my memory like it was yesterday. It was right after that when I decided I needed a concealed carry permit. Although, I doubt it would have helped that night.
    Regards,
    Rob

  17. #157
    Boolit Buddy
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    Gunfights last till you are out of ammo.

    I was in a situation in New Mexico many years ago where I had walked into a robbery. I was able to de-escalate the two meth heads and nobody got hurt, but I think if I would have had a gun, things would have went bad fast. Lots of innocent people, etc. I have never went unarmed with at least something from that day, but tempered with the fact that sometimes it's not the best answer. Also being more heads up and taking a second or two to assess a situation before just walking in.

    I heard a great description of the two approaches to those situations. The first is using the monkey brain. It wants to jump up, screech and throw poop. The Lizard brain is the second option. Its first reaction is to scuttle under a rock. The lizard brain is not as cool, but has a far higher survivability.

  18. #158
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    The way I looking at it you carry as much any you like and dose not matter anymore for just carry what you have in the gun for how things had changed in the country , I had read a write up on this subject and it said that years ago you can get by with what is in the gun but now you can not because first things will not always work out like you plan and then when in a gun fight you do not know how many you will be have shooting at you and do not forget the shoot out that happen some years ago Miami Dade , one had extra ammo and it was not on the person, but sitting in the car. I know this is the extreme thing can happen. But you do not know also it depends on where you live and how it is there. Some can get by with what is in the gun others might need more . I say what feel right for you and go with it . There is no right or wrong reply on it. Also no matter how much one will train with the one they carry you do not know what will happen if that day will come. That is how it looks to me. Times has changed .
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  19. #159
    Boolit Buddy
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    the purpose of a handgun is to get you to your long gun. The farther you are from your long gun, the more ammo you should have.

  20. #160
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Ultimately, the main criteria for any firearm for any purpose is, can you place the shots where they need to go when necessary? I gave my trusty old S&W 637 and new to me Glock 42 some exercise today. I am not a good marksman by any means, but I can put slugs from either one in the vitals or head of a standard silhouette pretty quickly out to 12 yards or so. So, I believe I am as well protected as I can possibly be with a gun that is small enough to always have with me.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check