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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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Thread: How Many Shots Is Enough for Concealed Carry?

  1. #21
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shanghai Jack View Post
    back in the early sixties we were on our way home from the river bottoms where we were doing some plinking with black powder. We pulled into the gas station and the attendant was standing there with his hands up. Being young and stupid we piled out of the car with a muzzle loading shotgun and a flintlock horse pistol (both unloaded as it turned out) and proceeded to hold the robber for the police. They came and took him away and laughed their behinds off about the weapons we used to foil the robbery. Wouldn't do it again and probably should have done it then but . . . I guess looking down the bore of a 69 caliber sewer pipe pistol is intimidating.
    You know, there are many reasons I love this forum, but this is one of those things... you can't go just anywhere and find people this awesome.
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  2. #22
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    The contents of the gun, plus one reload.
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  3. #23
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    Lowest acceptable number? 5 is a good number for walking to the mailbox when you aren't expecting trouble as it's definitely good for one attacker and will certainly allow you to soften up more. But NOT carrying a reload for whatever you're carrying is a bad call IMO.

    Obviously, when the ferals are looting and burning en masse, the casual convenience of the little J-frame or PPK ceases to be the most desirable attribute.
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  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bigslug View Post
    Obviously, when the ferals are looting and burning en masse, the casual convenience of the little J-frame or PPK ceases to be the most desirable attribute.
    Haha, yes, that's when the rifles start to come out. There is no scenario in my life at the moment where I would do anything except get away from the rioters and let them burn whatever urban hole they're throwing their tantrums in, so the likelihood of needing anything except the little gun is pretty small. If we ever have rioters out here in the country, something has gone horriblly wrong!
    I'm a big fan of data-driven decisions. You want to make me smile, show me a spreadsheet! Extra points for graphs and best-fit predictive equations.

  5. #25
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    I'm surprised at the number of people that picked the same number I did. Chief's 38sp with 5 140gr WC's. If you need more, imho, you have gotten yourself into something you should have avoided at all costs.

    Obviously, when the ferals are looting and burning en masse, the casual convenience of the little J-frame or PPK ceases to be the most desirable attribute.

    Why are you in a place where looting, burning and rioting are taking place? If your home or place of business is located there and that is going on I don't think a handgun is what you would be holding if you have any sense.

    I would also care to hear the 19+ vote. You carrying a machine gun concealed? I think he/she must be referencing spare mags.
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  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by HWooldridge View Post
    You can have anything you want at home - I kept a 44-40 lever action '92 Winchester in the corner of our bedroom for a lot of years and never felt undergunned.
    The best way to use a pistol is to fight your way to a long gun.

  7. #27
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    It really depends on where you are, why you're there, and why you carry in the first place. I don't live or work in a dangerous area and if a riot breaks out in one of the nearby cities I don't intend to go check it out. I carry a gun to get myself OUT of trouble, not INTO it. In my specific case five is enough.
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  8. #28
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    As with jonp, I was surprised to see the number who also chose 5. As has been stated, where you live and the places you frequent often determine what you think is adequate. I'm also a revolver guy and dearly love my S&W 696, which happens to be a 5 shooter. So is my 50's era Mod. 36. For where I live and what I do, more often than not one, or at most two shots has been more than ample. As others have stated, if there's a riot going on in the nearest city, over 100 miles away, I ain't goin' down there to check it out. In the less than likely occurrence they should show up out here, rifles are close and, I'm old enough prison doesn't much scare me so the rule is, as my late Father always opined, "shoot first and ask questions later."
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  9. #29
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    I voted six, but that's because I have a Colt Agent that holds six rather than five.
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  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by jonp View Post
    I would also care to hear the 19+ vote. You carrying a machine gun concealed? I think he/she must be referencing spare mags.
    I can only imagine that they're referencing something like the new Sig P322, which holds 20+1. I have to admit, as suspect as 22LR can be, that's a lot of very controllable power in a package about the size of a 3" J-frame. If primers don't come down in price, I can see a lot more folks carrying 22LR, especially the new SD-specific ammo. Hell, I might do it...
    I'm a big fan of data-driven decisions. You want to make me smile, show me a spreadsheet! Extra points for graphs and best-fit predictive equations.

  11. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by sharps4590 View Post
    As with jonp, I was surprised to see the number who also chose 5. As has been stated, where you live and the places you frequent often determine what you think is adequate. I'm also a revolver guy and dearly love my S&W 696, which happens to be a 5 shooter. So is my 50's era Mod. 36. For where I live and what I do, more often than not one, or at most two shots has been more than ample. As others have stated, if there's a riot going on in the nearest city, over 100 miles away, I ain't goin' down there to check it out. In the less than likely occurrence they should show up out here, rifles are close and, I'm old enough prison doesn't much scare me so the rule is, as my late Father always opined, "shoot first and ask questions later."
    I'm surprised at the number that chosen 5 so far as well. I wonder how much this is a result of the unique demographics and perspectives of our community? I suspect that the same poll presented elsewhere, say a forum with more armchair commandos, might have different results.
    I'm a big fan of data-driven decisions. You want to make me smile, show me a spreadsheet! Extra points for graphs and best-fit predictive equations.

  12. #32
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    I went with 8 as a minimum 'cause I sometimes carry a LW Commander in .45 ACP without topping off the Wilson mag after chambering the first round. Lately though, I've begun to really favor my SIG 365 with it's 12-round capacity.

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  13. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jtarm View Post
    The best way to use a pistol is to fight your way to a long gun.
    Amen brother, preach it…

  14. #34
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    Whatever your carry gun will hold. And a spare mag or speed loader... I've a kimber micro and is 6+1 minimum, 8+1 extended. Or a PPQ with 15+1 or a s&w shield ez with 8+1. Or an 8 refund taurus revolver. If I could figure out a holster, 34 rounds of 22lr in a keltec p33

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  15. #35
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    I have read that 99% of shootings end when 1 shot is placed in the abdomen or head regardless of caliber. So the right number depends upon"how good you are".

  16. #36
    Boolit Master 1006's Avatar
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    As many as I can carry and keep it concealed. Most of the time out among the public that is 5.

  17. #37
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    I own a pair of NAA revolvers, both 5 shot in .22mag.

    Either of them would likely be my first choice for carry because of their small size and weight.

    I have a Beretta 81 in .32acp with 12 rounds per mag, and the holster holds a second mag.
    But it is bigger, bulkier, heavier by far than the little NAA revolvers.

    I could slip one in each front pocket and still feel secure about my pants not falling off. The Beretta or any of my other bigger pistols seem to feel like any moment my pants might slide to my ankles.

    For my needs 5 would be enough.
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  18. #38
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    The poll and the actual question are different. How many shots is enough for a given situation is hard to answer, but historically the number is something like 2. Certainly there are scenarios where something more than that would be preferable. I will also second or third or fifth the people above who carry J frames as I do regularly as well, and so 5 will have to do, that's what I voted for in the poll because I see no reason to carry anything smaller than that.

    With that said, I carried my Shield today with the 7 round mag in it and more than a concern over capacity, I'd rather have an automatic on me because revolvers are harder for me to shoot, especially when needed quickly, and the cylinder's fat profile makes them less practical for iwb carry than a flat/thin automatic.

  19. #39
    Boolit Grand Master


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    I didn't even vote since my vote is 1, so I did not see the results until now. There are two votes for 19+. Maybe they missed the underlined, and clearly stated "no reloads counted". Or maybe they really are shooting 19+ capacity handguns? I know the FN 5.7 holds 20, that was the selling point, and is a very cool gun. A quick search shows a Kel-Tec in 22 mag that holds 30, and I assume there are other 22 LR and 22 mag guns out there that are 19+. I'm not aware of any 9mm with a standard magazine of 19+, but there likely is one somewhere. Maybe these guys are carrying with extended magazines?

    So to those that voted 19+, what are you shooting?

  20. #40
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jtarm View Post
    The best way to use a pistol is to fight your way to a long gun.
    If you need to. If I'm carrying concealed I'm not at home.
    Having theoretically fought my way out of some place, I should probably either report the shooting or just go home but there probably won't be a good reason for me to get a better weapon and go back for more.
    Warning: I know Judo. If you force me to prove it I'll shoot you.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

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