I won't go lower than 10 rounds in my primary, which is usually a G26. I'll take more if I can swing it, why not? More rounds usually means a larger, better shooting gun. The G26 is as small as a handgun can go and still be a 'fighting handgun' in my opinion. I just don't feel comfortable toting a 5rd snub or mousegun. I'm on the hunt to find the best way to conceal my CZ SP-01 Tactical, and that holds 19+1. It almost a certainty that I'll never need that much, if I ever need it in the first place, but the gun shoots friggin' lazer accurate so I might as well try to carry it sometime!
CCW Ammo Capacity - How Many Is "Enough?"
- Thread starter DragonDog
- Start date
Straightshooter629
New member
Even though I own several autos, my choice for daily carry is my Rossi 462. 6 rounds of .357 has never left me feeling "undergunned".
armoredman
New member
Like Burgess Meredith crowed in Grumpier Old Men, "Speak for yourself!"
That's a full size CZ SP-01 Phantom with 16 round CZ 75B magazine, for hot weather concealment. With the High Noon Down Under holster and High Noon Rock Steady belt, it carries very well under a t-shirt, even in AZ heat.
I would have to say I cannot answer the OP's poll, because no matter what I carry, 6 shot 38 Special or 19 round SP-01, I ALWAYS carry a reload. I can speedload my Smith pretty well,
but the spare mag is twice as important for the autos - so many troubles can be mag related, and Mr Murphy is a real (censored), he likes to drop in at the worst time. The weight and fuss of carrying a reload is very minimal, for me.As for just the firearm itself, like I said, I've carried everything from 5 shot snubs, 8 shot pocket 380s, to 19 round full size. Heck, at one time I carried a Smith Model 59 with 20 round extended mag! No, I didn't do that for long.
Edited to correct an "oops"
Last edited:
Tactical Jackalope
New member
No one has ever complained about carrying too many rounds in a gun fight when they have extra ammo after the incident is clear or terminated. Also..
There is usually always multiple attackers. Also..when a gun starts firing, who's to say it's one of ours and not one of theirs? Who's to say they won't be shooting back?
Better to have the extra ammo and not need it than need the extra ammo and not have it.
There is usually always multiple attackers. Also..when a gun starts firing, who's to say it's one of ours and not one of theirs? Who's to say they won't be shooting back?
Better to have the extra ammo and not need it than need the extra ammo and not have it.
Master Blaster 2
Moderator
This:
Bartholomew Roberts
Moderator
They touch on that subject in the discussion of the probability analysis in the above link. As I recall, someone analyzed 67 different shootings and found multiple attackers in 75% of those shootings. 67 is probably not a valid sample size; but it does suggest (as will a quick read through past shooting incidents discussed here) that multiple attackers aren't uncommon.
OldMarksman
Staff
It really is amazing how much additional margin that sixth round adds. Colt used to say so, but I never fully appreciated it.
It takes one from 3% to 7% chance of scoring four hits if you assume a 30% hit rate, and from a little less than 20% to around 35% if you assume 50%.
But it's not enough for me.
How we "feel" may be based on long-held beliefs and assumptions that have never been challenged. We know how well we shoot at the range, and we may base our assumptions on that--even though we aren't pumping fast--very fast--double action shots into a charging attacker whose head, arms, and legs are moving around.
The extra blast of magnum rounds from a snub may somehow give us confidence--even though it slows our shooting and provides the same wound channel and useful penetration as a hot .38 Special.
We may rationalize our thinking by visualizing a single stationary or nearly stationary attacker who gives us time to shoot fairly accurately, and by assuming that hits anywhere on the torso will effectively neutralize an attacker instantly.
We need to challenge our thinking. Some high performance defensive pistol training helped me to understand the drill, John's statistical analysis really helped me to think about the likely outcome, and trying to put myself in the shoes of a bad guy helped even more in giving me an idea about what to expect.
comn-cents
New member
As many as I can, and still function. Sometimes its 7 in the gun & 6 in a spare mag. Sometimes it's 21 plus a 20rd extra mag.
I've often thought about the reverse of this question...
How much is too much?
Follow me here.
I have a significant other that would really like to start carrying a weapon, however, if she is involved in a close range struggle between her and a male attacker she likely won't retain the weapon.
When responding to someone elses call for help (offensive), or firing from a defensive position, then I'd want as many rounds as possible. If I'm walking alone and ambushed, then do I want six rounds pointed towards me or 19+1?
For example, gang members in my small city have been targeting pedestrians during daylight hours. They rush the person either emerging from a vehicle, hiding spot, or from behind and beat them senseless. It's a gang initiation.
Not sure I have the answer here, but the point is scenerios vary.
How much is too much?
Follow me here.
I have a significant other that would really like to start carrying a weapon, however, if she is involved in a close range struggle between her and a male attacker she likely won't retain the weapon.
When responding to someone elses call for help (offensive), or firing from a defensive position, then I'd want as many rounds as possible. If I'm walking alone and ambushed, then do I want six rounds pointed towards me or 19+1?
For example, gang members in my small city have been targeting pedestrians during daylight hours. They rush the person either emerging from a vehicle, hiding spot, or from behind and beat them senseless. It's a gang initiation.
Not sure I have the answer here, but the point is scenerios vary.
Good comments and discussion, I appreciate the replies which are helping my thought process.
I will just say here that I think perhaps there might be a lot of people like myself who really don't actually carry all day every day. Often around the house or office, our weapon is nearby and readily accessible, but is only on our person during errands, trips to Wally World or grocery store, or other outings.
On such occasions I do at times ccw a CZ75b, and I can say that the weight of the ammo itself is not insignificant. But it is one of the weapons I shoot the best and I know it's stone cold reliable with the ammo I use. Other times I will take something with 7+1 or 8+1, which is much more easily managed, but once again is it enough?
Personally, in most of my own imagined "scenarios" I do worry more about 2 or 3 potential adversaries these days. That or some total nut job bent on indiscriminate harm to unsuspecting and unknown to him public at large. That's just me.
The voting is edging toward the point of being statistically significant, but I don't see a clear consensus as yet. That surprises me a little, but I guess that's what keeps the gun stores and gun makers in business, right?
I will just say here that I think perhaps there might be a lot of people like myself who really don't actually carry all day every day. Often around the house or office, our weapon is nearby and readily accessible, but is only on our person during errands, trips to Wally World or grocery store, or other outings.
On such occasions I do at times ccw a CZ75b, and I can say that the weight of the ammo itself is not insignificant. But it is one of the weapons I shoot the best and I know it's stone cold reliable with the ammo I use. Other times I will take something with 7+1 or 8+1, which is much more easily managed, but once again is it enough?
Personally, in most of my own imagined "scenarios" I do worry more about 2 or 3 potential adversaries these days. That or some total nut job bent on indiscriminate harm to unsuspecting and unknown to him public at large. That's just me.
The voting is edging toward the point of being statistically significant, but I don't see a clear consensus as yet. That surprises me a little, but I guess that's what keeps the gun stores and gun makers in business, right?
I cannot vote in the poll because I never carry without a reload. I suppose if you added the rounds of both the lowest capacity gun that I carry and the reload together, you could put me in the 10 round category, but that's not really what the poll was asking.
When I carry a semi-automatic (infrequent), I carry a spare magazine more in case of magazine-induced malfunction than for extra ammunition. In my experience, magazine-induced malfunctions are second only to ammunition-induced malfunctions with regards to how common they are. I would actually feel more comfortable carrying a revolver without a reload than I would a semi-auto because with the revolver, the magazine is not part of the equation.
When I carry a revolver (frequent), I always carry at least one speed loader or speed strip because, honestly, I can't think of a particularly good reason not to. A speed strip is thin, light, and unobtrusive enough to slip into the watch pocket of my jeans without significant discomfort or inconvenience. In colder weather, a speed loader carries comfortably enough in a coat pocket that I can almost forget it's there and the bit of weight in the pocket helps the jacket sweep back cleanly should I have to draw. Also, while the limited capacity of a revolver is something I'm willing to accept, carrying a reload or two does help to offset that limitation somewhat.
When I carry a semi-automatic (infrequent), I carry a spare magazine more in case of magazine-induced malfunction than for extra ammunition. In my experience, magazine-induced malfunctions are second only to ammunition-induced malfunctions with regards to how common they are. I would actually feel more comfortable carrying a revolver without a reload than I would a semi-auto because with the revolver, the magazine is not part of the equation.
When I carry a revolver (frequent), I always carry at least one speed loader or speed strip because, honestly, I can't think of a particularly good reason not to. A speed strip is thin, light, and unobtrusive enough to slip into the watch pocket of my jeans without significant discomfort or inconvenience. In colder weather, a speed loader carries comfortably enough in a coat pocket that I can almost forget it's there and the bit of weight in the pocket helps the jacket sweep back cleanly should I have to draw. Also, while the limited capacity of a revolver is something I'm willing to accept, carrying a reload or two does help to offset that limitation somewhat.
I answered 12-14 because that is the capacity of my pistol. I carry a minimum of 1 reload for a grand total of 27 rounds as a MINIMUM.
That is why it is too easy for some to say "I am in a safe place I only need 5".
Sorry, wrong. Blast and recoil are range issues. And; A 125 grain 357 magnum at 1300 FPS from a 2 1/2" barrel has significantly more power than the same bullet fired as a 38+P at 900 FPS, it is not the same wound channel. Do not fool yourself that because the 38 performs better in jello that it performs better on the street.
That is why it is too easy for some to say "I am in a safe place I only need 5".
Sorry, wrong. Blast and recoil are range issues. And; A 125 grain 357 magnum at 1300 FPS from a 2 1/2" barrel has significantly more power than the same bullet fired as a 38+P at 900 FPS, it is not the same wound channel. Do not fool yourself that because the 38 performs better in jello that it performs better on the street.
Very interesting. We now have nearly half the vote clustering on snubbies, wheelies, and pocket pistols. I guess that's not too shocking considering the numbers that have been sold in the past few years.
Personally, I like the idea of a snub and have nearly forked over for one several times. But I've never been able to see clear of its limitations, and I suppose that's me acknowledging my own limitation of ability in accomplishing a reload under extreme duress.
Anyone else see the poll results differently?
Personally, I like the idea of a snub and have nearly forked over for one several times. But I've never been able to see clear of its limitations, and I suppose that's me acknowledging my own limitation of ability in accomplishing a reload under extreme duress.
Anyone else see the poll results differently?
OldMarksman
Staff
Blast is a range issue, and it seems to convince a lot of people that they are hitting the target harder. Recoil can have a lot to do with the time between shots on target.
OK, permanent wound channel.
From the FBI report on Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness:
That may vary according to what tissue is penetrated, but given enough penetration and the same size bullet, the important factor is what is hit, and a big part of that will likely depend upon how many hits are achieved.
People with service 9s do a lot better than I do with my Commander length .45 in scoring a lot of fast hits on steel targets. Part of that is practice, but a big part is recoil, because they do not do as well with the . 45, and I do better with a big 9MM.
Didn't appreciate the difference when I bought the .45.
Spats McGee
Administrator
I think you've hit the nail on the head. As the vote stands right now:DragonDog said:
5 = 20 votes = 28.57%
6 - 7 = 13 votes = 18.57%
8 - 9 = 9 votes = 12.86%
10 - 11 = 10 votes = 14.29%
12 - 14 = 8 votes = 11.43%
15 - 17 = 7 votes= 10.00%
Other - Derringer? Extended Mag? = 3 votes = 4.29%
There's a fair amount of discussion about multiple attackers and various scenarios where more ammunition is (obviously) desirable, but apparently, lots of us have to compromise to accomodate wardrobe, weather, or some other factor. I also think that most or all of us realize that a handgun, as compared to a long gun, is already a compromise and, if we knew that we were going to a gunfight, would take a long gun rather than a handgun. As for me, I also almost always carry a reload, for a variety of reasons.
I will say this, though: I've never heard of anyone surviving a gunfight and then saying, "Dang. I wish I hadn't taken so many bullets." I'll also be glad when warmer weather hits so that I can go back to carrying something larger than my current carry gun.
dfsixstring
New member
When carrying my LCP I carry a spare mag (total 13 rounds). When carrying my 9mm SR9c, 11 rounds feels sufficient.
Tactical Jackalope
New member
Yeah...like now...With the G19..I'm cool with 15+1
When I have the 1911? I'm cool with 8+1. If I'm going out someplace..I bring an extra mag.
When I have the 1911? I'm cool with 8+1. If I'm going out someplace..I bring an extra mag.
armoredman
New member
Amigo, would you happen to have a link to news stories about this one?