Do you really need more than 5?

So far, I haven't needed 1.

Yes, I'm comfortable carrying 5. Or 8, whatever my handgun du juor holds...

That's my personal comfort level and not a suggestion that anyone else needs to feel the same.
 
Nothing new to be said. Yawn.

It's all the risk cut off.

1. Most likely you will never use your gun.
2. Then, if you do, it's probably the single mugger be gone - with no shots fired.
3. If you do fire at the single mugger, a few shots probably does it.

Then - you might get into the rare intensive critical incident.
1. More than one attacker
2. A rampage
3. With a semi - a malfunction best cleared with a new mag

You decide if you want to be prepared for the second set. It's just risk decision theory. If you think you will never be in the second set - you can get buy with minimal equipment.

There is a small probably you are in the second set.

As far as inconvenience for an extra speed loader or mag, that's baloney. I can walk of the house in TX with a Glock and extra mag, or J and speed loader on the hot days without being weighed down or inconvenienced.
 
If drawing a gun and firing does not cause the other assailants to flee your chances of survival are slim.
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Not so, you CAN do well, training and mindset.

So, anyone who feels no need to pack reloads, while visiting the local grocery store.....is somehow "lazy"
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That is precisely where you need it. There have lots of off duty cops get into shootout "Just running to the store"

In fact, those of us who are so "lazy" (by your definition) probably simply do not feel under threat to the same degree as you perhaps do. Or, perhaps we aren't quite as paranoid. Or, maybe we don't reside in the same sort of "wonderful" communities as you might.
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Actually I reside in a rural area adjacent to a nice Midwestern city. But we have drugs and violent crime. I am not under any threat, or overly paranoid, I believe in being prepared. I also keep my gas tank above half, have food and water at home to last a few weeks. But I was a big city cop, and did deal with the worst of society, so I know what people are capable of doing to each other.

It could be easily argued that, for those who do choose to carry reloads at all times, in most cases you'll never have time to use them, before the average confrontation is over.
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Based on what?

That argument carries just as much weight as the one that we should all be armed to the teeth, because.....BOTH arguments are simply based on SUPPOSITION and SPECULATION. You CAN'T possibly predict the character of most or all (or even a simple majority) of SD confrontations....unless you are/ were PRESENT. Which you can't be.
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Perception-Your perception is based upon your education and experiences. Everyone perceives things differently. It has been said that perception is reality, your reality is as you perceive it to be.

Supposition and speculation? Why would you be thrust into a situation where you must defend yourself? They are strikingly similar if you break them down. Someone is trying to rob you - they want something you have and are willing to hurt you to get it. Kidnapping-they want you, your wife, your child they are willing to hurt you to get it. Rape, the want you, they are willing to hurt you to get it.

Do you see the common thread? The only real situation for self defense is that someone is threatening violence or attempting to harm you or yours. Your response and successful conclusion can be made with, speed, surprise and violence of action.

I have not had a flat tire for 15 years, but I still carry a spare tire, a jack and tools to change the tire. I have never had a fire in my house or car, but still have a fire extinguisher handy. I have a first aid kit in the car and at home. Does that make me paranoid or practical? If you carry a gun for protection against the unknown, and no reload, I wish you the best.
 
A couple thoughts ...

First, I typically carry between 1-3 speedstrips or speedloaders when carrying one of my J-frames or my SP101. Depends on my clothing, planned area of travel & activities, etc. Risk assessment.

Second, as a firearms instructor I've come to consider that more folks might be better served if they learned how to better use the rounds they do carry, in a safe, accurate & effective manner. :rolleyes:
 
The subject line is, "Do you really need more than 5?"

The question was "How many extra rounds do you carry with your snubbies, if any at all?"

Until I read this, I often carried a five shot snub with no reloads. But I really had not thought about it very much at all. Frankly, I was a prisoner of my own preconceptions.

I now carry a semi-auto with ten rounds most of the time.

A few observations:

  • The fact that one is most unlikly to ever have to use a firearm at all is completely irrelevant. It's a matter of conditional probability.
  • How "comfortable" one "feels" is not at all determinative of how many one might need.
  • As Glenn E. Meyer points out, it is a matter of the risk cut off.

Risk management is about identifying the risks, assessing the likelihood of occurrence, evaluating the severity of the potential consequences, analyzing mitigation strategies, and deciding whether to accept the risk or to adopt on of the mitigation approaches.

The risk here is one of being attacked by one person or by more than one who will press the attack. Remote

The potential consequences include being crippled or killed. Very severe

Possible mitigation strategies include carrying some type of firearm, if it is lawful to do so in one's jurisdiction.

The majority of people choose to accept the risk without mitigation. I choose mitigation.

Which one? See John's statistical analysis (six shots is a lot better than five, and seven is better still) and consider this. Observe the side by side photo.
 
There is no typical SD situation.
Five rounds is good-but one can waste 5 rds
in excitement and then hope his antagonist
only has 5 ,ten is better,
and Fifteen is way better.
 
I almost exclusively carry a snub nose. Sometimes I leave the house with no reload, but most of the time I carry one speedloader. I am comfortable with that.
 
My little smith is usually with me, and I keep a couple speed strips with me. When I had speed loaders, I left them at home a lot when I pocket carried.
 
Posted by rcclark: I am comfortable with 4 rounds.
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The question posed was whether one carries more than five. However, how "comfortable" one might happen to be has nothing whatsoever to do with what might prove necessary for self preservation.

One cannot predict what will happen in a mugging or robbery, but I can easily envision firing four shots at an attacker moving in fast with a blade--firing very fast while moving aside. Maybe five. Maybe three.

No, I would not be "comfortable" with four. Or five.

The two unknown variables are (1) how many hits one can effect very quickly under stress at a violent criminal closing at five meters per second, and (2) how many hits will be required to stop him. I, for one, will not rely upon averages.

There is a third important factor: how many rounds will you shoot at the first attacker before you can discern that your use of deadly force has in fact accomplished its objective?

In the recent episode on multiple attackers on The Best Defense, Mike Seeklander demonstrates shooting first the attacker who presents the most serious danger. He shoots until he has some indication that the attack has been stopped. In the demo, he fires five shots.

Then there is the risk that a second attacker, the presence of whom is by no means unlikely, may decide that his best hope of survival is to press the attack. How many rounds would that consume?

One who has carried a five shot revolver for some time, as did I, might have been "comfortable", but it is prudent to consider what would happen in the event that the gun had to be fired, taking into account the realities discussed above. Those long-held preconceptions and precious fantasies can only be preserved through denial.
 
I, for one, will not rely upon averages.
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Years ago, while traveling the ALCAN, I carried two spare tires. And still I was left wondering if I would be stranded in the middle of nowhere without a spare after using both spares on the trip; this after having new tires put on the vehicle for the trip and carrying new spares. (Not forgetting the rock that was kicked up by another vehicle that literally went through my windshield and landed on the dashboard on this same trip!)

Stuff happens.

Used to carry a snub model 60. (Note the use of past tense.) Now the only revolver that I carry on a semi-regular basis is a six-shot six inch version when hiking with one full reload; and this as back up bear/moose defense.

So no, five is not enough for me.
YMMV
 
When I had speed loaders, I left them at home a lot when I pocket carried
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That's the situation that I find myself in. Maybe I just don't like how uncomfortable speed loaders are in a pocket. A strip might be to my advantage.
 
one might happen to be has nothing whatsoever to do with what might prove necessary for self preservation.
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If you play the 'what if'/statistical/movie paranoia game, you might as well walk around with as many revolvers/semi-autos that you possibly can to make 'sure' you are covered for everything short of storming the beaches of Normandy.... certainly a short barreled shotgun hanging under you coat as well next to your bullet proof vest.... Gee Whiz, you just never know, you know! No, where I live (and I've lived here all my life) certainly don't feel the need to go loaded for bear so to speak. In fact, I rarely carry at all, and when I do a little five shot .44Spec (empty under hammer to make it a four shot) goes with me or will be near me. Was out at the range yesterday with it for it's monthly familiarity run, yep still shoots were I point it.... In the hills, where I can open carry, I'll carry a .45 Colt six-shooter. With all the predators that we now have to deal with in the woods now.... Used to be, the only thing that ever worried me was a Moose and occasional a rare black bear .... Now we have an abundance of Mountain Lion, Bear, the Big bear, Wolf, etc.... :rolleyes:

Point is, I think we all have a different 'risk' view on the subject depending on where we live, where we go, and so on. One solution certainly doesn't fit everyone's situation. End of story.
 
Posted by rcclark: If you play the 'what if'/statistical/movie paranoia game, you might as well walk around with as many revolvers/semi-autos that you possibly can to make 'sure' you are covered for everything short of storming the beaches of Normandy.... certainly a short barreled shotgun hanging under you coat as well next to your bullet proof vest.... Gee Whiz, you just never know, you know!
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You have obviously not taken any effort to understand the problem.

Make some reasonable assumptions regarding (1) how many shots it is likely to take to stop an attacker; (2) many you will have to fire to effect those hits, remembering that your target would be moving fast; and (3) the likelihood that a second attacker would continue or cease and desist. And then do the math yourself.

Or if you do not want to go through the effort, just take a look at John's calculations--see the link above.

See what your chances would be with four rounds. John actually started at five, and the answer was alarming enough. You'll be surprised. I was. John was.

Six would be better. Seven, better still. I've settled on carrying ten.
 
My objection mainly concerned being characterized as "lazy".....because I didn't happen to agree with the "armed to the teeth at all times" philosophy. Kind of insulting, not to mention unnecessary, actually.

Clearly, there is a diverse range of viewpoints on this subject - and diverse perceptions. Obviously, there are varying levels of threat for each of us and different levels of threat perception. The fact that those of us who choose not to go forth equipped for all-out battle every day seem to survive, might tend to indicate that we aren't complete idiots - and that we aren't completely wrong, in our particular circumstances.

What others choose to do as regards their self-defense preparation is their business. I'll not drop to the level of declaring them foolish or stupid or lazy, because they don't choose to make exactly the same preparations that I do. My wish is only that everyone is successful (i.e., remains safe), with whatever they choose to do on this subject.
 
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