Is Nine Rounds of .45 ACP Enough?

Is 9 rounds of .45 ACP Enough for Defense?

  • Yes

    Votes: 112 91.1%

  • No

    Votes: 11 8.9%
  • Total voters
    123
  • Poll closed .
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Holy Cow those pics ended up huge!

Suffice it to say that 9mm is for wimps and .45 is for Manly Men.
Because that's all these caliber debates ever end up as...
even though 10m is better than both of 'em! :D :D :D

And that's whatcha get for inserting 9mm comments in a .45acp thread!
 
It would depend on the situation, some times it could be enough and other times it might not be, and if not then you could end up dead your choice.

As for how many rounds is enough, I can't guarantee that. If I remember correctly the FBI statistic is that the average self defense shooting involves 3 shots at 3 yards in 3 seconds. So 9 is certainly more than that. Of course exceptions occur.
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Thats fine if you are in a average situation, whatever that is.


Yes, its plenty ! I carry a full sized 1911 all the time !
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How can you say that, its impossible to know how many rounds would be enough. It certainly was not enough in the example bellow.

At the core of his desperate firefight was a murderous attacker who simply would not go down, even though he was shot 14 times with .45-cal. ammunition — six of those hits in supposedly fatal locations.
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There's no way to actually answer that question. I've seen statistics on CCW cases (which are sparse to begin with) that suggest it's often enough simply to draw the gun. It may be that zero rounds are enough, but of course nobody bets their lives on that. I have a double stack and single stack 9mm, and was sold on the single stack with its 7+1 capacity until I took a class in "Spontaneous Assault" that simulated the need to quickly engage two targets at close range, with unsighted fire. That impressed upon me how quickly 8 rounds will disappear and how easily one can miss when under stress and not taking careful aim. My tight groups at 15 yards vanished, and suddenly I was fumbling for the reload while retreating to cover and having someone yell at me to go faster (the reload that was so easy to do when practicing in a stall or in my basement with dry fire).

So I decided that my double-stack wasn't that much heavier to carry, and was only about 0.3" thicker, and in AIWB with a good holster actually conceals as well as the single stack so long as my shirts aren't too thin.

My decision to go with a higher round count was an unscientific sense that I just might need it, so why not have it? With the slightly lower round counts of .45, I'd be inclined to go with the 13 round mags. But that's me and nobody else, and one day I may change my mind again.

I sincerely hope zero will be enough for all of us forever...stats say 3 should be enough should the need ever arise.
 
Big Shrek said:
Holy Cow those pics ended up huge!

Suffice it to say that 9mm is for wimps and .45 is for Manly Men.
Because that's all these caliber debates ever end up as...
even though 10m is better than both of 'em! :D :D :D

And that's whatcha get for inserting 9mm comments in a .45acp thread!
Click to expand...
And even manlier men conceal .30-06 hunting rifles down their pant legs!
 
As said the question is impossible to answer. Even taking into account the poll shows that some people think they can predict future events.
 
I voted no, because you would have double that with a spare magazine.
Tip #1 carry a spare magazine.

What if the extractor breaks, or if a squib load lodges in the barrel? I've had both happen during practice and the squib was a factory "premium" self defense round.
Tip #2 carry a 2nd option pistol in pocket, 38 snub, 380, Kahr PM, something...

With a spare mag and a 2nd option pistol, issue of capacity or primary gun failure are addressed. :)
 
Actually one 45 acp round is enough. By this I mean if you hit your target that’s enough. Wild Bill fired one 45 LC and hit his opponents heart at 75 yards. The old “One-Shot-One-Kill” strategy.

That said, in todays society where thugs work in teams more ammo is a good thing. I carry two eight round magazines. OK, I’ll admit it, I’m not quiet as good a shot as Wild Bill.
 
manta49 said:
Thats fine if you are in a average situation, whatever that is.
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Which is why I go on to share that story which shows exceptions can and do occur. An average is just that, an average. They measure the distance, time, and shots fired across a number of cases and average them. It only focuses on the raw metrics of a fight. Obviously there’s more to it.

As you said it’s impossible to know exactly how many ahead of time. I carry roughly 10 times the number of shots as the FBI average. If I did have to use my firearm in self defense and only use 3, I don’t think I’ll consider the remaining rounds a waste. But who’s to say what I carry is “enough” either?

To me at the least carry a backup magazine. If we’re talking a single stack 45 then that should be pretty easy.



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No....you should have at least 200 rounds available.....in case you have time to go to the range.

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I'm betting my life that 8rds of 9mm will be enough. Although I like to say 'luck favors the prepared,' and that's true as far as that goes... if I knew I was going to be in a gun battle I'd take a rifle or shotgun.

I think, more important than how many rounds you pack, is the ability to put those rounds where they will do the most 'good.'
 
Yes, leave it up to some to insert 25ACP and 9MM comments in a 45ACP thread.

I had some buddies that were LEOs.

One got into a situation having a shoot out with the bad guy.

He made comment "I don't know how the hell I missed him....I emptied a whole mag at him".

Just shows that "what is enough" can be 1 round or 90 rounds depending on where they go.

As some have said, there is no answer as to how many is enough.
 
Geezuz! 3072 x 2304 pixels is waaaaay too big. Please reduce the size of your pictures.
Is 9 enough for what? You're not going into combat and if you were you'd have a rifle.
 
TruthTellers said:
8+1 is enough to deal with a lot of threats, but the more important question of 9 rounds of .45 is what gun are you using? A .45 that holds 9 rounds is going to be a big pistol and you could have 9 rounds of 9mm in a smaller pistol that's easier to carry and conceal.
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A commander length 1911, especially bobbed, it very easy to carry.

And I can shoot rings around my Glock 26 or any single stack 9 with it. Especially the skinny ones, way too thin for my hands.

To the OP, 9 is comfortable for me. I always carry a spare mag, be it a 1911 or Glock 17 (my two most carried options)
 
As said the question is impossible to answer. Even taking into account the poll shows that some people think they can predict future events.
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Though I voted "yes", I agree. You need a crystal ball to make the "right" answer possible.
 
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9 rounds enough?
Such a question is focused on the tool.

1 round is enough, if the man shooting is very cool and very skilled.

Focus on the skills. Not the tool.
 
In a combat zone no . In the US of A 98% of the people are good , that's even counting Democrats . Only takes to one if you happen to cross paths with a 2%er.
 
the FBI statistic is that the average self defense shooting involves 3 shots at 3 yards in 3 seconds.
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There is NO FBI STAT about civilian SD shootings. Nobody is compiling a data base of non LEO shootings. Some trainers ask their students (if ever in a SD shooting) to relate that data to the trainer. He may keep a data base, but its pretty small.

There ARE some fairly large LEO shooting data bases. NYPD, LAPD, LASD, Etc. These numbers may oy may not be applicable to civilian SD shootings.

The “3 at 3 in 3” that is banded about so often is utter garbage. No data to draw that “average” from.
 
Yes, leave it up to some to insert 25ACP and 9MM comments in a 45ACP thread.
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Leave it up to someone to split hairs.

Doesn't really matter what round it is... 25rds of 25ACP does not equal 8rds of .45ACP, or any combination thereof. Although the OP used the 45ACP as the basis of his question, it really applies to any weapon someone is likely to carry for defensive purposes. And, like others have mentioned... it's a moot point anyway, unless you check the crystal ball before you leave the house.
 
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