Where do you draw the line?

[lovemachine]

Reading on the internet, you find a lot of people who are "downsizing" their carry guns. Either going to a single stack, or even a smaller caliber. It seems like people are more interested in guns that are comfortable to carry, instead of comforting.

Where do you draw the line? If you knew you were going to be in a gunfight today, would you have reconsidered your choice of carry gun today?
Do you care about the number of rounds your gun holds? Is 7 rounds enough? Is 15 rounds?

With the direction our world is heading, is it really smart for us to be carrying smaller guns for comfort? Or is it too "tacticool" to carry a larger pistol?

Where do you draw the line?



I'm also kind of rambling, but I thought this could be a good discussion.

 

[Que]

People should carry whatever they want for whatever reason. I carry a six-shot revolver on some days and a CZ on others. If I knew I was going to need and use a firearm for personal defense on any particular day, I would have my AK.

Some may be checking out the smaller handguns just for the ability to CC better.

 

[SSGSAD]

I carry what I own..... I don't have extra cash for another gun, right now .....

 

[Dwhizzle74]

I carry a xds fits my hand good comfortable to carry, is 9 rounds enough? Idk but it gives me a fighting chance . if I knew I was gonna be in a gun battle sure I'd want something bigger ar ak etc but my xds gives me plenty of comfort just my two pennies....

 

[OneBadV8]

Some may be checking out the smaller handguns just for the ability to CC better.

I carry a small single stack 9 for the times when I really have to conceal. Otherwise, most times I just carry a fullsize M&P.


And I'm sorta with Que... If I knew I was gonna be a in a gunfight, I wouldn't have a pistol.

 

[lovemachine]

I wouldn't have a pistol either. I was thinking of the lines of while at work or even at the mall kinda thing.

Also, if you read the accounts from guys who have been in gunfights, every single one of them started carrying more ammo on their person, while some even switched to a larger caliber.

Michael Bane has even commented that because of the direction the world is going, he's back to carrying double stack pistols.

Again, just rambling. Not really going anywhere with this.

 

[eldirector]

I draw the line at being prepared vs. not. I suppose that means different things to different folks. For me, I've chosen something I feel comfortable with the majority of the time - in size, concealability (when needed), "power" (however you define that), and capacity. I am hesitant to go "down" on any of these, and don't feel a particular need need to go "up".

If I KNEW I was going into a gunfight, I would bring a rifle, and a LOT of extra mags.

 

[Alpo]

As the old punch line goes: If I was expecting trouble, I would have brought my shotgun.

Awareness and training are probably more important that anything else. If you get surprised, it won't make much difference.

At my age, I'm less alert, but grumpier. I hope that is a good combination.

 

[jsharmon7]

If I knew I would be involved in a gunfight today I would carry an AR-15 with armor and plenty of mags. That isn't feasible for running errands though, at least not for me. While I understand and appreciate the point you make in this thread, it IS somewhat about comfort. I am simply more likely to carry a small gun than I am a full-size Glock with spare mags for running errands around town. Even with quality belts and holsters I am still aware of my full-size Glock whereas the smaller gun disappears in a pocket or waistband. I guess it comes down to the individual. To be honest, if my Glock 22 was the only pistol I owned then I can say with certainty I wouldn't always carry it. My P238 or 642 is always with me though.

 

[Que]

I wouldn't have a pistol either. I was thinking of the lines of while at work or even at the mall kinda thing.

Also, if you read the accounts from guys who have been in gunfights, every single one of them started carrying more ammo on their person, while some even switched to a larger caliber.

Michael Bane has even commented that because of the direction the world is going, he's back to carrying double stack pistols.

Again, just rambling. Not really going anywhere with this.

Onget what you are saying, but anyone who experiences a traumatic situation tends to step up their defense, whether it's stronger locks, bigger gun, orore ammo. The "line" for me is carrying a gun because it evens the playing field better than any weapon I know. It's also important to train with the gun you carry, so that's within the "line" for me, too. As for size, caliber, capacity, etc., well, I would like to have at least six shots and at least 9mm, but that's only my gutt feel on the question.

 

[rhino]

I'm probably too much of a statistical outlier for my practices to be useful to the discussion.

 

[eldirector]

I'm probably too much of a statistical outlier for my practices to be useful to the discussion.

You draw your lines with a paintbrush, no?

 

[lovemachine]

I'm probably too much of a statistical outlier for my practices to be useful to the discussion.

I'd still like to hear your view

 

[Woobie]

I carry a medium sized pistol - a walther ppq. I can carry 15 rounds in that. I never OC (not to go down that rabbit hole), so I need something I can conceal without too much trouble. By going with this size, I have a pistol that conceals much more easily, but only gives up 2 or 3 rounds to a full size. I'm not willing to do with less, so for me, the decision shifted from pistol choice to holster choice. If I knew I were going to be in an unavoidable gun fight, it would happen on my turf, and I would have a rifle.

 

[Bfish]

I have been all over the board as far as carry pistols go... I have for over a year been carrying a Glock 19 and I feel comforted as you put it with that... I at times had left the house with a little 380 pocket pistol, but if it was anything beyond a one assailant close distance (over quickly) usage I would be wishing for my larger gun. In other words I would rather have a different gun I could have been carrying if I were in a gun fight. So you could say I draw my line there, stay above where you weren't wishing for something else. Or at the very least something you are comfortable using if you have to.

If I am not comfortable "fighting" with it, I should be carrying something else, however that's not always an option for me. So as long as I carry extra mags I am feeling pretty comfortable with guns that have mags less than 10 or so rounds I feel the absolute need for a spare mag, however I tend to carry one regardless of capacity.

I'll carry a shield and feel perfectly fine. I may also carry one of the small Sig or Kahr pistols (those two are bottom of the line for me) and feel alright with extra mags (still preferring a larger pistol but not out of the question) however, they usually fill a back up role.

I usually don't flirt with the line, and I carry a bigger comforting & comfortable pistol in my opinion 95+% of the time. Mainly because I don't every have an issue with it. When I discovered how nice appendix really was for comfort and concealment the size of pistols I carried jumped up a notch. I will occasionally meet the line with one of the smaller one's I mentioned when the situation dictates it. So hard to draw the line, I feel like I have two lines really. Where I have to be 100% of the time, and where I choose to be 95+% of the time.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I carry the biggest gun I practically can. And then one or two more smaller ones.

It's a simple matter of probability. The following numbers are entirely made up but used for illustration purposes. The odds of any day I go out there may be a 5000:1 possibility I may have to use my gun. On that small chance that I DO have to use my gun the odds are pretty good that simply drawing and being fully prepared to fire if the threat doesn't stop immediately are maybe 10:1. Of that, if I DO fire, the odds of 1 or 2 shots stopping the threat are also pretty good, say another 10:1.

So the odds of needing more than those one or two rounds on any given day are fairly remote. So remote that the probabilities are much better if I simply HAVE a gun and am prepared and capable of using it, regardless of how many rounds it holds.

Does this mean that I don't want to carry more firepower? Of course not. But if I am going out and about in places where I need to be discreet in my carry then the old adage about the gun you have on you being better than the gun in the safe is true.

To that end, my primary carry weapon runs the gamut from a G20, one of the larger guns you can carry, to an XD-s in .45acp, with two other size options in between depending on how I need to dress that day and what the consequences of being detected with a gun are. A reload for those guns may or may not be carried again depending on my needs at the moment.

Could I regret not carrying more? Sure. Playing the "what if" game is a losing proposition though, you can ALWAYS be underprepared for something someone else can dream up, no matter what you are carrying.

 

[g00n24]

When out and about I will have a g23 with 2 reloads. When working or around the house my CM9 is on me. I used to carry a j-frame when in school but felt like it was not quite enough handgun which is why I bought the CM9 for deep carry .
I feel it all comes down to what you are wanting to protect yourself from. Will 5 shots of .38spcl be good enough for a single mugger? Probably. But I wouldn't want to go up aagainst much more than that. Are you wanting to be able to protect yourself from an active shooter? Then the more rounds the better. Chances are a small single stack will take care of 90% of self defense situation. I'm just not comfortable relying on one unless I have to.

 

[JStarr]

I carry my G19 95% of the time. On those "suit and tie" days, I'm rockin the Springfield MC Operator in a shoulder rig with G42 deep concealed.

If I knew I was going to be in a gunfight today, I would most certainly have my AK and semi-auto 12guage at ready.

 

[Leadeye]

I carry what I can shoot first and fastest. Whoever gets shot first usually loses the fight and that's not me.

 

[Paul30]

If I knew for certain I would be in a gun fight today, I would stay home or be somewhere else. I will avoid it any way I can, and that goes for not going to places or events during times of civil unrest. Sure I could load heavy and go anyway, but I choose the safe path when I can. That said, I carry for the situation and current threat level. If it is all normal and I want to walk around the park I will stay with my shield and extra magazine. If I have an event to attend with friends or family and there has been a recent civil unrest event like the 200 yutes who were walking through Louisville vandalizing and assaulting anyone who was lighter skin color than they were then I carry a full size and a couple extra magazines. I also drive a heavier 4WD or AWD vehicle capable of driving over rioting people or pushing vehicles out of the way that are attempting to trap victims for further victimization.