How Many Rounds for SELF DEFENSE?

[mr surveyor]

This question seems to plague me on every gun forum I participate on. I just really would like to know the break down on the number of folks that consider a carry weapon for self defense or for a gun fight!

[stevie_d_64]

I don't carry for a gunfight...

I carry just enough to deal with a threat...

[Humanphibian]

3- 12 rounders for the Sig
2-10 rounders for the Taurus
8- 30 rounders for the AR (4-M855, 4-XM193)

[Paladin]

I would suggest at least 1 spare magazine or a backup-gun

I personally carry 2 spare magazines. Most police appear to carry 2 spare magazines for their sidearm.

If you've got low capacity magazines, the 2nd spare mag could definitely come in handy.

[Venus Pax]

I carry the maximum number of rounds the magazine will hold, plus one in the chamber. I also carry one extra magazine in my pocket.

[PAR]

I don't carry for a gunfight...

I carry just enough to deal with a threat...

+1

If I need more than one spare, which gives me a total of 35, I'm either in the wrong place, haven't had enough practice or I'm not moving fast enough. In all of the defense stories that I've heard or read over the years, I can't remember one that stated the full load was shot or a second was used. Has anyone else?

[badkarma56]

Haven't yet received "the cherished plastic," but when I do, I'll be carrying my H&K USP Compact/9mm in condition-one (i.e., "cocked and locked") with one in the chamber and a total of two 13-round mags (one loaded in the piece, and the other tucked in a belt pouch).

For what its worth, the carry ammo that I've tested and decided to go with is Winchester Ranger-T 127 gr. +P+.

[flintknapper]

One up the pipe, one full mag. and one spare mag. = 25 rounds of .45 acp

[stevie_d_64]

The realization being that after you get all loaded up and carry ALL that stuff, I'm extremely confident that most will eventually pare it down to:

- 1 holstered gun (duh! I can't thrown mine hard enough to make a dent) Magazine +1

- one spare (loaded, duh!) magazine left hip pocket, yeah, I'm a righty...

- clip knife (cleans under the fingernails pretty good)

- cell phone (to order the post shooting pizza, JUST KIDDING!)

One other thing I like to have somewhere on my person...

Is a pen, and either a small notebook, or even just a plain old folded piece of 8.5x11 paper to jot "stuff" down...(might come in handy)

It sounds like a lot...But I'm a firm believer in minimalism...

[stevie_d_64]

One up the pipe, one full mag. and one spare mag. = 25 rounds of .45 acp

You carry a double-stack .45??? I didn't know that!

(See, you think you know someone, and this happens! Geesh...)

[flintknapper]

One up the pipe, one full mag. and one spare mag. = 25 rounds of .45 acp

You carry a double-stack .45??? I didn't know that!

(See, you think you know someone, and this happens! Geesh...)

Yup,

Your heros die hard sometimes!

(Para-P13 Stainless).

[propellerhead]

Geeze! I might as well stay home. I only carry 9+1 of .40SW. No knives. No flashlights.

[MoJo]

Regardless of the gun I'm carrying I always have a spare magazine even for the P3AT. Murphy's law is still in effect.

I carry enough ammo for a gunfight and hope I never even have to pull my gun to stop a threat. Most of the time I have two spare mags for my primary gun and depending on the gun carried it can be anywhere from 25 rounds (1911 and 3913 3-8 round +1) to 49 rounds (XD9 3-16 round +1)

[TxRVer]

One up the pipe, one full mag. and one spare mag. = 25 rounds of .45 acp

You carry a double-stack .45??? I didn't know that!

(See, you think you know someone, and this happens! Geesh...)

Yup,

Your heros die hard sometimes!

(Para-P13 Stainless).

What am I missing? Wouldn't a Para-P13 hold 13+1 which would bring the total to 27 with 2 mags? My Para 14.40 holds 14+1. I don't mean to be rude. I just don't understand.

[AEA]

I carry one in the pipe and 2 spare mags. The total number of rounds depends on which gun I am carrying at the time.
It could be as few as 8, 7, 7 = 22
or 9, 8, 8 = 25 rounds of .45 ACP.

In addition to that, I have 50 more rounds in the center console of my car if I find that I need it and if I am able to crawl back to it.

All that being said, if I ever have to shoot in self defense, I really expect to be successful within 3-5 shots. If I am not successful in that frame, I expect to be dead.