How Many Rounds for SELF DEFENSE?

[Skiprr]

Officer-size 1911 with two spare mags, total of 22 rounds of .45 ACP.

[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).

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.

Yes,

I don't load my mags. to full capacity.

It is not a problem to seat a completely full mag. from slidelock, but with the slide forward (tactical reload) it requires a very brisk motion to reliably seat the mag. (not much spring compression left). Try it on your firearm and you'll note the difference.

In the heat of a fight....this could cause a problem (yeah....I know, I'm too anal about this kinda stuff).

Anyway, 25 is plenty.

Very observant of you though.

[TxRVer]

Thanks for the info.

[jimlongley]

Varies according to the gun I'm carrying.

Usually two reloads, plus one in the pipe.

1911 .45ACP = 25 rounds

XD9 = 54 rounds

.32NAA Guardian (only for those times when I can't carry a real gun) = 19 rounds

The other possibilities vary along the same lines.

[propellerhead]

Wow! Are the ones like me that don't carry extra ammo just not responding to the thread? Seems like every responder carries at least half a box of ammo. I'm a city dweller with a daytime job. I am very very seldom in a dark area alone. You won't find me in a convenience store at the end of a lonely gravel road. I get gas in populated well-lit areas and I pay at the pump. I have no business in the gas station stores. My night time travels are almost always to populated areas like restaurants or department stores. I have 10 rounds to shoot my way out to the exit door. I don't plan on sticking around. I put effort into not getting into a sticky situation. And if I find myself in one, I will put effort into getting out of it.

[mr surveyor]

propellerhead,

looks like we may really be in a minority here

[Commander]

As Jim Longley posted, mine varies according to what I'm carrying:

XD-45 - 25 rounds
M&P9 - 35 rounds
S&W6946 - 25 rounds
Beretta Tomcat - 15 rounds

[Liberty]

Minimum 15 rounds.
Most time 2nd mag for 15 more.
2 15 round mags in car for a total of 60 rounds
All 9mm 124 gr. hydrashocks.

[MoJo]

To those of you who don't carry at least one spare mag need to remember that things are going to go wrong and usually at the worst time. Also, the mall shooting in Salt Lake City earlier this year the off duty cop who responded first only had one magazine for his 1911. Good thing the regular police got there quickly.

[ELB]

I carry at least one extra magazine. Since it is a Hi Power, that means 27 rounds total. I try to carry two extras, if clothing permits. Never less than one extra, tho, if for no other reason than to deal with mechanical malfunctions.

Most gun fights do seem to run their course with fewer rounds than that -- on the other hand, I've never read of one where the survivors said, "Dang! I carried too much ammo!" I have read of people running dry at inconvenient points, which is why I like to have a high capacity magazine, and more than one of them.

I have also been convinced that I cannot predict when and where I may need my bullets, regardless of how well-lighted the environs are. Bad guys get to choose the location, and as well as how many friends they bring. The Connally Seven that killed Officer Aubrey Hawkins come to mind. I probably won't run into them, but it does not cost me much to carry and extra magazine or two.

elb

[JRG]

Well, I am in the REAL minority. I guess I need to rethink my carry habits.

I carry in the front pocket a S&W 642 a total of 5 rounds. I have a speed strip with 5 more rounds, but have gotten sloppy and have not been putting it in my pocket. I do carry a pocket knife, but no flashlight or notebook or pen.

I'm dead meat.

JRG

[carlson1]

I would rather have two guns than a reload. Not only do magazines malfunctions, but guns do also. In the late 80's fire fight between the FBI and two bank robbers went bad. One of the Agents gun was hit by a bullet and it ended his shooting and eventually ended his life. If he would have had a second gun (back up) he might would have made it.

[KBCraig]

Pocket carry in the house (where I can quickly fight my way to the "real" guns) is a Taurus M85UL, no reloads (5 total).

"Dress up gun" is a Makarov with one spare mag (14 total).

Regular daily carry is a P97 with two spare mags (24 total).

It is no extra burden to carry spare magazines. A double mag carrier on your weak side actually helps balance the load, and makes carry more comfortable.

[mr surveyor]

I have no problem with carrying a spare magazine, but if the one in the pistol fails before I get off two shots, I'm probably not going to be in a position to do a "tactical reload". Most self defensive uses I hear of are similar to the parking lot encounters, or other similar cases away from the crowds. In those cases, you are probably not facing a gun fight, unless you are in a gang prone area ... then I would most likely not be there anyway. In the case of an armed idiot (or several) crashing a busy restruant, you may possibly need more than 8, or have the time and cover to do a reload in case of a problem, but for non-LEO defensive use I still do not understand the need to carry 30 or more rounds.

Just my opinions, and obviously in a very tiny minority.

[WarHawk-AVG]

In a self defense DF situation...would you really be able to reload?

I can figure if you are in a combat zone with backup and stuff yes, but in a parkinglot trying to get in your car?

Wouldn't almost all "civilian" conflicts end in seconds, not drawn out such as in a SWAT standoff?

My CHL instructor said a blade is almost more effective ending a DF conflict, because EVERYONE has been cut sometime in their lives, and we know what it feels like, not everyone has been shot, so a nice shiny quick opening combat knife might actually deter a badguy better than pulling that pistol, plus it would be easier to explain to a jury that you didn't immediately go to gun to end the conflict (if the guy kept coming after you pulled a blade, he OBVIOUSLY had intent to harm)

Just my untrained $0.02