How many rounds do you have to have on person to feel comfortable with your conceal carry gun, what the pistol mag or cylinder hold's or do you have to have extra rounds in reserve?

With my 1911 LW Commander in 45acp, I always have two extra Chip McCormick 10 round Competition Power mags.

If I'm packing my Glock 32 in .357 Sig, I've always got one extra 15 round mag that's for a Glock 31.

If I'm only packing my J- frame snubby in 38sp, two extra speed loaders.

Hope I'm never involved in a gun fight, and pray that I never am. But if SHTF, I don't want to die because I ran out of ammo.

I'm often comfortable carrying whatever the magazine holds - sometimes even less.

Five when I carry my 38, seven when the 45.

For me, it's not an issue of being comfortable at some level, once I'm carrying the gun (talking semi-auto here) I just see no reason not to have a spare mag as well.

My shield, i carry two spare magazines

My 33( which rarely gets carried off duty). The mag in the gun plus a 15 round for my 31

If i'm carrying my P226 it's 15+1 in the gun and a mec gar 20 rounder on my side

When I carry the G19 at the store, one spare 15rd mag. When I'm just out and about town with the M&P340, 1 or 2 speedstrips with 6 rounds each.

I've been carrying my Sig P938 lately and I've just been carrying the mag that came with it and the extra I procured. That's only ten rounds since you can't get six in the mag. I'm going to try and get another mag for this one and once these get worn a bit, I should be able to get six rounds in them. I'll get the extended seven-round mag if I can.

When carrying the M&P Compact 9, I carry an extra mag giving me 22 rounds.

Xdm.45 with 14 and usually an extra mag with 13 but I have an irrational fear of running out of ammo and in my daily travels I sometimes see a pop can I just need to shoot a few times.

If I'm staying in town it's just 14.

To me the best reload is carrying a second pistol. I prefer that over carrying speed loaders or spare magazines. Because to me they're bulky. I'd rather add carrying my BHP in a holster. In addition to my J frame revolver in a pocket holster.

On my person what the weapon holds.

I believe stats show majority of incidents are low rounds fired affairs!

If it were a mob situation extract yourself when it begins and or don't go into it if not already there!

Mike

I usually carry one reload, so anywhere from 12 to 30 rounds depending on what gun am carrying.

J frame I carry a 6 round speed strip. 380 pocket auto, I carry a spare mag. Larger auto, I tend to not carry a spare mag.

Me too.

I think the most I carry is when I carry my G23 with the 9mm barrel. 15+1 in the pistol, and a G17 mag for the reload--33 rounds.

The fewest is when I have my Kahr PM9. That holds 6+1 and then I have a 7 round extended mag for the reload.

GUNS?

You people really carry GUNS?

Those things scare me to death.

Relax! We're kidding...

I feel fairly comfortable with five rounds in the cylinder of a J-Frame. In fact, with five such rounds, I feel at least five times more comfortable than I would were I carrying a single shot pistol. With such a J-Frame, I feel infinitely more comfortable than if I weren't carrying a handgun at all. Carrying six rounds in my K-Frame, I feel at least 20% more comfortable than I do when carrying my J-Frame. Add a six round speed strip in my change pocket, and I'm nearly twice as comfortable as that.

Does that answer your question?

Stats show you won't need the gun in the first place.

That's true too - A guy could hurt himself with one of those things.

I don't carry a spare mag because I expect to be in a pro longed gun fight. I carry it because I know Mr. Murphy, and I am afraid he will decide that if I am in a gun fight that I shall only fire one round before a mag failure.

Hehehe

If you carry a magazine fed handgun, you'd be a fool not to carry at least one spare.

A broken or malfunctioning magazine will quickly turn your pistol into a single-shot, at best.

On more than one occasion I've seen magazines dump their contents when the floor plate failed.

I think this is the winning answer right here for most of us.

That is certainly a possibility and being an LEO even in off duty mode that is even more of a possibility.

However, for most of us civilians with high quality mags that isn't much of a problem. I know all failures with my 1911's have operator error not mag or pistol. More mags would not have made much of a difference. Than again who knows maybe an extra mag would have. Something to think about.

I'm carrying my Glock 36 45 ACP at the moment with 6 in the mag and one in the chamber. I sometime carry a extra mag, but haven't lately .

When I'm wearing a tucked in shirt, I carry a spare (10-round) magazine for my Glock 26 (which would be carried in an ankle holster) and gives me 21-rounds total. When I'm wearing a shirt or something that covers my belt, then I carry two 10-round magazines in a magazine pouch which then gives me 31-rounds total.

I also carry a S&W 642 (5-rounds) as a BUG with two speed strips.

I bought one of the Sig 938s a month ago, used, it came with the Crimson Trace, three mags and a holster. The trigger was awful, to the point where I could just barely stay on the paper at 25 feet. I've been working on wearing the trigger in to loosen the pull and remove some of the grit and grinding.
Currently I'm working on wearing the action in with 115 grain hard ball FMJs. I've put 450 rounds thru it at the range and shoot at the knots in the paneling in the TV room. (Yes, I know no mag, no ammo, in the room.)
Have you worked with your handgun to find which bullet weight, 115 or 124, or brand od ammo works best for you?
I was over in Gun Broker looking for the 7 round mag and found a fellow whose is doing a two for deal, at what appears to be a reasonable price, $80.00 per two.

I carry a few extra mags in the truck, as well as speed loaders for my revolvers. I figure if I can't deal with the situation with the 7 rounds in the Shield, I better be heading to the truck anyway.

The good Col. Cooper stated "A handgun is merely a weapon used to fight your way back to your rifle."

Usually carry two 17 rd'ers in a pocket or mag pouch in addition to the 10 rd in my SR9c...

Basically...just because.

(And two in the back pocket feels better to sit on than one!)

I never really understood that. As a civilian, if I can get back to my vehicle, I'm leaving!

No. I haven't shot the SIG extensively. It worked with what I figured was the worst ammo for that gun, that I had laying around. There's always the chance it won't work with better ammo so I will wring it out more when I have the opportunity. For now, I'm carrying it with my stupid LRN reloads because I know they work in it. Eventually, I'd like to carry it with HOT 115 grain JHP ammo, because that is my preference in the 9. I've got all sorts of ammo though. The guy said they like 124 grain on up and hot.

From what I've seen, that is a decent price on the mag. I think I paid $47 for the seven rounder I bought yesterday.

I've got one of the NAA 380's that I may be carrying too. More extensive testing needs done. That one's got a REALLY extended mag.

You sure that was cooper? I thought it was Clint Smith.

I think it's just a clever way of expressing the idea that a handgun is only carried because it's many times more convenient to do so than would be a rifle, i.e., if they were equally easy to have with you at all times, everyone would have a rifle with them at all times, and not a handgun, due to how superior a rifle is to a handgun in most combat contexts. The saying is just a clever way of making that point, i.e., "You should keep in mind that your handgun is just a compromise weapon that you carry because you can't practically carry a rifle (the far superior personal weapon) around with you."

I agree with your interpretation as to what the originator of the quote intended. I disagree as to whether it's clever, actually it strikes me as the opposite.

Sig Tac-Ops 40, four mags..61 rounds.

Baer 45 ACP, four mags..33 rounds.

Colt Trooper 357, loaded cylinder and 4 speed loaders..30 rounds.

Carry this way when traveling, not on the farm.

Jeff Cooper, also:

"I am sometimes perplexed by people who refer to 'defensive rifles' or to 'defensive rifle shooting'.
The defensive arm is the pistol, since you have it at hand to meet situations that you do not anticipate.
If you have the luxury of anticipating a lethal encounter, you pick up a long arm, either a rifle or a shotgun,
but in that case you go on the attack. Thus rifle shooting is offensive, and pistol shooting is defensive.

Of course, life does not always duplicate theory, and there are always exceptions to everything,
but nevertheless the rifle is not a defensive weapon."

- Jeff Cooper

_________________________________
"Ain't many troubles that a man can't fix,
with seven-hundred dollars and a 30-06."
- J.C.

I usually carry a model 60 5 shot.. When I walk in the mornings near home, I feel safe with that.. Here my biggest concern is a stray dog that could be dangerous, a mt. lion occasionally wanders into town, the other day they tranquilized a black bear down town... If there are reports of animals in town, then I slip one of several .44's in to a holster..
We very seldom travel to or stay in big cities.. But when on the road, I have my model 60, the wife has her model 66, plus we have several revolvers in easy reach in the cab.. If I am forced to stay in a bigger town, I slip an additional .357 on my person if I am walking..
In the hills, I usually carry a .357 or/a 44. If only one, then I carry a 15 round ammo pack..
We live and spend most of our lives, in a low crime area.. I am certain if conditions were different, I would probably pack a high capacity auto..

No arguments there.

Of the three guns I carry CCW on a regular basis, I have a minimum of 18 rounds total and a maximum of 22 available. Two have two reloads to get there and one has one reload.

As for that �fighting your way to a rifle� concept, I think it is BS in a CCW scenario. Fight or run. Thinking you can�t win without going back and getting the rifle means you already lost the mind game, so go away and don't come back with your rifle. Note that "you" is a collective you, and not aimed at DD.

Eight plus one in the chamber when home or around town. When traveling or in the big cities like Seattle or Portland I carry two eight round extra magazines in my left hip pocked.

I know better.

But I agree. Fight or flight is the best defense for a single person.

Let's make this clear: there's a huge difference between being (i.e. caught) in a fight and going to a fight. If you knew in advance that you had to shoot a Bad Guy (i.e. going to a fight), you wouldn't pick a handgun, would you? No you'd take a rifle.

A handgun is merely a weapon used to fight your way back to your rifle - which you shouldn't have left behind...

Boston T. Party

Boston's Gun Bible, pg. 25/1

Yup, Gary.

I was watch a video by Hickok45 comparing the Luger 9MM against the 1911. Both guns he had were war guns in that both had been used war the Luger in WWI and the 1911 in WWII. He said the first thing he noticed was that the Luger was a real work of art. Even after all these years the Luger was tight and shot well. But he said the Luger probably would not work in the trenches of WWI or the fields of WWII as well as the 1911. The Luger was designed for officers as a badge of authority and never meant to be a work horse for the common soldier. Whereas the 1911 was a real work horse issued to everybody and their brother to be used as a true combat arm for officers and enlisted personal alike for close quarter combat.

That's the way I look at carrying a pistol. Like in the military I'm support personnel behind the lines not likely to see combat but in case of enemy infiltration I have something for close quarter combat, the pistol. However, if I know I'm going into combat I want a rifle, shotgun, or machine pistol whatever is appropriate for the job.

JFC, that's too many video games right there...

I have several .45acp's but the one I carry most is an XDS because of it's easy conceal-ability. It has 5 in the mag and one in the chamber. Usually there's a 7 round mag in my offside rear pocket. If I have to be in a bad area I'll also carry a .38 snub as a BUG

Since when is the band and admin ever going to go into combat, especially from the extreme rear of being stationed state side?

I thought you guys did more reading than this. Don't you know if you have a gun it will probably be taken away from you and used on you????? That's what all those ignorant liberals that don't get away from their fenced in homes.

I've carried a 642 or an LCR for the last few years. Just because I don't expect to use it but one never knows. With all the stuff coming down I"m carrying my 6906 S&W. 13 rounds. That should do me. I'll let out a scream they'll be sure I'm going to not only shoot them I'll scalp them. They'll be running for their life.

S&W Shield 9mm: 1 extra mag
S&W model 638 Airweight: 2 speed strips(12 rounds)
Ruger LCP : 1 extra mag, sometimes 2
Kimber Stainless Classic 45: 1 extra mag

This works for me. Both magazines hold eight rounds, plus one in the chamber. If 17 rounds of .45 ACP won't handle the situation, I'll just have to say, "Feets, don't fail me now!"



L.W

I've been messing with my 938 quite a bit as it's quickly become my carry choice. When fresh out of the box it was very difficult to put 6 rounds in a mag. I have left them loaded for about six months or so and they are much better now.
I shoot some 115's for cheap practice but use 124's from CorBon for carry. Hornady xtp's seem about as hot, and I have used the 147's from Federal also. I think the shorter barrel necessitates the heavier bullet to achieve penetration. The 124-125's are a compromise between fast large holes and deep penetration like the 147. When it's cold the perp is likely to be dressed heavier so more penetration is a good thing. When it's blistering hot a 115 might be best. The 124's are right in the middle, use it all the time category I'm thinking.