Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns How do you settle on mag capacity?

How did you decide how many rounds were enough?

Paul Howe (guy from Blackhawk Down who runs a training company now) says he figures three rounds per bad guy as a safe rule. Sometimes you'll miss, sometimes they'll need a few rounds, so he figures a 3 round average.

I've settled on four rounds per potential bad guy because I'm dealing exclusively with handgun rounds and with my family behind me I may tend to get a little carried away.

So for me I've decided that although going from 8 to 10 rounds is better, it doesn't really get me excited about the increase. If I need more than 8 I want 12, and if I'm going to 12 I might as well have 15 in a Glock19ish sized gun. That puts we close enough to feel comfortable with 3 bad guys and to not be at slide lock when it's over. And 8 rounds is my very bare minimum (my smallest gun is a Shield that carries 8+1, and I rarely carry it).

To put it in LE terms, whenever the person stops resisting.

For me the fit of the grip dictates the magazine capacity. A Shield-sized pistol is about as small as I'll go just on the basis of 'shootability'. Magazine capacity is a few checkboxes down the list, but more is better so I'm not fighting it either. The M&P M2.0 Compact checked enough boxes that I'm carrying 15+1 for the first time in years.

I policed for almost a decade with a 6-shot revolver before semi-auto pistols became a thing so firepower - per se - isn't much of a determining factor for me personally. I carried three guns when I was a LEO and I still carry two now in retirement. As long as I have extra reloads available, I don't get too wrapped around the axle regarding magazine capacity.

Obviously this would change if I were a SpecialForcesNavySealSnakeEatingRanger messenger of death. After all, the mission (or your fantasies) should dictate the hardware.

I'd be interested in your 'list if you're willing to post it.

Probably one of the best posts I've seen on this.

I think a lot of "fantasy" is based on stuff Hollywood portrays. Unless a person has experienced a gunfight, or studied them,, how will they counter the garbage from Hollywood?

Sure, as long as I can change the list on a whim.

- Ergonomics. The pistol has to point naturally and feel comfortable. This is why Browning Hi-Powers, 1911's and K-frames always start at the top off my list. With Ergonomics at the top of the list, and only pistols above a certain size are ergonomic, about any pistol I choose is going to be at least 7+1 by default. Now that I think about it, that's probably why I don't give magazine capacity a lot of thought.

- Weight. Nowadays the heaviest I prefer is 28-ounces. That puts a Lightweight Commander at the top end and is why I usually don't CC the above handguns, but they still dominate the numbers in my safe and at the range.

- Trigger. I don't have a definite striker/hammer or DA/DAO preference in a carry pistol, but the trigger pull can't be a hindrance. A crappy trigger can often be fixed, but that adds money and hassle.

- Cartridge. Suitable for the task.

- Pixie Dust. The four items above and a measure of pixie dust combine to make 'shootability'. There's a wide range of course, and with pistols such as the P365 the range gets wider all the time.

- Magazine Capacity. The trend is we can have our cake and eat it too. I'll eat the cake.

- Manual Safety. Preferred. Two otherwise identical pistols and I'll usually pick the MS. There are exceptions (Shield, WTF).

There is a slurry of small factors. I have some brand loyalty (S&W, Colt), I prefer Novak sights, dark finishes for carry and stainless for the ease of maintenance on range guns. Otherwise, this is the end of today's list and it hasn't changed yet...

Hell, I live in New York so the answer is easy; 10.

....as always Blue, your logic is solid and well thought out......just a few extraneous thoughts on my part, perhaps not as well reasoned as yours---Clint Smith posted a video where he addresses the # of rounds fired in law enforcement engagements----when wheel guns were standard issue, the average # of rounds fired was 5.something, just a fraction under cylinder capacity. When the early autos (Smith 39's etc.) became popular it went to some fraction under the magazine capacity and when Glocks became standard it jumped to a fraction under their larger magazine capacity. His point was that people tend to shoot to slide lock frequently, i.e. they shoot a lot, not well. That's probably largely a training issue (or scar), but does tend to show a psychological trend perhaps. I'm have no credentialed sheep-dog responsibilities and my infantry days are long gone; for me, carrying is strictly personal defense. I've no doubt that historically there has been a case where a person like myself has had to reload during a personal defensive encounter however I can find no record of one. Well, there was one that I found, but the perpetrator in that case was a mountain lion. I've quit worrying about round capacity---obviously it's nice to have plenty of ammo on board, but the reality in my world is that I'm no more in jeopardy carrying a 1911 with 8 +1 than I am with a Glock 19 stuffed to the brim. For pocket carry I've gone from a Glock 43 to a Sig 365 not because of the added magazine capacity, but because I like the ergonomics (feel and trigger) better. I may wind up being a bullet sponge in a gun fight by running out of ammo, but somehow I doubt it---if so, at least they'll be able to put a Raven sticker on my to-go box at my funeral. JMO-YMMV.

For me it comes down to how well I handle it and the situation. My house gun holds 15 45 ACPs, but also has a light a laser on it. It also fits me well. In town the most I have had is 10 and usually 8 for a slim package for concealment. At home if I would need more than the 15 45s I plan to grab a suitable rifle or shotgun. Matter of fact if I have time I would grab the rifle or shotgun first.

I live in Washington state and as soon as this year's state legislative session is over, I will be in the same boat.

The unknown, it's what has me practicing with a 15+1 40 S&W, and 13+1 45 ACP, been looking at a flat earth SD in 9mm today, it's 19+1.

Non-duty?

Bill drill.

Makes good sense.

Does it?

Because it doesn't sound like much sense at all to me.

To say that you don't care much about capacity, and anybody who does is a whateverderagatorytermyouwanttouse that lives in fantasy land.......while you're walking around with TWO revolvers doesn't sound like sense. It sounds like old-man-this-is-the-way-i've-always-done-it logic to me. The guy is literally carrying twelve rounds of ammo, then making fun of people who have decided to carry fifteen.

Are bugs still popular among cops or are most just carrying extra mags and 1 gun since capacity and reliability are so good now?

All the cops I know just carry 1 full size 9 or 40 and extra mags

Hey - that's almost exactly my list. Except I put trigger above weight. It's a personal thing.

Yeah, Blue - . I resemble that remark, but won;t criticize anyone for carrying hi-cap.

A cartridge with ample thump, per my observations on two and four legged things that needed thumping, in a reliable pistol that is small enough to be carried but big enough to be shot well. For me, that's the G23 or 30 class of pistol.

Thanks jog.

Geeeez ... nowhere in my post did I say I still carried a revolver ..... I haven’t carried one since the 80’s. I was just making the point that limited round capacity doesn’t necessarily equal being undergunned - anymore than being loaded down with ammo makes you well-prepared. But you’re right about one thing, I’m old ... old enough to know that hardware seldom determines the outcome of anything of consequence.