I can’t argue much with this line of reasoning (in favor of large-capacity magazines in your handgun):
Gun control advocates who try to justify restrictions on law-abiding citizens may sometimes look at how violent crimes unfold to justify their argument. They might say that most gun fights only involve a few rounds, for example, so why would you need a 15-round magazine?
I’ve had that conversation.
And, to be fair, most gunfights actually are over after just a few shots. Most don’t even need to hit to end the fight because most bad guys are cowards who want easy meat, not someone ready to fight back.
The problem with this is that it assumes the average is universal. The average gun battle may only have, say, three shots fired, but a lot of them only have one round discharged. That means some involve a whole lot more.
Statistically, of course, that is absolutely correct. When the argument comes to grief, however, is also part of the law of averages, in that you have to ask yourself: “How many home invasions or self-defense situations involve multiple attackers?”
The answer, of course, is “precious few” (outside a BLM or Antifa riot).
But I know that when it comes to self defense, one should always expect the best but prepare for the worst. And frankly, this is the conundrum we gun owners face every day.
It’s probably best to illustrate this by using my own position, because I’ve tortured myself for years about quantity vs. quality: should I rely on a hi-cap 9mm Europellet gun, or a limited-cap .45 1911?
The answer, for me,as any fule kno, is the 1911, because I trust that a single wound made by the .45 bullet is going to likely end the business more reliably than a single round of 9mm. I practice long and often to make sure that my first shot is right on target — but that doesn’t mean that my decision is a correct one, especially if my home were to be invaded by more than a single goblin. Four of the bastards, as in the linked article? Phew.
Next to my chair (actually, in a pocket on the side thereof), is my Springfield 1911, loaded with an 8-round Chip McCormick Power Mag (+1 in the tube). What I should do is load up a 10-round mag in my chair gun (I may have a few knocking around somewhere) and have a spare mag of similar capacity sitting in the pocket. My reloading speed with a 1911 mag isn’t as good as the pros, but it’s nothing to sneeze about. I don’t carry 10-rounders on my belt when I go out, though, simply because I don’t have a mag-holder large enough for the longer 10-rounder, and the longer mag likewise is problematic to carry so I content myself with three 8-round Power Mags (one in the 1911, the other two in their holster). And frankly, it’s too much of a PITA to keep exchanging the 8- and 10-round magazines every time I leave the house and come back.
So I guess I’ll have to rely on just the one 8-rounder in the chair gun (but with a 10-round backup). Long ago I made the decision that carrying a heavy old 1911 and spare mags around is worth the hassle (YMMV) because I have absolute faith that it will suffice to protect me in pretty much any situation outside the house. (If I were to need more, there’s always the trunk, ’nuff said.)
Next to my bed (on top of the drawer) can be found my S&W Mod 65, loaded with of course only 6 rounds of .357 Mag. A little while ago, though, I added my backup S&W 637 (5 rounds of .38 Spec +P) simply because of the above argument. That’s 11 rounds, and if necessary I can shoot the two revolvers simultaneously (yes, I’ve practiced a lot shooting the little 637 left-handed.) And yes, while I have several speedloaders for each gun right there, I’m under no illusions about my reloading speed with them, despite many, many hours of practice. I’m no Jerry Miculek, for sure.
Then again, under the bed is my loaded AK, and if I get but a minute or so’s warning, I would suggest that 20 rounds of 7.62x39mm Commie should suffice for pretty much any number of attackers. (I know, should be a pump shotgun, but I don’t have one of those yet, shuddup I’m working on it.)
On a tangential note, however, I should point out that most people seem content with the low-capacity (5 rounds) in a shotgun tube mag, on the basis that a single charge of 12ga. 00 Buck should be a showstopper — which, generally speaking, it is. It’s more or less the same argument I have for using a .45 instead of a 9mm, although of course I’m not equating the efficacy of 12ga. buckshot to the .45 ACP hollowpoint. But there’s also no argument that the 1911 (or Mod 65, for that matter) are a great deal less cumbersome than a long gun in a confined space such as my tiny apartment, so there’s that side of it.
One last note: I have pretty much decided that “close at hand” is of paramount importance. Whether in my chair while writing, or next to the bed while sleeping, my guns are both well within arm’s reach and can be brought to bear in close to two seconds. (I’m not going to take this to the extreme and have a “bathroom” or “kitchen” piece because a) the likelihood I’ll need either is vanishingly small and b) I don’t own that many self-defense guns, any more. At least 95% of my time at home is spent in the char or in bed, so I’ll leave the remaining 5% to chance.)
So there’s the argument, from my personal perspective. As we all do, I’m faced with all sorts of compromises when it comes to self-defense, and I’ve made my decisions based on preference, likelihood and circumstance. Yours may (and probably will) differ, but I thought you might want to see my thought processes, in case that helps you refine your thinking and make your own decisions.
And now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to head to the range. All this gun talk has made my finger itch.
I feel like a lazy bastard, but I can’t remember the last time I left the house carrying anything other than a j-frame.
Shooting at stationary targets is one mindset and protecting your life is another. My go-to is a Beretta 92FS and 2 extra mags. For the past 20+ years, and I see no reason to change. It’s not about the ability to hit the target but about the number of times you miss. Think it through.
It’s all about the compromises & trade offs that fit your own preferences/circumstance.
…“close at hand” is of paramount importance…
Amen. And amen. My solution is to be strapped at all times, even at home (excluding bathing & sleeping, obviously). I allocate less attention to wearing my Ruger LCR than to my wristwatch; I consult the watch far more frequently than I do the .357. At a minimum, it’ll afford me the time I need to get to the Mossberg or the AR.
The LCR is still my go-to CCW, although the Mostly Peaceful Riots™ of recent vintage persuaded me to acquire a plastic fantastic, so I now have the option of 13 rounds in the weapon & another 15-30 in my pocket.
Horses for courses. U.B.U., I.B.me.
My EDC is a 12-round 9mm (loaded with snakeshot for morning walks, hard stuff otherwise); my midnight wake-up gun is a 17-round Steyr L9. Bullets are like cupcakes; be sure to bring enough for everyone, and anything worth shooting once is worth shooting twice.
My carry piece for 30+ years has been a 1911 commander of one ilk or other (Springfield Armory / Colt / Sig Sauer … Sig for the last 20 or so). I have some concern for the capacity but the deciding factor for me was the idea that only hits count and I can shoot it far more accurately than one of the Polymer Kings or Queens. And, in agreement with S. L. Polack, I carry as often as possible even at home (I’m a public school teacher in a state that frowns on guns/ammunition/& capacity so that’s a no go at work. If I’m in the woods, for years it was my S&W 4 in. 629, but recently I’ve picked up a Kimber in 10 mm (8 + 1 / 2 8rnd mags) and a S&W; M&P 2.0 in 10mm (15 +1 / 2 15 rnd mags) for woods carry, simply because of the continued reports of competency from Alaska…and I can shoot it faster and more accurrately (there’s that ‘only hits count’ aspect again) than the 629. Also, since I occasionally travel into the belly of the beast (Portland / Seattle) I have succumbed to the 9 mm syren and have become competent with the M & P 2.0 in 9mm (Hornady Critical Duty ammo) (17 +1 / 2 17 rnd mags ) and Spr. Armory’s 9 mm Saint (5 x 32 rnd mags) (HCD ammo). I practice monthly at the local gun club’s steel challenge rotating the armament monthly. My bedside Too Hotty Shotty? The Marine’s and John Wicks favorite Italian beauty (set up to carry a few extra rounds of Hornady Critical Duty 00 Buck) and if Antifa or BLM is ever dumb enough to come to my rural community again from Portland or elsewhere (yes…they actually took a bus ride out here…. never got off the bus…. might have had something to do with the 30-40 armed citizens walking the nearby locals (AR’s and side arms) as a welcoming committee) there’s bandoleer of 00 buck to express my displeasure with. Wish I could remember where I put my bayonet for that thing….
Lots of choices here, all varying degrees of good. The best gun is the one you carry, and practice with.
Carry is now (less than 3 weeks ago) a Canik Mete9mc. 13 rounds of “europellet” (it’s not for nothing it is the world’s pistol round) on hand. In my neck of the woods, and where I go, I find it difficult to imagine I’d need more than that. Depending on where I’m going, I may carry a spare 15 round mag, but not on most days.
Bedside is a short AR in 300 Blackout, subsonic, suppressed. It is the “if I must shoot you in my house, I don’t want to go deaf” gun, built specifically for that purpose. With subsonic ammo, it’s almost Hollywood quiet (but not the Hollywood sound, of course, because Hollywood is bull****). Nearby is the shotty, a S&W 1300 police shotgun – essentially an 870 clone. 12 gauge buck n’ ball on hand: .65 ball followed by 00 buck. A nasty round. Ouch.
Over the door, for immediate farm use, is a M94 Winchester in 30-30. And yes, all are loaded, and ready for use if need be.
When we travel, there are the two carry guns, a Henry Survival .22 kept in the car, and the suppressed 300BLK in the camper. I usually toss in an AR in 5.56 along with 2-4 extra mags if we’re goin a longer time or distance.
My wife thinks I’m a bit paranoid. But no one, and I mean no one, complains after a confrontation that they had too much ammunition.
There are some benefits in living in a smaller house.
The “chair gun” is a little M&P Shield with 8+1 (extended mag), and a couple of spares. Distance to the only door someone can enter through is 25 feet, down a long kitchen that’s almost exactly the width of a shooting lane.
That should make them duck long enough to move the 15 feet or so to the bedroom.
Ten rounds of 12 gauge in the TBP 12 semiauto, and then 10 rounds in the second mag, then 10 more in the third.
(I just hope I have enough time to put on earmuffs, it’s going to be really, really loud for a bit)
I’m pretty sure that will discourage almost anyone.
For most of the year here in Texas, my dress is T-shirt and cargo shorts. When it gets sorta cold, I wear a long sleeve T-shirt. My EDC is a PA-63 in 9mm Mak loaded with Hornady FTX. Think Walther PPK, but with an aluminum frame. Back in my FFL days, a number were being sold surplus and my cost was $99 per. Yes, I have two, one as a spare. I carry it in a Sticky brand pocket holster. Still working on the best way to carry a reload on my belt.
Back-up truck gun–another Canik fan here. Mine is a TP9SF. Holds 18+1. Loaded with Remington Golden Saber/Bonded what-ever-the-hell they’re calling it these days. Caniks have a wicked short trigger re-set.
Way back in the 90’s, I read about the 1986 FBI shootout in Miami, more specifically about agent Mireles sitting on the ground running his pump shotgun with one arm. This inspired me to purchase my Benelli Super 90 M1. It sits within reach as I type this. We live in a cul-de-sac, so my load is 3-inch shells with #2 steel shot. Blockbuster in close, but not likely to go through neighbors walls. It has an Inforce light mounted up front. Reload is a bandoleer that I just toss on over my head.
If things look to get extra-sporty, an AR sits next to the Benelli. It has an LPVO and another Inforce light. My wife, being a whiz with needle and thread, made a couple of loose fitting “long pillow cases” as dust covers for both.
Ear muffs are great if you have time. I highly recommend the electronic ones. The BIG plus with them is you can turn the volume up and hear quiet little noises at distance that you would not with out them. A real tactical advantage at night.
As you know, I’m a huge 1911 fan, also. However we’ve come to different conclusions about stopping power—the .45 is decisive if rounds do not reliably expand, because .45 ball is better than 9mm ball. However, the modern stuff is so damn reliable, I no longer worry about expansion, I’ve gone the way of other old geezers who have made the switch, but you pays your money and you takes your choices. I love my Wilson Combat SFX9 4”, 15-rounder in 9mm, JMB 1911 ergos, great capacity, shoots like a dream.
That said, I’m normally feeling pretty good carrying my modified Kimber Compact in .45. I don’t expect a riot when going to pick up some salad greens a steak and a bottle of wine. I’ll even do that trip or filling the tank or grabbing a pizza with a .38 snub, but the lower capacity Kimber (officer’s frame) with a couple of extra mags is fine for most uses, I’m not that convinced of the need for lots of capacity.
EXCEPT if I was to venture into downtown Chicago, or Philadelphia or any number of Demoncrat-run city these days, I want ALL 45 rounds for my SFX9! Better to have it and not need it, etc. I don’t go into city centers any more than I have to these days because the world is nucking futz these days.
I guess I don’t think of capacity all that much except for the above, and I am largely indifferent between .45 and 9mm in the pricey modern defensive rounds. That said, practice with the 9mm is much cheaper (I don’t reload 9mm I buy it by the 1,000, I do .45), and pretty much needed if you want to play IDPA or such from time to time.
But my Kimber Compact .45 is very comforting in most situations near home, and I’m super comfortable with that.
I will never bemoan a person’s choice of carry weapon, because reasons stated above. My EDC is a Shield Plus with a 13-round mag in the grip and 15-round mag as backup. My carry ammo is Hornady Critical Defense. The little s&w digests the stuff just fine, and I shoot the little s&w reasonably well out to about 30 feet. I also PRACTICE on about a monthly basis with the little s&w .. my local sporting club offers two different steel place challenge courses, and they’re never the same month to month. If things go “bump in the night” .. I have a Canik TP9SA with 18 rounds of JHP in the grip plus two full mags at the ready.
Happy shooting, everyone.
– Brad in IL, aka The Jewish Deplorable
I got good with a Ruger Security six when I was a teenager. I got to the expert level when I was active duty and on on the small arms shooting team with tricked out M9’s. That happens when you are shooting 750 rounds a week for a couple of years. In 88 I purchased a 92AF INOX that I have shot about 90k round through. I picked up a S&W 65-2 in the 90’s and got expert with it and it is my wintertime carry with soft lead SWC’s. I got a Glock 37 45GAP which balletically is equivalent to 45ACP+P load wise and I shot it until I was expert with it. It is my summer time carry. Then it was a 1911 Government in 9 mm that I have mastered. I am working on a large frame Glock right now with a G20 10mm. I am good with it but not to the level I want to be. I can pick up any of my previous expert level pistols’ and mussel memory kicks in. Shot capacity is not a consideration, Shot delivery is all that matters. You have to be able to hit what you are shooting at.
Besides a hostile encounter with multiple armed bad guys, there’s the possibility of fighting a bad guy who won’t quit shooting in spite of being mortally wounded.
This police officer fired 44 of the 47 rounds he carried, hit the armed perp 14 times, 5 of them mortal wounds, but nearly ran out of ammo before stopping him with 3 head shots. Even then, the perp survived as far as the ER.
https://www.police1.com/officer-shootings/articles/why-one-cop-carries-145-rounds-of-ammo-on-the-job-clGBbLYpnqqHxwMq/