Reloading during a self defense situation

[kbm6893]

I'm already carrying wallet, keys, cell phone, and gun. I'm loaded down as it is. I don't open carry, so the gun (ruger lc9-s) is either in a pocket holster or an inside the waist and holster. To carry an extra mag I would either have to put the mag in my pocket, which I won't do because like the gun I won't have anything else in the pocket with the extra mag so that leaves only my back pockets. I don't use them cause sitting with a wallet or keys in a back pocket is painful. So that leaves a mag pouch. Eh, just not for me. Makes me feel like I'm wearing a gun belt again. So no spare mag for me. Will probably carry a second when I start wearing a jacket again

Never felt under armed when I carry a 5 shot j frame either.

 

[Maze 686]

Pros - reload after shooting.
Reload during a malfunction.
Spare supply for extended time of ordeal.
Easy to carry in pouch or pocket.

Cons -?

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I thought about carrying a reload for my LCP, but I have been told that .380 is inadequate for SD. I figure seven ought to be inadequate enough, right?

 

[BAM-BAM]

I thought about carrying a reload for my LCP, but I have been told that .380 is inadequate for SD. I figure seven ought to be inadequate enough, right?

ROFLMAO..................

 

[Muss Muggins]

I thought about carrying a reload for my LCP, but I have been told that .380 is inadequate for SD. I figure seven ought to be inadequate enough, right?

That is the most awesome statement I've read all weekend . . .

 

[Maze 686]

And I challenge you to find an example of a CCW holder in a a critical incident who ran out of bullets before he ran out of bad guys. Like the "blood in the streets" predictions of CCW opponents, it just doesn't happen . . .

Atlanta, 2013 a woman during a home invasion. She hid in her attic with her children. She shot the man five times, he survived. She bluffed and threatend to shoot more with her empty gun.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Atlanta, 2013 a woman during a home invasion. She hid in her attic with her children. She shot the man five times, he survived. She bluffed and threatend to shoot more with her empty gun.

This one? Looks like he gave up after being hit in the face five times. I'll grant you, she may have run out of bullets, but she was also out of bad guys. From every account I read, he was tired of getting shot:

Georgian Mom Shoots Home Intruder in Face

 

[BAM-BAM]

With the "guy" within feet....... bluffing is smarter than reloading!!!!!

 

[Muss Muggins]

She did not realize she was out of ammunition. Since the bad guy decided to leave after being shot five times, she didn't need more ammunition. Here's a surprisingly good CNN piece about the event.

Gun rights groups say Georgia home invasion proves their point

I maintain my earlier assertion regarding the need to reload during a critical incident. Further, this incident was at the victim's home, she was not carrying the firearm on her person, and I'm going to assume that a reload was available in the same fashion that the revolver was available.

 

[shawn mccarver]

I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately, and the thread regarding 9mm pocket guns (I don't think there is such a thing, but that's a different topic) really got me going. Many forum members have posted pictures of the gear they carry to leave the home, and that gear in some cases approaches that of a line law enforcement officer. Reloads (spare ammo in various forms and/or a second gun) are a frequent topic. A couple weeks ago, I began searching the web for information about citizens reloading during a self defense situation. My null hypothesis was that it was rare, to the point of never happening.

I found this:

The Thinking Gunfighter

The author presents an analysis of five years of incidents reported in the "Armed Citizen" column of the NRA magazine (not a member, so I don't know which one, and the article doesn't say). In any event, out of 482 incidents, the citizen reloaded during 3, including one in which a .32 revolver was used to dispatch an escaped lion with 13 rounds. Over half of the incidents occurred in the home, and the defense firearm was carried on the body in only 20% of the total incidents. In the other 80%, the firearm was retrieved from a place of storage, frequently in another room.

Unfortunately, the analysis is from 1997 to 2001, even though the article bears a 2012 date. I am continuing to search for a newer analysis of these incidents.

Everyone will have their own opinion about the meaning of these results, and will draw their own conclusions. For me, it means that I'm making an appropriate risk management decision by carrying a firearm consistently, but not loading myself down with ammunition I likely won't need.

The most interesting part of this post, from my perspective, is that the author is NOT a member of the NRA. Everyone is free to make his or her own choices, but I find that choice far more interesting than whether or not one chooses to carry spare ammo with his or her mouse gun.

EDIT: If all of these decisions are made strictly on a statistical basis, it is clear that you probably will never need the primary weapon, so why carry at all? If your answer is, "well, but I might," then I submit that the answer to the spare ammo question should be given the same careful consideration of how the statistics just may not reflect the experience you may or may not have.

 

[Kanewpadle]

It sounds like you need to justify to yourself that it's ok not to carry a reload.

Here's the problem, statistics and news reports mean nothing. Statistics are often manipulated and not the all of the news is reported accurately or not reported at all.

And comparing home invasions to on the street carry is not realistic. If I don't have at least one reload or better yet multiple guns to protect my home, then I would consider myself stupid.

Do as you see fit in your environment.

 

[Muss Muggins]

The most interesting part of this post, from my perspective, is that the author is NOT a member of the NRA. Everyone is free to make his or her own choices, but I find that choice far more interesting than whether or not one chooses to carry spare ammo with his or her mouse gun.

And that is a discussion for another thread . . .

 

[Harkrader]

Extra ammo

For me, old habits - and training - die hard.

I've seen problems manifest during training when:
1. the magazine failed due to such things as soft lips, broken or worn followers;
2. a magazine floor plate popped out, dumping the rounds in the dirt; (I suggest rethinking those thick bumper pads.)
3. the shooter failed to seat the magazine or inadvertently touched the magazine release button. I've seen both of those in actual use, too.

I once saw a slide jam open and not respond to "tap-rap-pffft" or even replacing the magazine.

When I carry a semi-auto I carry a second magazine if at all possible.

When I carry a revolver I carry a speed strip.

I generally like to carry two guns, the second one often a small revolver such as a J-frame. I am super fond of my 386NG, too. I used to carry a Walther PPK, Bersa, or later a Sig 239 next to my skin as a third gun. Upon retirement my Dearly Beloved had "The Talk" with me about paranoia.
Sooo, as I calm down (she says) I am increasingly comfortable with "just" one gun - but with a reload. My wife notes this allows a greater range of socially acceptable clothing. Not cargo pants.

Our LEO son is perfectly content with one gun when off duty, no reload.
Our professional military son would carry an Abrams tank and a B-52, if he could. I've seen him off-load five guns! Talk about paranoia . . ..

 

[shawn mccarver]

And that is a discussion for another thread . . .

You are absolutely correct! The only reason I mentioned it was because you mentioned it.

 

[Smoke]

My question is this

If I choose not to walk out my door with less than A kevlar , LBE, a ruck, body armor and 7 30 round M16 magazines.

what business is it of yours? Maybe I read the OP wrong but to me it reads like “You’re an idiot if you don’t do it my way.” I don’t have to justify my decision to carry two reloads to anyone.

 

[Ranger514]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2PXlUjWz5M

 

[BAM-BAM]

Smoke I read OPs post as.... ..

I now feel ok with not carrying a reload ... my decision to not to carry spare ammo is supported by the statistics ......

as to "what business is it of yours?" This is a discussion forum and I think the OP was soliciting ..... the thoughts and comments of others.

 

[Smoke]

Smoke I read OPs post as.... ..

I now feel ok with not carrying a reload ... my decision to not to carry spare ammo is supported by the statistics ......

as to "what business is it of yours?" This is a discussion forum and I think the OP was soliciting ..... the thoughts and comments of others.

If I read it wrong I'm sorry but what I got was "Since the statistics say this YOU need to justify the practice of carrying spare ammunition to me."

It read like he was trying to start a debate especially in conjunction with his post challenging anyone to provide evidence that any permit holder ever actually had to reload in a SD situation.

 

[BAM-BAM]

No ......In his original post; I think he thought his decision not to carry extra ammo was confirmed by the article he posted

But one shouldn't post positions/decisions around here unless one is willing to be challenged/ questioned ....... and not to thin skinned to see other opinions.

NO OP I'm not calling you "thinned skinned".....LOL.....just from Missouri !.....you know the "show me state"

 

[Rastoff]

I failed to add something earlier.

Since we started with statistics, it's only right that we continue along the same lines. The OP stated that because the vast majority of shootings only required 2 shots, he felt safe carrying no extra ammo/magazines.

I would follow with that logic being slightly ingenuous if not flawed. You see it fails to take into account the whole situation. If we really want to look at all of the statistics, we have to consider altercations where no shots are fired.

I found some studies where they showed in at least 98% of all assaults, where a gun was involved, no shots were fired. To go a little further, 99% of all those who carry will never have to present their gun in their lifetime. Therefore, if you follow the original logic through, there's no need to carry any live rounds or even a gun. Hmmm, maybe the anti-gun nuts are on to something here.