Self defense everyday carry minimum capacity acceptable with one spare mag

[BC38]

7 + 1 plus a second mag with 7 = 15.
Is that how you meant it?

 

[vipermd]

Just sayin' in 40 years of handling revolvers I have never had a piece of plastic break rendering the firearm inoperable.

Revolvers yes, but steel or plastic auto's can become one shot guns with a bad mag. Just Sayin' Be Safe,

 

[shouldazagged]

I carry a .38 Special J-frame, and sometimes a speed strip. Sometimes not.

Do the math.

 

[Grayfox]

As for capacity, I'm good with 5,6 or 8. That would be a 642, Model 13 or a 1911 as these are the guns I carry most.
I always carry a reload. I'm not even sure why anymore. Its just a habit.

 

[326MOD10]

While I agree that if you chose to carry a reload that is your choice, it is a idea to have one just in case.

A spare speed strip is nothing to conceal in a pocket and frankly when I carry a semi-auto I also have a pocket carrier for a mag that keeps it oriented and out of the way.

The one scenario that is being overlooked with the semi-auto is the close in self defense shooting where you defend yourself and due to the distance and possible contact your gun malfunctions.

Clearly a spare magazine for a malfunction drill would be safer and more practical to get your semi-auto up and running while waiting on the authorities to arrive.

 

[rwsmith]

Considering the liklihood of.....

....multiple crazed attackers i'd like at least 8 rounds.

Each gets one shot, I can get eight.

Both get two shots each, i can get four

Three shots each I can get two and two thirds.

Four shots each I can get two

If there's just one, he gets all eight.

Eight shots gets one.

I hope that they will be confused by all of this math and boogy out and save me the trouble of counting.

It wouldn't be hard to go to a nine round mag, but I'm not going to do the progression.

 

[vortex360]

Going to walk one of my dogs this early morning. Even with my XD Mod 2 and 40 rounds of Federal HST +P, I'll have my BG 380 and I take the extra 380 mag just for goofs bringing the total hollow point round count to 53.

 

[CH4]

Since I often pack my 640-1, I'd have to say 5, with or without a reload.

 

[Dave Lively]

Revolvers yes, but steel or plastic auto's can become one shot guns with a bad mag. Just Sayin' Be Safe,

I have had bad magazines that caused my semi-autos to malfunction but I have never had a good magazine suddenly go bad in a way that makes the gun a one shot. I do have a magazine with a +1 base plate for my Glock 43 where the spring seems to be getting a little weaker and the slide sometimes rides over the last round instead of chambering it. But that just takes away the +1 and it is not a stock magazine.

I do not carry a spare magazine so I never practice tactical reloads. Dropping mags to the ground and stepping on them can bend the feed lips or let in dirt that can cause binding. Practicing tactical reloads because you have had magazines go bad greatly increases the chances of one of your magazines going bad. Kind of a self fulfilling prophecy.

If I did feel the need to carry a spare magazine I would practice letting them fall to the ground and quickly reloading. But magazines I practiced that way with would not be used for carry.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Going to walk one of my dogs this early morning. Even with my XD Mod 2 and 40 rounds of Federal HST +P, I'll have my BG 380 and I take the extra 380 mag just for goofs bringing the total hollow point round count to 53.

Wow ..... tough neighborhood or a pack of wolves???? You are the poster child for needing the Mossberg Shokwave

 

[two-bit cowboy]

Can't take the survey; there is no "5" option, which excludes my J and X frames.

 

[ContinentalOp]

Dropping mags to the ground and stepping on them can bend the feed lips or let in dirt that can cause binding.

If I did feel the need to carry a spare magazine I would practice letting them fall to the ground and quickly reloading. But magazines I practiced that way with would not be used for carry.

This is why one should have two sets of magazines, one for carry and one for training/practice. If one can afford it, I'd even go so far as to suggest it'd be a good idea to have two identical guns, one for carry and one for training/practice.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

Wow ..... tough neighborhood or a pack of wolves???? You are the poster child for needing the Mossberg Shokwave

Don't give him any ideas !

 

[dben002]

Going to walk one of my dogs this early morning. Even with my XD Mod 2 and 40 rounds of Federal HST +P, I'll have my BG 380 and I take the extra 380 mag just for goofs bringing the total hollow point round count to 53.

Please update your profile and give us some general idea of where you live...(northern SC or Eastern NY or Mid FL).....

Just so we know where not ever to move close to.....If I gotta pack all that to walk my dog I don't want to live anywhere close....or even visit...and probably don't even want to drive through on the way to somewhere else...

 

[Whitwabit]

Beretta px4 Sub Compact 13 + 1 and 13 in reload mag ..

27 total rounds !!

 

[Tradewind36]

Shield 9 with 8 round mag, also keep a spare 8 round mag in the glove box but don't carry it. So, 8+1 for me.

 

[Jim1392]

When I carry my Shield 9 its with the eight round mag and the 7 round mag. When I carry my 640 Pro it's with a extra speed strip.

 

[sawlog]

J frame, 5 rounds with speed strip in pocket

 

[TripLeader]

I see some replies saying a re-load is unnecessary because the statistics show the need to reload will not occur.

If that is your mindset, also know the statistics show you will not be in a gunfight as a civilian in normal American life. So then why even carry?

If you carry, have a re-load. You may be surprised how fast you fire 5 or more shots under stress without realizing it. Any number of other things can and will go wrong. You are not Superman. Don't set yourself up to fail. Have the mindset and the tools to win.

 

[Execpro]

When I carry a pistol,I always carry a spare mag. The reason being that on one of my many required Federal requalifications (2 per year) I had a type 3 failure (Double feed) that requires you to lock back the slide,rip the mag from the mag well (throwing it to the ground),racking the slide to clear the spent round and inserting a fresh mag.

As stated above, the problem could be the mag so you would want a fresh one. It only takes a few seconds to do an emergency reload.. Don't bet your life that it can't happen to you.

My mags are 8 rounders. 6 with one in the pipe and a spare mag would be ok. JMO.

I carry a J frame size revolver with 2 speed strips for spare ammo most of the time but a 9mm shield with a spare mag sometimes ( I have had two of the above mentioned failures over the years with different pistols).

Be SAFE and shoot often!