I respectfully disagree

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My XYZ "is 7+1. I have two loaded additional magazines. That is 22 rounds."
Sorry to say, this may not always be correct. There may/will be a time when a 'reload' is not possible. One reason I shifted away from the SP101 was on board round count. At the time, I was carrying 2 speedloaders giving me a total of 15 rounds BUT that required the gun be reloaded (and unavailable for use) twice for the 15 rounds. I came to realize that there could be a scenario in which I couldn't manipulate a reload in a timely fashion which prompted a switch to a 12 round magazine 9mm. 12 in the mag and one chambered makes nearly as many rounds available w/o any manipulation. If I choose, I can use the 'big boy' 15 round mag and exceed the capacity with only minimal size increase.
I'm fully aware that I'm not one of the 'run & gun' competitors, my hand coordination isn't what it used to be, and I tend to drop stuff (oft-times lots of stuff). Presently, I'm dealing with physical issues that can at times, reduce the use of my dominant hand/arm to nearly nothing so I really don't put much faith in a multiple reload defense plan.
 

Aqualung

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I respectfully agree with you, Mobuck.

That's why during the wind-up of the pandemic and the "Summer of Love", I switched from carrying my 6+1 Kahr MK9 to my Mark II Hi-Power with a full load of 15 rounds. Also, that's one reason I've permanently upgraded my MK9 with a MAX-9 (besides the fact that it is lighter, even with almost twice the capacity).

I carry a spare reload for whatever I'm carrying, but in all practicality, I expect that it's the rounds that are on-board that will play the main factor in any confrontation.

In fact, I've switched my spare mag carry in a means that will make it tougher to do a fast reload. As I pocket-carry everything (gun and spare mag), I always found myself cleaning "fuzzies" out of my spare mags, which I just knew would jam things up if used in a critical situation. So, I bought sleeves* that go over my spare mags to keep the fuzzies out. They need 2 hands to get the sleeve off, but at least I know I'm not slipping pocket lint into the action if I do have to reload.

* Ammo Armor magazine sleeves.

Aqualung
 

dweis

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I believe that anyone who has been attached to an infantry unit in a war would attest to this statement: in battle you always wish you had more ammo. They would also most likely agree with this statement: suppressing fire is very effective in the effort to win and to stay alive. There is good reason for both of those statements. First, you do not need more ammo until you actually need more ammo. That may be never or it might an hour from now. Second, being shot repeatedly at is both frightening and distraction. Most people do not want to be shot.

Some who will participate might be inclined to reply to those statements by declaring that gunfights in battle are not comparable to gunfights in civilian settings. I think that declaration would be proof of a failure of imagination. In self defense we should remember that there are always deviations from the norm. What difference is there between a active shooter firing a semiautomatic rifle and a enemy soldier firing an similar weapon? There is none except the military persons will probably be wearing uniforms, but not always.

My personal experience in gunfights was in Vietnam. As I Marine combat photographer I carried a M1911. I rarely had to use it because I was normally accompanied by Grunts with M14s and/or M16s. However, several times I had to rely on the M1911. Normally I had 7 in the pistol and 14 on the belt. One in the chamber was a no-no in the military back in those days. The first time I had to engage enemies in a gunfight was the moment I realized how fast one can go through 21 rounds when an AK47 aimed at and shooting at you. After that I scrounges up or "appropriated" 1911 magazines whenever I could. I ended up an extra 6 magazines in my cargo pockets. I felt more secure that way.

When I bought my first pistol after being discharged it was a Colt Government Model with one extra magazine. It was a house/office weapon. I did not carry it. eventually I got a License to Carry and went to a 9mm with a 7 round capacity. I did not carry and extra magazine. I figured I would never face a semi-automatic rifle with a high capacity magazine. That was my failure of imagination. I reversed that delusional thinking when mass shootings were increasing and the number of them in which semi-autos with high capacity magazines were also increasing. Today, I carry a Ruger Security 9 Compact with both ten and fifteen round magazines.

When at full readiness I am OWB (open or concealed) with three 15 round magazines +1. Forty-six round seems better to me than seven. When I have to deep conceal I go IWB with a ten round magazine and one fifteen round in a flashlight holder that I clip to my pocket. That gives me twenty-five + 1. I think that is better than 7+1.

Why more rounds? 1) to lay down suppressing fire if I retreat or hoot and scoot from cover to cover. 2) If I cannot extract myself or choose to engage, I want more rounds to be able to maneuver, if need be, and to fire rapids multiple bursts until I can get a kill shot. Offensives are often stoped or slowed by suppressing fire.

The photos below portray both of my kits.

82CC4F1C-C70E-4B15-ADED-A64F879635B3.jpeg



CD0A314B-D0ED-40AA-97BC-5923E4BF0626.jpeg
 

Wvfarrier

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The odds of a civilian needing more than 6 rounds (based on reported self defense shootings) are almost astronomical. Couple that with the chances of being in a self defense scenario, its even higher. Most shootings involve 3 rounds at less than 7 feet. Im not knocking your decision, we all have to make our own choices. I alternate between a S&W 627 (8rd 357) and a 9mm 1911 (10 rounds) and never feel outgunned. I have been in combat situations and be advised, a handgun is NOT the proper choice. It is meant to either fight your way to a long gun or to extract yourself from a lethal situation

Just my .02
 

GunnyGene

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The odds of a civilian needing more than 6 rounds (based on reported self defense shootings) are almost astronomical. Couple that with the chances of being in a self defense scenario, its even higher. Most shootings involve 3 rounds at less than 7 feet. Im not knocking your decision, we all have to make our own choices. I alternate between a S&W 627 (8rd 357) and a 9mm 1911 (10 rounds) and never feel outgunned. I have been in combat situations and be advised, a handgun is NOT the proper choice. It is meant to either fight your way to a long gun or to extract yourself from a lethal situation

Just my .02

Those are National statistics. Local stats will be dramatically different. And by local, I mean those places where you normally visit or live, sometimes even within a couple hundred yards of where you take your evening stroll. Whether your "odds" will be higher or lower than the National numbers depends on that. Equip yourself for the worst case.
 

codebreaker

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I think what we all probably do is consider where we live, what we are likely to be doing, who we are likely to be with and who will likely be around and then make a choice that gives us some peace of mind. I am content to go to Home Depot with a .380 with 7 rounds in it. I would never go out in the woods with that. Out in the woods hunting hogs by myself, I'll have more than one gun and spare ammo for each. Some people probably do exactly the opposite.
 
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I stand by my decision of my initial 7+1 then reload two 7 round magazines. I can actually reload rather rapidly and, as I said, if I need more that 22 rounds I am in a war not a personal defense situation. I feel that each should carry what they are comfortable with and can properly use. Also reloading a revolver is somewhat different than reloading a pistol. I can drop the used and insert another magazine while I still have a round in battery. Can't do that with a revolver.
 
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jban357

Bearcat
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Dec 3, 2021
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While I would rather carry a revolver, I have to admit, that a semi-auto makes a better self-defense weapon. As far as how much ammo to carry? I think that is up to the individual's situation. I do believe carrying too much, has diminishing returns.
 

noahmercy

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"A reload may not always be possible" is an accurate statement, but if that's the case, it may mean you are in trouble regardless of how big your magazine is. Magazines do fail, and can get kicked out under stress or when firing from a barricade position, at which point capacity is moot, and a spare is needed.

This is why techniques such as moving and seeking cover/concealment are even more important than how big one's magazine is, and why carrying a spare mag or speedloader (or two) is a sound tactic.
 

Snake Pleskin

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"A reload may not always be possible" is an accurate statement, but if that's the case, it may mean you are in trouble regardless of how big your magazine is. Magazines do fail, and can get kicked out under stress or when firing from a barricade position, at which point capacity is moot, and a spare is needed.

This is why techniques such as moving and seeking cover/concealment are even more important than how big one's magazine is, and why carrying a spare mag or speedloader (or two) is a sound tactic.
Most "tap ,rack, bump N bang" scenarios require dumping the mag. if you carry an auto you probably need an extra mag to deal with possible fte, ftf scenarios etc.
 

Snake Pleskin

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I carry a Glock42 90 % of the time with a 7rd mag (pearce ext) and one in the pipe and one extra mags. I do not plan on saving the world, getting into a protracted gun battle or any other scenarios that require me to do anything other than extricate my self from the immediate situation ASAP! There is no good "percentage" in being in a gun fight. Any idiot, punk, miscreant ,loser or amateur can kill you. It takes one "lucky" shot. Not a good shot, not a perfect shot, but one "lucky shot" and if you think about the age you are, your current physical shape, overall health, you might want to give a lot of thought to what that one "lucky" shot is going to do to you! Your chances of surviving may not be as good as you think. Therefore, situational awareness and being able to recognize potential problems & threats and LEAVING is always the best option., not carrying a bigger "gun" with more ammunition.(IMHO)
 
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Many good points have been brought up on this thread, I agree with most of them. For 39 years I went into trouble. When I did I never ever blindly ran into it. I did it tactically, later in life I read a saying by another "never run to your death."
With good to great situational awareness, I and we, (others on here) can tactically retreat also. Defending ourselves doesn't always mean with a firearm. Because this is a gun forum we focus on guns. A tactical retreat can be as easy as driving another direction, when on foot crossing to the other side of the street. Trust your gut, as an example: If you are going to a ATM machine to withdraw money and as you access the area. If you see several young men standing nearby and looking all around and than focus in on you and your car. Just continue driving there is another ATM somewhere. In the end, we may never know if those guys would attempt to harm you or not. But, your situational awareness kicked in and you survived. You won.
Now of course, the law does not say you need to avoid trouble, also just because you have a firearm does not mean you should go out and look for it either.
 
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