Concealed Carry - capacity vs size?

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Snuffy308

New member
Sometimes in these discussions I think we lose sight of why we carry in the first place. What if you actually have to use it. Can you bring your carry into play quickly and effectively to make a difference? Excessive barrel length works against you for the most part. So does excessive weight. My rule of thumb is capability to draw while relaxed from concealment and deliver a controlled pair in under 2 seconds at a distance of 5 to 7 yards. Can you make a firm purchase and maintain a proper firing grip on your gun on the first attempt? You will be very fortunate to even get one chance at it. Too small a grip can hinder you in this regard. This criteria is the bare minimum I will accept for myself when looking at a carry piece and I continually strive to better this. It all has to work together; gun, mode of carry, type of carry etc...most likely when the flag goes up you will already be well behind the 8 ball.

A handgun fight is very quick, up close and personal. And Extremely violent. It's one short step away from hand to hand. If you have not ingrained what you will do on an instinctual level and prepare as such your chances of coming out on top are nill.
 
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Frankly

New member
I think the question needs perspective.

In the workplace some unexpected loner might suddenly decide to shoot up the place. After a dozen rounds are exchanged, one of us is gonna be lying on the ground. If I can't put him down with my first few rounds, chances are he will have put me down by then, and capacity would not have mattered.

On the other hand, suppose I were taking a daring drive to the west side, where a gang of thugs could jump me at any red light to jack my car or worse. I might feel naked without one on the hip, one on the shoulder, one on the ankle, the usual in the glove box, and one on the seat beside me -- capacity suddenly matters.

I'm just sayin'...
 
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Aquajunky02

New member
I personally go for size. I primarily carry a bodyguard 380 because I like the size. I can also keep on target better with it during rapid fire. Honestly I can put 7 rounds on target faster with it than I can 4 with my brothers XDS .40. I've shot several hundred rounds through each. I personally go with the gun I can put the most holes in the target the quickest. If I ever feel the need for extra capacity I will buy an extended 15 rd mag for it to carry if SHTF.
 
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Tactical Jackalope

New member
I CANNOT carry anything smaller than a Glock 19 or Sig Sauer P229. Cannot. I've always been that way and it'll never change. If I have carried a .38 snub nose, it was as a back up to one of the many full sized to compact guns I've carried.

I just don't see those little guns as fighting pistols. 5-8 rounds in a little gun that's possibly (more often than not) more difficult to shoot and low capacity, which means a mag change much earlier on than one of my compact or full sized guns is not what I'd prefer.


Now the j-off "stats" of 1-3 rounds in a gun fight is just a justification to make people feel better about their choice. How about this statistics, you're much less likely to get into a gunfight to begin with. And don't we carry for that "slim" chance anyways? So why not make it count? Are you really going to aim for best case scenario in your mind?

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I have always done that and abided by that.
Multiple attackers. Missed shots. Possible barriers whole cover is being seeked from both sides. Etc. Prepare for the worst.

My EDC most days is at the least a pistol with 16 rounds and 2 spare magazines. The pistol has an Inforce APL mounted. I have a Surefire handheld. And a knife as well. Sometimes a second knife being a Ka-Bar TDI. All so very comfortable and doesn't bother me one bit.

I don't understand how someone can carry a Glock 42 with no spare mag.


I've had to use everything I've mentioned in my EDC at some point.
 
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Nanuk

New member
^^^ Spot on, and sums things up nicely.
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Could not agree more.

The 26/27/33 are not my first pick, because I dislike not being able to get all my fingers on the grip without the use of a magazine base extension.
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Even with the extension I can't get my fingers on the grip, why I carry full size guns.
 
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Snuffy308

New member
Huh....Too broad a cognitive leap for some to make I suppose.:confused: I'll bow out now and let the self appointed hall monitors have their due.
 
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TunnelRat

New member
Constantine said:
My EDC most days is at the least a pistol with 16 rounds and 2 spare magazines. The pistol has an Inforce APL mounted. I have a Surefire handheld. And a knife as well. Sometimes a second knife being a Ka-Bar TDI. All so very comfortable and doesn't bother me one bit.

I don't understand how someone can carry a Glock 42 with no spare mag.


I've had to use everything I've mentioned in my EDC at some point.
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You've had to use 46 RDS of pistol ammo before?
 
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TunnelRat

New member
"You've had to use 46 RDS of pistol ammo before?"

3 x 16 = 48

+1 in the chamber = 49
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Except it's a SIG P229 or Glock 19 as he said. That's 15 in the magazine in the gun +1 in the chamber, that's his 16. Then two backup mags at 15 rds each. I know how to multiply and add.

Now the j-off "stats" of 1-3 rounds in a gun fight is just a justification to make people feel better about their choice.
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Not really. It's the rule of 3s from FBI statistics. The average "gunfight" involves 3 rds at 3 yds for a duration of 3 seconds. It's not meant to justify anything. It's meant to point out that self defense shootings are close and fast.

I don't disagree with you about carrying more and I also carry a Glock 19, albeit without the extra magazines (I want to carry one extra mag, I need to suck it up and buy a bunch of single mag pouches to try). What does and doesn't "work" seems very different for everyone. The other day I was in a gun store where a man was complaining that he felt his S&W Shield was uncomfortable to carry. Last time I held a Shield I thought it was tiny. That said I won't carry something Glock 17 sized as that little bit extra on the grip makes it so I print more than my liking whereas I know others that carry that without a problem.

It's true if it's not comfortable and you won't carry it than that gun does you no good. That said I've heard it said in the past that carrying a gun is meant to be comforting, not comfortable. I like that explanation. I can't deny the rule of 3s, but nor do I feel overly burdened carrying something a bit wider.
 
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ferrarif1fan

New member
I'm late to this thread, but the hardest part of concealed carry is concealing the pistol. I think determining HOW you're going to conceal your weapon will dictate some of the size vs. mag capacity question.

I have two pistol for concealed carry. They are both carried inside the waist band, right above my right, front pants pocket (appendix carry). With my short untucked, it's not too difficult to conceal a pistol there. If i tuck my shirt in, I have to then pull a bit of it out of my pants so it's baggy right around my beltline. That helps me hide the bulge of the pistol.

The two pistols I carry are a Beretta PX4 Compact (15+1 capacity of 9mm) and a Bersa Thunder (7+1 rounds of .380). I MUCH prefer to carry the Beretta, both for the more powerful cartridge and the much higher round count. The Bersa is mainly for dress occasions where I need something slimmer.

I carry the Beretta about 95% of the time. It does take some effort, because it's a bit thick and somewhat heavy. But I like carrying 16 rounds of 9mm IN THE GUN. I personally chose appendix carry because it's comfortable for me, but also allowed me to carry a much larger, higher capacity pistol than if I wanted to carry it in my pocket. That's why my original point is that you need to determine how and where you're going to carry first. It will help you decide size and capacity.
 
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fastbolt

New member
Concealed Carry - capacity vs size?
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One of the perennial questions that will never produce a definitive "answer" that satisfies or suits everybody.

Some folks even discover that the "answer" changes for them over time and continuing experience. ;)

"Caliber" and "capacity" can be a personal choice, or it may be restricted by regulation or policy.

It's still pretty much under the general heading of "equipment selection", though.

Lots of folks like to ponder equipment choice, but often seem to neglect giving at least as much consideration to the "user's" ability to safely, properly, and effectively USE their equipment, especially under demanding and stressful conditions.

My typical retirement/LEOSA handgun choices typically run to 5-6 round capacities. If I anticipate finding myself in a potentially higher risk environment, I can select larger belt guns in the common major calibers.

The only "hi-cap" pistol I presently own only uses 12-rd mags. The rest all have 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10-rd mags. (FWIW, my recently issued duty weapon, since I still serve as a reserve, is a 15+1 capacity .40, replacing the last couple which were a 7+1 .45, followed by an 8+1 9mm.)

Training, practice & experience ... combined with a reasonable knowledge of how to make individual risk assessments for various anticipated needs and circumstances ... can go a long way in helping provide an "answer" for the individual.

Everything else is conjecture, opinion, bias or simple preference.

Suit yourself.

If you can choose? Choose whatever suits you and your needs.

If you're restricted in your choices? Work with what you've got, and focus on training, knowledge and practice.

Options aren't a bad thing, though.

This topic usually generates a lot more noise & static than is needed or justified. ;)
 
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Doug S

New member
I guess I can't honestly imagine a life threatening defensive shooting scenario, where once the shooting started that I wouldn't want bigger gun, more bullets, more powerful bullets, BUT if someone chooses to carry what they have, whatever it is, without getting caught up in the doubting/second guessing themselves and their decisions game that is part and parcel of the newbie gun forum experience, I think they are doing alright, and a whole lot better than most people who are probably carrying nothing.
 
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Lee6113

New member
I understand the question is ultimately one I'm going to answer myself, and like some have said already it'd good to have options. I intend to get both guns (specifically for me: xd(m) 9mm 3.8", and also the xds 3" in 9mm or the double stacked mod 2.

So with the intent of buying both, I need to decide which to buy first. And all your responses have been very helpful. Hearing other people's opinions helps me see more perspective.

Personally I don't know if I'm comfortable with only 8 rounds in the first magazine. I hope I'll never need to use any of them, but should a fight come to me, I want more than that. I believe we'll be buying the xdm first.


Edit: and the reason I've chosen the xd line is because I've shot it a lot before (renting), it's easy to operate, I like the feel of it, and so does my wife. And I want to move forwards and actually get the gun rather than just cycle through trying a bunch of different ones.
 
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Nanuk

New member
And how many mags?
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One in the gun and 2 reloads. Except today, I am leaving driving thru Chicago and going to Detroit to visit family, taking 2 happy sticks along as well.
 
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Captains1911

New member
I generally carry a larger gun (G19) not because of the increased capacity, but because it's easier to effectively draw and shoot. The increased capacity is a bonus.
 
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Nanuk

New member
Not really. It's the rule of 3s from FBI statistics. The average "gunfight" involves 3 rds at 3 yds for a duration of 3 seconds. It's not meant to justify anything. It's meant to point out that self defense shootings are close and fast.
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Yes that is an FBI statistic, do you have any idea of the context?

That stat comes from the report that PD's must submit to the FBI when an Officer is murdered on duty. It is the stat for the fight the cop lost. Go ahead, train for a losing fight, me I plan to dominate the fight, that is hard to do with a pocket gun.
 
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Tactical Jackalope

New member
When I carry the 19, my 2 spare mags are 17 rounds each.
When I carry the P229, my 2 spare mags are 20 rounds each.

As for the nit picking comment about each and every bullet after everything else the reader decided to ignore and not comment on. I won't address anything else.
 
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