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So I have been curious about where the number 10 came from, as far as anything over 10 is high capacity. I've also been curious about what the average capacity of a handgun is these days. My google fu has been failing me on this.

Right now I am curious but I may invest the time in this to make it info an info graphic depending on what I find. I have a feeling the the average magazine size is really something more like 12-13 rounds, but I know 45s may skew this.

I don't have the time to look up X number of guns in X calibers and figure out how many rounds are in a standard magazine. So I am hoping I can get people to provide me with some info and give me average magazine size for the guns they own. I'd like to break this into the 3 common calibers, 9mm, 40cal and 45cal.

I own four 9mms
witness P 15 rounds
S&W 5906 15 rounds
P-11 10 rounds
Hi-power 13 rounds

9mm average is 13.25 rounds for what I own.

Added:
I'm interested in factory mag size here. What ever came with the gun, not what you have gotten after market. Also please break them out by caliber, and if your not comfortable saying what you have, or how many you own, don't. Just give me a caliber and average capacity for what you own.
 
10 is just a number someone came up with to make themselves feel good.

I would say the average 9mm holds 15rds, .40 would be 13rds and .45 would be 10rds. Of course this is for the full size versions.

If you want an easier definition of Hi-cap it would be anything other then what it comes with "stock".
 
Ill bite a XD40 Average is 11, two 12s and a 9
Glock mags. Average is 26 two 33s and a 12
LCP 6
Ruger MKIII 10

Over all average 14.3

the rest are wheel guns.
 
My memory says that number came from Bill Ruger Sr. He had a meeting with some bigshot political figure maybe Clinton, and told him that his opinion was a 10 shot magazine was all that was needed. I remember when he was running the company you couldn't buy a high cap mag for the Mini-14, (or any other gun) from Ruger.
 
I'm interested in factory mag size here. What ever came with the gun, not what you have gotten after market. Also please break them out by caliber, and if your not comfortable saying what you have, or how many you own, don't.

I'm only interested in average capacity based on factory mag, by caliber.
 
Astra A90 18+1 9mm
Star Model B 8+1 9mm
Bauer .25ACP 6+1 .25ACP
Ruger MKIII 10+1 .22LR

so 10.5

So far your closest to the information I am looking for.
Breaking down this I would look at it as

9mm average 13
.25cal average 6
.22cal average 10

Thank you for listing calibers and factory mag size
 
There is no "magical 10" that somehow makes things Low Cap vs. High Cap. This 10 rd mag limit was artificially created by the gun banning law makers back in the '94 ban, then this idea got stuck. It's actually pretty smart of them to do this, because people now think above 10 as being something extra. If anything, a more "logical mag limit" should be 6rd, because that's the original capacity of a revolver, thus this limitation would put revolver on par with a magazine fed pistol.

it's like buying a car, and somehow your car's engine able to go above a magical 55mph becomes an extra bonus feature.
 
I'm not looking for opinions, if you have facts which you can site that would be great. The 94 ban came up with the number 10, yes we all know this. Where did that number come from? The Ruger conversation I have heard of before, and seems to be the most credible.

I could easily take my opinions or beliefs on things and represent them as fact and produce a well designed info graphic that I could place on facebook and watch get distributed everywhere. Then someone else would do some research and prove me wrong. I'm looking for facts.

I would guess Nwcid's statement of average magazine size by caliber is fairly spot on then again it does not take into account compacts and subcompacts, nor does it take into account older guns. So far 9mm is coming out around 13 which is below those estimates, and I do not yet have enough results to look at 40cal or 45cal.
 
The 1911 .45 cal, normal mag 10 rds.
Colt Officers Model 38 revolver, 6 rds.
CZ52, 7.62X25mm 7 rds
CZ82, 9X18mm, 13 rds
CZ83, 9mm kurtz, 13 rds
CZ 75, 9X19mm, 17 rds
CZ85, 9X19mm, 17 rds.
High standard olympic. 22 short, 5 rds
High Standard Trophy, 22.short 5 rds, 22lr 10 rds.
High Standard Victor, 22 lr, 10 rds.

The High Standard's and the 1911 are the only one's I have that are exactly 10 rds. My rifles have various capacities from 1 rd to 10rds. I do not own an AR varient, but I have shot the M16 in the Military and it was nice. I have also shot the FN-FAL and it was also nice I just have no desire to feed them. ($$$$)
 
My memory says that number came from Bill Ruger Sr. He had a meeting with some bigshot political figure maybe Clinton, and told him that his opinion was a 10 shot magazine was all that was needed. I remember when he was running the company you couldn't buy a high cap mag for the Mini-14, (or any other gun) from Ruger.

I too remember this to be true. The 10 round magazine was a Bill Ruger idea. Anyone know where he is buried so I can piss on his grave
 
I'm not looking for opinions, if you have facts which you can site that would be great. The 94 ban came up with the number 10, yes we all know this. Where did that number come from? The Ruger conversation I have heard of before, and seems to be the most credible.

I could easily take my opinions or beliefs on things and represent them as fact and produce a well designed info graphic that I could place on facebook and watch get distributed everywhere. Then someone else would do some research and prove me wrong. I'm looking for facts.

I would guess Nwcid's statement of average magazine size by caliber is fairly spot on then again it does not take into account compacts and subcompacts, nor does it take into account older guns. So far 9mm is coming out around 13 which is below those estimates, and I do not yet have enough results to look at 40cal or 45cal.
The "magic"" 10 came in long before most of us were born. That was the proposed maximum round count in the 1934 automatic ban. The NRA got it removed way back then. Where were the other gun rights organizations?
I carry .45's, depending on which I carry it's 7 to 10.
 

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