It's getting wild out west

[tionico]

Its nothing to do with pride, simply carrying a tool well suited for the anticipated task to hand.

If I were a construction worker (I know, a dying breed in these times....) and on a jobsite to frame a large house, I think I'd do a better job with a 24 or 28 ounce scarface framing hammer than I would with what my Dad used to call a "sixteen pound hemmer''' it takes sixteen pounds to get the nail in". I used to be able to two-stroke a 16d sinker, one after the other, using a "real" framing hammer. Can't do that with the Home Cheapo Handy Dandy Homeowner's version. LOOKS the same, sort of, but just ain't the thingamabob to do the job.

Yes, IF you carry, carry everywhere you can. Reading up on the experts of late, they ALL say IF you carry, carry something with enough authority to get the anticipated job done. There is a reason all the action pistol competitions will not allow anything smaller than the venerable .38 Sp.
Even Massad Ayoob says to carry something bigger..... although he does say if there's nothing but a .22 LR 4-shot derringer, use that if you HAVE to. I was considering a Beretta or Browning .25 ACP, until I saw one of the rounds and learned its not significantly more powerful than the .22LR. Decided I needed to learn to carry something a bit more significant..... got a Spfld XD9 for a starter..... and don't regret it. A mouse gun's fine if your opponent is a mouse.. or even a large rat. Unless you mean one a them two-legged rats, the kind stand about five foot something and walk on they hind laigs....

 

[SheepDog223]

The carpenter example sounds to me like a military soldier. He's taking his hammer to go hammer. I'm just wearing a handgun in case I am threatened with immediate danger to my life. I'm all for a guy wearing a .45, but does he wear it ALL of the time? If so, then great! Like I said earlier, I wear my .40 some of the time and wear my 9mm on the days where I would otherwise not carry. This said I understand that there are those out there who are more likely to have days where they choose to not carry for a number of reasons. It is for them, (and me a few days out of the year) that I recommend the carry of the most firepower you will carry. If that's a .45 great. If it's a .22 fine. If a person doesn't believe in the capability of a .22 let him stand in front of one being shot. Then lets talk about authority of the .22. It's not as capable as any of it's bigger cal's but it is capable, and far better than deciding that your not going to carry because your back is out of wack or you are wearing light clothing and don't want to bulge, or any of the million valid reasons there are out there. I know of too many people who "prediction carry". Who carry a few days out of the week when they go to the shady parts of town because their gun is to big or uncomfortable for everyday carry. That's fine, but if it were me I'd carry a .22 on the other days. I'm all for taking the biggest gun you feel comfortable with. I'm also all for taking a .22 on the days you would otherwise decide not to carry. That's all I'm saying.

Oh, and those experts... say a lot of things, and some of them are even true.