We Discuss Various Concealed Carry Firearms, how about real world calibers?

[Member 53328]

In my own experience, there is no perfect bullet or perfect caliber, bullets do strange things when hitting, having to deal with clothing, angles, distance, speed, all that, and we want a sure stop each hit, the odds ain't in our favor, so we also need to look at capasity, it will likely take more then one shot to stop a threat. Combined, ballistics gives you an approximate idea of what to expect in a perfect situation, but, it also can show you the weakness, taken with experience or a calibers known performance history, we can make a decision on which might be the best for us to carry. And finally, having made that choice, we need to test the ammo in our carry pistols to determine if it shoots well enough to serve as a carry load! I'm not going to try and sell anyone anything, everyone has their own standard of performance they judge acceptable, and that's just fine. Me, I want the most power and velocity I can get, I want to drive that bullet through heavy clothing, windshields, car doors, and such, and I want it to drive deep enough to reach vitals no matter the angle the tango is at, outside the big magnums I found the Big 10 ticks all the boxes, so that's what I carry. Problem is, good quality carry ammo is rare, if you can even find it, so your almost forced to hand load your own. I have no issue doing that, but I know others don't agree it's a good idea! With the Big 10, pushing a 200 grain soft point at just over 1300 FPS is about as good as it gets!
A 180 gr hollow point smokin along at nearly 1400 FPS is a seriously powerful load, and leaves little doubt of it's stopping power in flesh!

That's why I carry 9mm. 32+ rounds on my person everyday. Haha. You make good points though. There is no guarantee.

 

[nammac]

Agree on carrying sufficient rounds, cause one never know what one's going to encounter or when.

When I carry the P365, that's carried with a total of 47 rounds…. J-frame gets carried with a total of 30 rounds…. 1911 gets carried with a total of 33 rounds….

Should always have at least 3 reloads on person, and as many as 5 if practical…

Maybe I watch too many cop shows…. Kojak never needed to reload….

 

[Stomper]

I carry Hornady Critial Defense in my 9mm kit (G19, G43, or G43X), and I typically use Corbon 45ACP 230gr JHP in my G30 (when I carry it), then .22WMR Hornady Critical Defense in my pocket BUG, and my woods gun is .357 158gr SJHP and/or (ATM) Hornady Critical Defense in my 4" GP100


I never feel "under gunned"…. shot placement and adequate penetration is everything.

 

[Member 53328]

Agree on carrying sufficient rounds, cause one never know what one's going to encounter or when.

When I carry the P365, that's carried with a total of 47 rounds…. J-frame gets carried with a total of 30 rounds…. 1911 gets carried with a total of 33 rounds….

Should always have at least 3 reloads on person, and as many as 5 if practical…

Maybe I watch too many cop shows…. Kojak never needed to reload….

I have almost gone to carrying 2 extra mags on me due to current circumstances. I carry 1 extra mag, TQ, and fixed blade currently. I may be adding another mag like you shortly.

 

[No_Regerts]

I have killed game animals with rifle calibers ranging from 223 to 338. I'm a fan of velocity with most of my hunting rifles chambered in something in the 3000 + fps range. Every animal shot in the central nervous system dropped immediately. The ones shot in the chest cavity had a wide range of reactions from dropping immediately to running for a while.

I've also shot animals with the 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP. All dropped immediately to head shots. The one body shot, with a 40 S&W, also dropped immediately.

So, I really don't know what to think. Keep shooting til they stop.

 

[RX-79G]

Does anyone carry a .25 caliber pistol? Hope not.

Sometimes. But only because 9 rounds of accurately fired .25 FMJ in a really smaller package seems like a decent compromise compared a clunky .380 or J frame in light clothes.

 

[nammac]

I have almost gone to carrying 2 extra mags on me due to current circumstances. I carry 1 extra mag, TQ, and fixed blade currently. I may be adding another mag like you shortly.

The P365, with one additional 10 round mag in the jeans coin pocket. Mag carrier weak side front pocket.

 

[Ura-Ki]

49 rounds of Hot 10 mm on tap with super rapid reloads if ever needed!

 

[nammac]

View attachment 1201948View attachment 1201949
49 rounds of Hot 10 mm on tap with super rapid reloads if ever needed!

Galco Miami Classic?

 

[Ura-Ki]

Alien Gear Combat Carry! 2 adjustable tension mag pouches and adjustable tension and lock on the holster!

 

[Member 53328]

The P365, with one additional 10 round mag in the jeans coin pocket. Mag carrier weak side front pocket.

View attachment 1201944

Alright I'll join the club. One IWB and one in the pocket using the NeoMag. Total of 52 rounds. I'll carry 2 mags tomorrow and see how it plays.

 

[coop44]

I carry a model 49 mostly, the grand dad of all the s&w bodyguard models.

Load it with fmj's mostly. But have carried it with hollow points, and soon will be packing fully seated wadcutters. The variety of 38special ammo is endless( or so it seems). Been around longer than the 9mm or the 45acp, and still imo a viable self defense round.
Let the flaming begin

 

[RBB4ME]

Buddy of mine once said:

"Some say the greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing man he didn't exist. I'd say it was convincing man that the 9mm was as good as God's blessed .45 ACP."

 

[cigars]

Sometimes. But only because 9 rounds of accurately fired .25 FMJ in a really smaller package seems like a decent compromise compared a clunky .380 or J frame in light clothes.

No gun baaaad. Any gun gooood.

 

[Member 53328]

Buddy of mine once said:

"Some say the greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing man he didn't exist. I'd say it was convincing man that the 9mm was as good as God's blessed .45 ACP."

All in good fun. I love them both.

 

[Alexx1401]

Have been a 1911 fanboy for almost 6 decades. Carry one for over 4 decades. Until camera's because super common I never used to really believe people could soak up multiple hits from anything larger than .38 and not stop. I figured the tales I heard were either one offs or over told. Then I started to see video after video of scum soaking up hits and refusing to drop. Normally of course drugs making them act like zombies. It did make me start to use 10 round mags in my 1911's and when I carry try to carry two extra mags. Times I am not willing to carry the big boy I still use an OLD 11 round 9mm but use those GD124 Short Barrel rounds in it. The pistol carries the same way as when I used to carry a 5 shot .38 so I figure I have a FAR better chance with it.

 

[The Heretic]

All of my defensive and hunting handguns, save one, are 9mm and up - 9x19, .357 mag, .44 mag, .45 ACP

The one exception is 5.7x28 - I feel it is probably marginal, but maybe approaches the 9x19 in lethality.

The reason I have a FN Five Seven is that I have a family member whose chronic health issue (no known cure, can result in severe disability but has not yet) limits muscle strength, causes nerve issues and other problems - makes that person have issues with recoil and noise. This person is not afraid of recoil or noise and enjoys shooting guns to a point, but has no real control or known remedy or method of mitigation for those issues, and it is quite possible that down the road the issues will get worse - a lot worse.

So for the three of us (myself, and my daughter and SIL) I got us each a Five Seven and a PS90. These are not the only firearms we have, we have much more powerful and conventional firearms in conventional calibers. But since one of us needed the 5.7x28 firearms, all of us get them. The other two of us also have health problems that make light weight a benefit, and the greater capacity of the 5.7x28 firearms also a benefit. So these are our primary Get Home guns.

Beyond that, my personal preference is the SIG 226 in .40 S&W with 180 gr. premium defensive ammo (Fed HST, Win SXT, Speer GD). I find that with the 180 gr at 1150 fps, the theoretical lethality should be about the same as a .45 ACP 185 at 1150 fps. The recoil for some reason seems to be much less than the .45 ACP 185 loads, so I can put more rounds into the target faster with the same accuracy as the .45 ACP. The 15 rd mags that only extend less than an inch give me 15+1 rounds and the grip is somewhat slimmer than my SIG 227s with their 14 rd mags. If SHTF and I run out of the 7K+ rounds of .40 I have stocked up, or I want to have ammo interchange with those who shoot 9mm, I have Mk25 slides for each of the 226s (again, I have three of them, one for each person) and plenty of 9x19 mags.

I understand some people might think the 226 a bit large for concealed carry, but I rarely carry period although I am thinking of doing that more often. I rarely leave my property which is out in the boonies - about once every three weeks into the suburbs of Tigard for phys therapy and groceries. I do have a SIG 224 in .40 S&W, but it is just as thick as the 226, although the barrel and grips are much shorter.

The 9x19 has several advantages; smaller, thinner guns, more capacity in the same space (the 20rd mags for a 226 are the same exact size as the 15 rd mags for the .40) and less recoil. So I would not feel undergunned with a 9x19 pistol, especially with the proper ammo. I prefer 124-135 gr loads in 9x19, but I have thought about trying some of the Seismic 185 gr loads at 900 fps.

 

[coop44]

If ya hit 'em between the pie hole and the hairline, they're done. The only reason the for aiming "center mass" is folks have difficulty looking some one in the eye and shooting them.

 

[40Garand]

@Howard1955 Please empty your inbox. I attempted to send you a PM.

 

[nammac]

I'm digging 9mm in revolver form…. Don't need to chase brass and slightly better ballistics than .38 Special. Not to mention smaller rounds to carry/reload…