Small Caliber Hi-Cap VS Heavy Caliber Low-Cap
B

But If Not

New member
Hello everyone,
Well I'm new here and for my first post I would like to solicit your opinions on something.
Just so you know, I am not new to handguns or concealed carry.
I just like to tumble the "what ifs" a lot in my mind.

This question is about concealed carry.


What do you feel is the way to go - a hi-cap pistol (lets say a 20 round 9mm Springfield XDM) or a heavy hitter that holds less rounds (lets say a S&W 629 .44 Magnum)

Please lets not get into revolver vs semi and lets also not consider pistol size.

Thanks
 

Get what you can most effectively use

But If Not said:
Hello everyone,
Well I'm new here and for my first post I would like to solicit your opinions on something.
Just so you know, I am not new to handguns or concealed carry.
I just like to tumble the "what ifs" a lot in my mind.

This question is about concealed carry.


What do you feel is the way to go - a hi-cap pistol (lets say a 20 round 9mm Springfield XDM) or a heavy hitter that holds less rounds (lets say a S&W 629 .44 Magnum)

Please lets not get into revolver vs semi and lets also not consider pistol size.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I carry a H&K USP45 fullsize...but I am a big guy. 12 Rnds of 45ACP + 1 in the tube. A decent enough compromise of speed, power and capacity.
 
It depends on the situation. If I were going to be in an area where it's likely I'll run into predatory animals (like bears, mountain lions, etc), I'd go with a larger caliber. My usual carry gun is .40 s&w. It has enough knockdown power to drop medium sized agressive animals (like a coyote or mountain lion), and standard capacity magazine is 13 rounds. Being that I live in PRHI, most of my magazines are 10 rounds. The 13 round magazines are only for when I'm traveling outside of PRHI.



gf
 
My carry is the XD9,16+1.......heavy hollow-points.
I just like having the extra just in case I miss. :cool:
Oh....welcome to the site!!!
 
I live in the grand :dance3: state of Kalifornia :help: so there are no high capacity pistols. So I like a .45 or .40 and several magazines.
 
Big caliber lots of rounds.

HK4U said:
We all have and opinion on this like most things. I opt for 9mm with a lot of rounds.
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The FNP45 I carry is 14 round in the magazine 1 in the chamber with another mag in my pocket (I prefer not to carry it in a mag pouch on my belt.) Now that is about all of the fire power that I think I might need in a fast and furious fight.
 
Glock Fan said:
It depends on the situation. If I were going to be in an area where it's likely I'll run into predatory animals (like bears, mountain lions, etc), I'd go with a larger caliber. My usual carry gun is .40 s&w. It has enough knockdown power to drop medium sized agressive animals (like a coyote or mountain lion), and standard capacity magazine is 13 rounds. Being that I live in PRHI, most of my magazines are 10 rounds. The 13 round magazines are only for when I'm traveling outside of PRHI.



gf
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A carry gun in PRHI? Since when?

Anyway, as for the original poster, I would suggest that whether you carry a large or small caliber, having extra ammo on hand (either an extra magazine or two or an extra speedloader or two) should be your answer to having both a heavy hitter and lots of rounds available.
 
tattedupboy said:
A carry gun in PRHI? Since when?
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GF open carries in his yard plus he's mentioned that he has been given temp PRHI CCWs for executive protection assignments. The executive would shell out a few grand for him to have a CCW for a couple of weeks. PRHI is probably not much different than the other may issue jurisdictions such as PRMD, PRNJ and PRNY(C). Plus he also has several States for traveling purposes.

I would carry a large bore .44 during the colder months or when I'm in areas dealing with medium to large game. I'm going up to Fort Wayne IN next week. I'm debating whether or not to take my 3" S&W 29 with me as a possible BUG because of the colder weather. The only bad thing is I haven't had a chance to acquire any speedloaders for it. I should probably growl at Bianchi again for not making .44 speedstrips.

If I'm in a warm area where medium to large game is not a concern, I'd carry a 9mm. I also would carry a single stack 9mm in the interest of comfort. That's my common practice when I'm a warm gulf state such as Florida or Texas. To balance out the diminished capacity of a single stack 9mm, I typically carry 50% more to twice as many as many magazines. The warmer the climate, the thinner and lighter clothing you're going to wear which makes it more of a challenge to conceal anything larger. However, there is a noticeable trend that crime is more likely to occur during the warmer months. If you can effectively carry a wonder nine during the warmer months then do it. However, the bare minimum I'd go with would be a single stack 9mm with one spare magazine.
 
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Since you said not to consider size, I'd go large caliber.

I'd carry my Freedom Arms .454 Casull :eek:

No, that's really to heavy and the scope would make it hard to get quick hits up close.

I'd take the .44 magnum.:triniti:
 
Funny thing is, is I like hi-cap as much as the next guy and I know that hi quality 9mm ammo is great stuff. But I never feel as "secure" as when I'm carryin my .44 magnum. One thing that I do do though is I carry reloads - I know the liability argument, but how are they gonna know that they were reloads anyway? Anyway, I load em just short of the speed of sound. That way I am not so worried about my ear drums, the recoil is NO problem, and they still have WAY MORE whoop ass than any +P .45 ACP made. So thats what I am happiest carrying. There is something else too - when I was a boy and my father took me out rabbit hunting, he started me out with a single shot shotgun. That way I knew that that shot had to count. If he had started me out with a semi auto I might have relied more on quantity over quality. Likewise, I am not comfortable with the idea of throwing lead around everywhere on a city street somewhere. I wouldnt mind carrying my XDm as a back up though, you know, in case 24 robbers come knockin at my door. :wink:
.
Keep those comments coming! I always like to hear what works for the other guy.
 
This is exactly why you should either be carrying a couple of speedloaders or a BUG. Since I'm pretty sure there aren't very many pocket or ankle guns available in .44 magnum, the speedloaders are probably better for you.
 
I carry both. As a usala thing I carry a 4" or even a 6.5 inch 44 mag. I do security work at church, and the director is an ex cop who knows nothing of ballistics. He has ragged me so much about the "over penetration" of my 44 magnum that i eventually bought a Cz75 b. It is a 16+ 1 9mm. I feel a lot more confident in my ability to hit with the magnum. With 180 grain hollow points it will only penetrate about 12 inches, much less than a 357 Sig, all the rage for local LE. I bought the Cz because they are renowned for accuracy, and because they point well for me. I can't convince MR. LAw Dog that it is really more dangerous than the magnum, but At least I got him to SHUT UP! I neede some king of semi auto for teaching my CCW classes anyway.Short answer? Capacity is a non issue. No one is going to let you shoot them, or shoot at them 17 times. Power is almost a non issue. I still want all I can get. Accuracy? You can't get enough of it. And I mean both kinds. "POIntability", and intristic accuracy. Carry what you hit the very best and fastest with.
 
Capacity is a non issue. No one is going to let you shoot them, or shoot at them 17 times.
I am not to sure about that. The following was posted on another thread. Sometimes both capacity and size are not enough. The main advantage I see to high cap. is if you are facing multiple threats. What is the saying? No one ever died from having to much ammo

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20 rounds of 9mm or 6 of .44...a Glock 20 will give you 16 rounds of 10mm. Why go to either extreme when you can go to both?

I seem to remember that most confrontations follow the rule of 3: 3 shots, 3 yards, 3 seconds. By that, any carry piece holding 4 or more rounds should suffice. The only scenario I see where capacity trumps power is when you are against an armed adversary and have to use covering fire to keep him down. Then again, you could argue that a heavier caliber would allow you to shoot through whatever he's hiding behind instead of pinning him down.

Whatever you choose, keep it practical. Find something you're comfortable with and practice with it as frequently as possible.
 
HK4U said:
Capacity is a non issue. No one is going to let you shoot them, or shoot at them 17 times.
I am not to sure about that. The following was posted on another thread. Sometimes both capacity and size are not enough. The main advantage I see to high cap. is if you are facing multiple threats. What is the saying? No one ever died from having to much ammo

Link Removed
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Good point HK. That's why I carry 46 rounds of 180 gr. Remington Golden Sabers at work. I'd rather have more than I need than need more than I have any day.
 
I personally favor a large caliber such as the .45 acp. I carry a high capacity 45 with 13 +1. But I also depends on the situation, event, outing. I will carry a High Standard Crusader Compact .45 with 3.5" barrel with 7 +1 if out on the town with a date and dressed up. But carry the high capacity if I know I am in a bad area of town. So I guess I just consider the environment before I go.
 
People seem to forget that for decades police departments carried revolvers with only 5 or 6 round capacity. A hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .45. For the record, I carry the old and slow .45 acp, but 13 +1 round capacity.
 
Well the way I look at it you can carry 19 rounds if you want but if you can't hit your target they aren't going to do you any good anyway. Also, you start spraying lead around there is a greater chance of an innocent taking a round not intended for them. You guys will probably think I'm crazy but I carry my BFR in 45/70, it holds 5 rounds of which one round will put just about anything down for good that walks, crawls, or flys. Dave
 
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