What is everyones thought on this? Would you feel “underpowered” with 8+1 rounds of 9mm in your go to gun? I know people use 1911’s as their goto guns which are running single stack mags but most people give it the pass just because it’s a 45… and it’s the 1911.
So should a single stack 9mm be solely for CCW use or do you think it’s sufficient for an all purpose, defensive handgun? I definitely prefer the way a single stack handgun handles over a double stack but I’m questioning whether or not it’ll be a handicap in a fantasy gunfight situation. Thoughts?
I also frequently pack a wheel gun or a single stack 9 (which is what the majority of forces in ww2 carried)
And feel fine with that.
I like to tell especially non shooters pistols are like golf clubs you need different “clubs” for different situations one does not do everything
Right. I understand a revolver or single stack is fine (if not preferred) for CCW, but what I’m asking is do you guys think it’s still sufficient for an all around go to gun?
Basically, would you go to war with a single stack 9mm for your sidearm or do you feel it’s absolutely necessary for a double stack magazine in a sidearm, duty, etc role?
I don’t think it matters what “we” think, This is a desision that only YOU can make, You are going to be carrying it, using it, not me or anyone else on this board. If you think it’s GTG then by all means, use it. Practice your reloads, and carry some extra mags. It’s impossible for anyone on this board to suggest what one’s comfort level with any handgun should or should not be…That’s something only you can answer for yourself.
I never suggested that I would base a decision solely on the members of M4Carbine. That being said, this is an internet forum where members discuss such things and give opinions on different firearm related subjects. This is not really any different than the multitude of other threads. I wonder if you go into every single post/thread on this forum and say “It does not matter what people on this board think” … ?
I was looking for perhaps some discussion on it and why you may would or would not be comfortable with it. I’m sorry you think that’s not worthwhile.
Geographics can play a role also. I have carried a revolver frequently, a pair of K frames,live an extremely low crime area in a rural area.
I do,however,know that when you really need a pistol for defense,you’re likely to need a lot of rounds,so I violated my own rule. If you look at all the shootings that have occcured just this week alone,and in some unlikely places as far as crime statistics are concerned,it is obvious that many rounds may be needed.
Moving and shooting is more dificult than standing still and shooting at paper with a perfect sight picture,and shooting under the stress of a fight will also lower your hit percentage.
I think that if you can carry a hi capacity handgun,then you should whenever possible. I will be following my own advice.Things aren’t going to get any better. 15 rounds can disappear in a hurry.
I never said it’s not worthy of discussion… Nor did I ever say you’d base such a decision on popular opinion here.But, I’d remind you that YOU posted the question, and the way you posted seemed to suggest you were fishing for answers,in the event of your fantasy gunfight… and I think my reply was correct…Carrying any pistol is a personal choice, and only one you can make…No matter how much discussion there is, pro/con it all comes back to the same thing… It’s still a choice that only you can make.If you’re comfortable with a single stack, then as I said practice your reloads and carry extra mags…How hard is that?
I carried a single stack 9mm off duty for years and I did not feel outgunned. It was a little easier to conceal than a double stack pistol and extra magazines were a lot easier to conceal. The pistol was worn to the point of being unreliable and discontinued by the manufacturer, so I carry something different now.
I may be a little old school, but I firmly believe that 8 rounds is a lot of ammunition if I do my job. I also believe that 15-17 rounds is not enough if I do not.
I carried a Kahr K9 as my CCW for a number of years and felt that it was sufficient. I now carry an HK P2000 .40 or Glock 19 99% of the time because I found it wasn’t a big deal to conceal the larger gun and more capability could be beneficial. Situations like the Trolley Square mall shooting in Utah made me rethink my selection (the off duty officer who initially engaged the shooter had a 1911 and no reload). I now carry as much fighting capacity as is reasonable for me and my situation. There may be situations where I need to carry something smaller and I will vary what I carry. For you or someone else a single stack 9mm might be fine but at the moment I choose to carry more.
I once saw a quote (attributed to someone smarter and more experienced than I) the basically said that they never heard of someone in a gunfight who thought they had too much ammo.
(All that said, I’m looking to buy a M&P Shield 9 to use in certain situations)
Edit: to specifically answer the original question - I would not choose a single stack handgun as my sidearm for going into battle. If more rounds are readily available with minimal size penalty, I’ll take more rounds.
My edc is either a Sig 239 or a Smith 3953, both with an extra mag. I feel that is more than adequate for ccw. As an aside, I know several policemen that carry Sig 239s when they are on duty. I don’t agree with that but if it works for them on duty, it should work for you or I off duty. And yes,they have been involved in a couple of OIS. Don’t spray and pray and you will be fine.
I remember reading some satistics on how many rounds are used on an adverage LEO engagement, in the 80’s until mid 90’s it was around 6-8… This can be due to the carry guns around that area( wheel guns, etc), now the average is around 8-10 this could be due to the guns of this era. This info was read on the interweb, so take it as a grain of salt, I do not claim any of it to be fact.
Many factors would influence what I carry, the location, how I am dressed, I try to dress around my gun so that I do not show any tel-tell signs that I am indeed carrying. I do not have many guns to date but my collection of tools is getting bigger. I carry my LCP to run small fast errands, with another loaded mag close, when I actually plan my gear I usually go out with my PPQ and another mag on my belt or the XDM 45 with the 9 round mag and also the 13 round mag in a holster also on my belt. Best I can do is just hope that what I am carrying will be sufficient if ever needed. So many variables will decide that. To answer the OP’s question, training accuracy along with a bunch of other things will decide if I am "underpowered " I could bring the biggest bad gun ever with unlimited rounds and depending on the situation, I still could be screwed, and same with the other way around, I might be fine with 1 shot from my .380. It’s all depends…
More is better if it doesn’t hinder you in other ways. I wouldn’t carry a 20 or 30 round mag that stuck out and could hang on things. I don’t think that I need to have X rounds to be able to fight. I carry a double stack 9mm because it is the most I can carry and conceal. I don’t think a single stack would change my survival rate as much as inaccuracy or poor tactics. In the context of war where it is a backup to a rifle, I don’t think round count of my handgun would matter much at all.
ralph’s comment surely wasn’t meant to be a smart a$$ reply and is nearly the words I was going to say. I do understand that you are looking more for this to be a discussion verses what you actually need/want. Therefore I’ll respond with my answer after carrying for well over 30 years. Started out with revolvers, then compact 1911’s, up to the double stack Blocks, back to 1911 format. Now I carry either a PM45 or PM9 along with one or two spare mags. After carrying for so many years and older age creeping up on my I find the heavier double stacks get heavy by the end of the day and are a tad harder to ‘dress’ for.
My theory is, too many guys these days do the ‘spray and pray’ scenario instead of the more disciplined trigger and sight control with well aimed shots. Everywhere you look it seems like the thing to do is a mag dump, this is without much attention paid to where those rounds are going to impact. The movie industry has sure helped in this regard where the good and bad guys always seem to have an endless supply of rounds in their firearms.
So, there you have my opinion…I am perfectly content in carrying a single stack handgun be it the mighty 45 or the lowly 9mm.
Carrying a concealed pistol is uncomfortable to some degree. The amount of increased “discomfort” between a single vs double stack 9mm is nominal. In regards to capacity, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it
I have to agree with this. Carry the biggest handgun you are willing to carry. If you are not going to carry a larger capacity handgun because you find it uncomfortable or inconvenient, then carry a single stack pistol.
No matter what you choose to carry, get in as much trigger time with the pistol as you can afford. If you are on a tight budget, dry fire. I dry fire every day.
For years and years I carried a P7M8 which was 8+1 and it was great. Then I moved to an 8 shot Kahr. Now I carry a 5 shot J frame. So, it is safe to say I am worried about having a gun in a real caliber than capacity.
It isn’t an issue of capacity for me, it is an issue of performance. Most single stacks are smaller-sized guns; can you shoot them as well as full sized guns? If no, then do you find the way you shoot them is sufficient?
Some single stack guns are perfectly shootable but have other limitations. P7 is a joy to shoot. For 50 rounds, after which it’ll burn your hand. I just sold mine after I realized I hadn’t shot it for 2 years, simply because it can’t support a volume of fire during my training.
Unless you live in a gang-infested area with a high probability of encountering multiple attackers, 7-8 rounds are fine, as long as you can place them on demand, where they need to be placed, and fast enough.
