I don't understand the gun market anymore.
I have a Glock 26.
Its compact. Holds 10+1 with standard mags but I bought a grip adapter so I can use Glock 19 mags with it (15+1).
Now everyone is rushing toward basically what I consider wheel gun specs. A mag with 7 rounds plus 1? It doesn't make sense to me.
This gun will probably be a best seller but I'm still confused. How many rounds/mags are enough? I've walked out the door with my modded Glock 19 mags in my G26...used standard G26 mags...and then if I'm headed toward a wild and wooly part of town I'll take one modded G19 mag with two of those same mags as backup.
What is the right number? Do you even need a backup mag? Oh and before you bombard me understand I realize that the biggest point of failure is your magazines but do you actually need a backup if you properly maintain your weapon and mags?
Just curious. Time to do more Google searches.
When I carry I only carry the one mag in my xd 40. I firmly belive that 12 + 1 is enough. If I need more than that, then I should be working on getting out of the fix I'm in.
ReplyDeleteSurely if you need more than 6 rounds you are in a situation where a handgun is sub-optimal anyway? And if you are in such a situation surely the bigger problem isn't magazine capacity per se more the problem of keeping track of rounds left. Especially if you are not consistent with which magazine you carry; that is a similar to not always carrying the same nature of ammunition. In an extended fire fight isn't dump and go while in cover the preferred tactic? So ensuring that you don't run dry. I don't think carrying six magazines is practical. Perhaps you approaching the problem as if it were a squad attack and not a defensive situation? Have you thought about carrying a Kal-Tec Sub-2k down one trouser leg and a bushel of Glock 30s down the other leg? :)
ReplyDeletewell all the gun gurus talk about spare mags but they never talk about the number of rounds needed for a civilian (legal) defensive gunfight.
ReplyDeleteworse case scenario. you're at a redlight, approached by criminals, their first shot disables your car and you have...say 3 attackers.
with my G26 in standard configuration i have 11 shots. that should be 3 rounds per with two extra follow ups.
thats an extreme situation and the FBI says most shooting take between 3 and 5 rounds.
but tactical trainer Larry Vickers talks about having 5 magazines for your hand gun. i don't get it but i'll probably stick to just my G26 with G19 mags shooting Gold Dots in 147 grain.
“It has never been clear to me why increased magazine capacity in a defensive pistol is particularly choice. The bigger the magazine the bigger the gun, and the bigger the gun the harder it is to get hold of for people with small hands. And what, pray, does one need all those rounds for? How many lethal antagonists do you think you are going to be able to handle? Once when Bruce Nelson was asked by a suspect if the thirteen-round magazine in the P35 was not a big advantage, Bruce’s answer was, “Well, yes, if you plan to miss a lot.” The highest score I know of at this time achieved by one man against a group of armed adversaries was recorded in (of all places) the Ivory Coast! There, some years ago, a graduate student of mine laid out five goblins, with four dead and one totaled for the hospital. Of course there is the episode of Alvin York and his eight, but there is some dispute about that tale. (If you read it over very carefully you will see what I mean.) Be that as it may, I see no real need for a double column magazine. It is all the rage, of course, and like dual air bags, it is a popular current sales gimmick.” - J Cooper
ReplyDelete5 magazines really? Their first shots disable the car? If there 3 of them I suspect their first shots are more likely to disable you! I know you picked a scenario out of the air but let's talk around it. What are they armed with? How competent are they? Are you confident that you could take out 3 by yourself? You can come up with all sorts of questions. My humble suggestion is if you fire first the majority of street criminals will turn tail. If they don't surely your primary course of action is to break contact? So you are going to carry five mags just in case you need to draw your gun (rare event) and fight a posse of hoodlums (even rarer event)? Wow 5 mags.........
couple of points.
ReplyDelete1. i dont' know the context of Vickers 5 mags rule.
2. i did pull the scenario out of my ass.
3. it is a real consideration. how many mags do you need. how many rounds are enough. if we take it to the opposite extreme then all you need is a derringer.
4. i will never assume that the sound of pistol fire will make a goblin flee. nor will i ever place myself (knowingly) in a situation where i will have to rely on deadly force to save mylife.
5. my first course of action in all these scenarios is an attempt to break contact.
still its an interesting conversation but i get the feeling you're dismissing my question without much thought.
by your way of thinking then the 357 wheel gun should be the best defensive handgun around and that their is no need for anything else.
6. Cooper is a legend, but just like double stack mags were all the rage, now we're seeing single stacks becoming increasingly popular.
i actually have been thinking of a Taures .38 special. have seen some good stuff from that revolver, esp the hammerless version.
DeleteIt was the 5 mags not you I was questioning!!!
ReplyDeleteI wasn't dismissing what you were saying without much thought I thought I was taking an interest.
Oh well.
then i read you wrong. no biggee.
ReplyDeletewhats your daily carry?
A wild and wooly part of town - where the hell do you live Sol ? Tombstone ??
ReplyDeleteDon't ask me what my carry is, I'm British, so it's illegal !
operative words...go to.
ReplyDeletei'm in louisiana so wild and wooly for me would be parts of new orleans where even the police go 4 per service call.
how do you guys in the UK carry for protection then? i'm noticing that they're even trying to regulate the knife culture over their so what are you left with? baseball bats?