fastbolt
Member
Well, if we include "9mm v. .45" in the thread, it will cover all the usual bases. 
As JohnKSa commented, 5 or 6 rounds are 'enough' ... unless they aren't.
I'll take it one step further, and opine that 10-18rds may be 'enough' ... unless they aren't. Hence, why LE duty weapon loadouts usually include 2 spare magazines (whether double stack or single stack, as that can vary, too).
In answer to the OP's question, it depends on the individual, their experience and training ... and their anticipated (or perceived) situational needs. Confidence and comfort levels typically get thrown into the mix as ingredients, too.
LE has typically gone with semiauto pistols, and the age of the double stack full-size duty weapon has virtually taken over things when it comes to LE duty weapons. That influence will understandably leak over into the private self defense realm.
Me? I'm certainly nobody's expert (always declined becoming a court 'expert', for various reasons of my own). I do, on the other hand, have a little experience having carried an active badge for more than 3 decades, and having been trained and served as a LE firearms instructor (on a FTU staff of a goodly number of folks) for almost 27 years. I've learned from the older instructors, in-house and outside, and gained insight from newer, younger instructors (also in-house and from outside). The more I've learned, the less I've become willing to make pronouncements of definitive statements that affect everyone.
That said, I commonly carry one or another of my 5-shot snub revolvers. Occasionally, I may get out one of my remaining 6-shot revolvers, but their size/weight makes them less appealing for me nowadays. The 5-shot snubs are more attractive for my retirement EDC desires. Of course, during the last several years before I retired I'd started replacing some of my compact and subcompact pistols with snubs on my own time, too. It wasn't just something I decided to do once I retired from being in harness.
Yes, having fewer rounds available before reloading is required is something to think about, and it may have different importance to different folks. Can't speak to that, as that's something for them to consider for themselves.
Something interesting, though, which I recently learned, which may have some bearing on this subject ...
A friend of mine is retired from the Marines as a Gunny. He's a businessman and has been considering applying for a CCW, now that the recent supreme court case is causing things to change (for the better) in the way CCW's are handled here in CA (mostly meaning in the formerly restrictive urban areas). He has a G27 he's owned for a while, but said he misses being able to use a revolver (had to use a 92 in the Marines), and plans to get a medium-size 6-shot .357MAG revolver for self defense. He grew up shooting, and while he acknowledges that pistols do offer some useful features (including more capacity), he wants to go back to using a 6-shot revolver. He said he understands having only 6 shots before having to reload will require he make better use of those 6 shots.
I certainly wouldn't presume to gainsay someone who spent a career in the Marines. Different strokes.
Meanwhile, I'm hoping to make some time to go over the hill to visit my cigar club later today, and while I could belt on one of my many 9's, .40's or .45's, I'm going to take one of my several S&W 5-shot J-frame snubs. Guess the only question is whether I take one that I only feed standard pressure .38SPL (an older Airweight), or one of the ones that use .38SPL +P, or one of the couple that can chamber .357MAG.
Like I said, different strokes. Folks ought to be able suit themselves. Individual choices come with the potential for individual consequences. Choose wisely ... and hope your choice turns out to be the right one for whatever circumstances may come your way.
As JohnKSa commented, 5 or 6 rounds are 'enough' ... unless they aren't.
I'll take it one step further, and opine that 10-18rds may be 'enough' ... unless they aren't. Hence, why LE duty weapon loadouts usually include 2 spare magazines (whether double stack or single stack, as that can vary, too).
In answer to the OP's question, it depends on the individual, their experience and training ... and their anticipated (or perceived) situational needs. Confidence and comfort levels typically get thrown into the mix as ingredients, too.
LE has typically gone with semiauto pistols, and the age of the double stack full-size duty weapon has virtually taken over things when it comes to LE duty weapons. That influence will understandably leak over into the private self defense realm.
Me? I'm certainly nobody's expert (always declined becoming a court 'expert', for various reasons of my own). I do, on the other hand, have a little experience having carried an active badge for more than 3 decades, and having been trained and served as a LE firearms instructor (on a FTU staff of a goodly number of folks) for almost 27 years. I've learned from the older instructors, in-house and outside, and gained insight from newer, younger instructors (also in-house and from outside). The more I've learned, the less I've become willing to make pronouncements of definitive statements that affect everyone.
That said, I commonly carry one or another of my 5-shot snub revolvers. Occasionally, I may get out one of my remaining 6-shot revolvers, but their size/weight makes them less appealing for me nowadays. The 5-shot snubs are more attractive for my retirement EDC desires. Of course, during the last several years before I retired I'd started replacing some of my compact and subcompact pistols with snubs on my own time, too. It wasn't just something I decided to do once I retired from being in harness.
Yes, having fewer rounds available before reloading is required is something to think about, and it may have different importance to different folks. Can't speak to that, as that's something for them to consider for themselves.
Something interesting, though, which I recently learned, which may have some bearing on this subject ...
A friend of mine is retired from the Marines as a Gunny. He's a businessman and has been considering applying for a CCW, now that the recent supreme court case is causing things to change (for the better) in the way CCW's are handled here in CA (mostly meaning in the formerly restrictive urban areas). He has a G27 he's owned for a while, but said he misses being able to use a revolver (had to use a 92 in the Marines), and plans to get a medium-size 6-shot .357MAG revolver for self defense. He grew up shooting, and while he acknowledges that pistols do offer some useful features (including more capacity), he wants to go back to using a 6-shot revolver. He said he understands having only 6 shots before having to reload will require he make better use of those 6 shots.
I certainly wouldn't presume to gainsay someone who spent a career in the Marines. Different strokes. Meanwhile, I'm hoping to make some time to go over the hill to visit my cigar club later today, and while I could belt on one of my many 9's, .40's or .45's, I'm going to take one of my several S&W 5-shot J-frame snubs. Guess the only question is whether I take one that I only feed standard pressure .38SPL (an older Airweight), or one of the ones that use .38SPL +P, or one of the couple that can chamber .357MAG.
Like I said, different strokes. Folks ought to be able suit themselves. Individual choices come with the potential for individual consequences. Choose wisely ... and hope your choice turns out to be the right one for whatever circumstances may come your way.
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