Poll: 8+1 in 1911, Is It Enough?

Is 8+1 in 1911/45Acp Enough/Poll

  • 7+1 is enough

    Votes: 123 54.9%
  • 8+1 is enough

    Votes: 68 30.4%
  • 10+1 is the way to go

    Votes: 7 3.1%
  • 13+1 for High Caps Is The Real Deal

    Votes: 26 11.6%

  • Total voters
    224
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combatantr2

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A poll question. Is 8+1 in 1911/45Acp enough for an all around self-defense use? Or do you wish more?
 
1 should be enough if you hit them between the eyes...or through the heart...or snap their spine...etc.


Now time...that is another matter....I wrote this down from some article I read a while ago; it smacks of veracity:

"Time: The time you take to position yourself on the range is probably longer than most gunfights last. Confrontations are sudden affairs, over in 2 to 3 seconds, in the majority of cases. Almost never is there time to cock your gun, stand in profile, and take careful aim at your target. You and the suspect together are not likely to fire more than 3 shots, whether the situation is an ambush, armed robbery, or family fight. In the majority of cases, the initial exchange of fire will determine the outcome. The speed in which you can react to danger, therefore, is likely to be a more critical commodity than the amount of ammunition you have at your disposal. You probably carry more ammunition than you will ever need, but time is almost always in short supply."
 
It hard to believe that one could expect to solve a social problem with 16, if he or she cannot solve it with 7.
 
It depends on the situation. Hopefully 1 is enough. It would always be nice to have more than was needed. If I carried an 8 shot gun though I'd feel a lot more comfortable carrying an extra mag too. That's a good idea anyway, since if you run into a mag problem a simple tap rack bang may not fix it.

I thought the Para Ord. P14 was a great solution until I shot one. My paws aren't big enough to be comfortable with those. I haven't handled a Springfield XD45 yet but those may be a good solution.
 
Even though my .45s are carried with 8 round mags, I tend to keep them with 7 +1 in the chamber. I'm quite comfortable with that, and it eases my mag springs a little.

EDIT: I should note that I also typically carry a 10 round spare
 
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Since I feel FIVE .38 Sp rounds are enough I'm sure 8+1 of .45 Auto is more than enough.

Sorry, but if you need more than that for a "normal" SD situation you should carry a machine gun or hire a bodyguard.
 
i didn't vote yet because it depends on the situation, and how much ammo i would carry for example. at a minimum i would carry an 8rd mag +1 in the chamber locked and cocked. and a spare as well. but personally if i was carrying the gun openly or in a shoulder rig where it dosen't really matter how far the mag hangs out then i would carry 2 10rd mags.

as far as a paddle type holster on the side. i would carry a 7+1 or 8+1 even better. in the weapon and a 10rd for the spare. the short mag for concealability.
 
As the old saying goes, if you can't do it with 7+1 then you shouldn't have brought a pistol in the first place.

In all seriousness however, if the situation you suddenly find yourself in is too much for what you are carrying, you don't need a change of pistol, you need a change of tactics.
 
It's not the size of youir insturment but how you use it!!!!!!
Thay being said IF you hit a critter 2 or 4 legged with 9 230 grain slugsand it remains standing time to reload and if you need another reload run or get more range time!!
 
The answer depends completely on how many bad guys there are. If there are one or two BGs, an 8-round magazine and 1 in the chamber is be enough, even with 3, you are okay if you don't miss any shots. With my 1911s, I carry an 8-round magazine in the pistol, and 1 round in the chamber. My back-up magazines are all 10-rounds each. What is more important is for the individual to take tactical and advanced tactical shooting courses, and then to practice. The single most important factors are accurate aim, followed by keep moving toward cover. JMHO.

Edit to add:

Regardless of primary caliber and amount of rounds, I always carry at least 1 back-up pistol, if not two back-ups.
 
you also kepp in mind that if there are multiple bad guys there is a high possibility that after you drop one or two of thier buddies that the remainder are not gonna stick around. most people aren't that commited.
 
A poll question. Is 8+1 in 1911/45Acp enough for an all around self-defense use? Or do you wish more?

Police always carry two extra magazines for their guns, why shouldn't you?

25 rounds of .45 caliber hollow pointed (or even FMJ) ammunition will ruin anybody's day.
 
As a civilian going about my daily routine I'm not going to load myself down with multiple mags and/or other equipment. I stay out of certain areas but still try to remain aware of what's going on around me anytime I'm in public, don't look for trouble and am not the hero type. Sure, things can happen that I have no control of but I figure if I need more than 7+1 rds of .45ACP in any brand auto, I'm probably dead anyway.
 
Heck, I carry with 7 + 1 even though I have 8 round magazines. My reasons even came down to not having a magwell on my carry 1911, so I just wanted a flush fitting magazine. As long as the shot counts, I doubt that extra round would make that significant of a difference...
 
How do you suppose you are going to hit AND PUT DOWN 3 armed adults before one of them plugs you with what ever he is carrying?

This notion is rather foolish. Just because you can get double taps on multiple stationary paper targets under one second doesn't mean you will be able to do so in a real confrontation with real, armed people, AND EVEN IF YOU DO, what makes you think that they will be instantly incapacitated and unable to return fire? If you are dealing with more than one armed attacker who get the drop on you, luck and the mercy of the armed criminals will be the determining factors concerning your survival.
 
Well...

All I know is, my 1911 isn't a single-shot. I may not need 'em all, but I want more than 1.
 
In all the (bad) news u hear everyday in your whole life. How many times have u heard of a civilian being killed after he shot all his ammo. Me never, most people will never fire even 1 round in defence 8+1 is more then enough. Just always be aware of your surroundings & be prepared.
 
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