What is the lowest caliber you will carry

[willroute]

I personally carry a Ruger LCP in .380 everyday, keep the 1911 in the truck. Yeah, the .380 can be considered a wimpy round but it will let you fight your way back to a real gun.

The LCP is a great little carry gun. For sure can handle a fight until you get to the primary

 

[Relayer1974]

Given enough practice, I would feel completely confident with a .22lr.

Presently, I carry a Glock 29 in an IWB holster which conceals well for me in shorts and a t-shirt. It's comfortable enough to wear for hours on a road trip and doesn't print unless I'm wearing a close-fitted shirt. I'll usually go up a shirt size to be sure it's not seen.

 

[gunsablazin]

.38 spl+P for me, since all handguns or low on stopping power it's my minimum carry caliber. In the days of my youth I carried .22s and even the lowly .25ACP, but that was before you could get a HCP in TN, so small guns ruled the carry world in those days.

 

[grasssnake]

I carry a .45 acp primary and 9 mm backup for that and american arms 22 mag backup for the backup

 

[beatledog7]

Standard .38 spl or +Ps in summer, looking into .44 spl for winter.

 

[Jeff F]

Smallest I have carried is a .32 acp and I did not feel under-gunned. It always seemed to work for James Bond.

 

[beatledog7]

Bond's .32cal PPK protected him from incoming machine gun fire as well. Gotta love a good spy thriller!

 

[liist]

I will go with a 9mm, probably with +P hollow points, as soon as I'm old enough. I don't think I will go any smaller with 9mm.

 

[littlebubba]

I wouldn't be comfortable with anything under .380

 

[sean m]

22 LR better to have something than nothing

 

[Zach S]

9mm or 38 special.

 

[BIGGBAY90]

I think now it will be a 32naa--shoots great

 

[303tom]

I carry a Twenty Two..............

 

[Owen Sparks]

.40

 

[JoelSteinbach]

22mag as a bug, normally 45acp or 10mm

 

[jim243]

What is the lowest cal. You would carry and feel safe with

9mm in an emergency a 9mm Kurtz.

Jim

 

[Certaindeaf]

.88

 

[smalls]

I would like to carry a .45, but I like to shoot my carry gun very often, and can't afford it. I feel comfortable with 9mm and can shoot it often enough to be very proficient with it.

 

[SEE IT LIKE A NATIVE]

My smallest gun is a model36 Glock in .45acp usually I carry a glock 30sf also in .45acp . For the last week or so I have been carrying both at the same time ! If I were to purchase another carry gun the it would be either .38 in a revolver or a 9mm in an auto ! There are too many good compact 9mm pistols around now to bother with a .380 . ! Kevin

 

[ChCx2744]

If I can only have one on me, I wouldn't carry anything smaller than a .380. If I can have more than one, however, I'd be fine with a couple/few .22s.

 

[Old Guy]

First, please excuse me, I have not read any of the previous posts, just came across the thread. I hope I have not stepped over anyone.

Just going off the title.

What is the lowest caliber you will carry

An answer, with an explanation. A 9mm Parrabelum, loaded with proven rounds, that has been carried by a group, such as a federal, or State/City Police force. a group large enough to have seen the affects, of this round, on dead felons.

In my case, 147g Ranger non Plus P. Sixteen of them ready to go, in a Glock 19.

This combination is controllable, and will reach deep enough to reach major organs in a human torso, quite accurate, so that that precise shots can be achieved, and rapid repeat rounds, if or when desired, are doable.

 

[beatledog7]

I'd carry a .22LR if it was all I had. If they're all available to me, .38SPL or 9mm (meaning any of the 9mm variants).

 

[Midwest]

.50 caliber...cause you never know....might run into a elephant or something...





j/k ... .22 cal

 

[gym]

380, x 3 rounds =1140 that's like 2, 50 caliber rounds. But seriously folks, a 380 up close, "which is where most shootings take place with self defense scenarios, is more than enough as long as you don't stop to admire your work. Just shoot 2 or 3 rounds and that should do the rtick. I carried a ppks for 20 years, and it was "at the time" considered to be the best all around off duty or civilian carry gun. Even some european police forces used them.It makes the same size hole as a 9mm. And modern ammo has brought them up to par with 9mm ammo of old. And James bond likes them.

 

[CZguy]

And James bond likes them.

I thought that James Bond was always getting yelled at for preferring a tiny Beretta.

But back to the topic. I feel perfectly comfortable with a .380 at close range.