Triangle Tactical Podcast and Blog on Guns, Gear, and Competition Shooting
Am I the only person that has went back to a doublestack “wonder 9” for CCW after hearing about the recent al qaeda ISIS threats to behead people in the streets, and the Sydney siege incident where people were held hostage in a cafe until it was stormed by police?
There’s something much more comforting about having 16 rounds on my hip, with 15 more in a reload than there is with my previous 8 rounds in the pistol and a 9 round reload.
I stepped up to a Glock 19 (second time I’ve had one for carry) and sold the XDs. So far, no complaints.
So, whaddabout you? Comfortable with what you’ve been carrying, or are you thinking about upping your capacity? Maybe carrying an extra reload?
I have always carried am extra magazine on me. My current carry gun is a G20, so with an extra magazine I have 30 rounds. That should be more than enough to get myself and family to safety. My plan is to start moving away from the shooting, get the family safely to the car and out of the area. I would have no problem shooting the bad guys if they are in the way. At the same time, it’s going to be hard to tell the bad guys from other CCW people. In the past, before I was married, I use to keep an AR in the car with 4 magazines, in case of a mass attack. But, I think in all reality, the cops are going to be very hyped up and anybody with a long gun has good chance of being a target.
An ar in the car with 4 mags in case of a mass attack?
Seriously bro, you are going to hard. Don’t tell me you are a cop or something other nonsense. A cop would not be that stupid. If you are a cop that fell through the cracks, go tell your command. What for the face palms.
I have always carried a Glock 21 and 2 extra magazines
An interesting thought experiment Lucas. I’m looking at doing something similar come tax time. I currently carry a Kimber Ultra Carry II .45acp. Im looking at moving up to a Para Ordinance Black Ops in the same caliber, but ups the capacity from seven to fourteen in a magazine.
You’re a better man than I am if you’ll actually carry a doublestack 1911!
I used to carry a Para Ordinance P-13 (12 rd mags) when I was a security guard. I, in hindsight unwisely, sold it long ago. I was quite surprised and pleased when I saw they were still in business. The P-13 was more of a lightweight commander type piece, though with the doublestack mags. The Black Ops are government model size, so we shall see how it rides. Then just go from my normal two reloads to one, but up total rounds on hand by 7.
It helps that in Minnesota, you aren’t required to conceal for permitted carry, so a bit of printing isn’t something that can get you in legal trouble like some other states.
XDm .45 Compact. 13+1 is a capacity decision I’m comfortable with.
Truthfully, I don’t carry my single stack as often as I used to for that very reason. And if I do, I have at least one spare mag with me, usually two.
I carry a glock 23 w/ a tlr1 hl. Until recent events, I had been comfortable with just carrying the 13+1… I do have 2 13’s and a 22 rounder in my go-bag that stays in my truck, but Now I am looking at my best option for carrying a reload on my person.
When I started carrying, a friend told me if the ballon went up, I wanted to be involved in a shooting, not a gunfight. If I was forced into the latter, I’d want enough firepower to do the job.
CCW folks tend to prepare for the kind of short, direct encounters common to urban areas (robbery, home invasion, etc). That’s fine if that’s what you face, but in the two situations I find most likely (multiple assailants, lots of cover, people specifically targeting you), you probably can’t quickly end the threat. Escape might be your best bet, and keeping the bad guy(s) heads down while you do that tends to require a few extra rounds.
In other words, you should prepare for what you’re likely to face, not what a trainer — who lives in a world very different from yours — thinks you’ll face.
That is a great way to see it. I’m considering getting a CCW in Calif. Your thoughts on “prepare on what you’re likely to face” are in line with my way of thinking. I wasn’t sure what type of gun or capacity to consider so this discussion is very helpful.
Good luck with the CCW. Pretty hard to get in the populated parts of California (I live in a remote, sparsely populated county).
Sadly, CA limits your mag capacity to 10 (unless you’re law enforcement or you have a pre-ban magazine). Even given the magazine limitations, I’d still carry a Glock 19; it shoots just about as well as my G34 competition gun.
Carry what works for you, let everyone else pound sand.
So, would you still have XDS holsters that you are no longer using? I’d like to try some other options but I very frugal and haven’t been willing to “fill a box” with rejected experiments. If you have something you’d like to sell used, let me know?
I snapped up the XDs with all the associated holsters (INCOG and Mini-tuck). The mini-tuck is pretty much only for IDPA matches (DANG YOU NO APPENDIX CARRY) but if you want to play around with it, let me know.
I carry a G19 with an Inforce APL, and a G17 reload. Total of 33 rounds of 9mm HP’s. Is it going to get me through your run of the mill criminal encounters? Yep. Is it going to be good for a “active shooter”? probably. Multiple terrorists with AK’s, grenades, and body armor? Fuck no. But it’s better than not having it! Looking at the HBO show about the mall massacre in Africa you can see that having a handgun in a rifle fight isn’t peachy, but it is better than being unarmed. Never in any of my deployments did I get in a gunfight and say “man I wish I could ditch this M-4 and have my Glock.”…..
That all being said, I think one thing most people over look is medical gear. If you’re trapped in one of these terrorist attacks, you may find yourself with an extra hole in your body and a class 3 leak of some valuable body fluids. Or your loved one could be shot. Or a stranger. You get my point. I carry a CAT Tourniquet on my body at all times in my rear pocket to stop the bleeding on extremities. I wish I could carry a full IFAK. But that’s just not practical for EDC if you’re gonna dress like a normal person. I have settled for a TQ on me, and a Full IFAK in my Jeep. Also carries over to just normal stuff like car accidents and other calamities.
Training people. Training is more important than all of that crap. If you think you will rise to the occasion and be some tacti-hero when someone is putting bullets in your direction, I invite you to get into a real gunfight, or talk to someone who actually has, and your thoughts may change. Preparation physically and more importantly, mentally, is what will pay off in spades.