Minimum caliber you would CCW

[Doc Holliday]

What's the lowest caliber you would go with, as a daily ccw, and still feel comfortable relying on, to stop a threat?

 

[Racewin]

Generally, .380, though one could make an argument that with sufficient (a lot of) training/practice, even a .22 would be enough.

 

[Boriqua]

https://www.underwoodammo.com/collections/handgun-ammo/products/38-special-158-grain-lead-semi-wadcutter-hollow-point-gas-check?variant=18785707458617

 

[Suck My Glock]

In a pinch, anything is better than nothing. But that is not how the question is framed. The question is a DAILY caliber you are COMFORTABLE with.

That plainly makes 9mm the base floor, in my opinion.

 

[Crippledtrigger]

First rule is have a gun.

Honestly it depends on the round platform and bullet. 9mm/38spcl. Although the untra modern 380 bullets in a reliable platform might be an option.

 

[Flash]

With modern bullet technology, today's .380 is roughly equivalent to a 9MM 10 years ago so yes, I'd carry a .380 if that's all I had available.

And on two days a year, it is all I carry.

 

[AZ Husker]

With the popularity of newer small 9mm's (love my P365), there really is no reason to use expensive .380 with less performance.

 

[smithers599]

I carry a .380 daily, when I go to the gym. But when I walked out the door a couple hours ago to go get some groceries, I was wearing a .45 (with the .380 in my pocket). When I got home, I took off the .45, but the .380 is still in my pocket. Going out for Valentine's Day dinner tonight; I will be wearing a .45 (with the .380 in my pocket).

The .380 is what I carry when it is not practical to carry a "real" gun. I agree with the sentiment above: the first rule of gunfighting is have a gun. A .380 barely meets that definition, but it is better than a stern look of disapproval.

 

[Flash]

I carry a .380 daily, when I go to the gym. But when I walked out the door a couple hours ago to go get some groceries, I was wearing a .45 (with the .380 in my pocket). When I got home, I took off the .45, but the .380 is still in my pocket. Going out for Valentine's Day dinner tonight; I will be wearing a .45 (with the .380 in my pocket).

The .380 is what I carry when it is not practical to carry a "real" gun. I agree with the sentiment above: the first rule of gunfighting is have a gun. A .380 barely meets that definition, but it is better than a stern look of disapproval.

That just about completely describes what I do, calibers and all.

 

[XJThrottle]

A 9mm "travels" with me the most, in a CCW pocket of my backpack. My LCP is on my body most tho.

 

[What]

.380

 

[storage_man]

I carry a .380 daily, when I go to the gym. But when I walked out the door a couple hours ago to go get some groceries, I was wearing a .45 (with the .380 in my pocket). When I got home, I took off the .45, but the .380 is still in my pocket. Going out for Valentine's Day dinner tonight; I will be wearing a .45 (with the .380 in my pocket).

The .380 is what I carry when it is not practical to carry a "real" gun. I agree with the sentiment above: the first rule of gunfighting is have a gun. A .380 barely meets that definition, but it is better than a stern look of disapproval.

That just about completely describes what I do, calibers and all.

++ The same here. But another option is a.38 special which I sometimes carry as a pocket pistol. A S&W revolver. It really depends on what I'm wearing at the time. But there is the round count is less (5 vs 6+1). Both are good substitutes.

 

[Elk34]

10mm is the same as 40 cal. Just more powder. I'm a 10mm guy

 

[shooter444]

My preferred caliber/s have evolved over many years. I started with 45 acp, carried for over a decade while on the road, doing business across this nation. When fanny packs went out of style, and a smaller package was needed, I went to 9mm, with 32acp as a back-up. Then went to 380acp with 32acp backup, and 38's thrown in for good measure :dance: every now and then.

For the past couple decades, I thinned the herd and settled back to 45acp to feel "reliably comfortable", with a 45acp compact back-up, alternated with a 9 shot 22 pocket auto.

Bottom line,... if it ain't a 45acp, I ain't all that comfortable anymore!

 

[Toy00taco]

Voted .380

 

[needsmostuff]

I have preferences but I have no minimum . Something ,all the way down to a pocketknife , is always preferable to NOTHING.

 

[jes3se]

I prefer 9mm, but anything is better than nothing. I would carry 380 if I had one. An instructor once told us that a 22 is small, but would you want to stand in front of it?

 

[Pipedoc]

I prefer 9mm, but anything is better than nothing. I would carry 380 if I had one. An instructor once told us that a 22 is small, but would you want to stand in front of it?

well said!

 

[Pima Pants]

For me, there is carrying in public and carrying around the house in my sweatpants. In public, I carry my Kahr PM9 at a minimum, but it's usually my Colt Defender in God's caliber. Around the house, I have a Beretta 950 Jetfire in .25ACP. I do have a Walther PPK in .380ACP but it weighs a ton in my jammies. My larger calibers are quickly available to me if needed. I think I need to buy a Ruger 380 for sweatpants carry. They are lightweight and a more effective caliber than my 25, although the little Beretta has nine rounds on board.

 

[Az desert rat 1]

9mm is as low as I will go. The .25 is a nice ankle carry pistol, the .32 has good penetration. But for me the lowest is 9mm. That's what I normally carry.