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This M and P thread got me to thinking, and I want your opinions. IF you are required to carry a small pistol for whatever reason, what is the smallest caliber of pistol you would even consider carrying, and why?

I can and do carry either a Ruger LCP or Smith and Wesson 642 when needed which are .380acp and .38spl respectively. Lately, when I have to carry a gun that small, I double up and put the airweight on my ankle and the LCP in a pocket with a spare mag for the LCP.

Edited to add: My LCP is one gun that has been 100% reliable through a couple thousand rounds since I got it when they first came out. I figured out real quickly that I could cause a malfunction using the extended magazines and when I used a flush mag, it ran like a top. It's surprisingly accurate too.

I've got a .380 i carry in the front pocket jacket when i ride the Bike. Then i have my .40 concealed on my hip. I always figured i could use the .380 to fight my way to the .40 if i ever needed too

Kel-tec 32 pocket gun with man stopper rounds. As stated its for sure a get off of me gun but I can drop in a pocket even if I'm wearing scrubs and get in and out. For sure not an everyday carry gun but in a pinch it's better yelling at them to get off of me.
I will say it is not much fun to practice with. I feel like I have to shoot it to be proficient but even with ear protection it's loud and has a lot of muzzle blast because it's so short.

I would HATE to get shot w a dang 22mag, or any of the ones listed above for that matter

A .22 will kill a man just as dead as a .45.

Cwink I need that 22 mag. How much they run?

I posted this entry to my facebook training page..

I get lots of questions about what gun and caliber in my classes, and any gun is better than no gun.. But you really should ask yourself what do you want to be prepared for. For example, if you were in the concert hall in France or the theater in CO, could you have defended yourself with a Pocket 380?

"What would I do if.....? - If you are serious about protecting yourself, your family and maybe even your community then you probably stay up to date on the latest events going on around you and in the World. In the wake of the attacks in Paris I have seen many posts by respected 2A groups that suggest "we the people" may be the first line of defense, and they maybe right. So as we sit and watch the local news about the latest home break in, carjacking, domestic violence attack, convenience store robbery, active shooter, or even terrorist attack maybe we should ask ourselves

"What would my training allow me to do?"

If you have never had any personal protection courses or only had the minimum requirements to get your Enhanced Carry endorsement then you may be able to defend yourself from home break in or carjacking. The average criminal that only wants your stuff and doesn't want to really harm you will likely run off after you pull your firearm and whiz a few bullets past them.

However, if a criminal or multiple criminals are determined to steal your stuff and and don't really care if the inflict great bodily harm or even death on you then you are likely going to be at a disadvantage with minimal training.

If you find yourself in the midst of a convenience story robbery or in a life or death situation outside the home you will quickly learn it is not easy to draw and fire a handgun from under 2 layers of clothes or retrieve the gun from a glove box or other hiding place.

And if you find yourself in the midst or a domestic violence attack, an active shooter or terrorist attack where the assailants fully expect to die during the attack you will need much more than a pocket pistol and Enhanced Carry sticker to defend yourself.
The next time you sit down and watch the news and see one of the stories mentioned above, ask yourself. Could I have defended myself in that situation? Would my training have allowed me to defend myself, my family, my community?"

I post alot of these tips and techniques on my training page.. I had a whole series on holsters and carrying everyday back at the first of this month. If you are on facebook and want to check it out click here.
https://www.facebook.com/SafeFireShooting/