While I agree that no one should ever need more than that, you also can NOT be over prepared.
But of course you're paranoid. You're paranoid for owning, let alone carrying a gun. OMG! Don'tcha know those things are dangerous?! Nobody needs a gun! Well, except for the police and military, but that's different.
And did you get permission from "the authorities" to carry that thing, after turning in your fingerprints, personal information, SSN and being investigated and entered into the gun owner/carrier database? Oh, you did, eh? Well, I guess you're OK, but nobody needs more than six rounds. And cover that thing up! What're ya, tryin' to show off or scare people? Oh, it is covered up. That must mean you're up to something. Or you're just paranoid.
A knife, you say? Don'tcha know those things are dangerous?! Whad'ya need with a knife? Nobody needs to carry a knife around. What kind of knife? You're just paranoid.
Went and got some training, huh? What're ya training for? That must mean you're paranoid!
What have you got hidden in those bags? Groceries, you say. How many? What kind? Stocking a weeks worth, you say. Nobody needs more than one or two days worth of groceries. You're not stocking, you're hoarding. What're you planning? You're just paranoid!
Mind your own ****'n business, you say. What've you got to hide?
You're just paranoid.
I would like to squash this fallacy. You CAN be over prepared. If he was running around wearing body armor, and a helmet many would think he is over-prepared. If he was wearing a radiation suit around town because he was fearful of a reactor explosion(when there is no reactor around) we would all say he is over-prepared. I could make up stuff like this for hours.
We are over-prepared if we carry things that we never NEED, Period. If we all carried 2 extra mags, then 99.9% of us ARE over prepared. The odds of us needing our guns are tiny, the odds of us needing to fire our guns are smaller than that, a typical gunfight lasts 3-5 rounds, a typical gunfight is over in just a few seconds, VERY few civilian gunfights require reloads(can anyone provide links to some because I've never read about it in the thousands that I've read about)...so YES, clearly he is OVER PREPARED. It doesn't get any clearer than that.
(JoshuaW, sorry to quote directly from you, but I see this thought from many others on the forum as well)
In the unlikely event that a person is ever in a self defense shooting, whether or not he/she was over prepared may be judged in the courts. Remember, a jury of your peers may not mean people who think like you do or are willing to look at it from your point of view. I would expect there are more cases of folks losing their life savings defending their actions in court than there are folks who would be alive if they had just had a third Magazine.
IMO the balance is somewhere between staying home all dressed up in body armor, and being in a place I know better than to be in when I've no real business there. To each his own. Hope it's all academic
Any particular reason you dont carry more? I think this is the first time I have ever heard anyone on here own up to carrying so little. Im sure people have, no one just admits to it. Props to you, whether its just because thats what you have, or if you have some real reason. Carry is carry, better than nothing.
depends on situation, react and retreat or PHD the enemy? I tend to carry light but change it up at timesIf you're asking, then you already know that you are over-doing it. Why in the world do you feel the need to carry 52 rounds?
IMHO, a civilian not living in gangville should need no more than a reliable autoloader. 17+1 sounds like PLENTY. If you're around for 18 shots you should already have retreated and gotten the heck out of that fight.
There has been an evolution to my carry habits over the years.
Started with a small pocket semi auto. 6+1 rounds. At the time it seemed sufficient
Next went to a full sized, 15+1.
Later started carrying an extra 15 round mag
Now, after reading about and seeing on video many real life gunfights. I carry a sidearm with 17+1, and 2 more 17 round mags in a double mag holder. I also carry a NAA .22 for a backup. And of course a good folding knife goes without saying.
My wife says I'm overkill. Am I just paranoid or is anyone else overkill with their daily carry?
If you are carrying a gun and what some one else thinks about it matters, you are paranoid. The fasionistas are out to get you.
If you're asking, then you already know that you are over-doing it. Why in the world do you feel the need to carry 52 rounds?
IMHO, a civilian not living in gangville should need no more than a reliable autoloader. 17+1 sounds like PLENTY. If you're around for 18 shots you should already have retreated and gotten the heck out of that fight.
Sounds like your ready to make the news in a BIG way.
"I'd rather have and not need it, than need it and not have it" sounds about right.
I would like to squash this fallacy. You CAN be over prepared. If he was running around wearing body armor, and a helmet many would think he is over-prepared.
If he was wearing a radiation suit around town because he was fearful of a reactor explosion(when there is no reactor around) we would all say he is over-prepared. I could make up stuff like this for hours.
We are over-prepared if we carry things that we never NEED, Period. If we all carried 2 extra mags, then 99.9% of us ARE over prepared. The odds of us needing our guns are tiny, the odds of us needing to fire our guns are smaller than that, a typical gunfight lasts 3-5 rounds, a typical gunfight is over in just a few seconds, VERY few civilian gunfights require reloads(can anyone provide links to some because I've never read about it in the thousands that I've read about)...so YES, clearly he is OVER PREPARED. It doesn't get any clearer than that.
(JoshuaW, sorry to quote directly from you, but I see this thought from many others on the forum as well)
If I am ever forced to kill, I think overkill would be much preferred to underkill.
Underkilling does not always stop the threat.
One of my buddies asked how I could carry my Charter five shot snubby and feel protected. I answered that if it got to that fifth round and I wasn't already running, I was effing up.
As several above have stated, whatever feels best for YOU is best, but I'm carrying to protect myself, not to engage in the gunfight at the OK corral.
If you are carrying a gun and what some one else thinks about it matters, you are paranoid. The fasionistas are out to get you.