When it comes to choosing the perfect concealed carry firearm, many people choose to believe that smaller is better. While a small firearm certainly lends itself to easier concealment, don’t fall into the trap of thinking the smallest possible pistol is always the best choice. There are drawbacks that come along with maximum concealability! In this blog, we’ll cover one of the most notable: reduced capacity.
How Many Rounds is Enough for Your EDC?
After extensive training at the range, you might find yourself placing accurate shots at varying distance with ease. As such, you may think you are in the clear to carry a pistol with a capacity of around 6 rounds. After all, 6 rounds should be enough to stop a threat, right? Wrong. Some people stop their actions after one or two, but its possible to fight through 7-10 and keep going.
Plus, it’s a lot harder to accurately place shots in the heat of the moment compared to a relaxed environment at the gun range. In fact, one study shows that roughly 35% of shots fired by law enforcement actually hit their target. Scaling this down to a 6-round magazine, that would lead to a total of two or three landed shots. While that certainly can be enough to stop a threat, it is by no means a certain outcome.
To increase your odds of fully protecting yourself in a situation that requires the use of a concealed firearm, you will want to choose a firearm with increased capacity and carry along a full spare magazine as well. Let’s say you choose a firearm with 10 round capacity and carry an extra magazine. Naturally, the hope is that you will land as many shots as possible in succession, since you are responsible for every round that leaves the weapon. If you end up needing to fire ten shots and manage to land all of them, you should be able to stop a threat without requiring a reload.
Luckily, there are many pistols on the market that offer a 10-round capacity in a micro-compact package. Among our favorites are the Sig Sauer P365, Glock 43, and Springfield Hellcat. To read a little more about each of these, check out our blog post comparing our top recommendations for concealed carrying, or schedule a private lesson to check them out yourself before purchasing!
A Few More Considerations
While a 10 round capacity is our minimum recommendation, there are a few reasons why you may want to choose a firearm with even more capacity. This way, you have additional coverage in the event that a criminal has accomplices, is heavily armed/ armored, or is able to sustain unusual amounts of trauma due to the influence of narcotics.
Improve Your Shooting Skill Set with Soteria Training Academy
Soteria Training Academy provides expert pistol training with an emphasis on safety. Whether you’re a beginner in the world of firearms, or already have a wealth of experience, we look forward to helping your shooting skill set. Contact us today by visiting our website, or call us at (410) 216-3176 to learn more.