As I implied in the last article, this is series designed primarily for the new concealed carry student or those thinking of beginning to carry. The topics we will be looking at are:
- Choosing the right tool for the mission. What type of engagement am I training for?
- How much ammo is enough?
- Clothing considerations and concealment. It’s hot in NC in the summer.
- Caliber size. Is bigger always better?
- Reliability; if it doesn’t go bang it’s a club.
In the last article, I argued that matching the tool to the mission is critical to deciding which pistol to choose to carry. I argued that a minimum capacity of 18 rounds was the standard based on a worst-case scenario of three dedicated attackers and an individual that has undergone force on force and stress inoculation training.
Now granted, the individual that I described is probably not your typical concealed carry permit holder. The typical NC CCH holder is more likely to be less trained and consequently less capable of prosecuting the worst-case scenario. These are well meaning, law abiding citizens that raise families and are the backbone of our economy. But let’s be real. They don’t spend hours a day training for a lethal force engagement or are engaged in an occupation where they see violence on a regular basis. These are individuals that, if placed in a highly stressful lethal force engagement will likely not perform well.
Understand that there is a direct negative correlation between the level of stress and performance. With the initial onset of stress, there is a slight increase in performance. But as stress continues to rise, performance begins to degrade to the point where, in very high stress environments, the body can cease to function. In Lt. Col. Dave Grossman’s book Warrior Mindset, he discusses the correlation of stress on heart rate and performance. In a high stress environment, when heart rate reaches 175 bpm and above, the person can become mentally and physically incapacitated (“melt down”).
So how does this relate to our discussion on how much ammo to carry? Unless you do extensive training, you need to understand and expect that whatever performance you exhibit shooting at the range in a low stress environment at stationary paper targets that do not move and do not shoot back will degrade perhaps to the point of non-function. Thus, if the best you can do at the range is to keep all shots within the 7 ring at 7 yards, don’t expect to do that under stress.
Remember the 18 round minimum we discussed earlier? If performance degrades under stress by 50% you may be looking at needing 36 rounds (18 x 2) to prosecute the worst-case scenario. Do you have a gun and magazines capable of carrying that amount of ammo? On a personal note, when possible I carry a CZ P10C with a capacity of 15 rounds and 2 spare magazines, and I train hard.
Lastly, in a gunfight, no one ever complained about having too much ammo. But running out leaves you with a very poor little club to fight with.
Do your due diligence and make your own decisions based on your level of skill but PLEASE do not believe what you see on TV or in the movies. It’s called entertainment for a reason.
That’s all for now. If you have questions, drop me an email at wakefirearmstraining@mindspring.com.
Train Hard! Stay Frosty! Never Give Up!
John