I carry a revolver, IF I am going to carry. I dont carry very often. It is kind of like that commercial for tires in Minnesota, "If these tires dont work for you, you dont need new tires, you need a new place to live". If you are in a place so dangerous you "need" to carry every day, you need to move. Any other response is simply someone who is somehow looking for trouble. I have never had to fire at anyone, and have had to draw a gun 3 times in almost 50 years. I have never needed one the other 16,000 or so days.
Here is the problem..... paranoia. Having a carry gun is not "paranoid", but.... you decide that a 6 round wheel gun is not enough, so you get a 1911-- faster reloads, more capacity. But 8 might not be enough, what if there are multiple assailants ? so you get a double stacker and go down to a 40, you now have 13 or more rounds, and a couple of spare magazines. BUT, what if you were disarmed? you need a backup! So now you also have an LCR or LCP, or a little 380 Walther in an ankle holster. But, what if they are in a more open setting, maybe farther away, so you had better have a rifle or carbine available, in say a 223 AR platform with frangible bullets, that you keep in the car.......
The odds of being in some kind of altercation are slim, of being in one where a weapon could and would make a difference-- slimmer, of being in one where you become engaged in an extended firefigi,ht with multiple opponents---- you did know that OJ WAS innocent, right?
Occasionally carrying a weapon may be prudent, but being as prepared as the seals that went into Pakistan has NOTHING to do with self defense, there is some other psychological imperative operational there.
The great value of CCW is not to the individual primarily, it is the change in the psychological climate that occurs. It is the element of uncertainty that is introduced, the criminals risk has just increased exponentially. It is also the change in public attitude, from a fatalistic, we can only wait for help position to "we have the right AND the PRIMARY responsibility for our own safety. The personal weapon indeed makes a difference in an individual encounter, but the actual risk levels are driven by the attitude changes.
If you want to carry whatever, that is up to you. Just take a good look at reality, carry what is comfortable for you, but you dont need a belt fed weapon......
