Don’t Let Magazine Limits Undermine Your Defense

In recent years, some states have passed laws limiting the types of firearms and accessories their citizens may own. High on the list of forbidden fruit is the modern sporting rifle, which detractors have erroneously labeled as “assault rifles,” as well as what they deem “high-capacity” magazines. The end result is the restriction of the rights of law-abiding citizens who reside in these states. The truly sad reality is that I believe these laws will have zero impact on violent crime.

Reduced-capacity magazines have no measurable impact on reducing crime. How might they affect your ability to defend yourself?

In recent years, the term “high capacity” has frequently been tossed around, which is yet another delusion. My dictionary tells me the term “high” means having a greater quantity or level. To my thinking, if a pistol was designed to be fed by a 17-round magazine, it would seem to me that is the standard capacity. Yet those who view things in a very different way like to paint another picture and portray modern rifle and pistol magazines and those who own them in a sinister way.

We can debate the wisdom or shortcomings of these bans and restrictions until the cows come home, but the bottom line is that many of us have to live with it. As far as magazine capacity limitations, the magic number seems to be 10 rounds in the most restrictive states. I’m not quite sure how they arrived at that number, but that’s where we’re at.

Follow the Law

Most of us who carry a firearm for personal defense recognize that the first aspect of employing a firearm for self-defense is the actual event that forced you to use it. The second aspect will be facing the legal threats that can follow these. Your application of force, even if totally justified, will be dissected with both criminal and civil implications. So, make sure you understand and follow all the laws of your location. We may not like it or agree with these restrictions, but you must comply with the law.

Reality Check

One remedy to restrictive firearms laws is to simply move to another state. Unfortunately, for a great many people, that simply is not in the cards. Factors such as jobs, schools, family ties and economics may weigh more heavily into the equation than restrictive firearms laws.

10 round magazine for self defense — Can a 10-round magazine be “enough” for self-defense? There are options for training to address it.

Obviously, I wish that we didn’t have to deal with magazine capacity restrictions. But when it comes to personal defense, things may not be as bad as they seem. Most of us who carry a pistol on a daily basis typically carry something smaller than a full-size service pistol. Compact, sub-compact, and micro-compact pistols continue to have the most appeal in the concealed carry market.

My first autopistol was a 1911 chambered for .45 ACP, and to this day there is nothing out there that I can shoot to a higher standard. A while back, I picked up a Springfield Armory Ronin in 9mm with the slightly abbreviated 4.25” barrel. The alloy frame of the Ronin makes a big difference in comfort over a long day, and it is rendered just about invisible when carried in an inside-the-waistband holster. With the Ronin, I utilize Chip McCormick Range Pro 10-round magazines.

loading a 10 round magazine in a 9x19mm Parabellum semi-automatic pistol — The author demonstrates loading a 10-round magazine into his Springfield Armory Hellcat semi-automatic pistol.

Springfield Armory’s Hellcat remains one of the most popular offerings in their extensive line, and this compact delivers the goods. Roughly the size of a snubbie revolver, the Hellcat is easier to conceal than a larger pistol, which no doubt broadens its appeal to many users.

[Be sure to read our article on pistol shooting drills for self-defense.]

The standard Hellcat package features a flush-fitting, 11-round magazine and another with an extended floorplate that holds 13 rounds. However, you can also get this pistol in a 10-round capacity, which gives you twice the capacity of a five-shot snubbie wheelgun.

There are of course many other possibilities when it comes to selecting a firearm for personal defense and complying with the law. We may not be happy jumping through all these hoops, but it certainly beats having no gun at all.

Narrowing the Capacity Gap

No matter the capacity of your chosen firearm, when it comes to personal defense the priorities remain the same. Most important is mindset, which includes being aware and willing. Be keenly aware of what is going on around you, and be willing to use force if you are faced with an unavoidable threat.

woman with tattoo shooting a semi-automatic pistol at dusk — When defending one’s life, no one ever wants less ammunition. However, proper training and planning can help mitigate the issue.

Tactics are things we do to put our adversary at a disadvantage, and examples include movement, use of cover, verbalization and controlling the light. Skill at arms includes placing equal emphasis on practical marksmanship and gun handling. Equipment suitable for the task at hand completes the picture. Modern pistols chambered for a service cartridge such as 9x19mm Parabellum or .45 ACP can hardly be considered a weak reed, regardless of capacity.

The overwhelming majority of incidents involving armed citizens occur at close range with just a few shots fired. On the downside, many of these unfold with little forewarning, with the bad guy initiating the action while you are playing catch-up. How fast can you respond?

If you choose to go armed, practice of the draw stroke needs to be part of your regular training regimen. The good news is this can be accomplished off the range. Be absolutely sure your firearm is unloaded (check it twice!) and that there is no live ammunition on your person or in the immediate area.

carrying a semi-automatic pistol for self-defense — Your circumstances can influence what and how you carry a self-defense handgun. Every person has his or her own needs.

Practice with the holster and clothing you normally wear, and when you do get the opportunity to combine the draw stroke with live fire, you might be amazed at how fast you have become. My own practice tends to focus one or two threats at relatively close range, although I make it a point to regularly work at longer ranges as well.

The absolute need to reload in a gunfight is rare, but the ability to bring your pistol back to full complement after firing remains important. No matter what the capacity of the handgun you are carrying, you should carry at least one reload. This is another skill that needs to be practiced.

[Consider our article on the differences between training and experience in self-defense situations.]

“Combat reloads” with a pistol can be accomplished with the pistol partially depleted or totally empty with the slide locked to the rear. A wise sage once told me load when you can, not when you have to. I have bought into this philosophy for years.

woman wearing aviator sunglasses and holding a self defense pistol — While no government should implement capricious restrictions on its citizens, some Americans are forced to work within arbitrary magazine restrictions.

The “empty gun reload” does indeed require an extra step, but with practice can still be accomplished very quickly. Like the draw stroke, it too can be practiced off the range with dummy rounds. When I do get the opportunity for live fire, I load a round in the chamber, insert an empty magazine, fire the round, and experience lock back of the slide. I quickly insert a fresh magazine, send the slide forward and fire two rounds. It’s not exactly splitting atoms, but a few reps of this will certainly smooth out your reloading kinks.

Final Thoughts

Bear in mind that the firearm you carry on your person is the final ring of personal defense, and would only comes into play when other options have failed or are clearly impossible. For the responsible citizen, avoidance of conflict remains the key. However, despite our best intentions, we could be the intended victim of some type of violent crime at most any time or place.

Ultimately user skill, sound tactics, and a proper mindset are key.

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