Fri Dec 21, 2012, 01:25 AM

How many bullets does one need for self defense? [View all]

Last edited Fri Dec 21, 2012, 10:08 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

The argument I've heard is funds are needed to defend oneself or one's home.

I can't think of a time that I heard of anyone having to shoot more than a few shots in such a situation.

Does anyone really need more than ten rounds in a magazine?

Edited for the answer: Only a few. If you can't stop someone with a few rounds, you're either likely to hit innocent people with you 83% of misses (based on replies to the thread), or you won't stop the evil-doer before it (zombie, in this case) gets you. If a horde comes after you, it won't make a difference if you had 5 shots or 20; if they want you bad enough to come in high numbers, they'll get you.

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111 replies	Author	Time	Post
How many bullets does one need for self defense? [View all]	ArcticFox	Dec 2012	OP
As many as it takes, I guess.	Glaug-Eldare	Dec 2012	#1
that's a hard question	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#2
I agree as far as handguns	tortoise1956	Dec 2012	#6
30 rounds is not really arbitrary.	ManiacJoe	Dec 2012	#7
I was thinking of the number 30	tortoise1956	Dec 2012	#8
20 is a good number for the AR-based rifles.	ManiacJoe	Dec 2012	#11
It's also IMO the best size if you're bench shooting.	Glassunion	Dec 2012	#18
The rifle ammunition that I recently bought	Glassunion	Dec 2012	#17
And those "strips" were actually "clips" ...	oldhippie	Dec 2012	#30
I was keeping it simple.	Glassunion	Dec 2012	#31
Me too!	oldhippie	Dec 2012	#32
What I found	tortoise1956	Dec 2012	#9
You bring up a good point	discntnt_irny_srcsm	Dec 2012	#25
Depends on the firearm	Lurks Often	Dec 2012	#33
Thanks	discntnt_irny_srcsm	Dec 2012	#39
This is where product reliability comes in.	ManiacJoe	Dec 2012	#75
I'm not sure any more	tortoise1956	Dec 2012	#3
The most often quoted stat is	ManiacJoe	Dec 2012	#4
Rtalon	Rtalon	Dec 2012	#5
Probably 5 or 6 should do it, IMHO.	southerncrone	Dec 2012	#10
One...	sarisataka	Dec 2012	#12
impossible to answer on the basis of need	former-republican	Dec 2012	#13
What caliber, how dark is it, how much cover is available, is the attacker using it.....	Callisto32	Dec 2012	#14
is the attacker using it? there is also a problem with your question	farminator3000	Dec 2012	#41
"if you need more than 2 bullets for one person, maybe hire a bodyguard?"	guardian	Dec 2012	#64
on what planet is this real information?	farminator3000	Dec 2012	#70
Nice deflection. Care to get back on point?	guardian	Dec 2012	#84
that would be great. so what is your point?	farminator3000	Dec 2012	#88
Calculate the zombie/shooter ratio. How many zombies will be attacking your house?	leveymg	Dec 2012	#15
Trained pros like cops and military have something like a 17%	ileus	Dec 2012	#16
How many times a year have firearms	safeinOhio	Dec 2012	#19
How many times are firearms used in self defense without a shot fired?	ProgressiveProfessor	Dec 2012	#28
oh snap!	farminator3000	Dec 2012	#43
Or shotguns according to some	ProgressiveProfessor	Dec 2012	#60
pump your brakes, buddy	farminator3000	Dec 2012	#72
i totally agree with you	farminator3000	Dec 2012	#42
that is just where someone is killed	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#44
so if you go with 100K	farminator3000	Dec 2012	#47
who knows	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#48
stop picking ma nits	farminator3000	Dec 2012	#49
Many don't know that	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#50
so that's why you are being condescending? you are an 'expert'?	farminator3000	Dec 2012	#55
One more than the bad guy. nt	hack89	Dec 2012	#20
It is not a question of how many rounds are needed to stop a goblin.	Hangingon	Dec 2012	#21
Instances of a homeowner firing more then a few rounds are very rare.	Kaleva	Dec 2012	#22
What's the current limit on people permitted to participate in a home invasion?	Remmah2	Dec 2012	#23
The real scoop from a pro-gun person.	Atypical Liberal	Dec 2012	#24
I like more and more the idea of rescheduling semi's with detachable mags as Class 3 weapons	Recursion	Dec 2012	#27
That is exactly what I am thinking.	Atypical Liberal	Dec 2012	#29
I would be open to some reg like this if...	Eleanors38	Dec 2012	#36
What is the problem with	Sekhmets Daughter	Dec 2012	#74
It gives government(s) de facto access to my guns	Eleanors38	Dec 2012	#85
Thank you for your thoughtful reply.	Sekhmets Daughter	Dec 2012	#87
Thank you once again. I have lived in Texas for 40+ yrs, but	Eleanors38	Dec 2012	#91
I love the merely Eleanors38	Sekhmets Daughter	Dec 2012	#94
one quick correction	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#95
Well, that explains a lot. Thanks.	Sekhmets Daughter	Dec 2012	#96
One other thing I forgot to mention....	Sekhmets Daughter	Dec 2012	#89
I wouldn't want street patrols by armed military either.	Eleanors38	Dec 2012	#92
This message was self-deleted by its author	Sekhmets Daughter	Dec 2012	#93
Nonsense	Lurks Often	Dec 2012	#34
Then an AR15 with a 100 round clip makes your home invincible!	jpak	Dec 2012	#38
Usually one	atreides1	Dec 2012	#26
I purchase hand-gun ammo in 50/100 boxes	Eleanors38	Dec 2012	#35
One.	RoccoR5955	Dec 2012	#37
2x the number of attackers, plus 1.	jmg257	Dec 2012	#40
This message was self-deleted by its author	jody	Dec 2012	#45
Too many is always better than not enough	slackmaster	Dec 2012	#46
Has anyone ever been killed for not having enough?	Kaleva	Dec 2012	#65
About 100 Texans come to mind	slackmaster	Dec 2012	#73
Wasn't that akin to a military battle?	ArcticFox	Dec 2012	#86
ANSWER: As Many Bullets as it Takes...	Iggy	Dec 2012	#51
Look at the DSM manual.	Glaug-Eldare	Dec 2012	#57
Here We Go Again.....	Iggy	Dec 2012	#58
Then use those markers.	Glaug-Eldare	Dec 2012	#59
I GET IT, But Please Get Real Here	Iggy	Dec 2012	#61
Huh? That's the exact opposite of what I'm saying.	Glaug-Eldare	Dec 2012	#67
One.	Jamastiene	Dec 2012	#52
If you're defending yourself against the whole U.S. Army you're going to need a shit load. nt	Speck Tater	Dec 2012	#53
ROFLMAO! Okay! That was funny!	Kaleva	Dec 2012	#66
Since many seem to have them for the coming showdown with a tyrannical gov	Democracyinkind	Dec 2012	#54
First I prefer to rephrase the question...	discntnt_irny_srcsm	Dec 2012	#56
How many bullets? More than you might think.	guardian	Dec 2012	#62
Going by that data, a .22 caliber handgun is just as good, if not better, then anything else.	Kaleva	Dec 2012	#68
Not really	guardian	Dec 2012	#83
Warren Zevon knows	Tuesday Afternoon	Dec 2012	#63
Tough question	krispos42	Dec 2012	#69
87	jeepnstein	Dec 2012	#71
i like	Marblehead	Dec 2012	#76
Since some like to quote Israel ...	Historic NY	Dec 2012	#77
it's also a theocracy	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#78
Israel is a lot of things, but it's not in any way a theocracy	slackmaster	Dec 2012	#79
technically yes	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#80
Actually thats not true either they serve in the army...	Historic NY	Dec 2012	#81
looks like I stand corrected	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#82
You don't need bullets, you need brains.	SEMOVoter	Dec 2012	#90
You get my vote for best reply.	safeinOhio	Dec 2012	#101
Exactly my point	SEMOVoter	Dec 2012	#102
This post was hidden by jury decision.	guyucallwhenurhurt	Dec 2012	#97
The arguments about magazine capacity	Howzit	Dec 2012	#98
Just as many as the police need in their Glocks or SWMP9.	L0oniX	Dec 2012	#99
We really need a baseline before getting a number.	krispos42	Dec 2012	#100
I would like to a see a 5 round limit for magazines - all guns.	Dash87	Dec 2012	#103
false choice	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#104
Reply	Dash87	Dec 2012	#105
many nonLE shooters are better trained	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#106
Being able to shoot a target is only one part of the equation.	Dash87	Dec 2012	#107
but if you look at the actual statistics,	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#108
Reply	Dash87	Dec 2012	#109
cool	gejohnston	Dec 2012	#110
Where I hunt there are packs of feral dogs.	iiibbb	Dec 2012	#111