re: Pocket Pistols vs. Medium/Large Semi-autos

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Disagree.

a. The threat may or may not be at extremely close range. Rehn quotes Tom Givens' comment saying the "typical" gunfight distance is three yards, but some of Tom's students have had to engage threats at much greater distances - one at 15 yards, one at 17 yards, and one at 22 yards.

b. If you can hit a moving threat (He's typically not gonna just stand there while you shoot at him) at 22 yards, while he's shooting at you (If he's a threat at 22 yards it's gonna be a gun), while you're moving (Hopefully you're not gonna stand still while he shoots at you), you're in the Jerry Miculek class of shooters.

3. The hit rate for cops - nationwide - in gunfights is 20%. This rate has ranged from 19% to 21% over the past 10-12 years. Cops don't shoot this poorly at the range (if they did, they'd never qualify to carry). But under stress our skills are gonna diminish - significantly.

4. There are very few circumstances that justify further handicapping one's self by carry a pocket pistol or a small caliber (smaller than 9mm) handgun. As Clint Smith told us once, "Too many people choose to carry a small gun because it's convenient, instead of making an effort to accommodate a larger gun."

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You're talking about law enforcement though. A civilian doesn't have to worry about trying to take a perp out who's 50+ yards away and hiding behind a barricade.

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I'm not going to tell you what or how to carry, or how to be safer. That's on you. I will go further and say that mocking or poking fun of others' decisions on such things is a dick thing to do.

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If that's the way you took it that's on you. I was discussing others talking about engaging someone in a CCW situation at 20+ yards.The idea that I need maximum fire power to protect myself as an everyday american citizen is ridiculous.

Obviously the more firepower the better. But I also see a lot of keyboard rambo's and ex military and law enforcement training people to prepare for a gunfight.

The nitty gritty CCW laws are there to allow a citizen to protect themselves and their family from a personal attack. Once we start worrying about protecting other citizens with 17+ round clips at 30+ yards, its getting more and more gray in the legality, the point of CCW, and civilians trying to be self regulated police.

I don't have an issue at all with what others carry. The OP's point was basically saying anything smaller than a full size pistol is inadequate. I was disagreeing with that.

I think all the folks I have trained under would agree that your approach is better than having it in the front pocket of some tight fitting jeans.

But they would also point out that in a road rage scenario (e.g. if you had to evade or get away from an aggressive driver, or if you're in a wreck), it's not uncommon for an unsecured pistol to end up on the floor and thus be inaccessible if you were to need it in a hurry. (IIRC this is what happened to one of the FBI agents in the famous "Miami Shootout," leaving him unarmed)

Most defensive handgun trainers will agree that we all have different lifestyles, so there's no such thing as a "one size fits all." They just encourage everyone to think analytically about stuff like how we choose to carry.