Carry weapon(s)

[BamBam]

Is the .380 the smallest caliber a person can carry for CHL purposes?

[Venus Pax]

No, I think you can carry something as small as .22.

For the CHL test, I think you can qualify on as small as .32

[Mike1951]

For qualification in the CHL class, .32 is the smallest caliber allowed.

Once licensed, there is no minimum required caliber.

Everyone has different criteria, but you should carry the most powerful cartridge that you shoot well and are comfortable with.

[jbirds1210]

You can carry a .17 if you wish Just be sure that it isn't windy!

[Rex B]

You can carry a .17 if you wish Just be sure that it isn't windy!

"Would you mind moving a little to the left when you accept my wallet?
Crosswind, you know."

[pbandjelly]

"You should never carry a loaded .32, because if loaded you may be inclined to fire it, and if you do, you may hit someone, and if that person finds out, they're going to be mad!!!"

~with respects to the Col.

[gregthehand]

I think I would rather carry a .22 LR then a .32.

[TX Rancher]

As I see it, 9mm/40 cal/45 acp etc are better then 38 sp/380/etc. But 38/380 is better then 22, and a 22 is better then nothing…after all, you can always pistol whip them with the 22 once it’s empty

Carry the caliber you can shoot accurately, in a pistol that you will practice with and carry.

After all, two 22’s in the chest and one in the face probably has a better chance of halting a determined attacker then 16 misses with 9 mm or 9 misses of 45.

[para driver]

too bad the limit for CHL is .32 cal vs. .30 caliber..
I think it would be fun to qualify with a broomhandle mauser.

[NcongruNt]

too bad the limit for CHL is .32 cal vs. .30 caliber..
I think it would be fun to qualify with a broomhandle mauser.

Or the CZ-52 for that matter. 7.62x25 (aka Tokarev) is a heck of a cartridge, and all the reviews I see on it say that it packs a very powerful punch. For those not familiar with this round, it's a necked Soviet pistol cartridge, in .30 caliber:



Wikipedia has a good article on it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62x25

I can understand the intent behind the rules for qualifications, but that abstract qualification of greater than .32 rules out some guns that would be more than adequate.

[stevie_d_64]

Anything less than a .380 for actual carry, I would also invest in some good running shoes...

I think the whole qualifying question was answered correctly...

.32 and above for the CHL qualifier, and you can carry what you want after you get your plastic...

[Skiprr]

As I see it, 9mm/40 cal/45 acp etc are better than 38 sp/380/etc. But 38/380 is better than 22, and a 22 is better than nothing…after all, you can always pistol whip them with the 22 once it’s empty.

TX Rancher has it right. Although .357 magnum should be mentioned.

And if a .22 or .25 is all you have, pistol-whippin' them may be your only force-applied alternative...

[KBCraig]

Yeah, the ".32 caliber" limit on qualifying leaves out some pretty high-powered stuff. As you said, .30 Mauser, or the almost identical (but higher pressure) 7.62x25 in a Cz-52 or Tokarev. Not to mention the 5.7x28, in the FiveseveN.

Besides, they don't even define ".32 caliber". Is it .32 ACP? .32 NAA? .32 S&W? .32 S&W Long (.32 Colt New Police)? .32 Short Colt? .32 Long Colt? .32 H&R Magnum? .32-20 (.32 WCF, .32 Colt Lightning)?

And don't forget, even the .32 ACP isn't "32 caliber"... the bullet diameter is 0.309, the same as the "smaller" 7.62x25 and .30 Mauser.

As for carry... I consider 9x18 (Makarov) to be the lower limit, with .380 a "last chance" gun. Anything below that, such as .32 or .25, IMHO, is riskier than a good hot .22 LR. The .22 has more muzzle energy and will penetrate more reliably.

Kevin