Well, I hope we’re not playing with semantics, here, just for the sake of seeing who can come out on top? My comments have been sincere; and, yes, I do carry what I consider to be an ideal, ‘allowed weapon’ for as wide a variety of circumstances as possible.
The point about Laurel Canyon is that many police officers who carried only pistols suddenly found themselves to be under-gunned. I, also, subscribe to the concept that, ‘A gun without bullets is no better than a rock or a club!’ Heck, in comparison to several prominent local businessmen who have lived in this area all of their lives, I’m actually walking around, everyday, comparatively under-armed! Since moving to Pennsylvania I’ve, also, been surprised to learn of the number of women who are carrying handguns. Sometimes, while walking around my local Wal-Mart, I'll wonder to myself how many of the women who pass by are, also, carrying pistols in their purses?
‘Homestead’ is one of the common names given to the 1986 FBI, ‘Miami Shootout’. I believe that they call this area, ‘Pinecrest’ today. It’s one of those case studies, available to the general public, which I’ve spent many hours reading my way through - What went right, and what went wrong.
http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs7.htm
http://www.firearmstactical.com/brie...shootout,_1986
With Jeff Cooper’s comment on Laurel Canyon in mind, (‘Whatever happened to head shots?’) I do believe a strong case can be made for carrying more rather than fewer bullets; and, bigger (perhaps, slower moving) bullets are better than smaller (faster) bullets – Particularly in handguns! This, of course, means I’m an advocate for the 45 acp in handguns; and I’d, also, be in favor of a combat rifle/carbine cartridge like the 6.5x39mm Grendel. (Never happen, right!)
Don’t know how you drew this conclusion; but, I don’t carry an unwieldy, 'battle pack' with me everywhere I go. I carry one Glock G-21 with an inserted 13 round magazine, and one 17 round backup magazine on a well-made Wm. Tucker gun belt. In the Winter my Beretta, ‘Alley Cat’ is in an outside pocket. In the Summer, this little 32 acp pistol is either cross-draw, or else it’s in one of my pockets – This, really, isn’t a big deal.
I don’t quite follow the comments about a, ‘4 point racing harness’ and a, ‘roll cage’? I will say that I’m comfortable with what I carry. For instance, I actually feel, ‘funny’ if the weight of that 45 pistol isn’t on my hip! On occasion I’ve carried for more than 16 hours and, not once, regretted the weight, or desired to remove the pistol for greater comfort. To my mind, the reassurance of my, ‘belt load’ is comfort – itself!
Are you asking me whether or not I always carry? Well, like most older Americans I'm, somewhat, dismayed by the ongoing decline in Christian values and social ethics. (I mean, everywhere you go, nowadays, you have to be constantly looking over your shoulder: parking lots, malls, late night trips to the supermarket - whatever. Even the TV set now has published daily, 'threat warnings' blinking at you!) This is a crazy situation that's very different from the moral and orderly hometown America of my youth. So, yes, I have to say that normally I am armed. (So are many of my neighbors!) As I said, ‘Carrying has become a lifestyle for me.’
Can’t really address the comments on which handgun or caliber is better for someone else to use. I use what works well for me; and, I fire 2 or 3 hundred rounds every week to make sure that I’m proficient. While I don’t have particularly big hands I’m, still, able to shoot Glock and 1911 handguns equally well. (At point shooting I’m, probably, a little better with the slimmer grip of a 1911, though.)
Based on authoritative NRA technical reports I’ve read, I’ll have to disagree with the all-encompassing statement, ‘Velocity absolutely defeats soft body armor’. That’s a truism best applied to long barreled weapons. (Something a typical American gunman probably wouldn’t have access to if suddenly caught up in a gunfight.) Don’t really want to get into it, here; but, with handguns, ‘point configuration’ has a great deal to do with the successful penetration of soft armor.
NOTES:
(1) I don’t see the FN 5.7x28mm pistol as a viable threat to soft body armor. American civilians can no longer purchase FN’s, armor piercing, core penetrator ammo; so, as far as I’m concerned, as it is now powered the, ‘Five-Seven’ is just a glorified 22 magnum!
(2) I don’t quite follow the logic to this? If you’ve got the 45 acp at 21,000 psi and the 357 SIG at 40,000 psi, then, the difference in chamber pressure would be 19,000 psi – yes? That’s approximately half again as much! Maybe my calculator is broken; but, how can a significant pressure increase like this be equated to, ‘Nada’?
Isn’t this conclusion rather dismissive? (Even WalterGA used to admit that the 40 S&W could be a problem; and, IIRC, he didn’t reload 40’s for his Glocks.)