SIG SAUER P229 Legion Series (courtesy ammoland.com)

An AR-15 or similar is the right gun to carry to stop a terrorist attack. Excellent capacity. Terrific accuracy. That’s why cops and SWAT teams carry them. That said, we’re a long way from non-law enforcement citizens schlepping long guns around town to defend against terrorist attacks. I hope. Meanwhile, handguns. In the ammoland.com article republished below, Tom McHale spends a great deal of time exploring the odds of encountering murderous spree killers, and not much ink on which gun to carry. I like the image of the SIG SAUER P229 Legion Series accompanying the piece (my choice for forthcoming Texas open carry), but what’s your take? What gun do you recommend for neutralizing jihadis, or at least escaping? . . .

USA –-(Ammoland.com)- While “Carrying for Terrorism” sounds like a Sally Struthers TV infomercial cause, it’s becoming a legitimate self-defense topic worthy of a rational consideration.

Let’s get one thing out the way first. The odds of you getting caught up in a domestic terror attack are pretty darn low. 

Yes, terrorism is now here on our shores. Actually, unless you work for the New York Times, you already know that it’s been here for decades. Yes, I fully expect there will be more attacks like the recent one in San Bernardino. Our enemies are persistent if nothing else and there is no reason to believe that they’ll take up scrapbooking instead of decapitation if we promise to reduce the exhaust levels of Ford F-150s.

Nonetheless, the odds of your home catching fire are pretty low too, yet a prudent person keeps a fire extinguisher near the kitchen. The bottom line is that there is nothing wrong with observing reality and taking rational and prudent measures to increase the odds of successfully protecting your family.

But what about the arguments that concealed carry can’t have any meaningful impact on a terrorist attack.

Come on! A concealed carrier citizen isn’t going to be able to stop a terrorist attack!

Listening to this type of argument makes me crazy, because the people making these statements generally know nothing about the topic of self-defense. I saw a meme the other day illustrating a van full of SWAT team members armed to the teeth. The caption read something like “It took 23 men like this to stop the San Bernardino killers. What makes you think an average citizen with a CCW will be successful?” That misses the entire point.

Take your brain to the very ugly scene of a mass shooting. By its very definition, a mass shooting is unopposed by design. Virtually all of them have taken place in a legal “Gun Free Zone” where the perpetrators knew that they would be completely unopposed for 10, 20 or even 30 minutes. Now imagine how that went down. Picture innocent people sitting or kneeling, with their hands up, waiting their turn to be killed, completely at the discretion of the killer. There is no scenario worse than that. None. A concealed carrier drawing his or her gun and getting killed anyway is not worse than that. Even that’s better as it slowed down the process of others being executed.

What stops this methodical and orderly killing? Disruption. It’s as simple as that. With any resistance, whether successful or not, the painstaking killing plan of the murderers is suddenly shifted into reaction mode. They are no longer the complete master of every second in the timeline.

Enter Chris Mintz

In the recent Umpqua Community College shooting, the perpetrators plan was disrupted by the actions of unarmed Army veteran Chris Mintz. Mintz ran towards the danger, getting students in the library to safety before arriving at the room where the shooter was present. After yelling to people outside to call the police, Mintz was confronted by the gunman. Efforts by Mints to talk the gunman down failed, and Mintz was shot five times. Thankfully, he survived. Shortly after, the gunman killed himself when police started to close in.

We’ll never know exactly how many lives that simple act of disruption saved, but it was a lot. 

People got away while Mintz distracted the gunman from his slow and methodical killing spree for a period of time.

Another example is the Clackamas Mall shooting, which happened just before Sandy Hook. A gunman armed with a rifle and over 150 rounds of ammunition went into Clackamas Mall and started shooting. He managed to shoot two people before he was confronted by concealed carrier Nick Meli. Meli aimed his gun at the gunman, who then ran into a stairwell and took his own life. Meli never even fired because he was worried about bystanders behind the gunman. That’s right, whether Meli’s handgun was a match for a semi-automatic rifle was irrelevant in this case.

The killer’s complete ownership of the situation was disrupted and his plan foiled. Action and disruption means everything.

If you're going to use a gun for self-defense, the most important thing is proper training. If you can't do live training, study and practice of reputable videos is better than nothing!
If you’re going to use a gun for self-defense, the most important thing is proper training. If you can’t do live training, study and practice of reputable videos is better than nothing!

One more factor to consider is that the range of these attacks is almost always frighteningly close. Even if the murderer is using a rifle, the range of shooting is typically measured in inches or feet. In a crowd of people waiting to be executed at will, would a person or two in the mix with a handgun be able to inflict damage on the attackers? Would they be able to provide a few seconds of critical disruption? You tell me.

Would a concealed carrier be able to stop a terror attack?

Maybe or maybe not. Will they get killed in the process? Maybe or maybe not. Will they disrupt the killer’s plans? Almost certainly. When seconds mean the different between life and death for innocent bystanders, a little bit of disruption can make all the difference.

So what’s the rational course of action? I would hope that you’ve read the owners manual on your fire extinguisher, so you know how to work it. Learning its operation as a stove fire consumes the dishwasher is no time to figure that out. If you choose to use a gun for protection, that concept is far more important. In a home fire, your lack of preparation can result in the loss of your home. In an active gun use scenario, we’re talking about immediate life and death consequences.

A few years ago, while terrorism was a real threat, most people planned their defensive strategies and equipment around the more likely scenario of a criminal attack. In those scenarios, small revolvers, and lower capacity pistols are perfectly rational solutions. Reviews of defensive firearm use encounters show that the vast majority of gun uses involve no shots fired. In the cases where triggers are actually pulled, a relatively small number of shots usually ends the attack.

The Right Carry Gun for Terrorism

Should these types of planned and deliberate murder attacks increase in frequency, and I think they will, you’ll want more rounds. It’s as simple as that. Many folks, me included, are finding that they feel a little better carrying a gun with 15 or more round capacity and an extra magazine or two. I’m not telling you that’s the only proper response; I’m telling you that I feel more comfortable these days carrying a gun with 15 or more rounds.

If you choose to carry a gun, first and foremost, get training. We’re blessed with a myriad of self-defense live training options all over the country. As long as you do your homework, you should be able to find a good one near you. Worst case, watch and study reputable video training programs. Then put those strategies to work on the practice range. If your range doesn’t let you draw or shoot and move, then do it at home with a squirt gun.

Only after you’ve made a commitment to training and practice should you think about whether it makes sense for you to upgrade your carry gun capacity.

About

Tom McHale is the author of the Insanely Practical Guides book series that guides new and experienced shooters alike in a fun, approachable, and practical way. His books are available in print and eBook format on Amazon. You can also find him on Google+, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

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90 COMMENTS

  3. 5 shot J-frame .38sp. It’s almost always in my pocket. I’ve even started carrying a speedloader in my coat pocket lately.

    But honestly, lately I’ve been carrying a double stack 9mm and a spare magazine pretty frequently.

    Like anything else. Any gun is better than no gun, and more ammo, greater shootability, and larger caliber is better. For me, that means my Glock 19 or 22 instead of the J-frame.

    Today, it is just the J-frame and the speedloader. I guess I’m not that worried about terrorism.

    • I am currently carrying a j-frame in the pocket, a Hi-Power in my man purse (I mean uh, tactical sling pack)
      And a 12 ga in the truck.

      I think there are better options out there. I chose those guns because I already had access to them.

  4. 1911 of course. That is to say, if you’re in New York and you can only have 7 rounds anyway.

    Plus, 1911.

  5. Any gun is better than no gun. That being said, the real discussion is in the choices of ammo.

    Any modern hollow point with a dab of bacon grease on the bullet is the right ammo for fighting terror.

    • ha ha , or just put a bacon bit secured with a drop of wax down in the hollow point , might even aid in the bullets expansion

  6. Whats the right gun for terrorism????
    The gun that a person is most comfortably with. I get this question from time to time as I am retired law enforcement. There are people out there that shouldn’t be near guns, but will buy a gun solely on the
    say so of a salesman behind the counter because it’s money in the stores coffers. I will tell people to go
    to a range were guns can be rented. Me, if carry a .45 glock 36 or my Sig P227, have always been found
    of the .45. Carried the 1911 for years but as I get older it gets heaver.

  7. Whatever the cop who killed the 2 wannabe jihadi’s in Texas carried(wasn’t it reported as a GLOCK brand GLOCK?)-how about if anyone was similarly armed in San B.? We’ll never know. Like angels dancing on the head of PIN. A high capacity handgun in whatever flavor is a good start…

  8. My concerns on a terrorist attack is that by definition there are many innocent people around. Thus I am not as concerned about the number of bullets in the gun but the ability to aim correctly and hit the BG center mass without hitting a bystander. In addition, since the BG may be armed with something with better range and power, my strength would likely be the surprise of unexpected resistance, after a few shots if I have not neutralized them, my goose is cooked.

    • Grumpy,

      With respect to bystanders, please note that random shots to bystanders are rarely life-threatening.

    • Best practical contribution to the discussion! ‘You may have only a few shots. Make them count. Sting and move if you can. Sting again, if you get the chance.’

  9. I recently discovered that I can comfortably carry and conceal a full size Glock just as easily as a compact Glock. Two more rounds, easier recoil management and longer sight radius. What’s not to love?

    • Yes sir! I carry a fullsize M&P in 9mm, I carry a spare magazine with that as well, I would keep a rifle in my car if I didn’t work on an Army post…It’s a shame that if anything ever happened here like the Fort Hood shooting I’d be a sitting duck until the MP’s came around armed with their M9’s, Hopefully they have the common sense to have some M4’s in their trunks too…But knowing my gun shy CG probably not…

    • Dale,

      I have always carried a full size semi-auto pistol for concealed carry. If you are in sort-of decent shape and have some flexibility in clothing, you can easily conceal a full size pistol.

      As of today, I am trying out carrying two full-size pistols rather than carrying one full size pistol and spare magazine. Either way, I have 30 rounds of ammunition on me. The advantage now is that I have much faster and easier “reloads”. (Instead of ejecting an empty magazine, grabbing a fresh magazine from concealment, inserting it into the pistol, and then tugging slightly on the slide to load another round and place the slide in battery … I just pull out the second pistol and start shooting. Or, at the onset of the attack, I pull out the second pistol, hand it to another victim, and now there are TWO OF US OPPOSING THE ATTACKER.

  10. I imagine that it is only a matter of time until they start using armor to extend their sprees.

  11. I switched from a M&P40c to a M&P40 pro 5″ because of accuracy. With this pistol I can nail A zone head shots on a idpa target at 50 yards, the question is ” can I do it fast enough?”

    • I don’t think that speed will matter that much, really. Once bullets start incoming, the terrs will either dive for cover, focus on you (stopping the slaughter), shoot themselves, or blow themselves and a whole lotta other people up.

      A clear, center mass shot is better of course, but if I could take ANY shot, I would – as long as a miss wouldn’t endanger folks in the background.

      Oh, and for the record – you don’t want to announce that shot in advance, with any theatrical “Stop! Put the gun down!” Just shoot the bastard.

      • Yes, I would definitely not announce my intentions, and I know this is probably Hollywood, but I imagine that given the chance they would grab a “human shield” if given the chance.

        • Watching the wound channel made me realise how useful a 20″ barrel AR is, The M193 goes screaming out of a 20″+ rifle, He used a 22″ for his tests and it went through Level 3+ body armor with ease…

      • Gabe Suarez has some excellent articles on this.

        To paraphrase:
        An active shooter or terrorist attack is different from any other defensive gun use. You are not trying to de-escalate the situation, placate the mugger with your wallet, or debate whether you can talk your way out of the situation and avoid using lethal force.

        Rather, you must be able to stealthily close to within effective shooting distance of a total stranger, and without saying a word shoot them repeatedly in the back of the head.
        /paraphrase

      • Center mass is what we’re all trained to do but the last 3-4 terrorist gunmen attacks have included body armor. So I’ve been focusing on precision shooting, hopefully just as a intellectual pursuit.

        • Double-check that. I know that the Paris attacks involved ballistic protection, but domestically, at least, the media is liable to report a chest rig as “body armor” without bothering to check first. I think that was the case with the Texas attack, and if I’m not mistaken, the San Bernadino bit as well.

      • Multiple terrorists armed rifles won’t notice your return fire unless they see you. Way too much noise and chaos.

  12. Post 1980 invasion of South Africa, the citizens, in a light attempt to share the same information used to ask each other (in private-ish) circles “What’s the best caliber for kulling keffas [translate that non-believer]”. The question was bandy’d back and forth like “what are the fish biting?” However, the implication is just as austerely plain. What’s going to down a man who is aiming to do you harm. In South Africa, the invaders had Khat, and, when they took a break from leaning on the system and killing the indigenous Afrikaners, and instead, fought amongst themselves, it would not be impossible or even that uncommon that a North African on Khat with a machete buried nearly blade deep in his head (or other extremity), would knock on the door of a South African home in the middle of the night to ask for ‘disparins’ (aspirin) [no joke].
    Enemy combatants in Iraq were predominantly from elsewhere, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Russia, and everyone except the Russians were typically STONED OUT OF THEIR MINDS on something.

    so. . . What’s the best weapon for killing people who don’t necessarily plan on surviving the encounter themselves? Who’s gonna reach for a cell phone to call the cops first? Who’s gonna think an initial attack is the sole attack? Who’s gonna put up with any sh_t from people wondering if your response was proper?

    • . . . Whatever you choose, carry enough ammo to eliminate the threat. Don’t limit your imagination on what that threat might be. The threat doesn’t end with the incident either, you’ll have the media working moment to moment trying to ‘out’ you (to make a buck) and to keep your enemy’s friends informed. Don’t expect any contact from this Whitehouse whether you win the fight or lose, but your motives and practices will be vetted harder and more thoroughly than the last two (D)head presidential candidates.

  14. I guess I can “disrupt” with my P-64 at close range as well as with anything else. Wouldn’t mind having a Tokarev, a few more rounds of potentially armor-defeating ammo, but it wouldn’t fit in my pocket so well. And a new pistol is pretty far down the metaphorical pike for me, the tiny odds of getting caught in a terrorist attack in my locality won’t change that.

    • I prefer to look at it like this; when thrown, an empty P-64/Makarov/CZ-82 or TT-33 would hurt more than a polymer sub-compact, and definitely be more effective as a bludgeon.
      Also, soft armor generally doesn’t prevent pointy steel penetration. Terrorists wouldn’t be the only ones carrying capable combat blades, especially around my part of the country.

  15. I figure the answer here is the same as it’s always been for defensive concealed carry. First, have a reliable gun and know how to use it. Any gun is better than none. Everything else is secondary.

    For me, the “right” gun is the same all-purpose pistol I’ve been carrying for 3 years now: a Springfield XDm 9mm compact.

    In the short-grip compact configuration, it holds 13 rounds plus one in the chamber, and though it’s on the boxy/heavy side, it’s highly concealable under my everyday wardrobe. If I carry a spare full-size magazine, I have 19 more rounds at my disposal in case things get really weird.

    The Paris attacks happened only a few days before a concert outing my kids and I had planned for months (Kamelot and Dragonforce). The kids were pretty worried, since terrorists had targeted exactly the kind of venue and show we were going to, but we discussed both the incredibly low odds and preparedness together and we all were armed — me with my usual CCW, them with their favorite EDC knives (assisted-opening 3.5″ lockblades).

    Of course we didn’t need to use any of it. Still, being prepared going in did wonders for our peace of mind. And as it turned out, the crowd was simultaneously the loudest, most energetic, happiest, friendliest, and most peaceful bunch of people I’ve ever seen at a metal show (a spontaneous chant of “fuck the jihad” broke out during Dragonforce’s set when they mentioned Paris…warmed my heart).

  16. What’s the right carry gun?
    I’m making the switch to the Glock 40 with Burris accelerator II.

  17. If I lived where carry was legal I believe I would carry a glock 19 with 2 spare mags and a j frame. And some version of a 12 ga. pump gun in the vehicle.

    • Indeed, the 7 round limit was found to be unconstitutional by a judge, but this part of the law remains untested as to how broad the ruling really is.

      Apparently police have been instructed to ignore the 7 round limit.

      That said, I don’t like relying on some untested ruling and only keep 7 rounds in my mags, + 1 in the pipe, and most of the people I know around here do the same thing.

      So yea, ten is fine. Until it’s not.

  19. The gun you shoot the best with. I figure your role in a terrorist attack is to protect yourself and those around you, not to do your best John McClane impression.

  21. “Pain or damage don’t end the world, or despair, or #*%€{¥’ beatings. The world ends when you’re dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man — and give some back.”

    ” Deadwood”
    Al Swearengen (who would’ve used a cut throat razor)

  23. Glock 30S. Since I can only have 10 rounds, they might as well be big ones. The gun’s fat (and phat!) but short and conceals pretty easily.

    The 229 Legion is good too. I really like the sights on it.

    • Thank gods someone else caught it. The title makes it sound like you are asking “what is the best firearm with which to commit terrorism”.

    • The Right Carry Gun for Terrorism. Depending on how one would interpret this phrase, I can see this topic being on the Inspire or ISIS website.

  26. Still sticking with my G26 gen4 but I have been carrying an extra magazine. Two total now in one of those ankle magazine pouches on my right ankle. Gun on left ankle.

    If it ever gets cold enough to wear a jacket it will be a g17 in a shoulder holster.

  27. Gotta say it……again, Sig P229 .40 Elite.

    It comes down to the willingness to engage. Obviously you don’t want to engage with spit wads, so willingness comes down to what a equipment a person has to effectively engage with.
    In the famous bank robbery in Southern California, the suspects had full-auto AKs and out-gunned willing police officers. That’s one extreme. At the other end of the spectrum, a lone disgruntled gunman who gives up with a trivial amount of resistance. Anything is better than nothing and more is better, but to what end? For an EDC, any modern firearm and willingness to engage when the time comes. IMHO

    • What I’ve always found interesting about the north hollywood battle is that in spite of the bad guys having multiple “assualt rifles” and the good guys mostly limited to shotguns and handguns the only deaths that day were the bad guys.

      There were multiple injuries amongst the cops and the citizens but no deaths. Amazing considering the volume of round put out by the bad guys.

      For this exact situation is why cops should have armored vehicles. Rescuing the injured under fire.

      I’m not a big fan of nypd or lapd. But lapd stepped up its game on that day.

  28. Pretty much any gun with good ammo in a self-defense caliber will do the job — IF the defender has the skill to use it.

  29. A Caracal C, a Taurus Millenium, a KelWreck, a SCCY, a Lorcin or a HiPoint. Anything but a Glock, because they are bad and stuff.

  30. G19 or G17, and an LCP for back up.

    I’m not sure I agree with the “any gun you have on you will work” comments. I don’t think it applies for a terrorist situation.

    For the average street thug/s looking for an easy target or basement dwelling mass murdering loser, yes.

    For the loaded out and hell bent terrorist, that J frame ain’t cutting it.

    • I’ve been carrying comfortably my Glock 29 10mm with the Sig Sauer V crowned ammo 180 grain, pretty impressive ammo. I also daily carry my Ruger lc9 s Pro with a 9 round extended mag with 124 and 147 grain Federal Premium HST I feel that is a fair amount of firepower, the Glock 29 has a 15 round magazine from a Glock 20 which that magazine will actually hold 16 rounds plus one in the chamber. I also rotate my Glock 29 with my HK-VP 9 which has a 15 round mag which is full of Federal Premium HST 147 grain. Whatever you carry I highly recommend Federal premium HST it is by far a superior defensive round. Be safe and shoot straight my fellow Americans.

  33. A double stack full sized pistol preferably in 45.

    Why full size? Greater accuracy, better ballistic performance and higher capacity.

    Why 45? Caliber may not make a difference when confronted by a mugger in a typical 3,3,3 scenario but you could be in an extended fight in a Paris-like scenario and a 45 ACP will render an attacker ineffective quicker. Even if it’s only 10 seconds sooner, how many people can a terrorist shoot in 10 seconds with an AR/AK??

    When I go to the Twin Cities I carry an XD Service and 5 magazines. Did I say don’t forget the extra magazines.

    All that said, I am not expecting terrorists where I live. They couldn’t find it on a map so I will continue carrying my 1911. I am more concerned with 4 legs than 2.

  34. Ruger GP100 3″ Wiley Clapp. At least until I decide to carry something different. Why settle for an effective range of 25 yards when you could have 100?

    • You carry the automatic for the same reasons the worlds’s militaries switched. Rate of fire and ease of reloading. Fighting the hypothetical Paris-style terrorist attack is a high volume of fire event. What are you going to do after you have expended your dozen rounds? Throw the gun at them?

      • What makes you think you can fire 13 rounds from an auto without drawing jihadi fire? Those extra bullets won’t do you much good if your dead. If you’re facing a large group you take out one or two and get the hell out of there. The real solution is to have more than one good guy packing when and where they shout ‘Allahu Ahkbar’.

        • I don”t plan on getting into a stand up shootout with multiple guys with rifles because I am going to lose. You have to establish SA so you don’t merely run from one kill zone to another. You go to ground because they will be targeting upright people first. If it’s a short it’s over for you.

        • Still don’t get the advantage of high round count over increased range and power. The only way your going to get 13 shots off before your dead is to do a mag dump on the first jihadi, which doesn’t seem very prudent. With my GP I’m reasonably sure that I can hit 50%+ in the vitals with an improvised rest at 100 yards and at least 1 for 6 without a rest (probably a couple non vital hits as well). These attacks don’t happen in elevators, they happen in large open and crowded areas. 50+ yard shots should be expected. With a little luck you’ll get a few shots off without being located since there’s going to be a whole lot of people screaming and running around in circles, not to mention the noise of the jihadi gunfire.

        • Gov, I get what you are saying but you are still thinking like a 1 on 1 encounter in a sparsely populated environment. Next time you are at a likely terrorist venue check out the sight lines and tell me where you have a clear 100 yard shot. How about a clear 50 yards shot? You probably will be forgiven for shooting a collateral in this situation but by and large you won’t have shot beyond 25 yards. A magazine dump on the closest terrorist from a prone positon has a high probability of taking him/her out because they won’t be looking at targets on the ground in the first moments of the attack. After that you might start attracting attention. Besides at a 100 yards you are in escape/evade anyway. If you can’t escape, then you go into hiding and that can be a very strong position to be in since they wouldn’t be there if they expected opposition. That magazine dump looks a lot better when they have pass a constrained entry way to get to you.

  35. If concealed or open carry saves one life then it’s worth it! The sidearm you’re proficient with is the best defense against jihadis that Uncle Samuel ben Samuel admitted to our shores.

  37. I have been thinking about this and I am starting to seriously consider a different approach: carry a .44 Magnum revolver with 6+ inch barrel and full-power 180 grain hollowpoints. (This should produce a muzzle velocity on the order of 1700 fps.)

    Here is my thinking. If I can put a shot anywhere near the center line of an attacker’s arm, leg, or torso, that shot will immediately take the attacker out of the fight. A 180 grain hollowpoint hitting an arm or leg at 1500 fps is going to immediately render that limb unusable and either render the attacker non-ambulatory or unable to operate a rifle with one arm. And a hit to an attacker’s torso is going to be devastating and rapidly, if not immediately incapacitating. (Remember, we are talking a .43 caliber, 180 grain bullet that will impact at 1500+ fps and rapidly expand to .75 caliber or so. That is a lot more devastating than a .35 caliber, 115 grain bullet impacting at 1000 fps or even a .45 caliber, 230 grain bullet impacting at 800 fps.)

    Of course large frame revolvers usually have 6-shot cylinders so you will not be able to employ the spray-and-pray approach. Rather, you would have to employ stealth/sniping tactics. And that is probably the way to go anyway in that situation. Better to have something that WILL stop an attacker with one shot.

    • I have carried my 6 1/2″ Ruger Blackhawk .44mag concealed as well as my 6″ GP100 in a shoulder holster. If you’re planning on an IWB holster you might want to go with a 3″-4″ version. I wouldn’t discount the .357 either. Far superior in range and power to 9mm, .45acp etc., with the right load anyway.

  39. Hopefully will never have to try it out for real but I just added a Sig P320c for this very purpose. I couldn’t visualize holding anyone off for too long with my Shield and 16 rounds.

  42. If confronted with a terrorist active shooter, I would prefer a P226 or 92FS with spare mags, especially if there is more than 1 shooter like San Bernardino.

    If there is 1 shooter and he/she doesn’t see/shoot me first, I’ll take the head shot. If sucessful, it is this first shot that counts the most in this circumstance. More than one shooter is a different story.

  43. The question is bit vague, since concealed carrier only refers to a person with a handgun, and both vary widely in their capabilities. Could a concealed carrier stop a terror attack? Of course, it’s absurd to suggest otherwise. Could any concealed carrier stop any conceivable terror attack? Of course not.

    If we focus on what has been seen, one to two terrorists armed with rifles and behaving as if they expect no resistance then the question is one of accuracy, potency, speed and number of hits.

    As with any weapon and in any situation there are more and less favorable tactics. One armed with only a NAA .22 SAO revolver very likely would prevail having hidden and emerged behind the terrorist at close range and delivering a round to the back of the head. This doesn’t suggest such a weapon is ideal, but rather illustrates how tactics are a more decisive factor than equipment. Better equipment is that which lends itself to a more flexible range of tactics. Being aware of the limitations and strengths of your equipment and developing sets of tactics to employ same across the broadest circumstances practicable is more important than choice of equipment, though such study may lead some to rethink their equipment choices.

    Given that terrorist attacks are unpredictable, and it being impractical to alter choice of weapon based on location as a general rule, the most flexible weapon is arguably best.

    Thus the best weapon for counter terror would be the best for concealed carry generally, subject to the same compromises, determined by the same selection criteria. Further, the odds of needing a weapon for counter terror are such that planning to employ ones ordinary concealed weapon for such a task suggests itself more readily that having a weapon specifically for counter terror.

    Perhaps the more interesting question would be “What sorts of techniques are most effective when employing a concealed pistol against a mass shooting terror attack?” Given that terrorists, mass shootings and pistol versus rifle are all both very rare and very different from what most people have faced, trained for or even contemplated, a study and discussion of tactics could be very rewarding.

  45. You would have to be equally armed to take on a terrorist in a fair fight. You’ll always be disadvantaged with a pistol, but with numbers and tactics your odds may be better. Best thing to do may be to cover your retreat unless you are completely backed up against the proverbial wall. Then it’s time to fight with whatever you have, with everything you have to save your life.

  46. I carry a S&W 649-2 with a Red laser and/or CZ-75 P-07 with a Green Laser everywhere I can and follow the law.

    The lasers are to make up for my 70+ year old eyes. Either gun will put a bullet in man at 50 yards if I can. The 649 takes a really good rest, careful hold and a solid rest to make up for old shaky hands in light the red laser shows up. The CZ-75 holds a 4 inch group or better from a machine rest at 50 yards. On most days have no trouble putting 3 out of 5 in the 8 ring of a silhouette at 50 yards standing resting on upright pipe aiming with a laser.

    The laser on the CZ-75 is set to shoot 2 inches high at 25 and 50 yards and 5 inches low at 100 yards. It zero’s around 12 and 60 yards. I call that flat out to 75 yards for defense.

    How well I would shoot under the stress of an attack I don’t know. I only expect a chance in an armed confrontation not a sure thing.

  47. Get a super large messenger bag along the lines of the Rush Delivery X-Ray by 5.11

    Get an AR “pistol” with a 10″ or less barrel, an A2 flash hider, and a LAW tactical folding brace.
    Slide a SIG brace or a CAA type deal on there, and you’re good to go. Should just barely fit.

    Barring that, or alongside it get yourself a nice double stack handgun, carry 3+ mags, and if you have a bag, especially a backpack, I’d suggest you get yourself a slick carrier with rifle plates, a gas mask, and a decent headset that you can plug into your phone, with a mic. That’s your “radio”, that you relay information to the phone operator with.

    Absolute minimalist for expecting terrorism IMO. Basics would just be the headset, and a double stack handgun with 3 mags. Would also strongly recommend a backup pocket gun.

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