No less than 5.

Normally 5-8.

Depending on where I'm going the high count would be 22 and the low count 12

By myself in public 19.

Wife and kids in public setting 58.

Cop Job 58.

Army job 180 minimum.

Depending on what Zip code I’m in & the time of day, Usually 5 with a speed strip reload

Five in with a full (six rounds) speed strip.

What ever is capacity of gun. No spare mag.

Once I realized I could pocket carry my G26 it became 10. Prior to that it was a J frame with 5.

19 rounds in my 226. Don't carry an extra mag.

I’m fine with 21 rounds of 9mm on me (Glock 26 at the moment, p365 when I get enough practice under the belt). 10+1 is probably plenty but an extra mag of either takes up almost no room.

Two combat tours in Vietnam as airborne infantry and pathfinder, I carried my rifle with five 20-round magazines (sometimes with an additional bandolier of ammo in stripper clips) and a M1911A1 pistol with 3 magazines. Everyone carried a 200-round belt for the M-60 machinegunner (he had enough to carry already).

24 years as a cop. Started out with a 6-shot revolver with 12 extra rounds on the belt. Later on, working plain clothes, I carried a revolver with 6 extra rounds. Ended up carrying a 1911-style .45 pistol with 8 rounds on board and 2 extra 7-round magazines. By that time everyone was carrying a "wonder nine" that you could load on Sunday and shoot all week, and if a cop fell in deep water he would undoubtedly drown from the weight of his extra ammo and extraneous nonsense on his belt.

Somehow I made it through. Only 4 Purple Heart medals in the Army, and I was only shot once as a cop.

Enough is usually enough. Your methods may vary depending on your OCD tendencies.

G30s 10 rds. and a spare mag. Pickle Rick

P229 with a total of 37 180gr. Winchester Rangers

5.

varies.

on duty is the Glock 31 with 76 rds. 15+1, 15, 15, 15, 15.

off duty it varies.
43X - 21rds, 10+1, 10
32 - 40rds, 13+1, 13, 13
STI - 78rds, 17+1, 20, 20, 20

G43 with 2 plus 2 mags so 17 rds.

19 ) .45 acp
30 ) 9mm

10

Think back. The highest number you've ever had to shoot to defend yourself in the past, plus 1. The problem with that number is the total will probably come to just 1 because we generally don't expend ammo defending ourselves. Maybe a cop here or there will fire a self defense shot once in a lifetime of service. The rest of us, not so much.

We all live a good life. No one mad at us to the point where they're shooting at us. Like someone said above, if I think I'm going to need a gun, I just don't go. And the self defense gun will likely be a shock wave if I do. Worse still, I'll get my buddies to arm up and go along. Not just one 12 ga, maybe a dozen or so.

Gawd, the beer bill will be awful afterwards.

i very rarely leave the house without a firearm and a ca mag plus one in the chamber. maybe 50% of the time i add another 10 round mag